So remember how I made Frosting Fudge with chocolate frosting and semisweet chocolate chips? It’s still my favorite, but now that it’s fall and the ubiquitous pumpkin spice flavoring is invading every food item in sight, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try another fudge variation– Pumpkin Pecan Fudge. (Okay, it’s not really fudge since there’s no chocolate in it, but it’s a better descriptor for the texture than just calling it Pumpkin Pecan Squares)
I was really just winging it when it came to ingredients, but the finished product is smooth, creamy, and tastes just like fall! I admit there’s very little pumpkin in there, but that’s probably the case with most “pumpkin spice” flavored things– it’s really the spice mixture that defines the flavor profile. Anyway, give it a try!
Pumpkin Pecan Fudge
10 oz. canned vanilla frosting (you will not use an entire can, which is more like 14-16 oz.)
11 oz. package butterscotch baking chips
3 tbs. canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. ginger, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
1. Combine butterscotch chips, pumpkin, and spices in a microwave-proof bowl.
2. Remove foil lid from frosting and heat 30 seconds in the microwave, until liquid.
3. Pour frosting over butterscotch chips and stir to combine. Microwave another 30 seconds or so until you can stir the mixture smooth.
4. Add nuts, then pour into a foil-lined 9×9″ square pan and smooth the top.
5. Chill completely (freezer would be a good idea), then cut into 1″ squares with a knife dipped in hot water.
Notes:
- The proportions of this recipe are a little different than for my chocolate fudge recipe. The reasons are threefold: first, butterscotch chips come in 11 oz packages rather than 12 oz packages, thus making it necessary to reduce the amount of frosting to keep things balanced. Second, butterscotch chips are softer than chocolate chips, so they won’t result in a firm fudge anyway. Third, you’re adding pumpkin, which is going to further loosen the fudge unless you reduce the frosting.
- This is a very sweet fudge. Like, really, really sweet. That’s why I made sure there were plenty of nuts in it to counteract the sugar. If you like sugar, feel free to reduce the nuts.
- Even with the reduced frosting, this fudge is still pretty soft. I store it in the freezer because it holds its shape much better in there than in the fridge. I would not keep it at room temperature for any length of time.
It's All Frosting... 