Vegan Cranberry Nut Fudge

This rich, decadent vegan fudge is studded with tart dried cranberries, hazelnuts and pecans. It's a delicious, easy treat that stores well in the freezer for a quick dessert!

I LOVE a good vegan freezer fudge. As the name suggests, you simply whisk together all of the ingredients for the fudge, stir in the add-ins, pour into a pan and freeze! Such a great treat to keep on hand for busy weeknights.

This cranberry nut vegan fudge makes for a perfect holiday treat, too. Make a double batch and leave it out for everyone to enjoy – a fun alternative to cookies!

For the best texture, we used cacao butter in this fudge recipe. It makes for the PERFECT fudgy, rich, chocolaty treat that we all know and love!

What is cacao butter?

Cacao (aka cocoa) butter is the fat that's extracted from cacao beans. It's a cream-colored solid at room temperature that melts into a super creamy, rich, golden liquid at low heat.

Cacao butter is responsible for making chocolate so smooth, rich and delicious. It doesn't actually taste much like chocolate (though the smell is heavenly!), but it's an essential ingredient for texture.

Since cacao butter solidifies at room temperature, it's the perfect addition to vegan fudge. Not only does it add richness, but it also makes this fudge so...well...fudgy!

You can find cacao butter at many natural food grocery stores (like Whole Foods) or online. You only need a little over a cup for this recipe, so you can use leftovers to make homemade chocolate bars!

Ingredients

• Cacao butter: you can find cacao butter at many natural food grocery stores (like Whole Foods) or online.
• Maple syrup: allow the maple syrup to come to room temperature, otherwise it can cause the melted cacao butter to seize up.
• Cacao powder: unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder is best in this recipe (NOT dutch-processed cocoa powder).
• Almond butter: we found almond butter works best, but you can also sub with cashew butter if preferred.
• Nondairy creamer: look for a thick nondairy cream substitute, preferably without any added sugar or flavorings.
• Vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt
• Dried cranberries: or dried cherries
• Hazelnuts: toasted (or raw) and unsalted
• Pecans: toasted (or raw) and unsalted

Instructions

Melt cacao butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.

Make fudge: Once melted, whisk in almond butter. Remove from heat, then whisk in cacao powder and maple syrup until smooth. Add creamer, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt and whisk until completely smooth. Stir in cranberries, hazelnuts, and pecans.

Add-ins: Pour into a parchment paper-lined 9 x 9 pan. Top with more chopped nuts and cranberries. 

Freeze and store: Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight. Slice and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Substitutions

• You can sub almond butter with cashew butter.
• Sub hazelnuts and/or pecans for cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.
• Not a fan of dried cranberries? Try finely chopped dried apricots, strawberries, cherries, golden raisins, or dates.
• You can sub maple syrup with agave nectar.

Recipe Tips

Bring the maple syrup to room temperature before adding to the melted cacao butter. If it's too cold, it may cause the cacao butter to seize up. If that happens, heat the mixture in a saucepan over low heat until it returns to liquid state.

Don't leave the fudge out at room temperature for too long, especially if your kitchen is extra warm! Cacao butter melts at low heat, so this fudge is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Storage: Store this vegan fudge in your refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you store in the freezer, let the fudge thaw at room temp for 10-15 minutes before serving.

More vegan chocolate dessert recipes

• No Bake Chocolate Pie
• Chocolate Pecan Caramel Turtles
• Hazelnut Tahini Brownies
• Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough Bites
• Dark Chocolate Bark with Strawberries and Pistachios

If you make this vegan cranberry nut fudge, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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