Homemade Vegan Fudge

My vegan chocolate fudge has the most perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture and just the right amount of chew! It’s all thanks to luscious coconut milk, velvety almond butter, and of course, plenty of rich vegan chocolate. 

On a hot summer day, there’s nothing I want to hear less than the phrase “please bring a dessert.” Most dessert recipes involve turning on the oven, stirring a pot on the stove top, or at the very least handling ingredients that you have to be careful with when the weather is warm. 

Not this vegan fudge though. No oven, no stovetop, and if you leave the chocolate out too long in your hot kitchen and it starts melting--hey, good for you, you’ve got a head start towards the chocolate fudge making process! Once made, you can just keep your fudge safely chilling in the fridge until you’re ready for it.  

You can of course make vegan fudge no matter the weather but personally, this melt-in-your-mouth vegan chocolate fudge is my saving grace when the weather has me feeling like I’m the one melting. 

Vegan Fudge Ingredients

• Chopped vegan chocolate - Use whatever type or brand of vegan chocolate you like best! Vegan chocolate chips work great here, or chop up any chocolate bars or blocks you prefer.
• Full-fat coconut milk - Like other vegan fudge recipes, this chocolate fudge needs some fat content in order to come together and create a velvety final texture, so using full-fat coconut milk here is key. If you have opened a new can of coconut milk for this recipe, be sure to dump the entire can into a separate bowl and whisk it--reintegrating the watery and creamy components back together that may have separated. Once the milk is uniform, then measure out the portion you need. 
• Coconut syrup - A natural liquid sweetener derived from the nectar of coconut palm flowers. This product is available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores (where you’d find other liquid sweeteners) but if you don’t find it, you can use agave nectar instead.
• Vanilla extract - Sometimes thought of as chocolate’s “opposite”, vanilla extract has a sweet, floral note that is actually entirely complimentary to the rich, bitter taste of cocoa. A splash of this stuff in your chocolate fudge will take its taste to the next level. 
• Almond butter - Gives the fudge a nutty layer of flavor while the thick texture helps to hold all of the ingredients together and create a creamy texture. I have only tried this recipe with almond butter, but others such as creamy peanut butter (stay away from chunky) or cashew butter will likely work as well. 

How to Make Vegan Fudge

1. Prep and combine. Line a square or rectangular dish (such as a casserole or brownie pan) with parchment paper. Combine chopped vegan chocolate and coconut milk in a large microwave-safe bowl. 
2. Melt. Microwave the bowl on medium heat, stopping to stir every 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and cohesive. Stirring the mixture incrementally is important as this encourages the chocolate to melt. 
3. Add ingredients. To the chocolate mixture, add coconut syrup, vanilla extract, and almond butter then stir until smooth.
4. Transfer and chill. Pour the chocolate mixture into your prepared dish, then smooth the top with a rubber spatula or spreader. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour. 
5. Cut. Use the top edges of the parchment paper to lift the entire block of vegan fudge out of the baking dish and onto a work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut the fudge into 16 squares.
6. Serve! Vegan chocolate fudge is delicious when still a bit chilly from the fridge, or let it come to room temperature if you prefer to enjoy a softer treat! 

Watch Us Make Vegan Fudge

Chef Tips 

To more easily cut up a block or bar of chocolate, think “shave” as opposed to “chop”. Use a sharp, large serrated knife (like a bread knife) to apply firm, downward pressure--not the “sawing” motion you would use on bread--on one edge of the chocolate bar. Often I find that starting at the corner of a block of chocolate is easier than starting on a flat side. Continue slicing through the chocolate in smooth motions, rotating the chocolate bar as needed to start again at a new corner if things start to get difficult. 

When lining your baking dish with parchment paper, I recommend leaving a few inches of overhang sticking up above the surface of the fudge. This will help you later by giving you something to grab ahold of when it comes time to lift your block of fudge out of the dish.

How to Store 

Refrigerating. The best way to store your homemade vegan fudge is in an airtight container in the fridge. The fudge will keep for up to 2 weeks. 

Freezing. Vegan fudge can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or parchment paper before freezing in an airtight container. 

Thawing. When ready to eat, thaw your fudge in the refrigerator overnight or briefly at room temperature. If you leave it at room temperature, condensation is likely to form so make sure to remove it from the plastic wrap in order to help it stay dry.

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