Peppermint Fudge

This easy vegan peppermint fudge makes for a delicious holiday dessert! It's made with just 8 ingredients and comes together in less than 10 minutes. So rich, chocolatey, festive and delicious!

We love making homemade vegan fudge for the holidays. It's so easy to make and the perfect little two-bite treat!

You can keep an entire tray in your freezer for up a month or two, so it's perfect for making ahead of time.

It's fudgy (duh), so rich and luscious, festive for the holidays, and chocolatey. What's not to love?!

Love fudge as much as we do? Try this cranberry nut fudge next!

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.
• Agave nectar: we used agave instead of maple syrup in this recipe because it has a milder flavor that lets the peppermint shine. If that doesn't matter to you, maple works well, too!
• Cacao powder: unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder is best in this recipe (NOT dutch-processed cocoa powder).
• Cashew butter: cashew butter is the mildest (and usually the creamiest) nut butter, especially compared to almond or peanut butter. If you can find raw cashew butter, that's best in this recipe.
• Nondairy creamer: look for a thick nondairy cream substitute, preferably without any added sugar or flavorings.
• Peppermint extract: look for pure peppermint extract, NOT peppermint oil, which is much more concentrated.
• Salt
• Crushed candy canes: place the candy canes in a bag and crush with a rolling pin (or pulse in a food processor for a few seconds).

Instructions

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

Make fudge: Once melted, whisk in cashew butter. Remove from heat, then whisk in cacao powder and agave until smooth. Add creamer, peppermint extract and salt and whisk until completely smooth. 

Topping: Pour into a parchment paper-lined 9 x 9 pan. Top with a thin layer of crushed candy canes.

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

Storage

Store this 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 holiday dessert recipes

• Classic Sugar Cookies
• No Bake Chocolate Pie
• Linzer Cookies
• Chocolate Pecan Caramel Turtle Clusters
• Peppermint Patties

If you make this vegan peppermint 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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