Fall. is. magic.
Crimson red, rosy pink, canary yellow, blaze orange…… even at 32, seeing the leaves create their own pantone color palette is mesmerizing. I take a neighborhood walk nearly every day, and it seems if I didn’t know the date on the calendar, I would know by the pace of the trees changing, eventually losing their leaves to the cool, crisp wind.
This season brings a magical change to the kitchen as well, a parallel shift with the trees…… From summer’s bold, vibrant colors to the stunning, neutral hues of squash, pumpkins, and root vegetables. And although (as most of you know) I prefer the likes of kabocha and butternut over little sugar pies, it’s Sara’s annual #VirtualPumpkinParty, and 70+ of us gal pals are flooding the internet with sweet and savory ways to pumpkin.
My contribution? Since I went savory last year, I went sweet this time around. To the tune of Magic Vegan Pumpkin Fudge Recipe, which has put a spell on me like whoa. The result of doing something I typically wrinkle my nose at.
I put beans in dessert.
I love almond flour brownies. But I’ll push black bean brownies away faster than you can offer me one. But this fudge….. uses not chickpeas, not white beans, but PINK beans, which are similar to pinto beans. I found them while getting letting lost in the Hispanic section of a local grocery store, in a can, alongside all the other beans.
Flavor-wise they’re sweet and super mild, which is typically my issue – I can always detect a slight bean-y flavor in other desserts. And another big bonus: they have very thin skin so when pureed, they turn creamy and smooth, making them the perfect textural base for this fudge.
It’s much easier than traditional fudge, no candy thermometer to mess with or stovetop. Just a one bowl food processor, then freezer situation. It also differs in that it uses a few of my favorite wholesome ingredients: coconut butter, almond butter, and maple syrup. Blitzed with pumpkin, the pink beans, and pumpkin pie spice, the result is an ultra luxe and a pure taste of fall.
So dense, and creamy, I’d compare it to a pumpkin spin off of my grandmother’s old fashioned chocolate fudge she’d make every Christmas.
Cut into tiny squares, it’s like having a bite-size piece of warmly spiced pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake that just so happens to be vegan (and refined sugar-free). I love that it keeps in the refrigerator really well, almost better a few days after making it because the cinnamon and nutmeg really get a chance to deepen.
From a squash lover’s heart, I’d say this fudge is a bit of magic that should grace your kitchen sometime in the next few months. If not, then I’m sure you’ll find something else from one of the 70 other pumpkin recipes being shared today, which you can find the full list on Sara or Aimee’s blog posts. xo!
If you make this pumpkin fudge recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with hashtag #heartbeetkitchen or @heartbeetkitchen!
Magic Vegan Pumpkin Fudge Recipe
A no-cook pumpkin pie fudge that's vegan and made with a surprise ingredient - beans! Pureed with almond butter and coconut butter, this fall fudge will set on its own without any stovetop cooking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon pink beans from a can, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 cup chopped, roasted pecans
Instructions
- Add pumpkin, beans, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and almond butter to food processor or high-powered blender. Puree for 20 seconds, then stop and scrape down sides. Puree for another 40 seconds, then scrape down sides.
- Add coconut butter, and puree for 30 seconds to bring everything together until completely smooth. Scrape into a 8" x 4" x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan (a little smaller or bigger will work too, it will just affect the thickness of your fudge) and smooth top with a spoon. Sprinkle pecans on top, then lightly press down on them so they attach to fudge.
- Freeze for 1 hour, then cut into small squares and serve. You can store leftovers in covered container in the freezer or refrigerator, for 2 weeks. Storing in refrigerator will result in a little softer fudge.
Notes
Adapted from this Blissful Basil recipe
*At room temperature, coconut butter (not to be confused with coconut oil) is solid. To get it into pourable, liquid state, set the tightly closed jar in a bath of hot water (not fully submerged just in case it would leak through the cap). Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir. Close jar and set back in water for 5 minutes. Stir until completely smooth. If a few clumps remain, microwave jar for 10 seconds, then stir, and repeat until no clumps remain.
What a beautiful looking recipe and I love the secret ingredient is beans, brilliant x
Pink beans?? I have never heard of these, but this whole fudge situation sounds so delicious.
Ack I am missing fall in Minneapolis so much! We don’t get the same leaf color explosions over here, so I have to live vicariously through your lovely writing :)
xoxo
YES!! Fall is magical, could not agree more. My bf and I went out to a state park nearby downtown yesterday and it was beautiful – the leaves falling with each breeze, the sunshine without the humidity, the delicious air. It was perfect. And this FUDGE!!!! Guh I haven’t had fudge in so so long – this looks incredible.
Oh how great that you were able to get out and enjoy some of the best days of the year in my opinion! Amen to no humidity, too. Hope you get a chance to try the fudge!
I had a feeling your fudge would be something special! I’ve never heard of pink beans before but need to search them out now. Can’t wait to try this creative take on a bean recipe and eat pumpkin fudge!
I had never heard of them either! Fun how we happen to stumble on different types of ingredients when exploring other cultural cuisines. Apparently pink beans are a large part of Caribbean cooking. They work so well in this fudge! xo
Autumn is magic and so is this fudge! Looks completely drool-worthy. And from my experience, beans in desserts is always a good idea! Just gives such an amazing texture.
This pumpkin pie fudge sure does look magical! I love that you used pink beans for the base, so cool! Extra fiber for the win!
This looks incredible! Pinned to try it out soon! :)
I made this and it is incredible! I will make it again and again :) I was able to find pink beans at Target.
So glad you liked it Stephani! And great tip on finding the beans at Target. I love me a good Target run. :) xo
I had never heard of pink beans either. Eclipse does not specify if rinsed and drained . Assumed so. When I make black bean brownies I don’t drown, just purée. Please clarify
Yes, rinse and drained beans.
Thanks for the quick reply. And sorry I didn’t proof read.. eclipse?don’t even know.. I just made them and used a little tahini too.. yum! Thanks for the bean idea.
Seems o me they are light kidney beans
Pink beans? Now you’re just going crazy. What’s next, real unicorn? Rock on for your creativity!
They took me by surprise! And now my sweet tooth is happy. :) xo
This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing this perfect holiday treat!
This is why I love fall—all the pumpkin recipes! This fudge looks amazing, Amanda! Definitely adding this to my “to make” list!
Pink beans, who knew?! I would definitely say that this fudge is magically creamy and delicious!! :D
Wow, pink beans … so interesting!!! Sounds like a perfect option for sneaking beans into desserts. Thanks for sharing this fun recipe as part of the VPP :-*
it must be delicious, look like its gonna suitable for snack while i watch movie
thanks for the recipe mam :)
I had to leave a review for any skeptics: I made this with very limited expectations because, beans in my dessert, and it blew me away. Really awesome! Especially with dark chocolate on top, which I put on half my batch.
For those struggling to find pink beans but wanting to use this recipe: I successfully used white (/cannellini) beans and rinsed the absolute hell out of them to get rid of any trace of bean juice. I can’t imagine anyone would know there are beans in it unless I told them.
(I also hid a generous amount of turmeric and few turns of black pepper — for curcumin absorption — in these. Superfood fudge!)
oh, good to know you can use white beans! so glad you liked the recipe. happy fall! xo
I made these, and they turned out great! I could not find pink beans at my local store, so I did as suggested by someone else above and I substituted cannellini beans. I also did not have maple syrup, so I substituted organic blue agave syrup, and added 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract to give it that maple flavor. This is the best pumpkin fudge recipe I have found that is low sugar, and has fiber. This one is a keeper!
Yay, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Cannellini beans is a great substitute.