This melt-in-your-mouth Salted Maple Pecan Fudge is perfect for the holidays. This Christmas dessert is a delicious cookie exchange recipe!
We are still without internet and let me tell you that it is hard to be a blogger when you don’t have internet access. It has been three days now since the underground cable was cut, by the pipeline workers. Four technicians came out on Tuesday and none of them fixed it.
Another technician was supposed to come today but never showed up. So, now they are saying that someone is going to come here tomorrow to fix it. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Good thing my stove still works! I realized that my blog is seriously lacking in fudge recipes and Christmas is the time of the year when we all love fudge. So, today I am sharing a delicious recipe for Salted Maple Pecan Fudge.
One of our favorite Christmas treats are Nut Goodie Bars. The middle layer is sweet, melt-in-your-mouth nougat. I used that recipe to make this maple pecan fudge.
First, line an 8×8 pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk together evaporated milk and vanilla pudding in a large heavy-duty pot. Add butter and vanilla chips. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until pudding starts to collect on the top of the spoon.
Add maple flavoring and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns into pudding. Removed from heat and mix in the powdered sugar.
Spread in the pan and top with pecans. Gently press the pecans into the fudge. Sprinkle with sea salt. Allow the fudge to cool on the counter and then cover and place in the fridge to set.
Cut the fudge into 36 squares and enjoy. Our friends from South Dakota arrived last night and the boys helped me make the last test batch of Salted Maple Pecan Fudge. I asked them if they wanted to try some of the fudge that was left in the pot.
They were skeptical but had to try it. One of the boys stood by the sink, just in case he wanted to spit it out but they all loved it! I left the pecans off one of the batches, for the kids, and covered another with a layer of chocolate and peanuts.
Salted Maple Pecan Fudge
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk
- 3 oz package vanilla cook and serve pudding (NOT instant)
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon sea salt sprinkle
Instructions
- Line an 8x8-inch pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the evaporated milk and vanilla pudding in a large heavy duty pot.
- Add the butter and vanilla chips. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pudding starts to collect on the top of the spoon.
- Add maple flavoring and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns into pudding.
- Removed from heat and mix in the powdered sugar.
- Spread in the pan and top with pecans. Gently press the pecans into the fudge.
- Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Allow the fudge to cool on the counter and then cover and place in the fridge to set.
Lyndsey says
This was my first time making fudge and it was amazing! Tastes just like the specialty fudge we get at the little shops in the touristy towns.
Brooke says
Mine didnt work all. It was very dry. I had to dry and push it into the pan. I even tried using my kitchen and like the lady commented. Not smooth at all☹
Tonia says
Bummer! Not sure what went wrong there. It always the texture of playdough for me.
Samantha says
I just made this fudge, it is cooling as I type. I was really really nervous it wasn’t coming together because the powdered sugar wasn’t even close to mixed in. So right from the stove I put it in my kitchenaid mixer with the beater blade and turned it all the way up. I also added some chopped pecans thinking it would help break up the sugar. And after about 3 minutes it was totally smooth, not a single clump. Also i should mention I doubled the recipe. I do wish it had more specific instructions as to cooking times, I just guessed, hopefully it comes out ok. Also a bit confused on the pudding, are we talking a pudding cup like a snack pack? They are 3.25 oz so I used that so hoping for the best.
Tonia says
Hi Samantha,
I’m happy to hear that you tried the recipe! The pudding is the 3 oz vanilla cook and serve pudding that is powdered and ready to be prepared. Here is a link to it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PfUXJo Hopefully your fudge turned out anyway!
~Tonia
Jazmin says
Has this recipe always been like this ? With the vanilla mix ?? I haven’t made it for quite a few months but I think I remember some different ingredients. Could be mixed up with a different fudge recipe but I don’t know.
Tonia says
This recipe hasn’t changed. 🙂
carolyn says
I have always made my fudge from scratch! These sound delicious and I’m gonna make some of them, exspecially the maple. I love maple. Thanks for sharing!!!
I can’t rate any recipe for I haven’t made any of the recipes at this time…..
Tonia says
I love maple flavored things too! Enjoy! ~Tonia
Liz says
I’ve made the maple pecan fudge the last couple Of years, and it’s great! Thinking of making chocolate mint-would you sub chocolate pudding, chocolate chips and mint extract?
Tonia says
Hi Liz,
I’ve never tried it but if you do I would love to hear how it turns out! I made the maple pecan fudge tonight. Can’t wait to eat some! Merry Christmas!
~Tonia
Liz says
Turned out great! I had some mint flavored chocolate chips that I had used to make ganache for cupcakes a while back-used that instead of mint extract and regular chocolate chips. Hubs says it tastes like an Andes Mint, so that is a win in my book! Merry Christmas!
Danielle says
So what if I got the instant pudding ???
Angela says
Do I have to keep this stored in the fridge after its done or can it stay at room temperature??
Tonia says
You can keep it at room temperature if you want. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Becky says
Hi, I just wanted to make sure vanilla chips are white chocolate chips?
Tonia says
Yes, you got it!
Becky Giacomini says
Awe, thank you, making the candy tonight!!!!
Becky
Michelle says
I’m sure the answer is obvious, but would I be able to use maple syrup as my maple flavoring?
Tonia says
Hi Michelle,
Maple flavoring has a very concentrated flavor compared to maple syrup, so I don’t believe it would work.
Sorry!
~Tonia
Debbie says
It works. I had maple syrup and it tasted fine. Maybe a bit more mild in flavor but ok.
Mary says
Hi there…I just went through my pantry… And all I have is instant pudding..will that work?
Just don’t want to run to the store!! 😜
Thank you.
Tonia says
Sorry, it does need to be the cook and serve pudding.
Mary says
Thank you for getting back to me😄 I will be trying this tonight for work tomorrow!!! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you for the recipe…
Judy says
I have tried this recipe twice now and it seems I cannot get the powdered sugar to dissolve enough leaving little balls or clumps of it through out the slab of fudge . Am I not getting the mixture in the pot hot enough or am I over heating it ? Have you had this happen on any of your batches ?
Tonia says
Yes, that has happened to me as well. You can even see it in the photos. Try it this way: Pour the pudding into the heat-proof bowl of a stand mixer, after cooking it in the pan. Stir the powdered sugar in one cup at a time using the stand mixer until smooth. You could also try sifting your powdered sugar if it looks like it needs it. Best of luck!
Megan says
This looks amazing! I’ve found what I’m bringing to Christmas! Is the butter salted or unsalted?
Tonia says
I used salted butter. Enjoy!
Katrina says
Hello, for some reason it is not showing the amount of evaporated milk. I am assuming its just a cup but just wanted to make sure.
Have a great day!
Tonia says
Hi Katrina! That’s strange! It’s show up for me. 🙂 Anyway, you need two-thirds cup of evaporated milk. Happy Baking! ~Tonia
Jane says
I feel stupid asking this but I need some clarification. For the vanilla pudding I bought some of the non-instant vanilla pudding mix the kind you cook up first. Am I to cook up the pudding mix first? Or just dump the uncooked mix into the recipe?
Thank you so much!!!
Tonia says
Don’t feel stupid! I’m happy you asked. You just put the uncooked, powdered mix into the recipe. Enjoy! ~Tonia
Jennifer says
Vanilla chips are the same as white chocolate chips, yes? I like your take on fudge…a bit different from other recipes I’ve tried…definitely trying it out this weekend!
shannon says
This fudge sounds and looks fantastic but..Do you really add 2lbs of powdered sugar?
Tonia says
Hi Shannon,
Yes, you add a whole bag, about 8 cups.
~Tonia
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Oh noooo! I’m so sorry about your internet!! BOO. But this fudge is amazing!
Tonia says
Thanks Dorothy! I’ve got to admit that I wasn’t very kind to the customer service person when they were giving me the run-around. The good news is that after all of my complaining and grouching at them, I finally have internet again!
Shell says
Great pictures too! B-) Thanks for sharing!
Liz says
Thanks Constance – nice fudge recipes.
Donna says
The Salted Maple Pecan Fudge, sounds really yummy but do you actually add 2 lbs. of powdered sugar? That just seems like an awful lot when I read the recipe.