This incredible vegan fudge is easy to make in 5 minutes with only 5 simple ingredients. Smooth, creamy and decadent, it tastes just like the fudge you’d get from the candy shop!

stacks of fudge with green towel in background, bite taken out of one piece

This is the kind of fudge that grandma used to make, or that you picked out at the candy shop as a kid. No one would ever guess it’s vegan and completely dairy free!

I’ve made several vegan fudge recipes over the years, and this one takes the cake. It actually tastes exactly as fudge should! Sweet, super creamy, smooth and rich. Other vegan recipes tend to be super dense, hard and very dark chocolate tasting. Which is perfectly fine, but something else entirely.

This is just the best fudge ever, and it’s so easy to make. I actually made it in the microwave! But don’t worry, you can make it on the stovetop if you want. You don’t need to find any rare ingredients, such as vegan sweetened condensed milk or even vegan chocolate chips!

Another vegan candy idea you might enjoy making are these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls!

Ingredients for vegan fudge

  • Powdered sugar – Don’t freak out, but you are going to use an entire (32 oz) bag. Remember, we are making CANDY. And this fudge recipe makes about 40 servings, more or less depending on how you slice it. Plenty to share with friends and family! Buy organic to ensure it’s vegan. There is no alternative I know of here, so substitute at your own risk!
  • Natural, unsweetened cocoa powder – I wouldn’t use alkalized cocoa powder here, but regular natural unsweetened. Cacoa powder might work, but I haven’t tested it.
  • Vegan butter – I used Earth Balance brand, but any brand should work just fine. I haven’t tested it with coconut oil, but it *might* work.
  • Unsweetened plant milk – I used soy milk, but any plant milk will work.
  • Vanilla extract – This adds a wonderful flavor to the fudge. You could add a little peppermint extract for peppermint fudge, or almond extract for a different flavor (maybe add some chopped almonds as well).

squares of chocolate, white background

How to make it

(This is simply an overview with photos, for the full printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Like I mentioned already, you can make this vegan fudge in the microwave OR on the stovetop. Your choice!

  1. For the microwave option, get out a large microwave safe bowl. Sift in the powdered sugar. I used a fine mesh strainer to sift. You could skip the sifting, but you may end up with chunks of powdered sugar/cocoa powder.
  2. Next, sift in the cocoa powder.
  3. Add spoonfuls or chunks of the vegan butter over the sifted ingredients. Then drizzle the milk in as well.
  4. Microwave for 4 minutes, or until the butter is almost completely melted. Transfer the bowl to the counter, add the vanilla, and stir immediately until smooth.

collage of how to make vegan fudge step by step

Work quickly as the fudge will start to harden pretty fast. Pour the melted fudge into a parchment paper lined pan with some overhang for easy removal later.

Let it sit until hardened. I stuck mine in the refrigerator for about an hour.

uncut fudge in a pan, hardened

Lift out the fudge using the parchment paper, and slice with a heavy knife. Enjoy!

To make it on the stovetop, simply add the ingredients to a large pot and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Transfer to the dish and chill.

Tips for success

  • Don’t substitute or reduce ingredients. It will throw off the recipe, especially if you reduce the sugar. The fudge won’t set properly.
  • If the mixture seems to have some chunks while you are stirring with a spoon, you can use a hand mixer instead. It’s not really necessary, but if you find it easier to use one, then go ahead.
  • All microwaves act a bit different, so you may need to microwave a little longer or shorter. Just make sure the vegan butter is nearly melted, and you should be good to go.
  • Sift your ingredients. Both powdered sugar and cocoa powder can be very chunky, so make sure to sift them before you begin. You don’t need a fancy sifter, just a fine mesh strainer.

cut fudge on parchment paper

How to store fudge and sending as a gift

Store fudge in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator. It will keep it nice and firm, though it is quite stable at room temperature. You can also freeze it.

To send fudge through the mail as a gift, simply secure it in a container, cut up into squares and send. Unless you are sending it in the middle of summer, it should be just fine.

Fudge varieties and add ins

  • Peppermint fudge – Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and perhaps some crushed candy can pieces.
  • Rocky road – Mix in some vegan marshmallows, chopped almonds and vegan chocolate chips.
  • Walnut fudge – Stir in some chopped walnuts.
  • Fruit – Dried cranberries or chopped medjool dates, maybe even dried blueberries or cherries.
  • Peanut butter – Swirl in some peanut butter, before chilling.
  • Caramel – Add a layer of vegan caramel on top of the fudge, or just drizzle each piece with a little caramel.

very close up bite shot of vegan fudge

More vegan Christmas treats to enjoy

square image of piece of chocolate with salt on top
4.85 stars (57 ratings)

Easy 5 Minute Vegan Fudge

This incredible vegan fudge is easy to make in 5 minutes with only 5 simple ingredients. Smooth, creamy and decadent, it tastes just like the fudge you'd get from the candy shop!
Prep: 1 minute
Cook: 4 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 40 servings

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Line a 7 x 11 inch or 8 x 8 dish with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang for easy removal of the fudge later.

To make it in the microwave

  • Get out a large microwave safe bowl. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder over the bowl (I use a fine mesh strainer for this). Place small spoonfuls or cubes of vegan butter on top of the mixture, all around. Drizzle the milk in as well. Microwave on high power for 4 minutes until the butter has almost melted completely.
  • Immediately transfer the bowl to the counter from the microwave, add the vanilla, and stir well until combined. I prefer to use a hand mixer to get any clumps out, but a spoon works as well. Work quickly as it will start to harden pretty fast.
  • Stir in any nuts if using. Pour the fudge into the prepared dish, and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired. If you want a thicker, taller fudge, use a smaller container like a 8 x 8. For thinner fudge, a 9 x 13 will work. Any size dish you have should be just fine.
  • Allow to set for about an hour, I stuck mine in the refrigerator to speed this up, and it only took about an hour.
  • Using the parchment paper, lift out of the pan and use a large sharp knife to cut into squares. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen.

Stovetop instructions

  • If you prefer to make it on the stovetop, get out a large pot and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into it. Add the vegan butter, in chunks or spoonfuls, and drizzle in the milk. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts, but do not let the mixture boil or burn. Stir constantly until smooth, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Immediately transfer to the prepared dish and chill.

Notes

  1. To ensure your powdered sugar is vegan, buy organic. I like the Wholesome brand.
  2. Yes, the recipe calls for an entire bag of powdered sugar, but keep in mind, we are making candy, a large amount and a small square of it is rich and satisfying. I haven't tried it with less sugar or a sugar substitute, so I really can't recommend an alternative here. This actually tastes like real fudge, not a sugar free vegan alternative.
  3. I used earth balance vegan butter, but any brand should work just fine, or use my homemade vegan butter. I haven't tried it with coconut oil, but it might work.
  4. Optional add ins: chopped pecans, almonds, dried cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract for mint fudge, a swirl of peanut butter, or for rocky road fudge, add some vegan marshmallows, chocolate chips and chopped almonds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 40 servings | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

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Comments

  1. You say 32oz of powdered sugar, yet also say 1 bag. Isn’t 1 bag typically 16oz? Do I use 1 bag or 2?  These look delicious!!! I don’t want to mess it up
    Thanks!!

    1. Hi Amy. There are different sized bags of powdered sugar. Per this recipe, you will need 32 oz of powdered sugar. I hope you enjoy the fudge!

  2. I tried it with the oat cream (same quanitity as you suggest for the milk) and it’s not set properly. I had it on the heat until it was smooth then poured it out. All the other measurements were the same. Can you think of anything that might have made it stay soft? It tastes absolutely devine but it’s a bit more like a firm spread so can’t properly cut it up into pieces. I’d like to try it again and get it right so please do advise 🙂

    1. I’ve never tried using oat cream or another creamer, so that may have prevented it from setting properly. Did you use the full amount of powdered sugar and all the other correct amounts of ingredients?

      1. I fixed it by heating it more as I read online that when it doesn’t set it’s because it’s not got hot enough. I waited until it was very hot but not boiling and then it worked well! I’ll leave a proper review now too 🙂 x

  3. I want to try this. I have oat cream in the cupboard. Could I use that instead of the milk? Thinking it could be even creamier. And if I were to add peppermint oil/essence how much should I put in? Thanks

  4. Would lactose free milk work in place of almond milk?  My husband is lactose intolerant and I ajm allergic to almonds.

  5. This recipe is easy and foolproof! Only problem is that I don’t have a mixer to get out powdered sugar clumps, so my first few batches had a few of those clumps. Not a big deal and people don’t really notice it.

    My husband had the idea to put the powdered sugar and cocoa in the food processor (in batches) first, if I wanted a guaranteed lump-free dessert, which works well when I have the extra few minutes for it.

    I have recently tried the rocky road version, which has been a big hit!

    The peanut butter version is more awkward in my experience. I swirled it on, but since the peanut butter never hardens, it just sits on the top and is softer than the rest of the fudge, making it harder to pack them cleanly, eat them cleanly, etc. Still fine overall though!

    Might try cranberry/white chocolate chips or cranberry/pecan next!

    Thanks for the simple, adaptable, delicious recipe.

  6. I have just made this fudge, to try it before making for my Vegan son for a christmas treat. If the end result is as good as the licking the bowl out, I will be happy. Made using metric recipe as in the UK. Thank you.

  7. Very good but turned out very rich and a little dry. I realized after I added to much cocoa powder.
    Still good enough to try again though!!

  8. OMG I just realised I did the imperial to metric conversion incorrectly (I’m in Australia) and have not used nearly enough sugar – do you think I could reheat it with more sugar?

  9. Just had my daughter make this and it’s delicious !!
    I know I can trust that any recipe of yours will always turn out !! ❤️

    1. Hi Lorri. Thanks for your wonderful vote of trust in my recipes! I’m so glad you that you guys love the fudge. Thanks or sharing your comments, and for using my recipes!

  10. Hi Nora,
    I really love this recipe. I halved the ingredients and used a mixture of vegetable oil and coconut oil instead of vegan butter it turned out great. Then I put it on top of peanut butter cookies and it was amazing. 
    Thank you,
    Adrianna

    This is the amounts I used: 
    3.5 cups of powdered sugar 
    1/2 cup or cocoa powder 
    1/4 cup of oat milk  
    5 tbs of vegetable oil & 3 tbs coconut oil

  11. If i wanted to make a vanilla fudge instead (so leaving out the cocoa powder), what would the measurements be? Would that work? 🙂

    1. I’ve never tried it so I’m not sure. It would probably need some playing around with. 🙂 Sounds good though!

    1. Hi Charley. The fudge lasts quite a long time in the refrigerator. I’ve kept mine in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and it still tastes great! Hope that helps!

  12. I used your recipe and made vegan chocolate mint fudge and a very thin batch of vegan walnut fudge. Both were delicious and even earned praise from my brother, who is not a fan of mint anyting. He asked me to make more and I did but this time without using any extract and I put it in the fridge to chill and it hasn’t hardened. Is it because of the extract or do I need to add more powdered sugar? Please let me know and thank you so much for making this recipe available. Its perfect for lactose intolerant people. I am also wondering if I could substitute stevia for powdered sugar. Any thoughts?

    1. Hi there! I’m so glad you enjoyed it the first time around. Did you make any changes the time it didn’t harden? If you follow the recipe as written, using the correct amount of powdered sugar, it should harden just fine. The extract would not have anything to do with it not hardening. It’s hard for me to say what else could have gone wrong without knowing more, since it did work for you the first time. Think about anything you did differently, like did you use a different brand of vegan butter?

      1. Hi Nora,

        Thanks for responding back and I figured out what I did wrong last time. I added more almond milk than the recipe called for. I made it a third time and everything worked out perfectly. Now, I’m going to experiment a bit with it and use a powdered sugar substitute (Stevia + Arrowroot powder). I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  13. I put the soy milk and butter in the microwave then dumped it on top of the sifted sugar and cocoa powder in my stand mixer… I was feeling lazy and did not want stir anything lol.
    Came together so fast and it tastes amazing!

    1. Hi Jen. Aren’t we grateful for stand mixers?! I’m glad the fudge turned out amazing for you! Thank you for sharing!

  14. Wonderful! I did the stovetop method & it turned out perfectly. Thanks for warning that the proportions mattered – I’d wanted to add some bourbon but decided not to based on that warning. The texture is fantastic, so glad not to have messed it up! (Might try rum extract next time instead of vanilla, or half T of each 🙂

  15. So I tried making this, and it’s delicious. But, there was a problem. I made it just like you said, then stuck it in the fridge to cool. After about an hour of being in the fridge, I checked on it. It was runny and only set up a little. I thought, “OK, maybe it just needs more time,” I then left it overnight. (I was making this after dinner.) When I woke up the next morning, it kind of set up. I tried it about lunchtime, but it was still pretty runny or almost like a chocolate ganache. I decided to stick it in the freezer to see if that would help. I tried it after dinner and it set up a little but was almost like a mix of caramel and toffee. What do you think went wrong? I’m kind of disappointed because I used 4 cups of powdered sugar.

    1. Hi Brianna, so I think the problem is that 4 cups of powdered sugar doesn’t equal 32 ounces. The recipe calls for an entire 32 ounce bag of powdered sugar, not 4 cups. If you don’t add the correct amount, then the fudge will not set and it definitely would be more like ganache.

      1. Same thing happened to me. When I googled how many cups=32 ounces, it gives 4. 
        But the fudge is very soft and difficult to cut into pieces. Tastes great though!
        Disappointed as I ALWAYS have success with your recipes.

        1. It’s best to go off of the actual weight here, either listed on the package or weighed yourself if you have a kitchen scale. It’s actually more like 7 cups or so, which is what I find doing a quick search. With less it just won’t work the same, this recipe makes a ton of fudge. The bags of powdered sugar usually come in either 16 oz or 32 oz bags, at least at all the stores I shop at.

  16. I tried to make a half batch but didn’t think to reduce the microwave time. Big mistake 🙁 it totally burned and was super chunky so WARNING: IF YOU MAKE A SMALLER BATCH HEAT FOR LESS TIME!!!!!!!! I’m going to try again tomorrow but had to throw out tonight’s attempt 🙁

    1. Yes, that is a good point, it won’t need as long in the microwave if you cut it in half. Hope you enjoy it if you try again!

  17. Nora, you have been a life saver since my daughter became a vegan. I’m trying to be supportive, and turn my kitchen and cooking fully vegan, but I feared there were some things I would have to do without. You have proven me wrong yet again with this fudge recipe! It is delicious, and your instructions were easy to follow and very thorough. My sweet tooth and I thank you!

    1. Hi Jennifer. I’m glad the fudge recipe fulfilled your sweet tooth longing! Thank you for using my recipes, and for sharing! Enjoy!

  18. I made walnut fudge for the holidays. I saved some in the freezer and shipped the rest to different family members. It was incredible and very easy to make!! Perfectly sweet and melts in your mouth! I just ate a piece (2 weeks after making it) and it’s still perfect! All my family members loved it, you’d never know it’s vegan! 

    1. Hi Kimberly. Thanks for trying out my fudge recipe. I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing!

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