Classic fudge has always been one of my favorite holiday treats.
In fact, this raw version has been one of my favorite everyday treats, too.
When I first started dabbling in the world of raw foods, the nut-butter based freezer fudge recipe from Raw Food, Real World quickly became my go-to evening dessert. Loaded with heart-healthy fats, protein, and a dash of nutrient-rich maple syrup, it’s the kind of treat that leaves you feeling truly satisfied. Since almond butter can be a little overpowering in flavor, I’ve made a few tweaks to the original recipe, using raw cashew butter as the base, instead. The result is ultra-creamy and decadent!
I hope you and your family will prefer this healthier alternative to traditional fudge this holiday season!
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Easy Raw Fudge (Vegan, Paleo)
makes 16-20 pieces
Adapted from Raw Food, Real World
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the nut butter and coconut oil until smooth. (This works best if the ingredients are slightly warm! Alternatively, you could blend them together using a food processor.) Add in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, sea salt and vanilla, and stir until smooth and creamy.
Transfer the mixture to a dish lined with plastic wrap, for easy removal.
Note: I use a non-standard sized container for preparing my raw fudge– it’s a rectangular shaped dish that I’ve had for years, measuring about 4″ x 8.” You could easily double this recipe to fill an 8″ x 8″ pan, if you’d prefer.
Place the dish in the freezer, and allow the fudge to set for at least an hour before slicing and serving. Thanks to the coconut oil, this raw fudge will melt quickly if left to sit in a warm room, so it’s best served directly from the freezer.
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer. (As far as I know, it will last indefinitely in the freezer– but mine never lasts too long!)
Loaded with heart-healthy fats, protein, and a dash of nutrient-rich maple syrup, this is the kind of treat that leaves you truly satisfied!
- 1 cup raw cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, mix together the nut butter and coconut oil until smooth. (This works best if the ingredients are slightly warm. Alternatively, you could blend them together using a food processor.)
- Add in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, sea salt and vanilla, and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a dish, lined with plastic wrap for easy removal, and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Place the dish in the freezer, and allow the fudge to set for at least an hour before slicing and serving. Thanks to the coconut oil, this raw fudge will melt quickly if left to sit in a warm room, so it's best served directly from the freezer.
- Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer. (As far as I know, it will last indefinitely in the freezer-- but mine never lasts too long!)
I use a non-standard sized container for preparing my raw fudge-- it's a rectangular shaped dish that I've had for years, measuring about 4" x 8." You could easily double this recipe to fill an 8" x 8" pan, if you'd prefer.
Substitution Notes: If you’d prefer to use almond butter for this recipe, I recommend using raw almond butter, which has a sweet and mild flavor when compared to the roasted version. I also don’t recommend using Trader Joe’s brand, because the texture is far too grainy and gritty. (I’m afraid of breaking a tooth when I bite into that stuff!) You can make your own almond butter as a cheaper alternative.
For nut allergies, you can easily use sunflower seed butter, too!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite holiday treat? Are you a fan of fudge? My family used to make the recipe on the back of the marshmallow fluff jar– but I think this raw version is much easier, and tastes better!
Barbara
so I did not have any cashew butter made but I recently made cashew cream and mixed up a lovely chocolate mouse pudding ….basically same ingredients just cut in half so I don’t indulge too much. 😉
andrea
These seem quite simple and delicious! I would use Stevia or rice malt syrup as sweetener, but not sure how to measure that. Might add some decaf coffee to it as well. Chocolate or anything mocha is such a weakness!
Minu
Love this recipe. My toddler loves this fudge
ck
This was DELICIOUS but it does have a taste of coconut. I tasted it before adding the maple syrup for the last ingredient, and it was VERY coconutty but after adding the maple syrup it was less so. But if you don’t like even the hint of coconut, you need to substitute it with something else. Otherwise this is so quick to make and so great!
Gorgoose
This may be the best fudge I have ever tasted! And with ingredients I usually have at home anyway! Thank you!
Tammy
I just made this and it was awesome. I made a couple of changes do to what I had. I used honey instead of maple syrup , and it still tasted amazing!! I will be making this again. 🙂 Thank for the recipe.
Adrienne
Just made these after running out of Almond Butter Freezer Fudge, very tasty! I used almond butter instead of cashew as it’s what I had on hand. I may have accidentally used 1/3 of a cup of cocoa instead of 1/4, but a little extra richness never hurt anyone!
Colleen
Quick, easy, and satisfying, thank you. I found the cutest little Pyrex glass dishes with lids and they were perfect for this amount.
E Sylvia Simpson
I am tweaking the recipe too.
Here are a few options:
Reducing the amount of coconut oil slightly, substituting peanut butter for cashew butter, adding in 1/2 cup peanuts, and exchanging maple syrup for fresh chopped dates soaked in an equal amount of water.
The flavor is very strong with peanut butter, so it masks the taste of almost anything you might want to add, such as powdered nutritional supplements. I’ve also tried soaking chia seeds, which changes the texture to a less fudgy consistency, but it’s still a very good dessert.
Meredith Huffman
Hi- can you please give me an estimate as to how many calories would be in this entire recipe? I made it for a healthy potluck and MANY people are asking….
thank you! They are delish!
elizabeth
this went fine until I added salt–then the oil separated from everything else and is floating on top–what the heck. expensive almond butter–might have to toss it any ideas
Megan Gilmore
How strange! The salt shouldn’t have caused separation, but sometimes oil can be released from the nut butter if you over-mix it. I’d just drain the oil off the top and freeze it anyway.
Jessica
Hello, do you have a nutritional value for this recipe? Like how many carbs per serving, etc.?
Teresa
I just made this with sunflower seed butter. I may have not bothered to let it freeze before digging in. Deeeelish! Thanks once again, Megan!
Shirley
Made this fudge with almond n sunflower seed butter ,,,both recipes are absolutely beyond delicious, ,my family fights over it. Figuratively of course.. but it is that good and so easy to make. I’m going to try it with all natural peanut butter for family that’s not paleo.
Micheddy
Ran out of maple syrup so only 1/2 of it and 1/2 agave. It turned out awesome.
Maria
This was amazing! My new after dinner treat. Made a few adjustments: reduced it to 3/4c cashew butter, slightly less maple syrup (3T instead of 4T) and a 1/4t salt.
Next time I think I’ll add 1/2c rice crisp cereal (for texture). Also – given that cacao powder sometimes keep me up at night I may try carob powder.
Thanks Detoxinista!!!
Lora
I just made this recipe and I love it. It is so, so good! Thank you!
Ronda Giovangelo
Renting in Fla can it go in a blender