Healthy Vegan Fudge (30 minutes!)
Easy vegan fudge made healthy with a base of coconut, nut butter, and cacao powder. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates, and intensely chocolaty thanks to melted cocoa butter and cacao powder. The ultimate rich, vegan-friendly fudge.
Servings 21 (slices)
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut (finely shredded)
- 1/2 cup creamy nut butter (i.e. cashew butter, peanut butter*, or almond butter)
- 1/4 cup melted cocoa butter*
- 1/3 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 whole pitted dates* (chopped // medjool is best // or sub more maple syrup)
- 3 Tbsp cacao nibs for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside (adjust number/size of pans if altering batch size).
- Add coconut to a food processor and mix until a creamy "butter" or liquidy paste is formed - about 4 minutes - scraping down sides as needed.
- Next, add nut butter, melted cocoa butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down sides as needed.
- Lastly, add chopped (pitted) dates and mix once more to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more vanilla for vanilla flavor, cacao powder for chocolate flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, or nut butter for nuttiness.
- If the mixture appears too thick, simply thin with a bit more maple syrup or melted cocoa butter! It should be semi-thick but pourable (see photo).
- Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Then top with cacao nibs (optional). Loosely cover with plastic wrap or another sheet of parchment paper and freeze until firm to the touch - about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and cut into 21 even squares (or desired number // amount as original recipe is written). Enjoy immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month. Best enjoyed at room temperature.
Video
Notes
*I like peanut butter the best!
*If you can't find or don't have cocoa butter, it can be omitted.
*Don’t add more than 2-3 dates total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), as they can make the fudge seize up and get too thick. If you need more sweetness at that point, sweeten with stevia or maple syrup)
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*If you can't find or don't have cocoa butter, it can be omitted.
*Don’t add more than 2-3 dates total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), as they can make the fudge seize up and get too thick. If you need more sweetness at that point, sweeten with stevia or maple syrup)
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 21 servings)
Serving: 1 slices Calories: 71 Carbohydrates: 4.8 g Protein: 0.8 g Fat: 6.1 g Saturated Fat: 4.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 10 mg Fiber: 1.3 g Sugar: 2.8 g