Easy Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

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This easy old fashioned pumpkin fudge recipe is perfect for fall. With only a few simple ingredients and a little patience, you can have this delicious sweet treat ready in no time at all.

Creamy and delicious with a hint of pumpkin flavor from real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices. A delicious way to welcome the fall season!

A small plate topped with homemade pumpkin fudge.

Table of Contents

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

This pumpkin fudge recipe is easy to make with only a few simple ingredients.
Not overly sweet. In fact, we use about half of the sweetener you might find in other recipes without compromising the flavor.
Pumpkin desserts like this one are perfect for fall.
A great treat full of pumpkin flavor to share with friends and family this holiday season.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

You will need a few kitchen tools to help you make this fall fudge recipe. Please don’t forget the candy thermometer as it’s essential to make sure that your fudge recipes are at the desired temperature.

8X8 baking dish
medium saucepan – you want to use a heavy bottom stainless steel pan.
parchment paper or aluminum foil
candy thermometer
whisk

INGREDIENTS

You only need a few simple ingredients to help you make this sweet treat. Most of these ingredients you should have on hand already in your kitchens. But, if not you can easily find these ingredients in your local grocery store.

granulated sugar or sugar free alternative like allulose. I don’t recommend using erythritol or monk fruit. These will crystallize when cooled and taste grainy.
heavy cream
pumpkin puree – make your own in just 6 minutes in an Instant Pot.
butter, unsalted
Pumpkin Pie Spice
kosher salt
vanilla extract

Small squares of fudge on a serving plate.

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY PUMPKIN FUDGE RECIPE

Making this fudge is so easy. Just follow the steps below and you will have a delicious fudge recipe that your entire family will enjoy in no time at all. It’s essential that you don’t get distracted and pay close attention to the temperature for the perfect creamy pumpkin fudge.

STEP 1: LINE A BAKING DISH

Line and lightly grease an 8″ baking pan with foil or parchment paper and set aside.

STEP 2: HEAT THE SWEETENER AND HEAVY CREAM

In a medium size saucepan combine the sweetener and heavy cream. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

STEP 3: ADD THE PUMPKIN AND SEASONINGS

Add pumpkin puree, butter, pumpkin spice, salt, and vanilla extract.

Ingredients in a saucepan to made fudge.

STEP 4: BRING THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE TO A BOIL

Bring ingredients to a rolling boil until a candy thermometer reaches a soft ball stage at 240°F. This may take up to 10 minutes.

STEP 5: COOL THE FUDGE

Remove pumpkin fudge from the stovetop and cool to 110°F.

A candy thermometer in a small saucepan waiting for soft ball heat.

STEP 6: WHISK THE FUDGE UNTIL IT LOSES THE SHINE

Whisk fudge with a hand whisk until it thickens and loses its gloss color.

STEP 7: POUR FUDGE INTO THE PREPARED PAN AND COOL

Pour pumpkin fudge into the prepared baking pan. Cool for about 2 hours before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Pumpkin fudge cooling in a square baking pan.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

If you don’t want to use sugar you can use your favorite sugar-free sweeteners such as allulose stevia, monk fruit or erythritol
You can also add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or even to the recipe before pouring it into the pan. On half of the recipe I added chopped nuts to the top of the fudge while it set.

TIPS

Making fudge can be tricky, but if you follow these tips you will have success every time.

Be sure to use a candy thermometer to get the correct temperature. If your fudge is too hot it will be mushy, if it’s not hot enough it will be too crumbly.
Whisk the fudge mixture constantly while it’s boiling to prevent scorching. Be sure to cool the fudge to 110°F before whisking, if it’s too hot it won’t set up correctly.
Help! Some common mistakes when making fudge happens. One of the most common is the butter separates leaving an oily layer on the fudge. Don’t fret. This likely happened because the ingredients got too hot. This can be fixed if ingredients are grainy, oily or too hard. Put the fudge mix back in the pot and add 1 cup of water. Stir and bring back the ingredients to a soft ball temperature 240°F and follow the recipe as written.
Make sure that you use real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling to make this pumpkin recipe.
Be sure to cover the sides of the pan with parchment paper or nonstick foil for easy removal.
If you want to check for the soft-ball stage of fudge, you can drop a small amount of the fudge into a bowl filled with cold water. If it balls up, then your fudge is ready to remove from the heat.

Soft ball candy technique with a small ball of fudge in a hand. — **Soft Ball Stage**

HOW TO STORE

This homemade fudge can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you live in a warm climate it’s best to store the fudge in the fridge.

You can also freeze this fudge for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight freezable container.

Close view of a sliced square of pumpkin fudge topped with nuts.

FAQS

Do you have questions about this fall fudge recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this easy fudge recipe.

How do you make perfect fudge?

Making perfect fudge can be tricky, but if you follow these tips you will have success every time. Just make sure you whisk until the fudge loses its shine. It does take a while.

What is the best butter to use for fudge?

I always use unsalted butter when making fudge.

What happens if you don’t whisk fudge?

If you don’t whisk the fudge it will be too crumbly and may not set correctly.

OTHER DELICIOUS RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY

After trying this pumpkin fudge recipe be sure to check out these recipes too!

Pumpkin fudge squares with some topped with walnuts.

Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

Delicious creamy pumpkin fudge is the perfect fall dessert. Not overly sweet and made with real pumpkin puree and fall spices. Enjoy with chopped nuts or plain.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fudge, Pumpkin Fudge, Pumplin Fudge Recipe

Servings: pieces

Calories: 57kcal

Author: Sandra Shaffer

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar or sugar free alternative like allulose
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
8 Tablespoons 1 stick butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Line and lightly grease a 8" x 8" baking pan with foil or parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium size saucepan combine the sweetener and heavy cream. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Add pumpkin puree, butter, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the ingredients are well incorporated and the butter has melted.
Bring ingredients to a boil until a candy thermometer reaches a soft ball stage at 240°F.
Remove pumpkin fudge from the stovetop and cool to 110°F.
Whisk fudge with a hand whisk or hand mixer until loses its gloss color. Be careful not to over beat.
Pour pumpkin fudge into prepared baking pan. Cool for about 2 hours before cutting into 1-inch squares.

Notes

You can use up to 3 cups of sugar. I found that 1 1/2 cups is perfect. Not overly sweet and allows for the pumpkin flavor to come through.

Use 100% pumpkin puree. Follow this 6 minute Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree recipe to make your own pumpkin puree.

Nutrition

Disclaimer

Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.