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Make mocha almond fudge in minutes with this vegan no cook recipe! It’s the best way to create a creamy, rich, refined sugar free sweet treat!
Refined Sugar Free Recipes Month!
Welcome to the 2nd post in our month long journey of learning the ins and outs of refined and unrefined sugars.
Please join us next week, when we’ll have a post with the facts about sugar, including a meal plan of gluten free refined sugar free recipes!
Some people think that fudge should be a December holiday treat, and this isn’t wrong. But I say, why keep it hidden for 11 months out of the year? Especially when it’s a RICH and DECADENT homemade gift, and there are plenty of other holidays to serve it for.
For example, why not let it replace a big box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day?
After all, homemade fudge is SO much better than a store-bought box of candy, am I right?
About this mocha almond fudge
There are plenty of reasons to give this recipe a go, aside from the deliciousness, that is.
- No cook fudge
Okay so first things first; thisrecipe is pretty rockin amazing! No cooking required. Well, I mean for the actual fudge part. Toasting the almonds is optional, and is that really cooking? Nah! - Vegan, dairy free, and gluten free
Everyone should be able to enjoy homemade candy, even those with diet restrictions! This also means this mocha almond fudge has NO condensed milk!Although, you could make it with vegan condensed milk. More on that later!
- Refined sugar free
Ahh yes, the lack of artificial and refined sugars is a BIG deal. In this case, the fudge is naturally sweetened with nature’s candy; dates!
Oh, by the way, because it ALSO has coffee in it. this treat is perfectly acceptable to enjoy for breakfast.
If you need further justification, chocolate has antioxidant properties. As do these Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Vegan Brownies.
You’re welcome. 🙂
Ingredients and Substitutions
- sliced raw almonds– If you don’t have time to toast the almonds yourself, you can purchase unsalted sliced almonds. Or feel free to use any other nut of your choice. Of course, then you may not be able to call it mocha almond fudge, but it will still be tasty! 😉
- pitted dates– This is how we’re keeping the fudge refined sugar free. Dates are nature’s candy! Plus, they are packed with fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.
- unsweetened creamy nut butter– It’s important to use a no-stir variety. As for flavor, you can use almond, peanut butter, or cashew. Make homemade cashew butter or sunflower seed butter for a less expensive alternative!
- refined coconut oil– If you can’t have coconut, neutral plant-based oils such as sunflower, avocado, or grape seed may be used.
- pure vanilla extract
- red unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder– Although regular Dutch process cocoa is fine, red varieties have a richer fudge flavor. I use this Dutch unsweetened cocoa.
- instant espresso powder– If you can’t find espresso powder, finely ground coffee will also work
How to make mocha almond no cook fudge
- Soak the dates.
The dates need a little hydration! Put them into a bowl and cover them with boiling water for about 20 minutes. Then strain the water and add them to the bowl of your food processor. You’ll be blending them with the other ingredients shortly!
- Toast the almonds.
As mentioned earlier, you can skip this step by buying toasted slivered almonds. Otherwise, they’re easy to toast; just a few minutes over medium heat on the stove top or in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Combine the ingredients, add to a pan, and freeze.
Pulse everything in your food processor until it forms a nice smooth batter. It only takes a couple of minutes.
Then line a small loaf pan with parchment paper and pour the batter in. The hardest part is waiting for the fudge to set!
After it sets, you can cut your mocha almond fudge into slices or squares, then transfer them to Ziploc storage bags or an airtight container
I like to keep everything frozen for longer storage. It’ll last for up to 3 weeks if frozen, or for a week or so in the fridge.
How to create vegan fudge bars
To take this treat to the next level, you can make mocha almond fudge cookie bars!
There’s just one simple ingredient you’ll need; crushed gluten free graham crackers. Add them to the pan before the other ingredients. This creates a sweet “crust” for the fudge to sit on.
Note about the graham crackers:
If you choose to make vegan fudge bars, you’ll want to buy organic gluten free graham crackers. Note that most gluten free graham crackers are not refined sugar free. But, you could make your own gluten free sugar free graham crackers!
Making them this way is totally optional, but it adds a really nice cookie-ish flavor to the intense mocha almond combo. Plus, the bars are much easier to remove from the pan.
Now, are you sure you don’t want to come over for a slice, or 10?
Want a few more ideas for refined sugar free sweet treats? After all, Valentine’s Day is comin’ up, right? In my opinion, homemade food gifts are a love language!
I think chocolate and berries are a great combo, especially in bite size or bar form. This is why I suggest making Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Rice Crispy Bar. So so heavenly!
Another favorite anytime is vegan chocolate chia pudding, and this one is free of refined sugar too.
No Cook Mocha Almond Fudge – Vegan, Refined Sugar Free
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 6 reviews
- Author: Lindsay Cotter
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
Description
Made with unrefined sugar, this mocha almond fudge is rich and indulgent. This vegan fudge recipe requires NO cooking and uses NO sweetened condensed milk!
Ingredients
Units Scale
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 22 pitted dated (around 285 grams)
- ¼ cup creamy no stir nut butter (almond, peanut butter, or cashew)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder (I used red unsweetened cocoa)
- 2–3 Tablespoons instant espresso or fine ground coffee
- optional pinch of cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate shavings
- 2–3 Tablespoons whole bean coffee – crushed
Optional:
- gluten free cookie or graham cracker crumbs (½ cup)
- maple syrup, for extra sweetness
Instructions
- Toast the almonds first by placing them in a skillet and lightly toasting them on medium heat until brown, or on a baking sheet in oven or toaster oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Alternatively, use regular blanched almonds, slivered or sliced.
- Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to soften.
- Drain water from dates and add them to bowl of a food processor with nut butter and vanilla extract. Blend for 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl if needed. Blend until smooth.
- Add melted coconut oil and cocoa and blend again for a few minutes, until a thick batter is formed.
- Add instant espresso and pinch of cinnamon (if using) pulse until blended evenly. Taste batter for sweetness. If it’s not sweet enough, add in 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup and mix again.
- Press the mixture into a small bread pan lined with parchment, preferably 7 x 10-inch pan. (See notes for optional graham cracker crust.) Add dark chocolate shavings , toasted slivered almonds, and crushed coffee beans on top.
Freeze for 1 hour or until set. Slice to serve. Makes 9 to 10 large slices or 20+ squares.
Notes
- Recipe yield is 9 to 10 large slices or 20+ squares.
- Store in a ziploc storage bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
- Fudge Cookie Bar Option
If you want the graham cracker bottom (as seen in pictures), simply blend 4 gluten free graham cracker squares into a fine meal or crumble. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spread the crumbs over the parchment. Then, pour fudge over crumbs and allow it to set. Omit graham crackers for paleo version.
- Estimated Nutrition Information:
For a whole slice, the calories will be much more dense, around 250 calories. If you want to cut into 16 square pieces, use the nutrition info shown below.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 1.5mg
- Fat: 5.6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 24.2g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
With so much refined sugar free sweetness to come, there’s only one thing to ask…
What’s YOUR favorite way to treat your sweet tooth?
Cheers!
LC
