This healthy plant-based Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge is an easy recipe made with only 7 clean, real food ingredients. You'll love that it's a no-cook chocolate fudge made without refined white sugar or candy thermometers!
If you're looking for an upgrade from a plain vegan pumpkin fudge recipe, then you'll love my Clean Eating Chocolate Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge.
Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge
These healthy, Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge squares will literally melt in your mouth!
They have the silky smooth texture of traditional chocolate fudge but are loaded with crunchy bits of pumpkin seeds and pecans.
And you couldn't ask for an easier recipe to make...all you have to do is add everything to a mixing bowl and stir.
No boiling sugar and no candy thermometers - nope, not here!
Traditional fudge is not a dessert you can eat and feel good about.
It's made with processed ingredients, refined sugars (up to three different kinds in the same recipe!) and two sources of dairy.
S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Traditional Pumpkin Fudge Ingredients: Typical Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 ½ sticks butter, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 jar marshmallow cream, ¼ cup corn syrup, 1 pkg white chocolate morsels
My healthy pumpkin fudge recipe is made with clean, real food ingredients that are good for you and it's plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, no-cook, paleo-friendly, contains no refined sugar and are Medical Medium compliant.
How To Make Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge: Step-by-Step Instructions
I'm going to show you how to prepare my vegan pumpkin and pecan fudge recipe with only 7 ingredients in less than 10 minutes with step-by-step instructions below.
Before beginning, prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 1: Mix the Ingredients For the Fudge
First, add all the ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until everything is well combined.
The coconut oil should be melted before adding it to the mixture.
Your fudge should have a smooth and creamy texture.
Step 2: Add the Add-Ins
Second, add in the chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds and stir by hand until they are evenly distributed.
Step 3: Transfer the Fudge To The Baking Dish
Third, transfer the fudge to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
Place the baking dish in the freezer for approximately 60 minutes, or until the fudge hardens.
Let the baking dish sit out on the countertop for about 5 minutes to soften to make cutting easier.
How To Store Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge
Store the fudge in air-tight BPA-free container in the freezer for 1-2 weeks.
An important note to remember: You will need to leave the fudge in the freezer until ready to serve because it will get soft and lose its shape if left out at room temperature.
Keep this in mind if you plan to travel with the fudge or bring it to a gathering.
Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions for Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge
Cashew Butter. I prefer to use cashew butter because it's a neutral nut butter. However, you can substitute with another neutral nut butter like organic almond butter or organic sunflower butter.
Pumpkin Puree. Try to buy organic 100% pumpkin puree in a BPA-free can, if possible.
Coconut Oil. If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil, use organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell.
Maple Syrup. Substitute with another liquid sweetener like organic date nectar or organic coconut nectar. In addition, this is not an overly sweet dessert, so if you want a really sweet fudge just adjust the amount of sweetener.
Cacao Powder. You can substitute with regular cocoa powder in the same amount.
Pumpkin Seeds. I used organic raw pumpkin seeds but I bet roasted + salted pumpkin seeds would be good too!
Pecans. You can omit or use another type of nut if you prefer. For example, organic walnuts is another nut that works well in this recipe.
Want More Healthy Gluten-Free and Vegan Dessert Recipes?
Check out these:
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Vanilla Bean and Mango Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Crunch Bars
- or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based vegan + gluten-free no-bake dessert recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Clean Eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge
Ingredients
For the fudge:
- ½ cup organic cashew butter
- 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
- 1 cup organic refined coconut oil (melted/liquid)
- ¾ cups organic maple syrup
- ½ cup organic cacao powder
For the add-ins:
- ½ cup organic raw pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup organic pecans (chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Prepare the fudge:
- Add all ingredients for the fudge to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Add the add-ins:
- Add the pecan and pumpkin seed add-ins to the fudge mixture and stir in by hand until evenly distributed.
Assembly:
- Spread the mixture evenly in an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Transfer the baking dish to the freezer for approximately 60 minutes, or until the fudge is hardened.
- Remove the baking dish from the freezer and set it out on the countertop for a few minutes prior to serving to make cutting easier.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the freezer until ready to serve because the fudge will get soft and lose its shape if left out at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
sharon says
Hi, do you post approximately serving sizes / time taken anywhere?
Karielyn says
Hi there Sharon! I list the approximate servings sizes in either the "Notes" section in the recipe or on my older recipes, in the "Tips" section right before the recipe.
The time required to make the recipe is listed in the recipe instructions and 9 out of 10 times will be 30 minutes or less (unless it's a dehydrator recipe) because, as a general rule, they are very simple, easy recipes.
Thanks for your question 😉
Jess @hellotofit says
Yum, these look delicious! I love that you include facts about the ingredients you use. Looking forward to more recipes!
Karielyn says
Hi there Jess! Thanks so much...thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂