Pumpkin Pie Fudge - Gonna Want Seconds (2024)

If you love the sweet spiced flavor of pumpkin pie but also enjoy eating fudge during the holiday season, then this pumpkin pie fudge will be akin to an out of body experience for ya’. This is an intense temporal bliss that surpasses the minuscule rewards of other pumpkin desserts and it is hard to beat.

It’s even better than pumpkin chocolate chip cookies if I do say so myself (but they’re pretty good too)!

Of course, there’s always the moist, decadent pumpkin bundt cake for larger gatherings but you can still pair it with fudge too. Trust me – you are gonna’ love this.

Let’s get started……

What I Love About This Recipe

• The intense pumpkin pie flavor.
• The super smooth texture.
• The rich indulgence in every bite.
• The bits of pecans add bursts of crunch and flavor.

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Fudge Recipe

Crafting a batch of this superb pumpkin pie fudge is so easy. All you have to do is heat and combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan on the stove.

Remove from heat, add the other ingredients and pour into a prepared pan. Let cool before cutting to serve. Presto!

You’ve got the most blissfully decadent silky smooth fall treat you ever did taste.

Recipe Notes

Believe it or not, there are some secrets to making silky smooth velvety pumpkin fudge.

Sugar Crystals– I promise I won’t geek out on you with too much science, but the number one reason fudge fails is because of sugar crystals. Sugar crystals are responsible for that unpleasant gritty texture sometimes found in fudge.

• The key to good fudge is to make sure that you first break up all of the crystals you put in the mixture and then keep them from forming large crystals after the cooking process. Keep reading to find the secrets to silky smooth, crystal-free fudge!

To prevent crystals:

A. Cook Low And Slow- Never try to rush fudge (or any candy making for that matter).

• Use a good quality, heavy-bottom pan that cooks evenly. Non-stick pots are great for candy making as long as they have a thick bottom and intact non-stick coating.
• You shouldn’t go any higher than medium heat. Have patience! I promise the thermometer will ultimately get to 234°F! It’s also important that you keep it there for the specified time to allow the heat to break down the sugar crystals.

B. Stirring-You’ll get quite an arm workout when making fudge. As the temperature rises, you’ll stir continuously. Once you reach temperature, only stir to keep it from sticking.

• If you’re using a good non-stick pot, don’t stir it at all. When you incorporate the final ingredients, you need to stir vigorously- which can be tough as the mixture thickens.
• Also, most fudge experts advise using a wooden spoon, but a silicone one would work as well. Don’t use metal or plastic spoons because they hold a lot of heat.

C. Avoid The Sides Of The Pan-Don’t scrape down the sides and bottom of the pan as you’re stirring or pouring out the fudge. Sugar crystals like to stick to the sides and bottom.

• You can put a lid on the pot for about a minute to trap moisture as the fudge is starting to heat. This needs to be done before it starts to boil.
• Also, you can wash the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Just make sure it isn’t sopping wet and dripping water down into your fudge.
• Don’t worry if there are stray bits left over after you pour the fudge into the pan to cool and resist the urge to scrape them out. They are cooler than the rest of the mixture and prone to crystallizing. Consider those your reward for all your hard work!

Get Everything Set-Before you turn on the stove, make sure that your final ingredients are measured out and ready to add in with a quick dump. Your foil-lined pan must be ready and within easy reach. If your fudge sits while you’re getting your pan or gathering ingredients, sugar crystals will form, resulting in sad, grainy fudge.

Before Adding the Final Ingredients- You don’t have to rush to add in the final ingredients after you remove the fudge from the heat. Let it cool down a little- but don’t stir it while it cools.

• Ideally, you’ll stir in the extras at about 110°F. However, this temperature isn’t as critical as the temperature you cook it to. Once you add in the final ingredients, stir like crazy until your fudge loses it shine and starts to thicken.

Cooling Fudge-Fudge doesn’t like sudden temperature shifts. Let it cool at room temperature. Resist the temptation to speed the process up in the fridge. A rapid change in temperature will encourage sugar crystals.

If Your Fudge Doesn’t Set-Fudge that doesn’t set didn’t get hot enough for long enough. Undercooked fudge will not harden, no matter how long you chill it.

If Your Fudge is Crumbly, Dry, or Brittle-The candy was overcooked and brought to too high a temperature.

Ingredient Notes

Butter – For creamy dreamy successful pumpkin fudge, you’ve got to use the real deal butter. Margarine may be just fine for making tangy lemon white chocolate cookies or chewy pumpkin spice cookies, but it has no place in fudge.

• Margarine contains more moisture than butter, so it can prevent your fudge from setting properly. Your fudge will taste richer and have a creamier texture if you use real butter.

Tools to Make

The most important tool to ensure your pumpkin fudge tastes like a dream come true is a candy thermometer. Using one is the easiest way to ensure your fudge has reached the recommended temperature to set properly. Here are some tips on using one (super easy) and ensuring that it’s accurate.

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can rely on the cold water method here. You’re shooting for soft ball temperature.

How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?

As long as you can keep the family at bay! Just kidding. Like most other fudge, your pumpkin fudge will stay fresh and yummy for a couple of weeks at room temperature.

There’s no need to store it in the fridge unless you want to. Just be sure that it is sealed properly or wrapped in cling wrap because air will dry it out quickly and in a hurry.

Can You Freeze This?

Absolutely! The best way to freeze your pie fudge is to cut it first and wrap the individual pieces in cling wrap. Then place the wrapped fudge in a resealable freezer bag and toss it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Slow thaw in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before serving.

Make Ahead Tips

Since fudge holds up well for a couple of weeks at room temp, you can throw it together when you’ve got time. As long as its sealed and well protected from air, it’ll be fresh creamy and irresistible come serving day.

If you’re prepping ahead for the holidays, you can always go the freezer route, too.

Serving Recommendations

Is there ever a bad time for fudge? Serve it with some yummy spiked hot chocolate or apple pie moonshine, dress up the holiday table, or serve it for dessert to treat the fam.

Recipe Variations

This dreamy pumpkin fudge is so darn delicious it can be hard to think of making anything else. BUT it’s also such a flexible recipe you can get a ton of awesome flavors and textures with a few simple swaps. Check ‘em out!

• Pull out the flour and holiday spices to make some moist delicious pumpkin scones with a double helping of sweet spiced glaze.
• Grab the oats and prepare to craft soft indulgent pumpkin oatmeal cookies with a sweet cream cheese icing.
• Craft some beautiful little pumpkin parfait desserts with golden Oreo spiced crumble that take dessert to the next level.
• Layer sweet cream cheese filling with spiced vanilla pudding and fall pumpkin pie to create a pumpkin lasagna they’ll request again and again.
• Pull out all the stops by serving these scrumptious cakey pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.

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