This is the time of year when Chris and I fight about Halloween candy. I want to buy Sour Patch Kids and Skittles for trick-or-treaters because I hate Sour Patch Kids and Skittles. Chris wants to buy Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers bars because he loves Reese's and Snickers. So basically, I don't want to eat the Halloween candy and Chris does.
So I thought maybe this year we could compromise a little and I'd make some healthy-ish candy for us and we can hand out Skittles to the kids in the neighborhood. Compromise! That's what marriage is all about: compromise and me getting my way. I've never done a Halloween post before, but I had the idea to try to make a healthy version of Ice Cubes and I figured this was a good time of year to tackle it. You know those little German hazelnut chocolates that melt in your mouth? Chris loves those and when I was thinking about them a few weeks ago, I realized that they must be made with coconut oil--that was the only way to explain their melty yumminess. And after a little bit of Googling, I realized I was right! So knowing they were made with coconut oil, I figured it would be really easy to make them myself.
…and I was wrong! I couldn't figure out how to replicate the exact texture of Ice Cubes. But I did accidentally stumble upon the best vegan chocolate fudge I've ever tasted. I've had vegan fudge before, made with nut butters, and while they're good, the texture wasn't quite like fudge. And, of course, the fudge tasted like nut butter. This fudge is different--the texture is creamy and rich and it melts in your mouth, just like fudge made with dairy butter. It doesn't have that buttery finish that real fudge has, but it does have a faint coconut flavor that makes up for it.
I was super excited about this recipe and so was Chris, but he gave me the side-eye when I told him it was healthy. Okay! Fine! It's healthyish! It's not an apple or a head of broccoli. But the ingredients in this fudge are healthy. You shouldn't eat a whole slab of it if you're counting calories, but you're better off eating a square of this fudge than a square of traditional fudge.
Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- ½ cup coconut oil room temperature, not melted
- ⅓ cup raw hazelnuts
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fleur de sel or cacao nibs for topping optional
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in your food processor and process until mixture is completely smooth. This might take several minutes, kind of like when you make nut butter. Be patient!
- Transfer the fudge mixture to a small rectangular baking dish that's been lined with parchment paper and use a spatula to spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle tops with fleur de sel or cacao nibs, if using.
- Refrigerate until solid, then remove the fudge from the baking dish and cut into squares.
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Fudge of any kind? I'm in!
Valentina Hortus says
Such and amazing, to-the-point recipe! This sounds like the perfect holiday fix.
As a person who quite recently embarked on a plant-based style (but has been having a penchant for it for a while), I find website like yours to be really inspiring. I literally fell in love with almost any kind of vegan dessert, so into my list this goes!
Thank you. Reading your blog is a pleasure 🙂
Kiersten says
Thank you! There are so many amazing vegan desserts out there--you never miss the dairy!
janae @ bring joy says
I love your strategy & choice of Halloween candy--get the stuff you don't like so you don't want to eat it. My husband is the same way--he won't let me get anything cheap & it must be chocolate.
Love how simple this recipe is.
Kiersten says
Because Halloween is totally about our husbands, right? Not about the trick-or-treaters! LOL!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
This sounds SO tasty! I be an AB or PB version would be fantastic, too! 🙂
Kiersten says
I've had almond butter fudge before and it is really tasty! 🙂
Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says
Ummm...YUM! I am so making this.
Julie says
1. YES TO THIS. Fudge for everyone this holiday season?
2. "compromise and me getting my way" <-- ha!
Kiersten says
I'm definitely going to make this for Christmas! Last year I fully intended on making fudge for the holidays, but then we had a sick cat to contend with and alas, no fudge.
Katy says
Wow, this fudge looks delicious and beautiful pics, too! I'm a huge fan of fudge but have struggled to fine vegan fudge recipes that aren't nut butter/dates. Sometimes you just need the real stuff and this one looks perfect. 🙂 I bet the hazelnuts leave it a little reminiscent of nutella.
Kiersten says
Yeah, I do like the nut butter fudge recipes, but they really don't have the same texture as fudge. This one does! 🙂
dishing up the dirt says
I usually don't make homemade candy. This looks too stinking good and easy to pass up!
Kiersten says
I'm more into savory things myself, but once in a while, I need something sweet!
All Natural Katie says
Can you leave the hazelnuts out if you do not like them? (not that I don't like hazelnuts, but in case someone has a nut allergy)
Going to make this for Thanksgiving!
Kiersten says
I think the nuts contribute to the texture, although I do know there are other vegan fudge recipes out there that are made without nuts. I'd look for one of those because I have a feeling that the proportions for the remaining ingredients will be different!
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
Ohhhhh my gawsh. Can I please pluck one of these gems right off the screen and devour??
Kiersten says
I wish it worked that way. 🙂
Alissa N (GirlMakesFood) says
I love happy mistakes like this!! And I love how simple this is to make, you can't beat that. Perfect to bring to parties, and chocolate goes with any holiday (or solo netflix session! ;))
Kiersten says
Yes, I am going to try to make a holiday version for Christmas! I think with peppermint extract. 🙂
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
Accidental and dairy free? Yes please!
Kiersten says
Accidental recipes are my favorite recipes. 🙂
steph@stephsbitebybite says
This is brilliant!! I have got to make this!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Love healthy yet decadent sweet treats like this! Gorgeous fudge, Kiersten.
Ash-foodfashionparty says
I love making home made fudge and this one is soooo yumm looking.
JulieD says
This look amazing!!!!!
Katie (The Muffin Myth) says
Ooooooh, this looks good! I love that the fudge is sweetened with maple syrup too. I've had a recipe for home made tootsie rolls I've been meaning to try for ages, but it might be getting pushed to the back burner for these. Thanks!
Kiersten says
Homemade tootsie rolls?! Oh, you must share. 🙂
Suzanne says
once chilled, does this need to stay refrigerated? Can it be cut, put in a festive tin and given as a gift ?? thanks!
Kiersten says
Sorry, I just added a note to the recipe about this--the fudge will get soft when it's not refrigerated (especially if it's not kept in a cool place), so it's best to store it in the fridge.
Kathryn says
I'm on the look out for dairy free treats at the moment for a party and this is totally, totally perfect!
Brittany says
See, I'm totally with your husband on this one! I love having left over Halloween candy, even if I know I shouldn't be eating it. 🙂 Thankfully we live in a place that literally gets no trick-or-treaters, so we don't even bother to buy candy anymore.
I cannot wait to make this! I adore fudge but hate making it, especially the kind that calls for marshmallows. Ick. This, however, looks divine!
Kiersten says
I always over-buy candy too--we live at the end of our neighborhood, so I don't think many kids make it over here. At the end of the night, I'm giving it out in handfuls. 🙂
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
These look amazing! And dangerously easy to make, ugh, I just love chocolaty things that come together quickly, yum!
Kiersten says
I love chocolaty things, period. 🙂
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
I can't believe how easy this is! Absolutely LOVE it. A must-make for sure.
Kiersten says
It's definitely easier than making real fudge!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
Oh, that looks GOOD! I love fudge and I'm going to make this for the holidays!
Kiersten says
Me too! I'm going to try it with peppermint extract instead of vanilla. I also want to see if I can enrobe the squares in melted chocolate to make something like a Frango mint...
Lisa Cohen says
This looks delicious! And with such a short ingredient list and easy prep, im going to definitely try this!
i had to laugh while reasing this because my husband and I are the same way with the candy this time of year. Just today, I bought the Sweettart, Skittles, etc. variety pack so that I don't eat any Halloween candy this year. I'm sure my husband rolled his eyes when he caught sight of the non-chocolate-containing bag. LOL!
Kiersten says
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has that argument with her husband! Sweettarts are pretty bad too. 🙂 Sweettarts, wax teeth, and Necco wafers for everyone this year!
Colleen @ Culinary Colleen says
I'm sort of happy we live in an apartment building so we don't have to have halloween candy on hand! I can't be trusted around peanut butter cups and butterfingers. I've never had an ice cube candy, but these sound pretty amazing!
Kiersten says
Yeah, I miss living in an apartment sometimes. 😉