Looking for a speedy way to get your vegan and gluten-free pumpkin pie fix? Look no further. This naturally sweetened 5-ingredient pumpkin pie fudge comes together with simple ingredients and incredibly speedy methods.
Although Friday's recipe might have delicately whispered "fall," today's is shouting it from the roof tops. Is there any recipe that speaks fall's language more fluently than pumpkin pie? I'd be hard-pressed to come up with one.
After this 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge turned out to be such a hit, I figured I'd give a pumpkin pie variation my best effort.
The base for this fudge is similar to the peanut butter fudge, with coconut butter, nut butter, and pure maple syrup serving as a tasty blank canvas.
To turn this into pumpkin pie fudge, the other two ingredients were pretty obvious: pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice. As the fudge was setting up, I was a bit nervous that the pumpkin purée was going to significantly interfere with the texture; however, it lent a pie-like smooth, dense, and oh-so-creamy consistency. The flavor is identical to pumpkin pie with subtle sweetness and an abundance of warming spices that lure you in for piece after piece. I mean, how can you say no to an innocent little square of pumpkin pie?
With just five ingredients, a few minutes of preparation, and an hour's worth of patiently waiting, you can whip up this fudge and nudge your taste buds straight into fall. Move over, PSL, there's a new fall favorite in town, and she's vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and free of refined sugars. Nerdy? Most of the time. Liar? Never.
5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Fudge
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut butter*
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Tiny pinch fine grain sea salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan over low heat. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes or until all ingredients have melted together.
- Grease a small 3x5 or 4x6 container (depending on desired thickness) with coconut oil and pour the mixture into the container.
- Drop the container on your counter a few times to smooth out the surface of the fudge.
- Freeze for 1 hour to set.
- Remove the block of fudge from the container by turning it over and tapping the container until it releases.
- Slice into 12-16 pieces.
- Store the fudge in the refrigerator if you prefer a softer fudge or in the freezer if you prefer a denser, firmer fudge.
Notes
This looks great. Can I use anything in place of coconut butter? It's way too expensive.
Hi Kristen! It really does need to be coconut butter in order to set correctly; however, you can make your own coconut butter by running coconut flakes/shredded coconut through a food processor for a few minutes. Since shredded coconut is usually fairly reasonable, it's a more affordable option. I hope this helps!
Hi I am glad there is a cheaper way we can do the coconut butter but how about the almond butter... I cant eat almonds or anything... i been trying to find healthier ways of doing some of my cooking without cutting out all the sweets but some of the good things i have allergies against and its hard for me to eat certain foods :(
Hi, Michelle! I haven't tried this substitution myself, but I think sunflower butter or tahini (a thicker one) would work well as a substitute to the almond butter. I hope this helps and that you're able to give these a try! :)
Aaaand my mouth just filled with saliva. Oh my goodness. This fudge looks incredible, Ashley! The perfect way to welcome fall. :)
Haha! Thanks, Meredith! Glad it looks so appetizing in the photos :)
What a tasty looking treat this! I look forward to making this.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!
I definitely can't say no to little pieces of pumpkin pie! Looks delish!!
Thanks, Tina! I definitely can’t say no either :
Wow, it's impressive that you can make pumpkin pie fudge with only 5 ingredients! Definitely one of the more clever pumpkin recipes I've seen lately. Awesome! Pinned!
Thanks for your sweet words and pinning, Meggan! That means a lot because there are so many awesome pumpkin recipes out there right now!
I am totally obsessed with how delicious and easy this pumpkin pie fudge recipe is.. and wow only 5 ingredients! Definitely a recipe that I must recreate!
Thanks, Thalia! I hope you enjoy it!
Mmm! Looks like the perfect treat to transition to fall. I could see this on the dessert table for Thanksgiving Day as well! Thanks for the inspiration :)
You're welcome, Shannon, and thank you for the sweet comment! I hope this fudge does make it to your Thanksgiving dessert table this year!
This looks amazing. I am really getting into pumpkin this year with all the great recipes around and this is definitely one of the best.
Well, thank you, Mercedes! I hope you enjoy the recipe :)
I'm torn. Do I make these and risk eating them all in one evening?? Yes, yes I do. I will try to have some self-restraint though. I tried making some pumpkin fudge last week and mine didn't really work out, but this looks perrrrrrffect!! Can't wait to try it! Thanks, lady!
Haha, take the risk! I opted to store these in the freezer, because I tend to have momentary memory lapses about what's tucked away in there and am able to have a bit more self-restraint that way! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Deryn!
I made these last night and they taste AMAZING! But mine are a little too mushy even though I put them in the freeze over night. I made my own pumpkin puree but I followed the directions to the T. Any suggestions on how to get them a little firmer a little bit? Thank you so much for the recipe! Love love love them :D
Hi Jessica! Thanks for making the recipe and taking the time to comment with feedback and questions. I'm so glad you're loving the flavor, but I'm bummed that they turned out too mushy for you. Was your homemade pumpkin puree thinner than canned puree? I know my homemade version typically turns out thinner, and I did use canned pumpkin puree when I made the fudge, so that could explain the difference in texture.
As for problem-solving now, I would add everything back to a pan over very low heat (or double-boiler) and add in a bit more coconut butter (maybe 2-4 tablespoons depending on how mushy the fudge is). Whisk it all together until it's combined, and try resetting the fudge in the freezer. It should be very firm when frozen and a softer-firm when stored in the refrigerator, but definitely not mushy.
I'll add in a note about using canned puree to achieve the right texture. I hope this helps, and thank you so much for the feedback; it's really helpful to know! Also, thanks for your sweet words despite them not turning out perfect for you!
Jessica, I try to use fresh pumpkin when I can, but I have ran into the same issue in recipes. So frustrating because texture is soo important! Do you use a strainer after you puree the pumpkin? This will remove excess water from fresh pumpkin and should help achieve the desired consistency. I don't remember where I got the tip from, but it works and makes sense!
I've been wanting to make this recipe since you posted it, and finally made it tonight. All I can say is Wow! These are truly amazing and could not be easier to prepare! Absolutely love it!
Hi, Kris! I'm so, so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pumpkin pie fudge so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with your results and thoughts; it's so appreciated!
I am so excited to have found your site Ashley! I've been exploring on it for 5 days now.
I'm vegan and have been craving sweets. I want to make this recipe using some pumpkin I pureed myself. Do you believe that will ruin the outcome?
I'm making this recipe for the second time this week because me and my husband like it that much! I adjusted it a bit by adding some brown sugar and extra maple syrup. I want to make more and bring some to work, to my Thanksgiving dinners, wherever I can. I only like to share vegan food with non-vegans when I think the recipe is exceptional (I don't like to give them the slightest reason to say vegan food is inferior). Thank you for sharing it!
Second time in a week?! That's amazing, Courtney! I'm so happy you and your husband are enjoying it so much. I bet the brown sugar adds a wonderful flavor and sweetness to it. I'm flattered that you're planning to share this with so many people in your life; that's a big compliment! I hope they enjoy it just as much as you :)
I'm allergic to nuts (including Almonds)..can I use sunflower butter to make this instead?
Hi, Michelle! Absolutely. Sunflower butter would work great in this recipe as a sub for almond butter! Enjoy :)
This looks awesome and I can't wait to try it...but where do you find coconut butter? Would a Whole Foods or similar type store carry it?
Thanks!
Hi, Beth! Whole Foods carries it (usually Artisana brand); however, you can make it yourself for a fraction of the price by adding about 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (raw, not dried or toasted) to a food processor and processing for 8 to 12 minutes. It will go from shreds to chopped to a thick butter to a liquidy cream and will firm up at room temperature. It costs about $2 versus $10+ for store-bought. I hope this helps! Enjoy :)
Hi Ashley!
I'd love to include your 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Fudge in a gluten-free pumpkin recipe roundup I'm doing for Parade Magazine.
If you're fine with that, could I use one of your gorgeous photos with a link back to your original post (https://www.blissfulbasil.com/2014/09/29/5-ingredient-pumpkin-pie-fudge/)?
Thanks much!!
Felicia
Hi, Felicia! Absolutely! Please feel free to pull whichever photo you prefer and linking back for the full recipe is perfect.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe!!!! I can't wait to make this. Great idea for the Halloween party I am going to in a few weeks. Great pictures as well!
I've never seen "coconut butter" that isn't hard as a rock at room temp. If I want to put it on a baked sweet potato, for instance, I have to scrape off shavings from the jar with a spoon or fork. I'd like to see brand recommendations in these recipes, so we're not wasting expensive ingredients trying to make a recipe.
Hi, Philana! At the time I wrote this post, I consistently used Artisana coconut butter; however, it's also quite hard at room temperature (as are all brands from my experience), so I just dig out small chunks and measure it as best I can. Now, I make my own coconut butter by processing 4 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut (dehydrated not desiccated) in a food processor for 10 minutes. The heat generated while processing transforms it into a creamy liquid state, which makes it very easy to measure out; however, it will harden once it sits at room temperature for a few hours (and I recommend refrigerating it). It's about 5 to 7 times cheaper to make it than buy it. I hope this helps!
I just made this recipe and followed it exactly. It's currently setting in the freezer. It was VERY thick and heavy in the pan on the stove. Is it supposed to be like that?
I just made this. It's currently setting in the freeer. When it was on the stove, it was e trembly thick and heavy. Is it supposed to be like that? I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of doubling it.
I meant it's in the freezer now and that it was extremely thick and heavy, not trembly. I didn't check my autocorrect before I posted. Sorry.
Hi, Amy! No worries at all about the autocorrect. It should be quite thick before freezing but still fairly easy to stir. Do you happen to have a picture of what it looked like prior to freezing (if so, feel free to email it to [email protected])? It's difficult to assess without seeing it. I don't think doubling the recipe would affect the outcome, but I can't say for certain because I've never tried it myself. Coconut butter does scorch/burn very easily, and it becomes very thick and paste-like when it does, so if the mixture was, in fact, too thick on the stove, the most likely cause would be overheated coconut butter. I hope it ends up turning out as it should, but please let me know if not and we can problem-solve further.