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This Brown Butter Penuche Fudge is a rich, melt-in-your-mouth candy that tastes like buttery maple fudge or old-fashioned maple sugar candy. It’s made with browned butter, brown sugar, and pecans for a warm, caramel-like flavor that’s impossible to resist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve ever made my Five Minute Fudge, you already know I love an easy candy recipe. This one takes the same simple approach but turns it into something truly delicious. The brown butter gives the fudge a nutty depth, the brown sugar creates that maple-like sweetness, and the pecans add the perfect texture.
It’s the same kind of fudge I order every time I visit Bruce’s Candy in Cannon Beach. Every bite feels nostalgic and it makes the perfect edible gift for the holidays.
What You’ll Need To Make It
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
The ingredients in this fudge may be simple, but together they create magic.
- Brown butter: Adds a rich, nutty flavor that gives the fudge its signature depth.
- Brown sugar: The key to that maple-caramel flavor that defines penuche fudge.
- Evaporated milk: Keeps the texture creamy and smooth.
- Bourbon or vanilla: Just a touch enhances the maple notes beautifully.
- Pecans: Toasted or candied, they add crunch and balance the sweetness.
If you can’t find candied pecans, you can easily make them using my Candied Pecans recipe.
How to Make Brown Butter Penuche Fudge
Complete instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter and cook until golden and nutty. This step gives the fudge its signature flavor.
- Make the base: Stir in brown sugar and evaporated milk and bring to a rolling boil.
- Whip it smooth: Beat the hot mixture with powdered sugar and bourbon (or vanilla) until thick and creamy.
- Add the nuts: Fold in chopped pecans for crunch.
- Set and cut: Press candied pecan halves on top, let the fudge cool completely, and cut into squares.
It firms up perfectly at room temperature, or you can refrigerate it to speed up the setting process.
Substitutions and Variations
You can easily tweak this recipe to suit your taste.
- Swap bourbon for vanilla extract or maple extract for extra maple flavor.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans for a classic penuche-style variation.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt for a sweet-salty twist.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This fudge keeps beautifully, which makes it perfect for gifting.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
It can also be frozen for up to two months. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.
Krissy’s Notes
I’ve been on a brown butter kick lately (you’ve probably seen my Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes, Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins, and Brown Butter Brownies). Once you start browning butter, it’s hard to go back!
This fudge was inspired by my love for the buttery sweetness of penuche and the nostalgic flavor of maple sugar candy. It’s one of those recipes that looks and tastes like you spent hours making it, but it’s actually simple enough for anyone to master.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about this recipe with my answers.
Never heard of it? Penuche fudge is a classic brown sugar fudge that tastes like maple candy. It gets its caramelized flavor from brown sugar instead of cocoa or chocolate.
Yes! Replace it with vanilla or a much smaller amount of maple extract for a similar flavor profile.
No. This recipe is easy and foolproof. You’ll get creamy, perfect fudge without any special tools.
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 1 cup raw pecan pieces
- 64 candied pecan halves about 1 cup
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with foil or a foil/parchment liner. Grease any additional exposed sections of the pan with butter. Add 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon bourbon to the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Begin by making brown butter. Add 3/4 cup unsalted butter to a medium sized sauce pot and cook over medium high heat. Allow to melt and then bubble while frequently stirring to scrape any of the wonderful brown bits off the bottom of the pan. You know when you're done when you see little brown specs and it smells nutty like caramel. Do not overcook. Once done, turn off heat.
- Add 2 cups brown sugar and 1/2 cup evaporated milk to the browned butter. Cook mixture over medium heat about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Then, heat to full rolling boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately add to the stand mixer bowl with the powdered sugar.
- Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed 1 minute to combine. Increase speed to medium and beat 6-10 minutes or until mixture begins to hold its shape and is warm to the touch. Quickly stir in 1 cup raw pecan pieces.
- Transfer fudge to prepared pan. Set 64 candied pecan halves halves on top in rows so that once cut, each piece will have a pecan half on top.
- Allow to set. Mine set perfectly well in a cool house after about 4 hours. You can also refrigerate for 2 hours to help firm up, if needed.
- Lift the fudge out of the pan and cut into pieces. Store in airtight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just put this in the fridge and I can hardly wait to eat it! I taste tested it when put together and the buttery taste is amazing! Subscribed! Thank you.
Judy
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What can I use instead of Bourbon? Or, that the ‘secret’ ingredient?
You can omit or sub with vanilla, but I’m a fan of the bourbon. Krissy
You can buy the very small bottles of bourbon at a lot of convenience stores for $1.00. We don’t drink but these work well for cooking.
Where did you get the candied pecan halves?
I found them at Trader Joe’s. I’ve also made them myself. Plain pecans work well too. -Krissy