Simple Butter Pecan Fudge – Easy to Make Recipe

Butter Pecan Fudge is a simple recipe to make but tastes delicious and is great for pecan lovers. It’s perfect for dessert for a crowd since one batch makes 64 pieces!

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We’ve made a few different flavors of fudge and they always come out delicious. This time, we decided to make a very different one than before. I’ve made Treacle Fudge for our Harry Potter recipes, Double Chocolate Fudge when we had a lot of extra chocolate chips, and Brown Sugar Fudge. This time, though, we made a lighter recipe with a delicious buttery flavor: butter pecan fudge!

Butter Pecan Fudge is flavored with butter, vanilla, and pecans plus some sugar. Butter pecan flavor can be used for a variety of desserts. A few months ago we made some caramel-pecan ice cream from a recipe that came with the stand mixer ice cream bowl attachment. We all enjoyed it, so we started thinking of other things to make with a similar flavor.

Fudge is a great dessert if you are going to be entertaining. It doesn’t take a lot to make, and you can cut it into many servings. This recipe is so sweet, you’ll want just a small bit at a time. We were able to get about 64 pieces from the batch that we made!

Just remember that fudge keeps better when it’s chilled. If you bring this to an outdoor event, the fudge will start to soften just a bit as it sits in the heat. This would be a great recipe to make during the Christmas season when it’s cooler outside. We stored the fudge in the refrigerator for this reason.

Speaking of the holiday season, small batches of this easy fudge recipe would make a great gift for the sweet tooth on your list. 

Simple Ingredients for Butter Pecan Fudge Recipe

Unsalted Butter

The base of this buttery fudge is, obviously, butter! I prefer to use unsalted butter for homemade butter pecan fudge to keep the sodium levels down but also because it tends to have a fresher taste. 

White Sugar & Brown Sugar

By using a combination of granulated and brown sugar, you get a bit of that molasses flavor from the brown sugar without that being overpowering in the fudge. 

Heavy Whipping Cream

The creamy texture of the fudge comes from both the butter and the 1/2 cup of heavy cream that is mixed into the fudge. 

Salt

As with most recipes, a little bit of salt goes a long way. If you used salted butter, omit the extra salt in this step. Salt helps to enhance the other flavors in the full recipe. 

​Light Rum

Adding some light rum to the fudge helps bring out the amazing flavor. If you want to avoid the rum, try replacing it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or rum extract. 

Powdered Sugar

Also called confectioners’ sugar, powdered sugar helps to bring the fudge together. Everything will be liquid until you add the powdered sugar to the mix. 

Pecans

You can’t have butter pecan fudge without pecans! I like to purchase full pecans and chop them in my food processor as they seem to have more flavor that way. But you can also buy chopped pecans at the store. 

Butter-Pecan Fudge Step by Step

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp light rum
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup crushed pecans

Preparation

Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or wax paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, and salt. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly so nothing burns to the bottom of the pan.

Stop stirring and cook until a candy thermometer reads 234F (soft ball stage).

Remove from the heat and add the rum without stirring. The alcohol in the rum will make the mixture bubble up again, but leave it alone.

Cool to 110F. This took about 30 minutes for me.

Beat with a spoon until the fudge begins the thicken. Slowly stir in the powdered sugar until the fudge is smooth. It will get hard to stir, but keep going until it’s all combined.

Add the crushed pecans and stir until the fudge is very thick and loses its glossy sheen.

Immediately spread into the lined pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top of the fudge. Cool for about 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator if the humidity is high in your home.

Use the parchment paper for easy removal of fudge from the pan. A sharp knife can be used to cut the fudge into pieces about 1 inch square.

Butter-Pecan Fudge Leftovers

Storage: Store the fudge in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It should last about 3-5 days as long as it stays chilled. If you live in a cooler climate, it may be ok on the counter, but heat and humidity will quickly soften the fudge and make it stick together. For the best results, keep the cream fudge in the refrigerator. 

Recipe

Butter Pecan Fudge

Butter-Pecan Fudge is a simple recipe to make but tastes delicious. It's perfect for dessert for a crowd since one batch makes 64 pieces!

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

American

Diet

Vegetarian

Keyword:

dessert

|

fudge

|

pecans

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

Servings: 64 pieces

5 from 9 votes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp light rum
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup crushed pecans

Recommended Equipment

• Casserole Dish
• Parchment Paper
• Saucepan – Large
• Candy Thermometer
• Wooden Spoon
• Rubber Spatula

Instructions

• Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper
• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, and salt
• Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly
• Stop stirring and cook until a candy thermometer reads 234F (soft-ball stage)
• Remove from the heat and add the rum without stirring
• Cool to 110F, about 30 minutes
• Beat with a spoon until the fudge begins the thicken
• Slowly stir in the powdered sugar until the fudge is smooth
• Add the crushed pecans and stir until the fudge is very thick and loses its glossy sheen
• Immediately spread into the lined pan
• Cool for about 1 hour
• Use the parchment paper to remove the fudge and cut into pieces about 1-in square
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

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Nutrition Facts

Butter Pecan Fudge

Amount Per Serving (1 piece)

Calories 58 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 6mg2%

Sodium 18mg1%

Potassium 11mg0%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 73IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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