Published: Dec 8, 2021 · Modified: May 23, 2022 by kaydimaggio

5 minute Vegan Microwave Fudge (Paleo and Gluten-Free)

Name: 5 minute Vegan Microwave Fudge (Paleo and Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: PT-27551334M
Ingredients: 1 cup cashew butter; 1/3 cup vegan butter; 1 cup vegan semi sweet chocolate; 1 cup vegan milk chocolate; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

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This 5 Minute Vegan Microwave Fudge is easy and makes the perfect holiday treat! Full of tons of chocolate flavor and crunchy walnuts, you would never guess this recipe is full of clean ingredients!

One of the things that was always special to me growing up during the holidays was fudge. My granny would always make fudge for Christmas and it was a recipe that was passed down from her mother. We would each get a tin for Christmas and let me tell you. My parents would have to stop me from eating it all in one sitting. There were many stomachaches had but only because her fudge was so delicious. They say that food is the window to the soul and this is one of my fondest holiday memories. My granny passed away this year so we don't get to celebrate with her this year but I am determined to keep the fudge tradition going strong.

I took her recipe and changed it up to make it vegan, paleo, and gluten-free, and let me tell you. This tastes exactly the same and it is delicious! I hope you enjoy this holiday season!

Check out some other delicious holiday desserts like these Chewy Chocolate Molasses Cookies or these Vegan Cannolis!

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Ingredient Notes
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
FAQ's
Equipment
Storage and Gifting
Top tips
5 minute Vegan Microwave Fudge (Paleo and Gluten-Free)
Food safety

Ingredient Notes

vegan butter, chocolate chunks, maple syrup, vanilla, walnuts, cashew butter, vegan milk chocolate — Vegan Microwave Fudge Ingredients

Vegan Chocolate- This recipe uses two types of vegan chocolate. The recipe calls for semi-sweet and milk chocolate ingredients. I love this Enjoy Life Brand of chocolate. Enjoy Life chocolate is non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, halal-certified, paleo-friendly, and vegan. It is also free of 14 different types of allergies so it is perfect for any diet. I get my chocolate chips at Sprouts but I have seen them at Whole Foods, Target and Walmart as well. For the milk chocolate, I used their vegan rice milk chocolate chips, they taste exactly like milk chocolate! However, feel free to use whatever vegan semi-sweet and milk chocolate you prefer.
Sunflower Seed Butter- The sunflower seed butter in this recipe binds everything together and helps to solidify the fudge. I have tried it without using nut butter and I couldn't get the fudge to set up to the right consistency so nut butter is key. This recipe uses sunflower seed butter because I had it in my fridge but you can use any neutral nut butter that you like such as almond butter or cashew butter. I would avoid using peanut butter as the flavor can be a little overpowering, however, if you want to make peanut butter fudge, go for it! Make sure your nut butter is clean and contains only nuts and no added sugars.
Vegan Butter- The vegan butter in this recipe helps to give it a richer texture and taste. I used Miyokos Vegan Butter.
Walnuts-My granny's recipe always had walnuts so I couldn't leave them out! However, feel free to swap them for pecans, macadamias, or your favorite nut!

See the recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

You can make this fudge either in the microwave or on the stove! Your call! Both ways work great and are listed below.

Microwave Instructions

Add the vegan butter, cashew butter, and chocolate to a large microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 5 minutes in 30-second increments stirring in between until the chocolate is melted and you can stir everything together smoothly.
Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and chopped walnuts and pour into a lined 8x8 inch baking pan.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. This will give time for the chocolate to set.
Remove from the fridge and slice the fudge into 16 equal slices and enjoy!

Vegan Microwave fudge before setting — Vegan Microwave Fudge before setting

Stovetop Instructions

Add the vegan butter, cashew butter, and chocolate to a large pot over medium heat.
Stir consistently for 5 minutes until the chocolate is melted and everything is combined.
Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and chopped walnuts and pour into a lined 8x8 inch baking pan.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. This will give time for the chocolate to set.
Remove from the fridge and slice the fudge into 16 equal slices and enjoy!

Hint: Line the baking pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray to easily remove the fudge.

Substitutions

Sugar-Free - Use your favorite sugar-free chocolate chips and swap the maple syrup for Erythritol
Nut-Free - Leave out the walnuts and swap the cashew butter with sunflower seed butter to make this allergy-friendly.
Coconut Oil - if you are averse to palm oil that is found in most vegan butter, feel free to swap out the vegan butter with an equal amount of coconut oil.

Variations

Sweetened Condensed Milk - You can swap the cashew butter for vegan sweetened condensed milk if you prefer.
Rocky Road - Add some vegan marshmallows with the walnuts to turn this fudge into a rocky road fudge!
Peppermint - Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract and top with crushed candy canes to turn this fudge into a delicious peppermint fudge!

Check out this other delicious holiday dessert!

FAQ's

Can I use peanut butter instead of cashew butter?

Yes, you can use peanut butter instead of cashew butter but be warned, your fudge might have a peanut butter taste which will be delicious but might not be the traditional fudge you are looking for.

What can I substitute for the maple syrup?

Feel free to swap the maple syrup with agave syrup or even honey if you aren't vegan. If you find it too sweet, feel free to leave it out all together.

What to do if the fudge doesn't set up?

It is important to measure out the ingredients in this recipe and try not to swap anything out other than what I have listed. If you do, you shouldn't have an issue with it not setting up. However if you run into the issue, try freezing the fudge for half an hour and check.

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Please see below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.

8x8 inch baking pan
Microwave safe bowl
Silicone Spatula

Storage and Gifting

This fudge is best stored in the refrigerator but can be served at room temp. The fudge will store for up to two weeks.

You can freeze this fudge for up to 3 months, just bring it to room temp before serving.

To give this fudge as a gift, freeze the tins ahead of time and line them with parchment paper. Leave a cute note for your friends or family members instructing them to keep the fudge refrigerated.

Top tips

All microwaves are different- You may find that you need to zap it for a longer or shorter period to get the same results.
Stirring is key-This goes for both the stovetop and the microwave directions. Stirring the fudge consistently is the key to success in this. We don't want to scorch the chocolate, we simply want to melt everything together.
Make sure to use two chocolate types- This recipe calls for both milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. The reason for this is the balance of flavors. We don't want it overly sweet using all milk chocolate and we don't want it too bitter by using only semi-sweet chocolate.