This recipe tested my patience. I almost threw in the towel. Aren’t you glad I didn’t?
This fudge started as avocado truffles, which then morphed into avocado fudge, which inevitably ended up being a flop because, as hard as I tried to ignore it, I could always taste (and smell) the avocado in the background. Back to the drawing board.
Next, I went for a vegan chocolate-inspired approach with cocoa butter and coconut oil. But it ended up a bit too waxy and somewhat oily for my liking. Back to the drawing board (again).
Which brings us to the current magic that is this easy 1-bowl, 30-minute vegan fudge made with 8 ingredients. Let’s dessert, shall we?
The base for this recipe is coconut, cocoa butter, nut butter, and cacao powder. This creates a fudgy, rich texture with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor.
This recipe is also naturally sweetened (something I really wanted to hang on to) with maple syrup and chopped dates. It all happens in the food processor before being poured into a pan and frozen.
This recipe is not only easy to make, but also quick and virtually foolproof (the best kind of recipes).
I hope you all LOVE this fudge! It’s:
Rich
Dense
Chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
Slightly nutty
Subtly infused with coconut
& Insanely satisfying
This is the perfect healthier dessert to have on hand for a weeknight treat. I keep mine in the fridge and inevitably end up snacking on a piece after lunch and dinner. It’s that good! It’s like having your daily dose of chocolate that’s homemade, healthier, and refined sugar-free.
For more chocolate treats, check out our Easy Vegan Chocolate, 2-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Truffles, Black Bean Brownies, 1-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake, Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream, and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins!
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! Cheers, friends!
Healthy Vegan Fudge (30 minutes!)
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 9×5-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
*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)
*Video song:”Sleeping In” by Phil Good
prashanthi atluri says
Is there a video for this fudge recipe?
Yes! You can find it here.
Baiba says
Fantastic!
xoxo!
Nicole Foxley says
Thank you…. This is an outstanding recipe. I have doubled and tripped this and stored it in the fridge for months. You are amazeballs. God bless xxx
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy it, Nicole! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Samantha says
I struggled to get the coconut to the buttery consistency and spent ages trying continually scraping the sides and bottom for about half an hour. I found on google a little melted coconut oil can help the process along which it did a little but not to a buttery consistency and couldn’t find another way on google to get it to a buttery consistency so just proceeded with the recipe. Despite the difficulty it still ended up tasting divine just not quite so soft with coconut not having melted. I made it with almond butter homemade using the recipe on this website which came out well.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Samantha! A couple ideas on the coconut butter- 1) if there’s not enough volume of coconut, it can cause that, or 2) if you don’t have a powerful food processor, it may not be able to get it all the way creamy.
bronte says
Hello,
I’ve had trouble with my mixture seizing past being usable when I add the Maple. do you have any tips? thanks
Sorry to hear that’s happening, Bronte. Try adding more nut butter or less maple syrup. Good luck!
Emma says
Can I use coconut cream block to replace the coconut in the blender?
Hi Emma, we aren’t familiar with coconut cream block. Let us know if you try it!
Aimee says
Was worried about the coconut, but it came together great (just took me longer than 4 minutes to get a coconut butter to form). This is soooo delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Aimee! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Grace Rodgers says
Okay I’m making this right now, and I was nervous about the coconut situation because of the comments, but let me tell you it’s working! I’m using Bob’s Redmill shredded unsweetened coconut in my Vitamix blender (bc I don’t have a food processor) and it’s definitely turning to liquid! Excited to taste these
Yay! We’re so glad it’s working for you =) Thanks for sharing!
Wen says
Please clarify: the recipe calls for *fresh* dates (which I’ve never seen for sale in any of my local or specialty markets), but in the video it appears that the more commonly available *dried* date is being used. Which one should we use?
Great point! It’s definitely dried. We only use dried in recipes. I’ll clarify the language.
Sara says
What can I substitute for the coconut?
Hmm, that’s a pretty key ingredient so we’re not sure. Maybe peanut butter? We haven’t tried it though and can’t guarantee results! Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Deb says
If I use already prepared coconut butter, would I need 1 cup to replace the 2 cups of coconut?
Hi Deb, coconut typically reduces from 4 parts to 1 for coconut butter, so we’d suggest 1/2 cup and adding more as needed to achieve the texture in the photos. Hope that helps!
Liz says
Can I make these and then ship them, or do them then have to go into the fridge?
It’s best stored in the fridge, but might be okay if it’s staying somewhere cold? It will start to melt around 75 degrees F.
Christine Ritter says
I made this Fudge now a few times family and friends love it. Most of the time I don’t have cocoa butter so I use melted Vitalite dairy free spread and it seems to work fine. Also I do find frequently extra Maple syrup has to be added to make the mixture a little smoother.
Agree with previous comments my food mixer takes much longer to get the coconut into a paste like mixture. Maybe it is the type of machine? Mine is 20 yrs old!! But still going.
Wow, Christine- we’re impressed by the age of your machine! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! We’re so glad everyone enjoys it!
Matija says
This combination of flavors is really something! It would also make superb balls, maybe dipped in something like chocolate with finely chopped dry cranberries (I used cocoa and cranberries for decoration). The only downside is the coconut issue. I have Moulinex Masterchef 8000, I only managed to get a paste-like consistency after 15ish minutes and I stopped because of the hot engine. And I added a lot more butter because the amount from the recipe wasn’t enough. Nevertheless, it tasted amazing and will make again! Thanks, Dana <3
Kathy says
Looks delicious!
Can I substitute coconut oil for the cacao butter?
Hi Kathy! We haven’t tried it and we suspect it wouldn’t have the same results, but you can simply omit the cacao butter and it should still work. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Michelle says
Fudge loving friends,
I experienced many of the same challenges and it took me about 6 tries to perfect the recipe using my tools, so wanted to share! (note: I have a Ninja processor)
I substituted the desiccated coconut for 3/4 cup coconut butter (as Dana suggested in a comment). I did not melt it prior to adding to the processor. I definitely tried desiccated vs shredded coconut but could not for the life of me get the right consistency. Maybe it was my processor but a lot seem to be having the same challenge.
I soaked the dates in water for about half a day to soften for the processor. Probably less time is required. I couldn’t get a smooth blend otherwise.
I add shredded coconut and nibs on top. Delicious!
Hope this helps!
Michelle
Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle! We are so glad you were able to figure out how to make it work with your Ninja processor! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Aries says
This is the last Minimalist Baker recipe I will ever try.
Sorry to hear that, Aries. Could you help us understand what may have been the problem? Did you have an issue with the coconut butter churning? That seems to be common and can take some practice.
Heather says
I’m a Highschooler and plan on making these for club meetings, but I was wondering how much different it would taste if sunbutter was used instead of peanut butter or cashew as called in the recipe because of allergies?
-Thank You
That should work!! It will taste different, but still good!
Betsy Hicks says
Although not vegetarian, I use this recipe to get collagen down my adult son with autism. He has joint issues so I add 1/2 cup of high-quality collagen and double the maple syrup. Each day he has his perfectly dosed square and he gobbles it up. I think it would be great for any child who you need to get basic supplements down….but there IS math involved. :)
Dave Williams says
Hi can I ask why it only has a week shelf life. You mention a week in the fridge.
They are definitely best fresh during the first week! I’d recommend freezing for longer storage :)
Joey says
Can you use coconut fat instead of the shredded coconut? If so what ratio, cups to cups? I do not have a food processor.
That wouldn’t work quite the same and I wouldn’t recommend it, Joey!
Sam MacIntyre says
Oh dear god, this may be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. LOVE that its naturally sweetened, and love even more that you’d never even know. I halved the recipe, used almond butter and omitted the cocoa butter. Had to add a splash of almond milk since the almond butter wasn’t quite runny enough, but had zero issues! This is delicious, Dana :)
Sharon (Sherryl) says
Hello!
Sherryl here.
21 slices?
A funky number!
Better get a bigger knife (if you know what I mean?)
Ha
Good night!
Hah! Feel free to cut larger pieces, Sharon :D
Sean Graham says
I tried to blend the coconut on its own and doesn’t go like buttery or milky as described or in video. Do you as anything else to the dedicated coconut? I’ve just ended up with a flakey flapjack type product :(
Nechama says
Well, I just made the fudge. Ended up using nearly 300 gr peanut butter and 300 gr coconut butter (jar). As soon as I dropped in a little maple syrup it started to seize. Not so with the vanilla (w/alcohol). Then I added the cocoa. It came together nearly into a ball. So that’s when I added more peanut and coconut butter (with the oil that was in the jar) and then it creamed out. However, I wanted more vanilla and less cocoa but will wait for next time to test that arrangement.
Finally it was smooth (not pourable) so I added chopped walnuts and spread it into a brownie pan and stuck it in the freezer. Very curious what it will be like frozen. But I think less cocoa and maybe mix everything first then add the peanut butter. This is a great recipe but it takes a few times to get it just rights.
Here, where I live, the peanut butter is runny, the coconut butter is medium. So adjustments are needed according to the ingredient brands available. Since I don’t particularly like dates :-( the maple syrup was my choice. But maybe maple cream would work better. That I have in my store.
So everyone, don’t give up, experiment each time to get it the way you like it.
Thank you for sharing your process and sticking with it, Nechama!
Mark says
Same as others on here. Left the coconut in the mixer for up to 15mins and it was exactly the same as it went in. Desiccated coconut is exactly that, it’s been dried out. I don’t understand how you get a liquid. Interesting to know if the all the people having the same issue are in the UK, maybe we desiccate to a higher percentage here???
lauren says
I made this when I went vegan but halfway through it I got my finger stuck in a tri-blade blender so had to go to hospital so they could get it off and I could get stitches, hospital wasn’t fun but the second time I made this everything went great and it was super yummy!!
Ouch! Lauren, we are sorry to hear that! Glad you got to making it again and enjoyed it!
Lauren says
so I tried to make this recipe and got my finger stuck in a tri-blade blender and had to go to hospital to get stitches and whilst the experience was not nice, I made the fudge a while later and it was really yummy. Double thumbs up
Meredith says
My coconut won’t turn creamy!! I tried making this before and it didn’t come out right. I thought the coconut was the problem, that I didn’t process long enough (though I did it for four minutes) Now I’m trying again a week later and I’ve been processing the coconut for about 6 minutes!! It’s not liquidy!!! Help!!!!
Carrie says
Hi! I made this for our family gathering on Christmas Eve. It was absolutely fabulous, and everyone loved it. Definitely a keeper recipe, and easy to make! I was a little worried, because it was pretty thick, and I couldn’t pour it into the pan. I sort of scooped it out of my food processor and flattened it out in the pan. When I took it out of the freezer and cut it it up, it looked perfect and tasted amazing. YUM!! Thank you for a great, fun and tasty recipe!!
Karen the middle-aged mother of six says
The first time that I made this recipe it was a disaster. I used reduced fat coconut and it did not turn to liquid. I decided to use almond milk to hopefully thin it out but it made it worse. The fudge was not rich at all and tasted blah. The next day I tried the recipe again and used regular coconut, it worked! It turned to liquid. I also added a bit more cocoa powder to make it richer. This batch was scarfed down by my family that night! They really enjoyed it. :)
Naomi says
I tried this the other day, and I didn’t get the texture quite right, but it was still delicious! I added two dates but they were large, so I think with my large dates I should only add one. My mixture was a bit too think and I had trouble thinning it and then getting it back to the right texture. overall though it still same out great. I bought the coco nibs but then forgot to put them in so I will need to try it again. I really liked the flavor, subtle hints of coconut and peanut butter. Oh and have a tiny “food processor”, its not really a food processor, so it took a while for the coconut to get creamy but it still worked! Yum!
Ashley Peterson says
Wow! Just made this, and just want to mention that it was my first ever attempt at using a food processor as well. Turned out great! These have such good flavor, and they melt in your mouth… Yummy! Thanks for coming up with this great recipe.
– Ashley
Linda says
can Cacao Butter be substituted for the cocoa butter?
Cinz says
The coconut did not liquefy. Tried it with our blendtec and a simple, smaller food processor but both were disasters. Is it the wrong coconut? I got shredded dehydrated flakes. Is the processor just not good enough? I have this oily mess instead of fudgeeee what to do next time?? It was getting buttery but ended up just forming into a sticky dough :(
Hi! I am sorry to hear you didn’t have luck with this one. We recommend using finely shredded unsweetened desiccated coconut so this is likely the root of the problem. Better luck next time!
Miran says
What can I use instead of coconut butter? Maybe coconut oil?
It’s such an important part of the recipe, I don’t think coconut oil would work here, unfortunately. Maybe peanut butter?
Chiara says
Can I use coconut oil instead of cocoa butter?
Hi! We found that using oil, it ended up a bit too waxy and somewhat oily for our liking. If you don’t have cocoa butter it can be left out!
Miruna says
Hi Dana,
Can i sub the maple syrup with granulated stevia or would it change the texture?
Hi Miruna! Yes you can substitute it for stevia!
Rebekah says
Hey there. I had similar problems to the other users where the coconut didn’t break down into a liquid form. I then realized I had inadvertently bought lite shredded coconut. When I did it with the full fat coconut, it definitely worked. It also didn’t work for me when I tried to cut the recipe in half. Too much space in my food processor, so the blade was just pushing the coconut into the air. Hope this helps some others!
Anastasia Widiarsih says
Hi Dana, I am wondering if this fudge can stay at room temp for a day or so. I want to make some and ship them to my daughter in college. Thank you!
sinead says
This recipe is really good, but this time around I really improvised and it turned out really well. I didn’t have dates, cocoa butter or peanut butter. So, I used tahini, a very small amount of frozen banana (as I find the taste can be overpowering), maple syrup, coconut (plus a tablespoon of coconut cream), vanilla, cocoa, a small amount of vegan butter and added a tiny bit of water at the end to get the consistency right. It was really, really good. Definitely want to get all the ingredients next to time to try yours! Thanks for all your amazing recipes.
Grace says
I bought dried coconut flakes from Whole Foods and they didn’t quite liquidize or get creamy but remained a bit granulated and added some texture to the fudge which wasn’t too bad! I used cashew butter and added sliced bananas on top which was absolutely delicious! Thanks so much!
candice says
Is there a substitute for cocoa butter? I cant find it in SA :)
Hi! You can just omit it!
Candi Brooks-Williams says
My kids and I made this and it is absolutely fabulous, its not going to last long ha ha. Thank you
Cliff says
I see that you often use Maple Syrup in your recipes. Do you feel agave would work suitable 1:1 in place of it in this recipe, or in general?
Thank you.
Athena says
When I made this recipe today for a fudge making competition, I came across the same problems as those who had made it before me. When processing the desiccated coconut it didn’t have the same consistency like the video tutorial, it was extremely dry resulting in the whole recipe becoming similar to typical energy balls or dough and backfiring. Even adding additional nut butter or maple syrup didn’t help so I added soy milk in step 1. The result is an extremely dense fudge but it did even up tasting decent. I guess this recipe isn’t foolproof after all.
Tara says
Would coconut flour work in this recipe & do you know if it’s the same thing as finely shredded?
lisa says
carob powder is a great sub for cocoa powder. no theobromine/caffeine in it and it’s good for the stomach. will this fudge be firm at room temp? thanks!
Fazia Boodhoo says
Hi Dana, this looks insanely good?
Definitely trying this one soon??
Ashley Barker says
Could I sub coconut oil for the cocoa butter or will the texture be off – or is it best to just omit??
I would add a little oil, but not replace the full amount.
Ayushi Mody says
So my husband cannot have any honey/maple/stevia/sugar of any kind in this naturopathy diet he is currently following. Can I try this recipe only with dates?
Winnie says
Can you add or substitute coconut with almond pulp? I just made some almond milk, trying to use the pulp up. Thank you!
Hi Winnie! Hmm I am not 100% sure as we have not tried it. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes! It would definitely affect the flavor.
Rebecca Duran Meyer says
Hi!
Thank you soooo much for your blog and this recipe! It turned out sooo good! I didn’t have any cocoa butter, so I used vegan butter that I melted it.. hopefully that was ok! Also the peanut I had on hand had added sugar and I used the dates, but I think the recipe would have been okay without dates and my food processer didn’t blend the dates super well. I was very impressed though by this recipe! I put some peanuts on top of the fudge too with the dark chocolate chips and that was also really good! Thank you for your blog!
Ritu Chugh says
Sorry to be difficult. What can I substitute for the desiccated coconut /dates?
Will honey do instead of maple syrup?
Thanks
Nina says
Hi, I’ve made this twice and it has turned out perfect both times – the last batch I topped with chopped pistachios and Maldon salt, which was simply heaven. But I do wonder if it would be possible to skip the tedious processing of the desiccated coconut shreds by simply using creamed coconut instead? As far as I gather that is exactly the same thing (unsweetened desiccated coconut flesh processed until creamy). Maybe an option if one is not in possession of an industrial-strength food processor…?
raya says
can i replace the shredded coconut for a coconut oil? and if so whys the amount?
Hi Raya! No I don’t think that will work.
Diana says
Just made this last night and I’m so in love! I didn’t have cacao butter, but felt it needed a bit more oil so substituted coconut oil. Additionally, I only used 3 tbsp of maple syrup (because I misread the instructions) and only 1 date (because I didn’t chop my dates up well enough so they didn’t process and thus I just removed them). Anyways, I’m really happy I made these mistakes because I LOVE how it’s not that sweet but it still is so satiating and hits the spot when you need something sweet. Also, the coconut butter on it’s own was sooo good. Would love more recipes with this!
Katie says
Would there be a way to make this without coconut? Allergies :(
Jessica says
Well I had the same issue that I now see many others had. I blended the coconut way more than four minutes – and “creamy” just never happened – so end result was grainy/energy ball-like. So bummed.
Cindi says
I am totally obsessed with this fudge! It has become a staple in my weekly cooking routine.. I have to admit it is quite addicting!
Leigh says
My poor old processor wasn’t up to the job, it took an absolute age to process the coconut & the motor began to smoke towards the end!
I didn’t have any cocoa butter, but as you said this can be omitted.
My mixture was not of a pourable consistency, but as I type, it’s in the freezer.
I don’t think it will be as good as yours but hopefully all is not lost.
Victoria says
I tried this recipe twice and could not achieve that creamy texture with the shredded coconut. The final results were gritty and crumbly textured fudge. Suggestions?
Hi Victoria! This is so strange! I’ve made this fudge many times now and have never had this issue! If it gets thick I just add more cocoa butter or maple syrup. Sorry you had trouble!
Stephanie Moore says
This was D-E-L-I-S-H (really no other words needed ha ha)
Vida says
Thanks for this recipe! Made it with great success also with my 2year old boy xxx
Rosemary Barnett says
I would be interested in what Food Processor you use. My trusty old food processor finally died after yeas of hard work. My replacement will need to be high powered. I prepare foods very much like what you prepare so your guidance would be helpful. I am thinking Kitchen Aid ??
Hi Rosemary! This one.
Cheryle says
Thanks Dana for such a great recipe. I’ve made this twice now and both times they turned out super smooth with a fudge like texture. I followed all your directions to a tee and didn’t have any problems at all. It was perfect. It will be a staple in my home. I posted a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. My first batch I topped with chopped pecans because I didn’t have the cocoa nibs. My second batch was with the cocoa nibs. Let me know when you see my photo on Instagram. Take care.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing!!
Tee says
I have NEVER commented. This recipe? AMAZING. THANK YOU.
So glad to hear, Tee! Thanks for the love!
maja says
The fudges came out wonderful — thank you for this inspiring and perfect recipe. I wonder whether with regard to the thickness and/or texture it would be possible to omit the marple sirup? Actually, I added agave sirup (because I had no marple sirup at home) and I also left out the dates. — I try to avoid all kind of sugars….
I’d love to hear from you and thank you for sharing your knowledge !
Hi Maja! I wouldn’t recommend leaving out the maple syrup, but check the other comments to see how people substituted it! Good luck!
Maja says
Today, I tried to leave out the marple sirup, I didn’t add dates. The texture is slightly different (and of course, they taste less sweet), they are very delicious, and full of (chocolate) flavor. — A great recipe!
Cheryle says
Oh I forgot to mention instead of using maple syrup I substituted date syrup and it worked great.
Preethi says
Hi Dana, if I have coconut butter on hand, how wouldn’t you recommend scaling this recipe? 2 cups coconut butter instead of shredded coconut??
natalie says
I made this twice and followed everything correctly, but both times it was not pourable – not even close. I added in more m.s. and c.b. and it seemed to make it worse. Any tips?
Lauren L. says
Same! It also had a weird, gritty texture. Not really fudge-like.
This is so strange! I’ve made this fudge many times now and have never had this issue! If it gets thick I just add more cocoa butter or maple syrup. Sorry you had trouble!
Linsey Rosen says
I’m getting the same issue!! I couldn’t help but wonder…is the problem maybe that those of us with the wrong texture are supposed to let the cocoa butter cool before mixing?
Linsey says
I made it again and firstly, I didn’t let the coconut liquidfy enough the first time. I basically turned it on and walked away this time. And it was pourable but I literally watched it thicken from overmixing! All of a sudden it got super thick. Even still, both times it was still delicious and set fine! ;)
Anne says
I keep wishing someone would make a fudge recipe Like this! I’ve tried some of the other options but have never liked the results. I have quite literally said out loud, “I wish the Minimalist Baker would make a fudge recipe” and now you have. I can’t wait to try it out. I think I even have all the ingredients.
Alexandra says
Hi there! I’m wondering if agave might work well, as that is what I have on hand….it is the darker agave too – so closer to maple syrup than the lighter variety. Might this cause consistency issues? Thanks! Love your blog and recipes, keep up the wonderful work :)
Alexandra says
I tried this in a blender with poor results fyi for curious souls. I’m guessing the end result will still taste amazing but the process was pretty irksome and the consistency not at all smooth or pourable. Will update one I remove from the freezer! The oil/cocoa separated out a bit form the coconut and almond butter. Wasn’t able to get a fully ‘creamed’ coconut in step 1.
Alexandra, seems like the coconut butter is what tripped you up! Keep churning until it’s creamy. A food processor is really handy for this!
That should work!
Brittany says
wow! thank you so much for all of your recipes without cane or brown sugar. recently my body has been having a really bad reaction to it. it can be hard to curb that chocolate, creamy sweet craving, but your recipes are opening a pathway to this life style change I have to begin! thank you! that you!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
That you for pushing through and sticking with this recipe until it worked out. I had a similar experience with fudge myself. What is it about fudge? Lol. This one looks amazing!
Isra says
Hi Dana…
My sweet tooth has been getting in the way of my fitness goal as I make reallly unhealthy choices. This ticks all the boxes! Thank you for the divine recipe and much love here from London(UK)..
Isra…x
Anne Marie Benoit says
Hi,
I am confused. Desiccated coconut is dry and you don’t mention adding water in the instructions nor is doing so shown in video. Was this a mistake in the instructions or is there a freaky property to coconut I don’t know about or what? I know a little girl who can only have natural sweeteners because the type of cancer she has feeds off of artificial ones so I would appreciate the info as I would like to make this for her. Kids shouldn’t have to go without the occasional treat, especially when they’ve got so much on their plate.
There’s no water! The coconut flakes turn into coconut “butter” when it’s churned. As for natural sweetener, use stevia instead!
Anne Marie Benoit says
Thanks for the information and for getting back to me quickly! I will try this, then. I think maple syrup and dates are fine for natural sweeteners, though I will double check and print ingredients for any care packages I send as I wouldn’t want to do anything to endanger her, and I use unsweetened peanut butter.
Rachael says
We are having a similar problem – we purchased organic reduced fat desiccated Coconut and have had it in the processor for a while and nothing is happening – is it because its reduced fate – should we be adding some coconut oil??
stacey says
To anyone wondering if they can use a Vitamix, and omit the cocoa butter, it worked! I definitely got an arm workout with the tamper though!
ha! OK, thanks for sharing!
Rhonda says
OMG!!! Looks soooo good! You said it’s only to not use cocoa butter, is it okay to use agave nectar instead of maple syrup? Thxs for sharing??
Rhonda says
Meant to say it’s okay
Hi Rhonda! I haven’t tried it but that should work on a 1:1 substitution!
LN says
This is so greasy haha. But really tasty and good!!
Liz says
Hi Dana!
I just tried this recipe and it turned out absolutely delicious! I omitted the cocoa butter because I didn’t have any on hand and it was still great. I’ve tried dozens of your recipes (a lot of desserts too!) and this is on my top ten, easily. You make eating vegan so simple and tasty. I asked for your cookbook for Christmas and it’s become my new Bible. :) Thank you for the lovely pictures and recipes, not sure what I would do if you stopped!
Thank you so much, Liz! xoxo
Cali says
I literally made this the second it came in my inbox! Thanks for sharing this , I bought cacao butter to make raw chocolate and it was great to use it for something else ❤
Bonnie says
Hi Dana! I have a question about the cocao butter. You say it can be omitted if you want, but won’t that change the texture or taste? Should I maybe sub it with coconut oil? Or can I really leave it out?
PS: I love your recipes!
Liz says
Hi, just putting in my 2 cents.. I omitted the cocoa butter and just subbed extra maple syrup and it turned out great and delicious. Still had a chocolately sense flavour from the cocoa powder and medjool dates.
Thanks for sharing! I think some coconut oil would be fine, too.
Allie says
How much maple syrup did you sub for the dates?
Ali says
I was so excited when I saw this and I happened to have all the ingredients on hand… it didn’t work for me though! My mixture was between the texture of energy balls and cookie dough at first, not pourable at all. So I added a bit more maple syrup but then it was on the edge of too sweet so I added more melted cocoa butter (as suggested) but then it was like the mixture seized and none of the butter would incorporate into it! I ended up with cookie dough coated in oil. Not sure if there’s anything I could have done differently…? I thought maybe I didn’t process the coconut for long enough but it looked close to what it looks like in the video.
So strange! I’m not sure what happened. Perhaps try omitting the dates next time? That can sometimes cause the mixture to thicken too much…
Samantha says
For those of you who are having trouble with the mixture seizing up and not being pourable, try adding more nut butter or less maple syrup. Nut butters seize up with the introduction of liquids, so it’s likely that the maple syrup to nut butter ratio is off. I have tried this recipe twice and always have to add more nut butter to get the right consistency. Good luck!
natalie says
this happened to me too!
natalie says
& I Didn’t use dates.
Shannon Courtney says
Thank you so much for all the amazing recipes Dana. This is the first one that’s given me any trouble. The texture was off before I added two dates, then I added maple syrup but it didn’t become creamy/pourable. Instead the cocoa butter separated from the mixture. I did try to spread it out in the loaf pan, but the oil pooled on the top. I froze it and it remained separated… it was still delicious in any case, but not very pretty and kind of messy once the fat separated. I failed at a fail-proof recipe :(
So strange! Did you mix it super well? I haven’t had any trouble with this recipe! And you watched the video tutorial?
Jana says
I had the same experience: the texture was very similar to the dark chocolate energy balls that’s on this blog. I added more maple syrup and it didn’t become runny as it was in the video.
Cayte says
The same just happened to me. I poured out about 100ml of oily liquid before putting the ‘fudge’ in the freezer. I hop it turns out ok for Easter tomorrow.
We’re sorry this recipe is proving to be tricky, Cayte! Try adding more nut butter or less maple syrup. Nut butters seize up with the introduction of liquids, so it’s likely that the maple syrup to nut butter ratio is off. Good luck!
Nechama says
Maybe its the order of adding ingred. Maybe add maple syrup and vanilla to the coconut butter (and blend real well to near consistency), then add the peanut butter, and lastly the cocoa slowly by TBS. If using dates, puree them first then the rest in this order.
Cass says
Hi Dana look so delicious thank you for sharing, can you substitute the coconut with anything else? My son is not a fan of coconut.
Xx
Cass
Caryn says
Could I use coconut butter instead of some of the shredded coconut? (I’m not sure I have 2 cups of shredded)
That should work! I think 2 cups coconut shreds reduces down to about 3/4 cup (give or take) of coconut butter, FYI. Good luck!
Caryn says
thanks! I will try it and let you know how it goes!
angela says
i was just about to ask the same question! thanks!!
Maria from Almostproperly.com says
These look awesome!! And I love that you effectively made your own chocolate in the process. Fancy;) Suuuuper rich almost savory chocolate has been our jam lately. Yum!
Nancy says
Do you taste a coconut flavor in this? I don’t like coconut, is there anything else you could use to substitute it? Thanks!
Hi Nancy! The coconut flavor is very subtle. I can’t think of another substitute off the top of my head maybe besides almond meal? Not sure how that would work, though! Good luck! Let me know what you try.
Nancy says
Thanks, Dana. How can you know if the coconut is desiccated if it’s in a bulk bin and doesn’t say one way or the other?
It will be very very finely ground! Little tiny shreds is what you’re looking for. But coconut butter can also be made from large flake.
Myra says
Im dying to try this… Could i use honey instead if maple syrup?
Yes! Sometimes honey can be thicker than maple syrup so it may thicken your fudge a bit too much. Just be conscious of that. If it gets too thick, thin with more melted cocoa butter or coconut oil!
Susan Pantle says
Yummmm niece!! Looks delicious!!
Thanks Auntie! Love ya!
Beginner says
Could this be made in a vitamix
Hmm, not sure. I just posted my Vitamix vs Blendtec review where you’ll see my thoughts on the Vitamix (https://minimalistbaker.com/the-blend-off-vitamix-vs-blendtec-review/). I *think* it would work, but definitely think a food processor is best here.
Carrie says
Vitamix doesn’t work. :( the motor got too hot
Cara Correll says
Do you use the pre shredded coconut they sell in stores?
Yes, it’s desiccated and in the bulk section of most grocery stores. Make sure it’s unsweetened!
Vicky says
YUM! Poured this into a gram cracker crust along with your bourbon caramel and coconut whipped cream on top! It was almost like a flourless chocolate cake rather than fudge. Happy Pie Day 3.14159!
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
Aimee says
I think it might be time to hash out the money for a food processor. There are just so many things I want to bake that require one! Do you have a favorite brand/type?
Also, recipe is beautiful. Thank you for keeping it naturally sweetened, I try so hard to not even keep white sugar in the house.
Hi Aimee! Great question. The one I use and love is this one from Cuisinart!
Mary says
I need to get one too, does this one do nut butters well? Disappointed in my Vitamix’s ability to do that.
Yes! Super well. I LOVE a food processor for things like this (fudge, nut butters, hummus, etc.). It’s also wonderful for quickly shredding/slicing vegetables!
nursermk says
My late Italian mother was one of those who loved kitchen gadgets and the first in our family to buy the simple original food processor from Cuisinart. That was in the early 1970’s and that old workhorse with a huge heavy motor built to last with a solid base chopped/diced/sliced/mixed/pulverized food for literally decades. They only had a lid lock mechanism for on/off back then which became tricky to use a few years ago so my Pops uses it only now for chopping nuts in the workshop to fill our bird nut feeders but it is literally still going strong 45+ years later. I have one I got from a friend who received it as a wedding gift (and doesn’t cook) and it has been working great for me since the mid 90s. Had to share!
Elisa says
Hi,
I love fudge but my boo doesn’t like chocolat (crazy, i know…it was a big red flag but i fell for him anyway…I’m that weak) so, do you think that it would be possible to make it not chocolaty by removing the cacao powder?
Hmm, that might be an option. It would definitely affect the texture. I have a non chocolate fudge coming soon, though, so stay tuned!
Elisa says
Mmmh I’ll wait then, thank’s so much to share your culinary genius with us!
Susan Currier says
Do you have a cholate brownie recipe
Hi Susan!
Give this one a try! There is this one as well. Hope this helps!
I don’t think the information you’re sharing is accurate. I couldn’t find any information to back up the rancidity claim. Would you mind providing a source for where you read that? Obviously tons of people eat peanuts and peanut butter and are alive and well.
Lauren says
Could this be made in a muffin tin for individual servings?
Yes!