Sweet Potato Pie Fudge

This must-try recipe for sweet potato pie fudge is the perfect dessert for any occasion! Learn how to make easy homemade fudge with all the flavors of your favorite holiday pie.

Hey Cousins! Today, I’m sharing a recipe you’d expect to see around the holidays – sweet potato pie fudge! Now, y’all know an I Heart Recipes sweet potato pie is a legend. Between good ol’ soul food sweet potato pie and sweet, sticky Southern candied yams, some of my most popular recipes include sweet potatoes.

I don’t know what it is, but whenever the holiday season hits, I crave fudge. It’s not truly a holiday season if I can’t have an assortment of homemade fudge! I’m talking vanilla fudge, chocolate fudge, and even my new favorite – this sweet potato pie fudge!

Homemade Fudge: The Perfect Dessert

Once I realized how easy it was to make homemade fudge, it was game over at the Mayes Household – especially around the holidays! Homemade fudge is the perfect holiday dessert. You can make fudge with so many flavors. Aside from this sweet potato pie fudge recipe, I’ve dabbled in other flavors, like champagne strawberry fudge and red velvet fudge.

I came up with the idea of sweet potato fudge a few years ago. I was browsing through several magazines and came across a recipe for pumpkin fudge. Loved the idea, but knew I’d love it even more if I used sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin puree. After a few test runs, I had a perfect creamy sweet potato pie fudge recipe. My family and I fell in love with this recipe, and I know y’all will, too!

Once you know how to make homemade fudge, it will be your go-to dessert – around the holiday season, as a gift, or just because you’re craving something sweet! No more stops at specialty candy stores for that rich, creamy fudge of all flavors. No, fam – that candy store is your kitchen now! Let’s get started.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie Fudge

Ingredients

Now, you only need a few main ingredients to make homemade fudge, and most of these ingredients are the same you’d use in a classic sweet potato pie filling. I’m telling y’all, this really is sweet potato pie in fudge form! You can find the full recipe ingredient measurements and directions in the recipe card below. Here we go!

• Sweet Potato Puree: you need about ½ cup, which can be made with one medium sweet potato.
• Evaporated Milk: a key ingredient in homemade fudge, evaporated milk helps set the fudge without adding too much sweetness.
• White & Brown Sugar: you need both sugars for this recipe. It doesn’t matter if you use light or dark brown sugar.
• White Chocolate Chips: if you can find baking chips, use those! This ingredient helps with that fudgy texture.
• Salted Butter: yes, we want salted! It balances the sweetness and gives the fudge a buttery smooth texture.
• Ground Cinnamon & Ginger: classic spices found in sweet potato pie.
• Vanilla Extract: adds a hint of sweetness and warmth.
• Chopped Nuts: I use walnuts, but you could also use pecans or leave out the nuts altogether.

Can I use canned sweet potatoes in this fudge recipe? 

Yes, you absolutely can use canned sweet potato! Be sure to use plain, unsweetened sweet potato puree instead of the canned pie filling or cubed sweet potatoes in syrup. Since this fudge is already pretty sweet, we don’t want to add extra sugar.

If you want to make your own sweet potato puree, you only need one medium-sized sweet potato to get the job done. You can prepare it in the oven, microwave, or stovetop – however you usually prepare them.

Sweetened condensed milk vs. evaporated milk: which do I use in homemade fudge? 

Traditional fudge recipes use sweetened condensed milk, which is thick and sweet. Classic recipes like chocolate fudge don’t use a lot of added sweeteners, so the extra sweetness from condensed milk is welcomed for texture and flavor. In this recipe, however, we add plenty of sugar, so I use evaporated milk. This way, the sweetness comes from the sugar and white chocolate. For best results, follow the recipe! Swapping condensed milk for evaporated milk will make this sweet potato fudge way too sweet.

What equipment is needed to make Sweet Potato Pie Fudge?

Ready for the good stuff? Time to make this tasty holiday-worthy fudge recipe! First, let’s talk equipment – what kitchen equipment do you need to make homemade fudge? Here’s what I used:

• Candy Thermometer: you want to use one to get the sweet potato fudge mixture to the precise temperature – about 240 degrees F – for the perfect texture.
• Square Pan or Casserole Dish: the size of the dish will determine how big/thick your fudge pieces are. A square pan will make thicker pieces, and a classic baking dish will make thinner pieces of fudge.
• Parchment Paper: line your pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking. You can easily remove and cut the fudge without a mess!
• Sharp Knife or Bench Scraper: makes cutting the fudge so effortless.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Fudge Mixture

• In a large pot, combine all the ingredients – butter, white and brown sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, sweet potato puree, white chocolate chips, cinnamon, and ginger.
• Mix everything over medium heat until the butter melts and everything is combined.
• Insert the candy thermometer and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir the mixture continuously until it reaches the soft ball temperature – between 235 and 240 degrees F.

Step 2: Pour and Set the Sweet Potato Pie Fudge

• When the fudge mixture comes to temperature, remove it from the heat.
• Mix in the nuts, then pour the mixture into a parchment-lined pan.
• Let the fudge sit at room temperature until it cools and sets. It will have a firm fudge texture but be soft enough to cut easily with a sharp knife or bench scraper.

There you have it – an easy recipe for sweet potato fudge that tastes just like its pie counterpart! It’s sweet, packed with warm flavors of vanilla and cinnamon, and the perfect treat! A piece of fudge this delicious will cure any sweet tooth craving and then some.

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Fudge

This easy homemade fudge recipe takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish, making it one of the easiest dessert recipes you can make any time! Whether you’re serving it alongside other sweet potato recipes or making it as a sweet treat to give to loved ones, here are some Cousin Rosie-approved tricks to make this sweet potato pie fudge even more delicious.

• Use maple syrup instead of vanilla extract for a similarly warm Fall flavor. You’ll get that same deep flavor and a little added sweetness.
• This is a sticky mixture, so use a rubber spatula or spoon to cook it and spread the fudge mixture to avoid mess.
• Top the fudge with extras, like mini chocolate chips, sea salt, crushed nuts, or a drizzle of melted caramel or chocolate sauce.
• Want this sweet potato fudge to taste even more like a pie? Make a simple, no-bake graham cracker crust with crushed graham crackers, sugar, and butter. Spread it on the bottom of your baking pan, pour the fudge mixture over the pie crust, and let it set. Little fudgy sweet potato pie bites!
• Store leftover fudge in an airtight container or wrapped with plastic wrap. It can be stored at room temperature for up to one week or in the fridge for up to two.

More Sweet Dessert Treats from I Heart Recipes

If you loved this sweet potato pie fudge recipe, here are more to try! These desserts are perfect for holidays, birthdays, or family get-togethers – where dessert is always a must.

• Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Gooey Baked S’mores Bars
• Homemade Pecan Pie Bars
• Salted Caramel Pretzel Bars
• Nutella Pumpkin Fudge Brownies

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