Dairy-Free Maple Fudge

Learn how to make rich, melt-in-your-mouth, dairy-free maple fudge with real maple syrup in just 30 minutes. This easy vegan recipe makes the perfect indulgent fall sweet treat or ideal bite-sized dessert for holiday sharing!

In between all the apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice there are a few other delicious flavors of fall I like to highlight, and this maple fudge recipe does that SO deliciously. The complex sweetness of maple syrup meets the velvety richness of homemade fudge with crunchy pecans on top for a fall crunch. This non-chocolate fudge is made with just 6 easy ingredients and not a bit of butter or cream. And while I think maple as a flavor deserves more fall love, I will definitely be whipping out this recipe again come Christmas time as the perfect little shareable sweet treat!

How To Make Perfect Maple Fudge

In a traditional chocolate fudge recipe, chocolate chips are usually a pretty key ingredient on the list. So how do we make a chocolate-less fudge? It’s more similar to candy-making with a mix of sugar, cream, and fat of some sort boiled to a soft-ball temperature and then whipped and set. Since this recipe is dairy-free, there are a few ingredient swaps from tradition. And of course we are adding maple syrup and vanilla for sweet fall flavor too.

Dairy-Free Maple Fudge Ingredients

• Cane sugar. A slightly less refined option than white sugar, but unfortunately this recipe will not work with just maple syrup you need some sort of granulated sweetener as well. I haven’t tested it with coconut sugar, but it contains a lot more moisture and may cause the fudge to not set right.
• Coconut cream. Just the solid part from a can of full-fat coconut milk that has been chilled, or if you buy a can of coconut cream you can shake it up and not have to chill/scoop. This is the key to making a dairy-free fudge without butter or cream or sweetened condensed milk.
• Coconut oil. This is also an important swap for butter, and it helps the fudge set correctly too when chilled.
• Maple syrup. The star of the fudge show, you definitely want to use the real stuff.
• Salt and vanilla extract. Both are important for flavor.
• Pecans. Chopped up and sprinkled on top, they create the most delicious textural contrast to the creamy fudge underneath. Totally optional, and you could swap in another kind of nut as well.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil the fudge ingredients. That means everything except the vanilla and pecans. During this initial cooking stage, you want to be whisking almost the whole time to help everything melt and dissolve and combine. I recommend medium-high heat until it starts bubbling.

Step 2: Simmer to a soft-ball stage. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes. You can calm down a little bit with the whisking, every couple of minutes will be fine. But keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t bubble up and over flow. I recommend medium or even low heat for this cooking stage, just make sure it maintains a good bubble. It will get thicker and darker, but you really need to use a candy thermometer here to make sure it reaches the soft-ball stage (235°F).

Step 3: Add the vanilla and whip. Remove from the heat, whisk in the vanilla, and then use a hand or stand mixer to incorporate air into the fudge and allow it to cool and thicken. It will become lighter in color and almost a frosting consistency. If you start to see crystallization happening (chunks), you’ve gone too far. 3-5 minutes on a pretty high speed was perfect for me.

Step 4: Chill until set. Transfer the whipped mixture to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, top with the pecans, and chill for at least 4-6 hours until the fudge is set. Then you can remove it from the pan and slice into bite-size squares.

How To Store And Gift The Fudge

This maple fudge will last best in the fridge, but it will be find at room temperature for a couple of hours after it’s set so you can wrap it up and share or gift it without worrying. In the fridge in an airtight container, it will be fine for a week or two. But if your house is anything like mine, it definitely won’t last that long!

Ideas For Variations And Mix-Ins

This recipe is simple sweet perfection as is. But if you want to mix it up, you could add in some warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg. You could use honey in place of the maple syrup for a different flavor profile. Or you could swap up the toppings with other kinds of nuts or seeds (walnuts or cashews would be amazing!) or even chocolate (or white chocolate!) chips.

Nutritional Information

Don’t get it twisted, this is still a sugar-forward candy recipe. Hence why it’s a holiday perfect little treat. But with that said, we are using unrefined sweeteners and each square comes out to just about 100 calories per serving. Plus better ingredients and homemade with love is always better if you ask me.

More Dairy-Free Fudge Recipes You’ll Love

• Cookie Dough Fudge
• Healthy Chocolate Fudge
• Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge
• Healthier Rocky Road Fudge

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