This Pumpkin Spice Fudge recipe is made with 100% real pumpkin and is an old fashioned fudge recipe made with with no marshmallow cream or chips of any kind!
This fudge recipe has pumpkin pie flavor in candy form that is bound to please both the pumpkin and fudge lovers! It is perfect for adding to the holiday dessert tables and to add to gift baskets.
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Old Fashioned Fudge Recipes
I consider this Pumpkin Spice Fudge recipe and old fashioned boiled fudge. Old fashioned fudge means the recipe uses granulated sugar, butter, milk, and flavorings. It is boiled to the soft boil stage, then is beaten with a wooden spoon until no longer glossy.
This Pumpkin Fudge has a different texture than fudge made with marshmallow cream. It is toothsome, but still creamy and holds up well. To me, making a good old fashioned fudge recipe is a language of love. It takes a bit of arm work, but worth the smiles!
🥘 Ingredients
Granulated sugar adds sweetness, flavor, and body to the pumpkin fudge.
Unsalted butter is used to keep the sugar from crystalizing. It also adds great flavor to the fudge.
Whole milk is what adds moisture to the recipe and with the butter aids in breaking down the sugar molecules.
Light corn syrup helps add a silky and creamy texture to the fudge recipe
Pumpkin puree, pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin pie spice, you can use pre-made spice, or make your own pumpkin pie spice.
Vanilla extract is added for its flavor. It also aids in bringing out the flavor of the other ingredients.
Salt is added to enhance the flavor or the pumpkin fudge.
🍽 Equipment
A good sized saucepan that is equipped to hold the pumpkin fudge when it is boiling. A 4-quart saucepan like this one works well.
Candy Thermometer to gauge when the candy has reached soft boil stage.
One 8x8 cake dish.
Parchment paper or foil for lining the dish.
Large knife for easy cutting of the pumpkin fudge.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1:
- Line an 8x8 pan with tinfoil. Spray foil with cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2:
- In a 3-quart saucepan, mix together the sugar, milk, corn syrup, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue boiling. Do not stir. Watch carefully that the mixture does not boil over the top of the pot.
- When mixture registers 230 degrees F (soft ball stage) on candy thermometer, remove pan from heat.
Step 3:
- Stir the vanilla and butter into the fudge mixture. Cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F on candy thermometer).
Step 4:
- Beat the fudge mixture until it is very thick and loses some of its gloss.
- Quickly pour into a greased eight-inch pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Cool until firm.
- Lift the cooled fudge out of the pan using parchment paper or foil as handles and cut into 36 squares.
💭 Pumpkin Fudge Making Tips
- Whisk the ingredients that will be cooked on the stove together really well before turning on your heat. This is to ensure the pumpkin is completely incorporated into the sugar mixture..
- Using a candy thermometer is highly recommended. They are fairly inexpensive to buy and comes in handy for more than fudge making.
- After stirring in the butter and vanilla extract, allow the candy sit to cool to lukewarm (about 110 degrees) before beating.
- As soon as the candy starts looking "dull" or "loses its gloss" pour it into the prepared dish! If you wait, your fudge can harden faster than you can pour it.
- Let the fudge recipe completely cool before you cut into it. This pumpkin fudge will be a little bit more fragile.
- Last, but not least: Send photos of your pumpkin fudge to the ones you love - whether or not you're going to mail (or hand deliver) it to them. This is just so they can respond with "Oh YUMMY!"
More Fudge Recipes
- Easy Chocolate Fudge with Irish Cream
- Nanny's Brown Sugar Fudge
- The BEST Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge!
- Maple Sugar Candy
- Cookie Butter Fudge
- Eggnog Fudge
*If you made this Pumpkin Spice Fudge recipe, please give it a star rating*
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Fudge
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Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 pan with tinfoil. Spray foil with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a 3 quart saucepan, mix together sugar, milk, corn syrup, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling. Do not stir. Watch carefully as mixture may come to the top of pot, it will eventually go down however, if your heat is a little too high, it could boil over.
- When mixture registers 230 degrees F (soft ball stage) on candy thermometer, remove pan from heat. Stir vanilla and butter. Cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F on candy thermometer).
- Beat mixture until it is very thick and loses some of its gloss. Quickly pour into a greased eight-inch pan. When firm, lift fudge out of pan using foil as handles and cut into 36 squares.
Alas says
Hello! Is the corn syrup absolutely necessary in the recipe, or can I just go ahead and do without, without adjusting ingredient amounts?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Corn syrup is used in fudge recipes to prevent sugar crystallization which is needed in this recipe. If you must substitute, the best choice would be Golden Syrup.
ajcabuang04 says
This screams fall!! Looks super delicious! Also, the brownie biscotti is something I want to try soon! I'm definitely in a brownie mode! 🙂
teresa says
oh my goodness, what a gorgeous spin on fudge! bring on pumpkin treats!
i posted your cheeseburger pizza on my blog, it was so delicious. love your recipes!
honeyb says
Thank you Teresa! I'm on my way to check out your post 🙂
bellini says
I talk about the very first meal I made for company in my new home being store bought meat pies, canned carrots and canned potatoes. I do remember thinking it was delicious!As for the fudge it really is so festive!!
honeyb says
🙂 Its something how we gave grown Val!
Leslie says
that is soooo funny! My most embarrassing food moment....when I caught robe on fire cooking thanksgiving dinner! Yeah.
honeyb says
Ouch Leslie! That is a bit scary!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
This looks absolutely delicious, Shelby! I'm definitely going to add it to my candy recipes.
honeyb says
Thank you Lana!
Pegasuslegend says
Sounds wonderful I was hoping you would post this one! After I read you were eating some.. My hubby would love this too. Guess its going to go on the Christmas list and hope I can find the time 🙂 thanks for posting it!
honeyb says
Claudia, you should definitely try it! Everyone who had any of it (I took this to work and gave some to a friend) LOVED it.
The Mom Chef says
I'm loving seeing the pumpkin recipes that are showing up along with the cooler temps! I can't say I've hidden a flopped dish in a closet, but I have had an epic fail or three in my day for sure. It looks like you've more than made up for yours with this fudge.
honeyb says
Thank you 🙂