The perfect fudge is terrifically rich, super chocolatey, both thick and dense AND smooth and soft. This vegan fudge recipe makes the best, tastiest version of the classic candy you love – without any refined sugar or dairy. It’s a healthier and much more wholesome sweet treat that you can feel good about indulging in for the holiday season, or anytime you need a chocolate fix!
There is nothing more satisfying than biting into a square of luscious, creamy chocolate fudge.
And what’s better than a great fudge recipe? How about a wholesome vegan fudge recipe that nixes any refined sugars and instead is full of plant-based goodness? Yesss!
You won’t believe how easy it is to make a batch of dairy-free and fully fabulous fudge at home with only a handful of simple ingredients!
Ingredients for Easy Vegan Chocolate Fudge
This is a simple 6 ingredient fudge recipe that doesn’t use any ucky highly-processed preservatives or other questionable substances. In fact most of what’s included are vegan pantry staples!
To make dairy-free fudge from scratch you need:
- Cashew butter – or other nut butter, such as almond or sunflower butter
- Vegan butter – my favorites are Earth Balance and Country Crock Plant Butter
- Cocoa powder
- Agave – or maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Maldon sea salt – optional
How to Make the Best Vegan Fudge from Scratch
The chocolatey base for homemade fudge is easy to prepare in just a few steps…
- First, make sure that your cashew or preferred nut butter is at room temperature and is stirred until soft. This will make it much easier to work with! Mix well with melted vegan butter in a large bowl.
- Next, use a sifter to sift in the cocoa powder.
- Stir well, making sure there are no lumps of cocoa powder (using a sifter should help avoid this!).
- Lastly, mix in the agave and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Then line a 9×5″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to carefully pour and smooth the fudge batter into the pan. Lightly sprinkle the top with some of the flecked sea salt, if you like.
Place the fudge in the freezer for about 3 hours, until firm.
Tips for Cutting Homemade Fudge
Once solid, take the loaf pan out of the freezer, and carefully lift the parchment paper to remove the fudge. Use a sharp knife to cut into even squares.
PRO TIP: wipe the blade of the knife on a damp paper towel between slices. This will help you to have even, clean cuts.
How to Store Vegan Fudge
I recommend that you keep the fudge on the parchment paper when stored to help keep the vegan fudge soft and moist. Then, place in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Take the fudge out of the freezer about 20 minutes prior to enjoying so that it’s perfectly soft. But be sure to place any leftovers immediately back into the freezer to keep the best consistency.
Other Ideas for Different Flavor Variations
This is an excellent basic fudge recipe for customizing with your favorite goodies! Some sweet ideas for extra mix-ins or toppings you can include are:
- Vegan chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or mint chips
- Chopped walnuts, cashews, or pecans
- Freeze fried strawberries or dehydrated cherries
- Mini vegan marshmallows
- Or use peanut butter in place of the almond butter for extra peanut-y goodness
Feel free to let your creativity go wild and invent any vegan fudge flavor you like!
If you tried making this vegan fudge recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!
Here are More Vegan Sweet Treat Recipes to Try:
- Vegan Coconut Macaroons
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Easy Vegan Fudge Recipe with Tahini Swirl
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
- Easy Vegan Peppermint Bark
Vegan Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashew butter (almond or sunflower butter could also be used, but I find cashew to be most neutral in taste)
- 1/3 cup vegan butter melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maldon sea salt optional
Tools:
- 9x5" loaf pan
Instructions
- Be sure that cashew butter is well stirred and at room temperature so it’s easy to work with. Mix it together with the vegan butter until very smooth. Sift in the cocoa powder with a sifter. This will ensure that you don’t get lumps in the fudge.
- Add the agave, vanilla and stir really well until smooth. You might see a little texture from the cocoa powder, but no lumps.
- Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Spread the mixture into the pan evenly using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the top lightly with flaked sea salt.
- Put fudge in the freezer for 3 hours. Pull it from the freezer and cut it into squares.
- To store the fudge, keep it on parchment and store in a freezer bag or container in the freezer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note this post may contain affiliate links which do not impact the cost to you but gives me a small commission. Thank you for your support!
DID YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE? GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!