Maple Pecan Fudge | The BEST Maple Fudge Recipe! (2024)
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Are you a fudge lover? This delicious 5-ingredient Maple Pecan Fudge recipe will be right up your alley! Loaded with rich maple flavor and tender, brown sugar pecans, this maple fudge recipe is perfect for holiday candy making!
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What’s your favorite holiday candy? Hands down, without question, mine is fudge! I absolutely love all of the flavor combinations, along with the crunchy textures like pecans, walnuts and almonds in every little bite. This rich, decadent maple fudge recipe is definitely the perfect match for the brown sugar pecans that are mixed into the fudge and garnished on top of every little square.
This Maple Pecan Fudge was actually inspired by my maple frosting that goes with my Banana Sheet Cake recipe. While making the frosting for the cake I came to the conclusion that that frosting, along with its delicious maple flavors must be made into a fudge!
Here’s the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious maple fudge recipe:
Butter
Brown Sugar (light or dark)
Heavy Cream
Maple Extract
Pecan Halves
(For exact amounts, be sure to reference the recipe below.)
Start by Toasting the Brown Sugar Pecans:
This fudge recipe is made in a saucepan, but don’t let that deter you – it’s simple to make, and comes together in moments. You’ll actually want to start this maple fudge recipe by first preparing those delicious brown sugar pecans. These are made by melting together butter and brown sugar, and lightly coating and toasting directly in a skillet. Once toasted, place on a piece of parchment or waxed paper to cool to room temperature.
While the pecans are cooling, you can then prepare the fudge. In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter, brown sugar and cream and bring to a simmer.
Once cooled you’ll then add the maple extract. This is where the maple fudge gets its delicious, buttery flavor! Next, you’ll chop up some of the pecans (reserving about half for the top of the fudge), stirring into the fudge mixture.
Then, gradually stir in one cup of powdered sugar at a time. The fudge will begin to get rather thick and stiff. It’s ready to go into the pan.
In a 9×9″ pan lined with foil, press the fudge mixture evenly into the pan. A rubber scraper works well here. Lastly, add the rest of the brown sugar pecan halves to the top of the fudge. You can line them up in rows, or simply sprinkle them over the top – however you wish.
Chill the fudge for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before cutting into squares.
Maple Pecan Fudge – Perfect for Gifting!
This maple fudge recipe is perfect for all of your Christmas cookie and candy exchanges. Package up the fudge (like I did here with my Almond Joy Brownie Bites) and bring to your friends, neighbors and coworkers for a sweet holiday treat. The holidays are the perfect time to enjoy fudge – I hope this recipe inspires you to indulge your sweet tooth this season! ~Erin
If you loved this delicious maple fudge recipe, check out some of my other fudge and candy recipes:
Here’s the easy, delicious recipe for my Maple Pecan Fudge recipe:
Maple Pecan Fudge
Yield: 20 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Love the buttery, delicious maple pecan flavors? This wonderfully simple Maple Pecan Fudge recipe will be right up your alley! Loaded with rich maple flavor and tender, crisp pecans, this maple fudge recipe is perfect for holiday candy making!
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Pecans:
2 c. pecan halves
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
Fudge:
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. maple extract
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Instructions
Begin by making the brown sugar pecans. In a medium skillet, melt the 3 Tbsp. butter and 3 Tbsp. brown sugar together over medium heat. Once melted, add in the pecans and reduce heat to medium-low, stirring continually while coating the pecans in the sugar/butter mixture. Continue to stir the pecans as they toast, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer nuts to a piece of waxed paper. Let the nuts cool to room temperature.
For the fudge: In a medium saucepan, melt together the 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. brown sugar and heavy cream over medium-low heat. Bring to a low boil, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the maple extract.
Roughly chop 1 cup of the pecans, reserving the remaining pecans for the top of the fudge. Add in the chopped pecans to the fudge mixture. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Fudge will start to get thick, and slightly stiff. Transfer the fudge to a foil-lined 9x9" pan, and evenly press into the pan. Top the fudge with the remaining brown sugar pecan halves, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting.
Bring maple syrup, heavy cream, and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to boil, without stirring, until mixture starts to bubble and registers 240 degrees F (166 degrees C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Add butter and salt but do not mix.
After the chocolate has mostly melted, stir in the vanilla extract. Continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour into a prepared 8 x 8 inch pan. Let the fudge set at room temperature (covered) for at least four hours.
Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings. The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals.
Once the fudge has thickened and the nuts are added, pour the fudge into the prepared pan. Allow it to set at room temperature until firm, about three hours or overnight.
The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon.
You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).
Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.
Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.
Fudge almost always has a pretty high sugar content as well as having some cream in it—both fattening. If you compare that to eating pure dark artisanal chocolate, it is a no-brainer. Dark chocolate of 70% cocoa or higher is considered a health food and often contains only two ingredients: cocoa and organic cane sugar.
Conversely, if the cooking time is too brief and there is not enough evaporation, too much water will remain and the fudge will be too soft. A temperature of 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 237°F) must be maintained. This will ensure the fudge has the ideal concentration of water and sugar. Fudge is difficult to make.
Fudge is a type of confectionery made with sugar, butter, and milk that often includes cocoa powder or melted chocolate. It has a creamy texture and can be flavored with various ingredients such as nuts, fruits, or spices. Fudge may also contain marshmallow creme or condensed milk to give it an even richer flavor.
Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.
Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.
Fudge is best stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks wrapped up in its original wax paper. NEVER REFRIGERATE your fudge as this will draw out the moisture and leave you with dry, crumbly fudge.
What distinguishes penuche is the use of brown sugar rather than white. In recent years, it has become common in New England to add maple syrup to the recipe for penuche fudge. Some confectioners will call this "maple syrup penuche fudge", and others do not make any distinction at all.
Depending on the storage method, you can keep fudge fresh for one week to several months. It's all about packaging fudge properly to keep any air from drying it out and avoiding changes in temperature. Those factors can change the flavor and texture of fudge.
Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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