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    Home » Recipes » No Bake Treats

    Published: Apr 13, 2018 · Modified: May 30, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 34 Comments

    Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    5 from 20 votes
    The easiest, 4 ingredient, fool-proof, rich, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge. Punctuated with crunchy pecan pieces and a smattering of sea salt crystals, it's like salty, sweet perfection!   

    The easiest, most fool-proof, rich, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge. Punctuated with crunchy pecan pieces and a smattering of sea salt crystals, it's like salty, sweet perfection!   

    The easiest, most fool-proof, rich, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge. Punctuated with crunchy pecan pieces and a smattering of sea salt crystals, it’s like salty, sweet perfection!

    Let's get right to the point. If you have any degree of a sweet tooth, this Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge is your friend. Like your BEST friend.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How to make easy vegan fudge
    • Storage and freezing
    • Variations
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    I'll spare you the details, but I was trying to create another recipe and it did not go to plan. Out of the darkness though, came this and let's be real here, I don't mind if I do.

    This Vegan Fudge is made with minimal ingredients and there is no cooking involved. It is super easy! Plus, did I mention that it's gluten-free, refined sugar-free and oil-free too? The only fat occurring here is that which is naturally present in the cashew nuts.  The healthy, good stuff!

    a stack of Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge

    How to make easy vegan fudge

    Ok, be prepared to be underwhelmed. This whole process is super easy, super quick and totally foolproof!

    1. Mix the cashew butter, salt and maple syrup together until combined well.
    cashew butter, maple syrup and salt in a bowl ready to make vegan fudge
    1. Stir in the coconut flour, pecans and vanilla
    1. Spoon into a cling wrap or parchment paper lined loaf pan, dish or individual muffin cups and smooth out the top, then sprinkle with chopped pecans and sea salt flakes or small crystals.
    vegan fudge in a loaf pan

    I am totally in love with Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. They taste so good and are great for saving for special scatterings like this.

    1. Place in the freezer and allow to set for at least 20 minutes.
    2. Remove from the freezer and cut into nice sized chunks.

    Storage and freezing

    You can store the vegan fudge in the fridge or the freezer after the initial set. If kept in the fridge it will stay quite soft but still firm enough to hold and bite into, whereas from the freezer, it will be harder but not completely solid. I like it both ways. try both and see what you prefer!

    Variations

    The pecans and the scattering of salt on top, is so good, but if you wanted to play around there are many other flavour combos you could use like:

    • any other chopped nuts or seeds
    • raisins or other dried fruit
    • chocolate chips
    • freeze dried fruit
    • candy
    • shredded coconut
    • coffee extract
    • cinnamon
    • cookie pieces

    ummm please stop me....or there will be nothing but fudge recipes here for the next 6 months!

    vegan fudge with maple and sea salt on a white wooden board

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    a square of Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge topped with pecans and sea salt flakes

    Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 20 votes
    The easiest, most fool-proof, rich, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth Salted Maple Pecan Vegan Fudge. Punctuated with crunchy pecan pieces and a smattering of sea salt crystals, it’s like salty, sweet perfection!  
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 10 minutes
    Setting time 30 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
    Servings: 24 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 256g / 1 cup creamy cashew butter , be sure to mix the natural oils which rise to the top, well into the butter when you open it so it's nice and creamy. See recipe notes for alternatives including nut-free option*
    • 120mls / ½ cup maple syrup , make sure it's real maple syrup and not the cheap flavoured stuff
    • ½ teaspoon salt , fine
    • 70g / ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon coconut flour , see recipe notes for substitutions**
    • 50g / ½ cup chopped pecan nuts , see recipe notes for nut-free options***
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • OPTIONAL extra pecans and sea salt flakes for sprinkling

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • USA Pan Loaf Pan
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Add the cashew butter, maple syrup and salt to a bowl and mix together really well. 
    • Add the coconut flour, vanilla and pecan nuts to the cashew butter mixture and stir really well again until there is no dry flour showing at all. Be very thorough and make sure you scrape into the bottom of the bowl with the spatula. It gets pretty thick and hard to stir. That's normal. 
    • Line a 1lb loaf pan (or other similar size container) with either cling wrap or parchment paper. Cling wrap I found is a tighter fit and makes it look neater when you turn it out. If you don't have anything suitable you can make them in muffin cases instead. 
    • Pack the fudge mixture into the loaf pan and flatten out the top so it's neat. Get a mug of water and dip a spatula in it then shake it off to remove any excess, before spreading the top of the fudge and you will find that it won't stick all over the spatula and will make your job much easier. You can dip in the water every few spreads to keep the effect up.
    • Once the top is level sprinkle some more pecans and some sea salt flakes on the top for decoration and press them really lightly with your fingers into the fudge so they stick.  
    • Put the whole pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then remove, lift out of the pan and cut into pieces. 
      The fudge can be stored in the freezer or in the fridge after the initial set. If kept in the fridge it will stay quite soft but still firm enough to hold and bite into, whereas from the freezer, it will be harder but not completely solid. When it's frozen it's best just to leave it for a minute or two before eating. It's great both ways so try both and see which you prefer. Or go 50/50!

    NOTES

    *Cashew butter gives by far the best flavour here because it's so neutral and the flavour of the maple and the pecans really comes through well. You can use almond butter but it isn't quite as maple-y then and the almond flavour really comes through. Not a bad thing if you like almonds but now how it's intended to be.  
    **Coconut flour gives the best results. DO NOT try substituting regular flour because it will not work and it will taste horrible. If you are allergic to coconuts or cannot get coconut flour, a fine almond flour works well but it does change the flavour. Not in a bad way, it just tastes almond-y and the maple doesn't come through so well. Another option is to use powdered sugar but that will make the fudge extremely sweet. 
    ***If you have a nut allergy use sun butter instead of cashew butter. You can either totally omit the pecans (it's still really lovely) or use any add-ins that you like instead. Some ideas:
    • any other chopped nuts or seeds
    • raisins or other dried fruit
    • chocolate chips
    • freeze dried fruit
    • candy
    • shredded coconut
    • coffee extract
    • cinnamon
    • cookie pieces

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 25g serving (1 of 24 pieces)Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2.5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1.6gSodium: 57mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 4.9gCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.7mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Maggie says

      April 27, 2022 at 9:11 pm

      Good evening. I saw you on Youtube on an episode of Chef AJ and i was really impressed with your willingness to share recipes like the one you showed for the fudge. I want to thank you for allowing access to your website without first charging a fee as other guests on Chef AJ have previously done. It was your willingness to share your recipes that made me buy your book. I am living in Lisbon, Portugal and cannot wait to receive your cookbook. Thank you again for a wonderful recipe.

      .

      Reply
    2. Ashlee says

      December 05, 2021 at 3:24 pm

      Would it be possible to add cocoa powder and make this a chocolate fudge?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        December 05, 2021 at 7:04 pm

        Yes that should be fine. Not a huge amount though or you'll make it dry. A few tablespoons should be ok. You could even add a few chocolate chips!

        Reply
    3. Gina Jankovich says

      February 27, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      Is the cashew butter you use sweetened or unsweetened?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 28, 2021 at 2:27 pm

        Unsweetened. I don't think it's possible to buy sweetened cashew butter, at least not here.

        Reply
    4. Sue says

      December 18, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my! I cut it into 24 pieces and am on my second. I had to stop eating and tell you how good this is and so easy to make!! My husband tries not to eat much chocolate because of migraines, so this is perfect. Thank you for your wonderful talent!!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 18, 2020 at 2:24 pm

        You're welcome. Thank you Sue. I have the same problem with this recipe. It's a good job I keep it in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind! I hope your husband enjoys it too.

        Reply
    5. Anna says

      November 26, 2020 at 8:19 am

      This is really delicious! I made it the other day and it’s a real hit! Thank you!! (P.s I was wondering whether to get raw cashew butter, or roasted w/ sunflower oil... I opted for the latter as I thought it’d be easier to work with, as I find raw cashew butter quite hard. But is there a preference for the recipe?)

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:02 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! Roasted or not it doesn't really matter. Roasted will just give a slightly different, nuttier flavour. So use whichever you prefer!

        Reply
    6. Beth says

      November 28, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for Thanksgiving today. It was a hit with everyone!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 28, 2019 at 5:09 pm

        I'm glad to hear that Beth. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving!

        Reply
        • Cheryl D Garcia says

          March 03, 2020 at 1:53 pm

          Made this with a few changes.... I always omit the oil that separates from nut butters since we are wfpbno. It worked fine but seems very soft even after in the freezer for an hour. When cut, it is too soft to hold the shape. No worries, it is delicious as a soft dessert, we love it!

          Reply
          • A Virtual Vegan says

            March 03, 2020 at 2:04 pm

            The oil in nuts solidifies once it gets below a certain temperature and that's why because you drained off the oil, it didn't firm up properly. Glad you enjoyed it regardless though!

    7. Sandi says

      November 14, 2019 at 3:24 am

      5 stars
      I made the cashew butter myself. My 21 year old vegan son said I was the best mom ever for making this for him! No milk and no butter. Simply amazing. Thank you!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 14, 2019 at 3:01 pm

        Aaaww that's lovely. I'm really pleased you both enjoyed the recipe and thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    8. Chessie says

      September 14, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      I finally got some cashew butter and made a batch of this with what was on hand (agave instead of maple syrup, and chopped walnuts instead of pecans). It wasn't as sweet as I would expect fudge to be, so I'm thinking that maple syrup must be sweeter. It's crazy good anyway, and I will definitely make a proper batch with maple syrup next time! And I can't wait to try coffee in this. You may have just created a (cashew fudge) monster!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 15, 2019 at 12:55 pm

        Ha ha, it is pretty addictive! It's not as sweet as regular fudge because it's a healthier version and refined sugar free. Having said that agave is nowhere near as flavourful as maple syrup so it wouldn't have been at it's best. Coffee flavour would be great!

        Reply
    9. Deb says

      November 29, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Can hardly wait to try this!!
      In the recipe you state that it makes 24 servings, but in the video, you cut the fudge into 15 pieces.
      The 24 servings would be awful small.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 29, 2018 at 11:44 am

        Fudge usually comes in small cubes which is why it says 24 servings. It's incredibly rich so you don't need much. I only have 60 seconds in videos so have to simplify things. Too much cutting and it gets boring to watch and takes too much time. Plus little cubes wouldn't photograph so well and would have been hard to get evenly sized while cutting at a weird angle while filming. That's why I only cut it into 15 in the video. You can cut it into however many pieces you like. Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    10. Suz says

      October 31, 2018 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      Made this without the extra salt due to a thyroid condition. It was amazing! Being vegan is not hard with options like these. Thanks for the inspiration. :-)

      Reply
    11. Melanie says

      September 09, 2018 at 3:17 am

      Hi
      Made the fudge and it was yummy but my partner doesn’t like coconut. I notice on your recipe substitutes you say you can use almond flour but I’m not so keen. Do you think you could use any other flour like oat flour perhaps? Thanks ????

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        September 10, 2018 at 10:07 am

        The fudge really doesn't taste of coconut if that helps. I tried it with oat flour while developing the recipe and although it works, the flavor is nowhere near as good. The oat flavor overpowers everything and the texture isn't as nice. It also has a bit of a weird mouth feel. I definitely wouldn't use any other types of flour as it will end up gummy and horrible. It needs to be a flour that taste good raw. That's why almond and coconut flour work so well.

        Reply
    12. Lauren says

      August 22, 2018 at 7:25 pm

      Looks life a fantastic recipe. How long can these be stored in the freezer?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        August 22, 2018 at 10:10 pm

        They never last very long here so I haven't been able to test that but I would imagine about 3 months.

        Reply
    13. Sue Williams says

      May 29, 2018 at 9:29 am

      5 stars
      OMG - I LOVE fudge but always struggled with making the "real" versions before I became vegan. Imagine my delight when I found this recipe - yes I had to order in some of the ingredients specially, but this is so easy and quick to make and totally delicious - thank you I will definitely be making this regularly now xx I added some coconut flakes in mine as well - trouble is not eating too much in one go !!!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 29, 2018 at 12:01 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it Sue. And I totally agree that it's only problem is that you have to struggle not to eat it all! I like that I can keep it in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind...most of the time anyway. Thank you for coming back to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    14. Marius Caseanu says

      May 11, 2018 at 7:24 pm

      5 stars
      I'd like to know how many grams of carbs per 100 g of fudge are in this one.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 11, 2018 at 10:50 pm

        The nutritional information is always shown on all of my recipes. It is just below the recipe card.

        Reply
        • Nancy says

          September 06, 2018 at 2:32 pm

          Can you share how many pieces are in one recipe in addition to number of grams ? That’s easier for most people to plan and cut into suggested serving size. Thank you

          Reply
          • A Virtual Vegan says

            September 06, 2018 at 4:35 pm

            There are 24 servings. The number of servings are always in my recipe card above the ingredients. One of the 24 squares weighs about 25g.

    15. Anita says

      May 11, 2018 at 6:21 pm

      I am thinking of making this fudge this weekend. I don't have coconut flour, but have almond, oat, and rice flour. Of those three, is there one that you recommend more than the others? I saw that you suggested almond flour as a substitute but that perhaps the maple flavor might not come through as well. I may just get coconut flour, but hesitate to run out to the market tonight. :) Thank you! This looks delicious!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 11, 2018 at 10:53 pm

        I tried it with them all and by far the best is with coconut flour. It's heads and tails above the others in taste. With oat flour it tastes distinctly oaty and has a strange mouth feel. With almond flour it's nice but it is very almondy and doesn't taste like maple pecan at all. If you can get some coconut flour I really recommend it. You'll understand why when you try it!

        Reply
    16. Joanne Kucinskas says

      April 17, 2018 at 6:09 am

      5 stars
      I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe as written, no substitutions. It so easy to make that the most challenging step was getting the cling wrap in the loaf pan.

      The finished product looks exactly like the recipe photos. And the best part...so decadently delicious! I cut into squares and stored them in the freezer. They are the perfect after dinner treat. I love the perfect balance of salty and sweet.

      Thank you for this amazing recipe.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        April 17, 2018 at 9:34 am

        I agree about the cling wrap. That is the most challenging part! I'm so glad you enjoyed them Joanne and thank you so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!

        Reply

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    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

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