A healthier take on Rocky Road Fudge but still with all the chunky, nutty, decadence this holiday treat is about. No sugar or oil or cooking required!
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY NATURAL DELIGHTS.
Truthfully I think it should be renamed to Lusciously Smooth With Marshmallow Speed Bumps Road, because this fudge is nothing but…creamy? No creamy makes me think of custard. Velvety? But that makes me think of eating a tufted sofa. Decadent definitely applies, but that’s about more than just texture…
Oh wait, it’s FUDGY.
Or is that like defining a word with the word itself – defining a fudge with fudgy itself. Did I just break dictionary law with chocolate?
Well pick your favorite adjective from above because this fudge is all of them (minus the couch part). I think I was just trying really hard to avoid having to use the word mouthfeel because it heebie-jeebies me out even more than moist. But sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to convey how very VERY good this fudge is in words. So here it goes: This Rocky Road Fudge has a wonderfully smooth and rich…mouthfeel (*cringe*).
Thank goodness that’s over.
The last time I had fudge was actually from Honeydukes at Universal Studios. It wasn’t vegan. It wasn’t healthy. It was accompanied by Butterbeer because when in Hogsmeade. So it’s been a hot minute.
Little known fact about me – I’ve never made my own fudge (that I can remember, mom?). It’s just always been one of those treats that I associate with confection shops on vacation or maybe a holiday party. Growing up I was anti nuts in desserts, (and for some reason marshmallow-only fudge doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves) so I usually avoided fudge.
By some peoples definition I still haven’t made fudge, because this isn’t your typical chocolate chips + sweetened condensed milk microwave recipe. Although it is almost as easy. Actually you don’t have to heat a thing, so maybe it’s easier. And it’s certainly healthier. And feel free to do your own side-by-side, but I am most positive it’s yummier too. But even if you don’t agree that unprocessed whole food sweetness in the form of medjool dates is actually yummier than plain ol’ white sugar, I think you might agree than fudge with PEANUT BUTTER is yummier than fudge without. And this fudge has peanut butter.
Hate peanut butter but love fudge? Any other kind of nut or seed butter will work instead. Don’t worry, I gotcha my fudge-loving friend.
When you use magical medjool dates from Natural Delights as the base, there’s not too much more a fudge needs. They are the perfect sugar swap amidst so much holiday sweetness, and this coconut oil-free fudge wouldn’t be able to set properly without them. But the rest of the list looks like:
- Nut butter for richness and creamy texture, plus it works with the dates to make the fudge slice into perfect squares after chilling.
- Cocoa or cacao powder because rocky road = chocolate required.
- Sea salt because everything sweet + chocolate is better with salt.
- And the mix-ins – mini marshmallows and chopped nuts (I used walnuts).
Just because I said medjool dates, don’t go thinking this is another raw brownie recipe masquerading as fudge. The texture is 100% fudge, not fruit + nut bar.
While we patiently wait for someone to invent a fruit-sweetened marshmallow, if you want to swap those out for dried fruit or coconut flakes you could. Or even chopped chunks of medjool date for a similar squishysweet experience. And if you wanted to sub almonds or pecans or even pumpkin seeds for the walnuts you could do that too. It’s your fudge, mix in whatever chunky things make you happy.
I popped my fudge in the freezer overnight to chill and firm up, but it actually holds its shape just fine in the fridge too. It will start to get sticky and too soft if left at room temp for more than 15-20 minutes though. Personally I recommend eating it from the fridge, that’s my favorite texture. But really is there any temperature at which chocolate + marshmallows + nuts isn’t appealing?
Or skip all the mix-ins for the minimalist just chocolate experience.
Thank you rocky road fudge for being the winter-appropriate indoor version of a s’more. Just sub fireplace for campfire.
Rocky Road Fudge
- Yield: 12 squares 1x
Description
A healthier take on Rocky Road Fudge but still with all the chunky, nutty, decadence this holiday treat is about. No sugar or oil or cooking required!
Ingredients
- 8–10 (150g) pitted medjool dates
- 1/2 cup (140g) nut or seed butter (I used peanut butter)
- 1/3 cup (30g) cacao powder
- 3–4 tbsp non-dairy milk
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup (120g) chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
- 1 cup (100g) mini marshmallows (see post for alternate ideas!)
Instructions
- Soak the medjool dates in warm water for 30 minutes beforehand.
- Drain excess water. Add the medjool dates and nut butter to a blender or food processor.
- Blend on low speed to form a thick smooth paste. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides at least a few times. Add the milk slowly as needed, trying to add as little as possible.
- Add the cacao powder and salt. Blend again until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. It will be very thick and not blend easily.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the marshmallows and nuts, and mix (I suggest hands here!)
- Press into a shallow pan or dish lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate or freeze overnight until firm.
- Slice into squares and enjoy!
- Keep in the freezer for a firm chewy texture, or in the fridge for a softer texture.
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