Dark Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge

It only takes 5 ingredients to make this dark chocolate vegan peanut butter fudge, and it’s done in three easy steps- measure, melt, and set. In the end, you have perfectly smooth and creamy, rich, indulgent, dark, chocolatey, nutty bites. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up, a homemade gift, or any time you’re in need of an easy dessert.

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Is Chocolate Vegan?

It can be! I’ve been asked several times if chocolate is vegan- the answer is sometimes- but there are both simple and complex answers to that. Chocolate itself comes from the cocoa plant, which, as a plant, is vegan. However, added ingredients might not be vegan. I think the simplest answer is that chocolate, dark chocolate especially, can be vegan if it doesn’t contain milk or milk products (such as milk solids or milk fat). Occasionally you might find honey in chocolate, making it not vegan, or the chocolate might have a filling added (like caramel) that would also make the bar not vegan. Milk chocolate will not be vegan, unless it was specifically made to be vegan (like this brand). But let’s get a little more into the nitty gritty. Sugar is another issue with chocolate. Some sugar, especially in the United States, is filtered using bone char (also called “natural carbon”) to make it extra white. Because the bone char is used in the sugar processing, but doesn’t actually remain in the sugar, it does not need to be listed in the ingredients. One way to be sure your chocolate is bone char free is to buy chocolate using organic sugar, since in the United States the USDA states that organic sugar cannot be processed with bone char. It gets a little messy though, since non-organic sugar might also be bone char free, and chocolate makers could switch up their sugar source, so you have to decide for yourself what you’re willing to use. This recipe actually only uses pure cocoa powder, so you can choose the sugar you add yourself. This next bit is where it gets even more messy.

Part of veganism is reducing your harm to animals, and by most people’s definitions the term “animals” includes both non-human and human animals. That is to say that products that directly harm other people would be hard to consider vegan. And chocolate is one of those areas where a lot of harm to humans occurs. Big companies like Hershey’s and Cadbury sell cheap chocolate. And while the cost is low to you, and the price of chocolate is cheap for the companies, there is a cost closer to the chocolates source. Chocolate is grown in parts of Africa, Asia, and South and Central America, generally in poorer regions. For decades now, chocolate farms in those areas have survived off child labor and child slavery. Unpaid and marginally paid children, usually between the ages of 12-16, but sometimes as young as 5, work swinging machetes and applying chemicals, over long hours and receive no schooling. Not all chocolate is grown this way, but it can sometimes be hard to tell where your chocolate has been sourced from. I recommend starting by looking at Ethical Chocolate Companies — Slave Free Chocolate for some companies that are committed to using ethical cocoa, as well as more information on how you can make sure your chocolate is slavery-free.

Looking for Vegan Chocolate Recipes? Try one of these!

• Gluten-Free Vegan Bars with Teff and Chocolate
• Homemade Vegan Strawberry Flavored Chocolates
• Thanks USPS! Spicy Chocolate Cookies
• Chocolate Beet Muffins (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free)
• Classic Vegan Chocolate Ganache Truffles
• Chocolate Wedding Cake: Vegan Chocolate Cake with Dairy Free Ganache
• Vegan Kumquat Cake with Chocolate Ganache
• No-Bake Chocolate Espresso Fudge Cake
• Salted Dark Chocolate Vegan Blackberry Brownies

How to Make Dark Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge

Making this vegan chocolate peanut butter fudge is so simple! All you need to do is measure your ingredients, melt them together, and let it set. It hardly seems worth writing more, but I’ll give you a few more tips, tricks, and ideas. The ingredients I used here are vegan butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in equal amounts, along with a splash of vanilla extract. Depending on your tastes, this might not be as sweet as you want your fudge- probably why it has more of a dark chocolate flavor. If that is the case, try adding a little more powdered sugar to the mix. And make sure it’s powdered sugar, as caster sugar will be too gritty! The vegan butter is what hardens so that your fudge sets- you can also use coconut oil if you prefer. To make the fudge a little milder, try using a Dutch processed cocoa powder. I think the peanut butter is where you have the most chance to be creative though- I used a very simple creamy peanut butter, made of just peanuts and salt. You could use a chunky peanut butter to add a little texture to your fudge, or try swapping it out for almond butter, cashew butter or your other favorite nut butter. I imagine a hazelnut butter would make some amazing “Nutella” fudge!

You can also get creative with the toppings. We left ours totally smooth for a traditional fudge look, but you could sprinkle toasted peanuts on top, or shards of chocolate, chocolate chips, or more. For example, I love the idea of topping your fudge with crumbled dried banana slices, and bits of pretzel. Once your fudge is all made up, it has to sit in the fridge and set for a few hours. Once it’s totally cooled, it can be taken out and cut into small squares. Unless you keep your house very cold, this chocolate vegan peanut butter fudge is best when stored in the fridge.

Dark Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge

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