Vegan Fudge is a quick one-bowl recipe using simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry. It has a rich texture and melts in your mouth!
Why You’ll Love It
It’s super easy to prepare. Just stir a few ingredients, pour them into a square pan, and freeze until firm.
It’s perfect for those with special diets. This homemade vegan fudge is dairy-free, gluten-free, naturally vegan, and Paleo-friendly. It’s not nut-free since it’s made with almond butter, but you can use sunflower seed butter instead for a nut-free version.
It’s naturally sweetened. Instead of using powdered sugar or vegan chocolate chips, this fudge is sweetened with pure maple syrup. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness without a coconut milk flavor.
It’s easy to customize. You can taste the mixture as you go, so if you want more of a chocolate flavor or a little more sweetness, you can easily add extra cocoa powder or maple syrup as you go. For added crunch, you can also stir in any extras you love, such as walnuts or pecans.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This isn’t your average fudge recipe since it’s made without butter or granulated sugar, but it tastes amazing. It does have a hint of nut butter flavor, so be sure you like the taste of your ingredients before getting started.
Using peanut butter will result in a chocolate peanut butter flavor, and using cashew butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter will change the flavor slightly, too. Raw almond butter is neutral and lightly sweet for the mildest flavor. (FYI, roasted almond butter will add a more roasted taste to the fudge.)
Want to change up the flavor? Swap the vanilla extract for peppermint extract or almond extract for a different flavor combination.
How to Make Vegan Fudge
1. Mix.
Combine the almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, cocoa or cacao powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well until the mixture looks smooth.
Tip: Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest results. The coconut oil will start to solidify if your almond butter or maple syrup is chilled from the fridge, so let them sit on the counter or slightly warm them up before getting started.
2. Freeze.
Prepare an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish by spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it won’t wiggle around as you add the fudge.
Transfer the fudge mixture to the prepared pan, and spread it with a spatula. Place it on a flat shelf in your freezer to freeze until it’s firm, about 1 hour.
3. Slice & Enjoy!
Use the parchment paper to lift the solid fudge out of the pan, then use a sharp knife to slice the fudge into squares. It will melt at room temperature, so as soon as you’ve finished slicing the fudge, place the squares in an airtight container and store them in the fridge or freezer to keep them chilled.
The fridge will give your fudge a soft texture, and the freezer will provide a firmer texture, so choose whichever option you prefer. It should keep well in the fridge for at least 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe works because coconut oil is solid when chilled, similar to butter. If you don’t care for the flavor of coconut oil, try using refined coconut oil (also called expeller pressed) which has zero coconut flavor. Or you can use your favorite vegan butter instead.
I place the coconut oil in an oven-safe bowl and warm it in a preheating oven for 5 minutes to melt. However, you can also use the microwave in 30-second intervals for a faster option.
Yes, of course! This recipe is quite flexible, so you can adjust the flavor to your liking. I love lightly sweet and salty desserts, but you can cut the sea salt in half if needed.
If you don’t want chocolate fudge, try my Almond Butter Freezer Fudge for a blonde version or carob powder if you want a non-chocolate option. (Carob flavor is not for everyone, so experiment at your own risk and start small!)
Looking for more vegan fudge recipes? Try Almond Butter Freezer Fudge or Peanut Butter Fudge for more no-bake ideas.
Vegan Freezer Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- ⅓ cup coconut oil , melted
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the almond butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. (This works best if the ingredients are at room temperature or slightly warm. If using almond butter from the fridge, make sure it sits on the counter first so the coconut oil won't solidify instantly when mixed.)
- Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch square dish, lined with parchment paper for easy removal, and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Place the dish in the freezer, and allow the fudge to set for at least an hour before slicing and serving. Thanks to the coconut oil, this raw fudge will melt quickly if left to sit in a warm room, so it’s best served directly from the freezer.
- Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer. For a softer fudge, store it in the fridge. This fudge lasts up to a month when stored in the fridge, and up to 3 months when stored in the freezer, but we usually eat it all before then!
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Nutrition
If you try this easy vegan fudge recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!
Love this recipe! So excited that it’s paleo too. Can’t wait to give it a try!
I adore fudge. I’ve been making pumpkin fudge that I can’t get enough of. Love that this is raw as well!
Lisa, would you please share the pumpkin fudge recipe?
yes please share the pumpkin fudge recipe
Pls share your pumpkin fudge recipe.
i love fudge, cant wait to try this recipe!
I’ve made your almond fudge before and love it, but it’s hard to give as a gift because it melts so fast (somehow, presenting a box of fudge along with an ice pack doesn’t look so festive :-)…). Do you think this recipe would still work if I substituted something like Earth Balance for the coconut oil?
I’m not sure Earth Balance would make it any more shelf stable, but you never know until you try! Please let us know if you have any success!
You could try ghee (clarified butter, casein-free), since it’s solid at room temp
Any recommendations for stevia replacement of the maple syrup?
Since stevia varies so much, you’ll have to add it according to your own personal taste. Luckily, you can taste as you go with this recipe!
I will try it with links to maple syrup I have on hand for low carb
Always a fan of anything chocolate or fudge related 🙂
Any ideas for a substitution for the coconut oil for people with coconut allergies?
Grass-fed butter would work, too!
Cashew butter from miyokos would probably work, or the vegan butter from earths balance I think it’s called.
There’s miyokos cashew butter and earth balance vegan butter. Those would work 😊
Yum! I will make it, then eat the whole thing all by my lonesome … being vegan isn’t all that healthy when the eater loves her chocolate! Will definitely try this recipe 🙂
Is there something you can substitute for the coconut oil. I am not a fan of coconut or coconut flavored things???
Please see my FAQ page for substitution options.
Hi Erika, if you use ‘refined’ coconut oil, it wont taste of coconut, at all. Unrefined or raw coconut oil will taste of coconut. Hope this helps. 🙂
There’s miyokos butter, it’s made from cashews and there is also earth balance vegan butter.
Thank you for this recipe. I made this and it is delicious! I haven’t had fudge in so long. This doesn’t taste like it is actually healthy! The only problem is that I can’t stop eating it! I think before it is frozen, this will make a good “glue” for a healthy gingerbread house.
Do you think I could substitute the coconut oil with a vegetable oil? I can’t find it here and it’s super expensive!
You’ll need to use an oil that is solid when chilled, or the fudge won’t set. I don’t think vegetable oil would work, but vegan butter substitute would probably do it.
So glad I found these ideas, and your site! I googled “flourless blondies” and there you were, with a peanut butter GF blondie, and more menu delights everywhere.
Now that I have GF family members and am going slowly raw-ish myself, your recipes and research are oh-so-helpful. Hope you don’t mind if I link to your site on my own vegetarian foodie blog. If so, just say the word and I’ll remove it.
Peace, and a Happy New Year,
Mari
Glad you found me, Mari! Hope you and your family enjoy the recipes! 🙂
I just made them with tahini. Yum its like Chocolate halvah!
Robyn, did you use the tahini as a substitute for almond butter? Was it a 1:1 ratio? I am anxious to try this recipe. It looks so yummy!
Do you know how many caleries per piece? I love these so much but don’t want to wast all my caleries on these:)
Please see my FAQ: https://detoxinista.com/frequently-asked-questions/
These look so delicious! I am always looking for cane sugar-free desserts. Thanks for this recipe. I’ll be making it soon!
I love the recipes on your site. I wish I knew about them and the paleo diet years ago. Being lactose and wheat intolerant doesn’t make life easy and having a sweet tooth is torture, but looking through your site I can see heaps of recipes I can make. Can’t wait to make this one. Yum!
Carrot juice saves my life when I’m craving sugar!!
This fudge is incredible! My boyfriend couldn’t believe it is raw and without sugar!
5 STARS! Just made your fudge and it is delicious! I love chocolate though i never eat it so this fudge is a great substitute for me to have occasionally. it is devine! Very easy recipe. Thanks for turning me on to Cashew Butter! I was so tired of the strong flavor of Almond Butter.
In place of the maple syrup, I used two overly ripe bananas that I keep in my freezer! You still get a little sweetness with the added bonus of banana flavor (if you like them). I also used the double boil method so that it’s easier to combine all of the ingredients without the stickiness.
Delicious either way!
My first tahini experience. This fudge is guilt-reduced yummy goodness. Thanks for the recipe. I did not have any maple syrup so I substituted 1/2 honey + stevia to taste. The substitution works well, but fudge still melts at room temp.
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I just made these tonight with Sun Butter due to a tree nut intolerance and it was delicious! In regards to food combining, what would be a good meal to eat than follow up with these as a dessert??
It was so delicious, I added 1/2 cup chopped pecan for nutty texture. Oh god, it was so good too!
Can you use peanut butter in place of the almond or cashew butter?
I tried it with Stevia..it was delicious..maple syrup has a glycemic load of 68-126..depends on the brand..kind of defeats the purpose of healthy.
A homemade fudge sweetened with a touch of pure maple syrup and loaded with protein and fiber from the almond butter has a much lower glycemic load than traditional fudge made with powdered sugar and chocolate chips. So, even as written, this recipe is much healthier and shouldn’t be discounted for those who are transitioning to a healthier lifestyle.
But, I’m glad you enjoyed it with the stevia!
No Thank You!..this is a wonderful recipe and i love it..didn’t mean to sound so blunt♥
Just made this fudge for the millionth time, this time using tahini. Trust me, you have to try it! We are huge fans in this house!
Maple Syrup isn’t raw is it? I guess I am confused as to the definition of raw. It’s a wonderful recipe though!
This is absolutely deliciously fabulous!
I just made this with tahini butter and fine pink Himalaya sea salt…I also added a couple of pieces of melted bakers chocolate 100% cocoa and a spoonful of organic coconut palm sugar. I just put them in the freezer but if they taste anything like the batter did then the final results will be uhhmazing!
Hi – Just had to say thanks for the recipe – have made it and it’s crazy good 🙂 – YUM!!! – Thank you 🙂
I understood Paleo to be only that which one could hunt or gather. Why is maple syrup among these things?
this was so!!! Good. I had to hide it from my fiancé.
Can I use corn syrup instead of maple syrup?
So yummy. Not sure I can wait for it to set up.
I just made this with raw almond butter and it is amazing! I hope I can make it last a week, since I know almond butter has a lot of calories, but my mouth is already watering again. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I made this using homemade cashew butter. Processed almonds into butter. Added coconut oil. Fine. Added the other ingredients and blended. I had a think chocolate mixture sitting in a pool of liquid??? I couldn’t get it to incorporate by food processor or by hand… Any ideas?
Maple syrup can be gathered quite easily by tapping/sugaring. We learned how as kids in at a nature center/retreat. http://www.tapmytrees.com/
Do you know how much Valerie’s the fudge is? Maybe an estimate? My friend was wondering 🙂
so I did not have any cashew butter made but I recently made cashew cream and mixed up a lovely chocolate mouse pudding ….basically same ingredients just cut in half so I don’t indulge too much. 😉
These seem quite simple and delicious! I would use Stevia or rice malt syrup as sweetener, but not sure how to measure that. Might add some decaf coffee to it as well. Chocolate or anything mocha is such a weakness!
Love this recipe. My toddler loves this fudge
This was DELICIOUS but it does have a taste of coconut. I tasted it before adding the maple syrup for the last ingredient, and it was VERY coconutty but after adding the maple syrup it was less so. But if you don’t like even the hint of coconut, you need to substitute it with something else. Otherwise this is so quick to make and so great!
This may be the best fudge I have ever tasted! And with ingredients I usually have at home anyway! Thank you!
I just made this and it was awesome. I made a couple of changes do to what I had. I used honey instead of maple syrup , and it still tasted amazing!! I will be making this again. 🙂 Thank for the recipe.
Just made these after running out of Almond Butter Freezer Fudge, very tasty! I used almond butter instead of cashew as it’s what I had on hand. I may have accidentally used 1/3 of a cup of cocoa instead of 1/4, but a little extra richness never hurt anyone!
Quick, easy, and satisfying, thank you. I found the cutest little Pyrex glass dishes with lids and they were perfect for this amount.
I am tweaking the recipe too.
Here are a few options:
Reducing the amount of coconut oil slightly, substituting peanut butter for cashew butter, adding in 1/2 cup peanuts, and exchanging maple syrup for fresh chopped dates soaked in an equal amount of water.
The flavor is very strong with peanut butter, so it masks the taste of almost anything you might want to add, such as powdered nutritional supplements. I’ve also tried soaking chia seeds, which changes the texture to a less fudgy consistency, but it’s still a very good dessert.
Hi- can you please give me an estimate as to how many calories would be in this entire recipe? I made it for a healthy potluck and MANY people are asking….
thank you! They are delish!
this went fine until I added salt–then the oil separated from everything else and is floating on top–what the heck. expensive almond butter–might have to toss it any ideas
How strange! The salt shouldn’t have caused separation, but sometimes oil can be released from the nut butter if you over-mix it. I’d just drain the oil off the top and freeze it anyway.
Hello, do you have a nutritional value for this recipe? Like how many carbs per serving, etc.?
I just made this with sunflower seed butter. I may have not bothered to let it freeze before digging in. Deeeelish! Thanks once again, Megan!