It’s Fall, y’all! Time to put pumpkin in ev-er-eee-thing! Fall is my favorite season. I’d love to do some cute layers with my clothes, wear adorable boots and carefully arranged scarves, and all things plaid and flannel. But, here in central Texas we’re still rocking tank tops and flip flops. We get about a week of Fall, usually sometime in December, then three weeks of Winter, a dash of Spring and the rest of the year is Summer. We don’t really do seasons around here. While I can’t slip into a comfy cardigan and sip a mug of something warm and sweet – without sweating my face off – I certainly can throw some pumpkin into a few dishes and pretend I see leaves changing colors outside my window.
I’ve been living sugar-free for over six months now, thanks to the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. I’ve lost a bunch of weight and I feel fantastic. The great thing about Trim Healthy Mama is learning new recipes that nourish your body and don’t weigh you down with a bunch of junk. Turns out sugar is really not good for us – certainly not in the massive amounts we’re used to consuming. I still have a big ol’ sweet tooth, though. Cookies, cakes, candy are big weak spots for me. This amazing, creamy, pumpkin fudge satisfies my sweet tooth and my yearning for Fall flavors.
This is a “freezer fudge” inspired by the fantastic fudge recipe on page 387 in the Trim Healthy Mama book. We’ll be cooking this up super fast on the stove, and then stashing it in the freezer to set. It’s best to store this fudge in the freezer and grab a piece when your cravings kick up. If set at room temperature it will soften, not necessarily a bad thing – but it’s nice to have a good firm piece of fudge.
Trim Healthy Mama Pumpkin Fudge
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter (grass-fed is super good for you!)
- 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
- 3 ounces cream cheese, full fat or 1/3 fat both work well
- 3-4 tablespoons xylitol (keep away from dogs, please), or 2-3 “doonks” of Trim Healthy Mama pure stevia, 2 teaspoons Trim Healthy Mama Sweet Blend, or 2 tablespoons of Truvia – whichever sweetener floats your boat, preferences vary so taste and adjust as needed
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- chopped pecans (optional)
I find it’s a good idea to have all my ingredients ready to go right next to the stove. This fudge cooks quickly and it’s helpful to be able to grab an ingredient and toss it in the pot. I’ll show you a rare picture of my stove area to give you an idea.
I tend not to take too many picture of this area, since it’s not exactly the prettiest spot in the house – but I want you to get an idea of a good set up. Melt butter over medium heat, stirring to keep from scorching. Add pureed pumpkin after butter has melted. NOTE: There has been some issue with the butter separating in a few batches of fudge. This can sometimes happen if there are abrupt temperature changes, like your fudge mixture gets too hot, and then cools too quickly. If your butter is separating, try cooking your next batch at a lower temperature, just warm enough to melt the butter and cream cheese, but not simmer or boil.
Whisk until smooth and add cream cheese and sweetener. Give a little taste test (careful, it’s hot!) and add more sweetener as needed.
Continue whisking until smooth, then add vanilla extract and spices.
Whisk until fully mixed and remove from heat. Line a small 8×8 or 9×9 pan or dish with wax paper and pour fudge mixture into the pan.
Sprinkle pecans if desired and place in the freezer for at least 20-30 minutes. A full 24 hours is best. When ready to slice, simply remove the fudge by pulling out the wax paper. Place on a flat surface and cut into pieces.
Store fudge pieces in a container with a lid in the freezer – until you’re ready to sneak a bite here or there. If you’re following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, this is an S (satisfying) dessert or snack and should be kept in an S setting if paring with a meal.
About three pieces is an appropriate serving – I have a hard time staying out of this, to be honest!
- 1 stick butter (grass-fed is super good for you!)
- 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
- 3 ounces cream cheese, full fat or 1/3 fat both work well
- 3-4 tablespoons xylitol (keep away from dogs, please), or 2-3 "doonks" of Trim Healthy Mama pure stevia, 2 teaspoons Trim Healthy Mama Sweet Blend, or 2 tablespoons of Truvia - whichever sweetener floats your boat
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- chopped pecans (optional)
- Melt butter over medium high heat, stirring to keep from scorching. Add pureed pumpkin after butter has melted.
- Whisk until smooth and add cream cheese and sweetener. Give a little taste test (careful, it's hot!) and add more sweetener as needed.
- Continue whisking until smooth, then add vanilla extract and spices.
- Whisk until fully mixed and remove from heat. Line a small 8x8 or 9x9 pan or dish with wax paper and pour fudge mixture into the pan.
- Sprinkle pecans if desired and place in the freezer for at least 20-30 minutes. A full 24 hours is best.
- When ready to slice, simply remove the fudge by pulling out the wax paper. Place on a flat surface and cut into pieces.
- Store fudge pieces in a container with a lid in the freezer - until you're ready to sneak a bite here or there. If you're following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, this is an S (satisfying) dessert or snack and should be kept in an S setting if paring with a meal.
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