My Plant-Based No-Cook Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge is an easy and healthy recipe made with only 5 clean, real food ingredients. It's the perfect one-bowl dessert that's made without powdered sugar and can be prepared in about 5 minutes!
Here's Why This Recipe Works
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- It's A One-Bowl No-Cook Recipe
- Can Be Prepared In About 5 Minutes
- Made With Clean, Real Food Ingredients
You can feel good about making my healthy, plant-based recipe because it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, no-cook, contains no refined sugar, paleo-friendly, and can be Medical Medium® compliant with substitutions.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Here are the nutrient-dense ingredients that are needed to make this recipe:
How To Make This Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
I'll show you how easy it is to make this recipe with step-by-step instructions below.
Before beginning, prepare a 9 x 5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper, then set aside.
Step 1: Combine All Ingredients
Firstly, add all the ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl and stir together until well combined and smooth.
Step 2: Transfer The Mixture To A Loaf Pan
Secondly, transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
Karielyn's Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions
Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Peanut Butter: The best type of peanut butter to use for this recipe is one that is slightly "runny", instead of "thick" peanut butter since it will make it easier to stir into the mixture by hand. I used Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter with only two ingredients: Organic Dry Roasted Peanuts + Sea Salt. In addition, you could also use another nut butter as a substitute such as almond butter, cashew butter, and even sunflower seed butter.
Coconut Oil: If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil, use organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell.
Maple Syrup: I find that 1/4 cup gives it just the right amount of sweetness, but feel free to add more if you'd like the fudge sweeter. In addition, you could substitute with organic date nectar, organic coconut nectar, or even a sugar-free liquid sweetener to keep it carb-friendly.
Vanilla Bean Powder: I prefer to use vanilla bean powder in my no-bake desserts instead of vanilla extract because there isn't a taste of alcohol which usually evaporates in baked desserts. However, you can always substitute with organic pure vanilla extract or alcohol-free vanilla extract.
Medical Medium + Paleo: Make these substitutions to keep this recipe 100% Medical Medium + Paleo compliant:
- Substitute the peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter
- Omit the chopped peanut topping
Serving Size: This recipe will make approximately (10) small squares about 1 1/2-inches x 1 1/2-inches each. Nutritional information is for (1) square which is (1) serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is This Recipe Healthy?
In my opinion, yes!
A traditional peanut butter fudge recipe can contain the following ingredients:
- S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Peanut Butter Fudge Typical Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, 2 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup peanut butter, 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
That's a lot refined sugar and you have to heat it, boil it and mix it with a mixer to prepare.
My healthier recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and can be prepared with only one bowl with no cooking involved!
Is This Recipe 100% Vegan?
Yes!
Most traditional fudge recipes are made with butter and powdered sugar.
Butter, of course, is non-vegan.
But did you know that your powdered sugar may not be?
Unless the powdered sugar is organic, it can be whitened with animal bone char making it non-vegan (and gross!)
But you don't have to worry about either of those with my recipe because it's 100% vegan!
Can I Make This Without Using Peanut Butter?
Yes!
You can make this recipe 100% Medical Medium® + Paleo + Peanut-Free compliant by substituting the peanut butter with one of these:
- Almond Butter
- Sunflower Seed Butter
- Cashew Butter
Just make sure the nut butter you use is soft or "runny" enough to stir in easily by hand.
Want More Healthy Plant-Based No-Bake Dessert Recipes?
Check out these:
- Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge
- Healthy Holiday Fudge
- Chocolate Fudgesicles
- or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based no-bake dessert recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Did You Make This Recipe?
I'd love to hear about it! Please give it a rating and leave a comment below...it would make my day! 🙂
Vegan No-Cook Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge
Ingredients
For the fudge:
- 1 cup organic peanut butter
- 1/2 cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid)
- 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon organic ground vanilla bean powder
For the peanut topping:
- 1/4 cup organic peanuts (chopped)
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 x 5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper, then set aside.
Prepare the fudge:
- Add all ingredients for the fudge to a medium-size mixing bowl and stir until well combined and smooth.
- Transfer the fudge mixture to the prepared loaf pan, then place in the freezer for approximately 60 minutes, or until it hardens.
- When ready to serve, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and allow it to sit on the countertop for about 5 minutes, only long enough for the fudge to slightly soften and make it easier to cut and serve.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the freezer until ready to serve because it will get soft and melt if left out at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- Substitute the peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter
- Omit the chopped peanut topping
Nutrition Information
Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home™ website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based and Medical Medium® compliant recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
Teresa says
Could vanilla extract be used instead of the powder? I've never seen the powder.
Karielyn says
Hi there Teresa! Yes! You can definitely substitute with pure vanilla extract - using the same amount - 1/4 teaspoon.
I just prefer to use the vanilla bean powder (especially in my no-bake desserts) because I find the alcohol flavor in the extract is too strong since it doesn't evaporate out like it normally does in baked/cooked desserts.
Thanks for the question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Felicia says
This is the best fudge ever!!!
Karielyn says
Hi there Felicia! Thanks so much, glad to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Michelle says
This was amazing and I will definitely make again! If I wanted to add cacao to make them chocolate peanut butter fudge next time, how much do u think would work. 1/4c ?
Thanks
Michelle
Karielyn says
Hi there Michelle! Yes, you can definitely add raw cacao to make it chocolate! I would add 1/4 cup.
I also have an older recipe for Raw Walnut Fudge (which is chocolate fudge) and you can omit the walnuts: https://thehealthyfamilyandhome.com/raw-walnut-fudge/
Thanks for the question and I'm glad you enjoyed 🙂