I love fudge, I do. The only trouble with it is that most fudge is so sweet I usually feel sick to my stomach after eating it. Needless to say, it’s been years, maybe even decades, since I’ve had fudge.
However, when I stumbled across this recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge by Laura Dolson, I knew I could have my fudge and eat it too! Her recipe uses peanut butter (instead of the usual butter), and alternative sweeteners, rather than sugar. I changed her recipe a bit, she had close to 2 cups of sugar alternatives, and in my version I have used a mere 2 tablespoons of xylitol, though I think this recipe could work also with agave, honey or any other number of sweeteners, if you are willing to take the time and risk of experimenting.
I am contributing this recipe to Kelly’s Spunky Holiday post, where she is doing a round up of her friends and readers favorite Easter recipes.
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons xylitol
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- Melt chocolate in a medium pot
- Remove from heat then stir in peanut butter and xylitol
- Once xylitol is incorporated, stir in vanilla and salt
- Spread into a 1 1/2 quart loaf dish
- Refrigerate for 2 hours
- Cut the fudge into 7 by 4 rows to make 28 small pieces
- Serve immediately and store in the freezer
I used to make fudge every Thanksgiving and Christmas, back when I was in grade school. During the holidays, I would pack it up in cute little boxes, tie them with ribbons and give them out to all of our family friends. I loved experimenting with different types of fudge. What all is in your favorite fudge recipe? Leave a comment and let us know.
More yummy fudge recipes from gluten free food bloggers:
–Frozen Sunbutter Fudge from Kelly of The Spunky Coconut
–Dairy Free Fudge from Alta of Tasty Eats at Home
–Black Bean Fudge from Kim of Affairs of Living
SuzyQ says
Hi, can anyone tell me if they have tried carob chips ? I am going to try this but with Stevia,
I have Candiases so have to really watch carbs and sugars.
Thank you for your blog Elana! I am really enjoying many of your recipes!
Stef says
What other brand of chocolate can we use?
Elana says
Hi Stef, any brand of chocolate that is around 74% cacao will work well in this recipe. If you find a brand you love please stop back by and leave a comment to let us know about it.
Jane says
Enjoy life has a good diary free bag of chips.
Kelli A. says
Just made this. Made peanut butter first with roasted, salted peanuts and coconut oil (to avoid added sugar and other gunk). I omitted the salt since it was in the peanuts. May sprinkle some sea salt on top if necessary afterwards. Himalayan may even be pretty. Used Lily’s dark choc chips sweetened with stevia. I blended in the xylitol with an immersion blender as my chocolate began to get solid again (seizing?) and my xylitol wasn’t as fine as I’d prefer. Next time I’d grind it in a coffee grinder to get it finer. I was surprised at how quickly it began to set up. Fortunately, I had my parchment paper in my loaf pan, ready to go. Licking the spoon =) the taste was fabulous,. The xylitol made it a bit grainy in texture and gave it a cooling sensation, which made me think it would go great in a chocolate peppermint fudge recipe. Thanks, Elana, for the recipe. I’d make it again.
Linda says
ugh, xylitol makes my stomach ache and gives me diarrhea! Could I use Stevia?
Tracy B says
Does the chocolate have sugar in it?
Robin Nolan says
new to your blog:)
love the recipes but can I get the calorie intake for them? I noticed that there is no nutritional info on any recipes? Thank You!
Heather says
This looks amazing! This is our first year going Paleo – and Christmas treats have had me a bit overwhelmed. Thank you for sharing!
susan clark says
I don’t want to use xylitol. What can I substitute?
Thank you!
stacy says
I don’t see why this even needs xylitol depending on how dark the chocolate is but I’m sure its tasty!
candra al essa says
will give this recipe a xmas try but would substitute peanut butter for almond butter as what i know is peanuts are carcinogenic will let you know how it works
Audrey Snowe says
Thank you so much for the lovely recipe! Made it last week with a few modifications and it turned out really well. It works well with about 1/3 cup liquid sweetener instead of xylitol. Going to make an almond butter version today and see how it goes. So many possibilities with a recipe like this :)
Dalilla says
Thanks for the substitute, I was debating on using pure maple syrup and now I won’t have to play around with it so much.
I have subbed almond butter for pb in other recipes, I have had to add coconut oil.
Laura says
Can I use sunbutter?
Katrina says
You should try making lemon fudge. There a recipe that I find, but the amount of sugar sounds like a lot to use in the recipe (3 3/4 cup of powdered sugar). Plus, am afraid of using that much amount of xylitol cause last time, I did it was too strong for my taste. I have weight loss surgery two years ago, and my taste has changed. I can’t have sugar anymore which end up giving me heart burn.
Renata says
I made the fudge without any sweetener and used 1/2cup of chunky peanut butter and a 1/2 cup of almond butter-it’s awesome!
CAROL says
Thank you for letting us know it will be yummy without sweetener!! Xylitol is extremely poisonous/toxic to cats and dogs… of course, we don’t feed fudge or chocolate (also toxic to dogs) to our pets. I don’t like xylitol.
Moriah says
My 14 y/o GF/CF daughter was in the mood for chocolate PB fudge. She said, “Mom, you just don’t understand how much I need some right now.” :) So I did a google search and it came up with your recipe as an option. I told her, “Elana is one of my favorites. Her recipes rock. Try it and I’m sure you’ll like it.” And she did!! THANKS for creating recipes that bring our bellies happiness and brighten our day :)
Karee says
Heavenly! Used agave instead of xylitol. My husband and I have 5 daughters 21, 19, 14, 10 and 7. We were all glad that the oldest wasn’t visiting that night. We cut the fudge into 12 pieces and well… We were pleased to each have 2.:)
How to make meatballs says
I love the recipes that allow experimenting. I think I’m going to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing!
Shaina says
Wondering if this would work with honey or agave in place of the xylitol??
Shaina says
According to this http://sneakykitchen.com/Glossary/sweetener-equivalents.htm it would take 4 tsp. agave for this recipe.
G-Pac's Kitchen says
I just made this recipe today. After it chilled for the specified time, I tasted it. It has a slight crunch to it. I’m guessing it’s from the Xylitol. It never seemed to melt properly while stirring it in. Is this the desired outcome? Help!
Annie says
I am so excited that you are starting to try xylitol in your recipes, Elana! My sisters and I have been experimenting with xylitol in your recipes, including chocolate chip cookies and pancakes for several months now. Right now when we replace agave in a recipe with xylitol, we are using an equal amount of xylitol. To replace the lost moisture (xylitol is totally dry, like sugar), we also add one egg to the recipe. We really like the way xylitol cooks, tastes like sugar, and has a low glycemic index.
CJ says
I just made this fudge. I haven’t had any yet but the melted “goo” tasted great. It’s in the fridge chilling now…HURRY UP!
Anyway, just wanted to say that I made this with regular Chipits dark chocolate chips and natural PB..but I ran out of natural smooth PB at around the 1/2 cup mark so I subbed in the other 1/2 cup with natural crunchy PB. Because the chips are already so sweet I did not add any sweetener whatsoever. The sea salt I ground in I left slightly course so that you get that new “in style” flavour of sweet/salty just a tad.
That being said – I came up with the nutrition info for this fudge as I have made it.
Per Piece (if you cut it into 28)
67 calories, 5g fat, 5g carbs (1g Fibre, 4g sugar), 2g protein.
Sherry in Las Vegas says
Great sounding recipe!
I will make it substituting sugar-free chocolate chips (from nutsonline.com), and add a bit of coconut oil and a touch of coconut flour just for the health benefits. I eat low-carb and am finding lots of great ideas here. Thank you! :)
Jane Smith says
Can you use coconut sugar in your recipes, especially the Chocolate Peanut butter Fudge? I can’t use agave nectar.
Belladune says
I’m going to give these a go with sunbutter instead of peanut so I can send them to school with my son. Hope they work!
Tone - Hjertemat says
I tried those today, they where really good. I might try again with almond butter :o)
Rommel says
I live here in LA. Where can you find Xylitol? Is it being sold in grocery stores?
elana says
Rommel,
I buy my Xylitol online. If you view the recipe above I have linked to a product I recommend in the ingredients section.
Elana :-)
Jennifer says
I substituted raw almond butter for the peanut butter, and unsweetened Callebaut chocolate for the chocolate chips, plus I used only stevia for the sweetener, and the fudge turned out really well for sugar-free. It yields a rich chocolatey flavor with a nice mild almond complement. Since the nut flavor isn’t as prominent, I think it will also serve as a good base for experimenting with additional flavors :-)
Skylar says
my name is skylar and i’m an 11 year old girl. i have this obsession with cooking that came out of nowhere about two months ago. the only problem was that everything at the grocery store had gluten. my dad found this website and showed it to me, and now i cook things from here about 2-3 times a week. i enjoy it, and although what i cook is not always so good, i enjoy the process of making it. i made the fundge squares 4 days ago, and i loved them–being the humongous peanut butter fan i am. i am doing a math project involving fractions, so now i am cooking these for my whole class. thank you Elana for your wonderful recipies!!!!
cailen says
wow! that fudge looks delicious! i just love a good chocolate & pb combo.
Elisa says
Elana – I made this almost immediately after you posted it. We loved it! I used brown sugar instead of xylitol (due to the cost), but my husband and I could still tell the difference between the brown sugar and white/refined or powdered sugar. That and the dark chocolate really make a difference in how light and tasty this fudge is. It’s super simple and perfect for any occasion – a planned party or oops-guests-are-coming-and-I-need-something-to-serve-them. Thanks for posting/creating!!
a frog in the cottage says
We still have a little time before trying on our favorite bathing suit and face the world half naked, so I would love to eat your fudge, they’re irresistible !!
Katie says
I was inspired by this recipe! Just melted chocolate and then added the peanut butter , let it set and then..yummo!
Stefanie says
Elana, this is great! I made it yesterday, with the following substitutions:
-smooth roasted along butter in place of peanut butter
-agave in place of the xylitol, probably 1 1/2 tbsp
-added chopped walnuts to the mix and pressed chopped walnuts into the top of the fudge
It was fantastic. And it’s just as you say, delicious without being overly sweet like most fudge is.
Milupa says
This is fabulous, Elana, thank you! I used dark almond butter and 85% chocolate, plus a xylitol (from Germany) that claims to contain 0 calories – the brands I buy in the UK have 240 cal/100 grams. Does anyone have an explanation for this? The almond butter worked very well, and the mix firmed up in the fridge very quickly.
Maggie says
These little fudgey treats look to die for! I’d like to reach right through my computer screen and grab one. Thanks for the great recipe.
Amanda says
Yummy and easy! I used semi-sweet chips, skipped on the xylitol, added walnuts, and used almond butter instead of peanut.
I’ve always had the same problem with most fudge being too sweet, even as a kid I would dislike my moms fudge (the ton of sugar, marshmallow cream, sweetened condensed milk, etc. kind), cause it made me nauseous. But this is perfect!
CatetheGreat says
I didn’t read through all the comments here but just read that some xylitol (generally the less expensive options) is made from corn, some GMO corn as well. Apparently, the other option is a brand made from birch tree bark.
I thought I’d post this in the event others are not able to eat corn based products.
p.s.
I’m making the fudge now but skipped the xylitol and went straight for my raw honey. I’m sure it’s going to be yummy!
Ellen @Gluten Free Diva says
A perfect Passover recipe!
Alta says
Thanks for linking my recipe! I love yours – I have never used xylitol in cooking – this would be a great way to learn to use it. Looks sinful!
Jen @ keepitsimplefoods says
OMG, this fudge looks amazing!
Green Shushi says
I love using xylitol! What a great sugar replacement, with no aftertaste!
Beth says
I’ve made a couple versions of frozen fudge, my favourite of which is from Tropical Tradition’s online recipe blog:
http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2011/3/30/frozen-chocolate-coconut-fudge
Looking forward to trying yours. The picture looks like little pieces of chocolate heaven.
Lisa says
I love the Nestle chocolate chip marshmallow fudge. It’s easy, and my grandmother used to make it, I think those are the reasons it’s my favorite. I’d love to try this recipe, though–thank you for adapting it! Lisa
Amanda says
Oh yum! And this looks so much easier than conventional fudge too! I pretty much love all fudge…I don’t really discriminate :) Though it is awfully sweet for even me.
Lisa says
I got this recipe in your email and it looked so easy that I tried it right away. I changed the recipe a bit based on what I had on hand. I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet double chocolate chips and since the chips and the peanut butter are sweetened a little, I only used 1 Tbsp Xylitol. The fudge came out perfectly. I’ve never made fudge before and now that I have this awesome recipe, I’m sure I’ll be making it for many parties in the future. Thanks Elana!
Sarah says
These sound great! Way simpler than my recipe which contains cream and butter. I love the fact that there is so little sweetener, traditional fudge is way too sweet. Do you use natural peanut butter? I LOVE your site!
Marisa H says
Can anyone tell me what a cup of these chocolate chips weighs? I want to sub in cocoa powder + shortening but need to do it based on weight.
Ramona says
1 cup of chocolate chips is 6 ounces.
Daphne says
Thanks for this recipe, Elana. I love the fact that it’s healthy and not too sweet. Thanks everyone else for their comments; they give us unlimited options, i.e. using almond butter, etc. I bought a couple of jars of almond butter at different times, by mistake (forgot I had one jar already), so this is a good way to use it up.
Pat says
We’re on the same wavelength, Elana. I just made peanut butter fudge this week, but a simple version that I just leave in the bowl and eat with a spoon! Great when it’s only me eating it :) I just blend peanut butter with some water and palm sugar, then blend in 3 T Penzy’s gourmet cocoa powder. If too runny I heat it a little and it thickens. YUM!
I want to try yours so I can cut it into blocks and share it. Or maybe not…
Pat
PS: Almond butter works great too!
Adrienne says
One of my grandmother’s was known for her fudge. She used the Nestle recipe. After she passed, I made it again and again as comfort food. Now that I’ve stayed away from sugar, and have adopted agave, I’m more sensitive to sweets. Even Nutella is too sweet for me. It tastes more like frosting. However, I wonder if it would be just right in this recipe instead of peanut butter and xylitol? Hmmm…. curiosity is building.
Kelly- 18 Hour Kitchen says
I have been craving peanut butter and chocolate! This will be my splurge for the weekend!
Jennifer says
I remember a delectable Rockyroad Fudge that we got one Christmas. My brother and I only got one piece each and my dad ate the rest. I will have to experiment with this recipe and see if Stevia will work as a sub.
Ricki says
One of my all-time favorite fudges is very similar to this one, with cashew (or macadamia) butter in place of the PB and agave nectar as the sweetener (I’ve never used xylitol). I made two versions–one with ginger, and one with orange zest and both were phenomenal. At the time, I was using chocolate chips (with barley malt), but I’ve since made it again with unsweetened chocolate and it’s equally good (now that my own taste buds are used to less sweetness as well). :)
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday says
What does the xylitol do?
Karen says
Elana,
No favorite recipe for the reasons you’ve cited. I would LOVE a good peanut butter fudge…I’ll take my chocolate on top instead of mixed in. Any chance of a recipe for that coming up. Something peanutty but not so sweet it makes my teeth hurt? Please?
andrea says
Frozen Sunbutter Fudge at The Spunky Coconut sound like it work for you…
Karen R says
I love PB and chocolate! I did look at the original recipe out of curiosity (I wondered why would it need 2 cups more sweetener) and did notice that it uses unsweetened chocolate, vs the cane sugar likely lurking in the chocolate chips.
Colleen says
That is SO funny. I just finished making a double batch of this Peanut Butter Fudge today. It rocks! http://www.organicsareforeveryone.com/peanut-butter-fudge/
Yours will give me a good excuse to try Xylitol in baking which I’ve yet to do. Thanks!
Brandon says
I love fudge, and I absolutely love peanut butter. I try not to eat it often, but when I do –look out! I will definitely have to make this for the spring holidays so I can divide it out amongst my family members and friends.
Recently I’ve used almond butter in place of the peanut butter, and used cocoa powder combined with coconut oil, using a stevia and xylitol sweetener mix. Very good!
Terris says
Over the holidays I was on a fudge kick and made a batch with rich dark chocolate, a bit of coconut milk, some agave syrup, a bit of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne. My husband was so in love with the stuff and told me that it was a perfect accompaniment to a cup of steaming coffee. Yours looks lovely Elana.
Karen says
Terris – can you provide your recipe for this spicy fudge please!
Karen
CatetheGreat says
Ditto that!
Ramona says
Terris, Your fudge sounds absolutely DELICIOUS! Could you please share youe recipe?
Charlotte says
Yumm! That looks amazing. My most recent fudge attempt turned out more like a ganache, but I could still eat it with a spoon! Going to have to give this recipe a try!
Cassi Friz says
i’ve been playing with variations of Blue OK’s raw vegan fudge- with raw cacao, coconut oil and maple syrup. i always add vanilla- must have vanilla to give it that rich je ne sais quoi….
i use the entire cacao nib so i get the yummy healthy cocoa butter too. also playing with unsweetened baking chocolate, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup. might try that w/ peanut butter.
4 squares baking chocolate
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup (i always use a little less)-
and peanut butter!!! yum!
Stefanie says
how much PB? Just mix and chill?? Thanks!
Katie @ Nourishing Flourishing says
I am still getting to know xylitol; this looks like the perfect way to become better acquainted with it ; ) Thanks for sharing!
Meagan says
Adding in a tsp or two of coconut flour and then using a liquid sweetener would probably work really well. I want to try this with some almond butter now. I avoid peanut butter.
barb says
I have gut issues with xylitol. I’ll try another sweetener.
Elyse Early says
Yum! I can’t wait to try this!
Holly O'Brien says
Just don’t forget that xylitol is deadly to dogs. Their body thinks that it is being overdosed on sugar and so puts out a burst of insulin. Their blood sugars can get dangerously low and it is an emergancy if your dogs eats any xylitol. I used to use xylitol toothpaste until my puppy got a hold of the cap and had to spend several hours in the ER.
Arielle says
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs anyway, so don’t even think of feeding this to your dog!
barb says
Thank you for this warning.
Jenn Purdy says
What is it doing to YOUR insulin?!
grace says
Good point.
Selena says
Xylitol stabilizes insulin levels in human beings. (ie, does NOT cause them to significantly change)
Kelly says
Thanks for contributing to my holiday round-up Elana! These look awesome! I used to love rocky road fudge with marshmallows, back in the day when I ate fudge myself. There was a place in downtown Annapolis, where we lived, that made it. It was on Main Street I think, and it had this huge storefront window, where you could see them making it as you walked by.
Love, Kelly
Stephanie Mckenzie says
That fudge looks so decadent and delicious! I love that your recipe are fast and easy without sacrificing flavor! I will be making this very soon :)
Amy Selleck says
Like the previous comments, I was wondering how almond butter would work instead. If anyone tries it and it’s successful, it’d be great to hear about!
Mary says
Almond butter came to mind when I read your recipe because the type of peanut butter I use isn’t usually smooth. I like the combination of almonds and fudge anyway. I also like pieces of walnut in my fudge, so I’ll add some of those.
Thanks for the recipe!
AndreAnna from Life as a Plate says
Oh yum! I love fudge in a totally unhealthy way and this looks easy and awesome.
Sarah L. says
I’m currently working on a raw vegan fudge recipe. I’ll let you know if I get it right. ;) I can’t wait to try it… I think I might do an almond butter variation. Yum!