Salted Nut Bar Fudge

Ages ago, when my husband and I were on a holiday, we decided to visit the local candy/fudge/ice cream shop. This is not an unusual thing for us to do! Nothing says it’s a holiday like having a treat, even if the weather isn’t so cooperative. Since I live in Washington, I am used to all sorts of rainy weather most of the year. It’s been long enough that I don’t remember what the weather was like, but I do recall that the shop had salted nut bar fudge, and it was fantastic.

When I knew that I would be making fudge this year, I knew that I wanted to find a recipe that replicated the salted nut bar fudge when I was on holiday. I found a few recipes, and many of them called these items salted nut bar candy bars, but when you look at the ingredients, there is no question that this is fudge. I gathered the ingredients and went to work.

This recipe is made in an 11” x 7” pan, but you can certainly use a 9” square pan if that’s what you have available. You put half the peanuts in the base of the pan, make the peanut butter fudge, and then top with additional peanuts. The ones on the top don’t stick quite as well, but I did my best to press them in to stick. This fudge smells divine when you make it, which is not at all surprising with peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, and marshmallows! This fudge is pretty sticky, but I think it truly captures the flavor of the salted nut bar!

Salted Nut Bar Fudge
3 cups roasted salted peanuts
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 cups peanut butter chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Line an 11” x 7” baking pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray.

Spread about half of the peanuts in the base of the prepared pan. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter chips over low heat. Once the mixture is smooth, add the mini marshmallows and sweetened condensed milk. Continue to heat on low, stirring frequently, until the marshmallows melt and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the peanut butter/marshmallow mixture over the peanuts in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining nuts, pressing the nuts gently into the filling to secure.

Refrigerate until set, at least an hour. Lift the fudge from the pan with the foil and then cut into squares.

Recipe from Chocolate, Chocolate, and More