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Until recently, low carb peanut butter fudge was my favorite keto fudge recipe. But, I really wanted a chocolate version, and I wanted to avoid using actual sugar-free chocolate in it, which gets expensive. (I used chocolate in my flourless chocolate cake recipe because it needed it, and that was some regular feedback for it.) So what do you do? Make easy keto fudge with cocoa powder instead!
The only thing is, making a keto fudge recipe with cocoa powder turned out to be… not so easy. At least at first.
(Keep reading, this is actually going to be a super easy keto fudge recipe!)
Testing for this keto chocolate fudge turned out to be a bit of a roller coaster. The concept is a lot like keto chocolate fat bombs, but I ran into some unexpected challenges. Still, because so many people starting a keto diet want to know how to make keto friendly fudge – and because it’s fall! – I persisted.
And, this keto fudge with coconut oil was so worth the experimentation!
The Trick To Keto Fudge With Cocoa Powder
I tested with keto fudge with coconut oil, with butter and with ghee. With all these variations, using cocoa powder meant that I had to add a separate sweetener.
The sweetener was the problem. I knew that regular granulated sweeteners, like erythritol, would be grainy, so didn’t bother with those. Adding a pure, concentrated liquid sweetener, like pure stevia or monk fruit extract, gave off a bitter aftertaste when paired with the cocoa powder.
What about my usual go-to for smooth consistencies – powdered erythritol or powdered monk fruit blend? It kept sinking to the bottom!
And then it hit me. The trick to making keto fudge with cocoa powder was not melting the fat that you make it with. If it’s not liquid, the sweetener can’t sink!
Since I’m trying to offer more dairy-free options lately, I opted for keto fudge with coconut oil.
But instead of melting it, I used a hand mixer to cream it with the powdered sweetener. (Either of the types linked above worked.) It was perfect!
Tips For How To Make Keto Fudge
Now that you know the secret for how to make keto fudge with cocoa powder, here are just a few tips to answer some questions you might have…
Do not melt the coconut oil.
In case you missed it above, this is the most important tip! If you melt your fat, the sweetener and cocoa powder will sink to the bottom, and the end result will be terrible.
Instead, beat the solid coconut oil with your sweetener at low speed. The process is similar to creaming butter.
Speaking of butter…
Feel free to use coconut oil, butter or ghee.
I used coconut oil to keep this keto fudge dairy-free. But if you’d rather use butter or ghee, you can. Whatever you use, just make sure not to melt it.
Use low mixing speed and do not over-mix.
Keep your hand mixer at low speed, and only keep it running for long enough to mix together. If the speed is too high, or if it runs for too long, the coconut oil will start to melt.
For this reason, I can’t say for sure if a blender or food processor would work. It might, but the speed would have to be low enough to avoid melting. If you try it, pulsing might be a better idea than keeping it running.
Use powdered sweetener.
Repeat after me: Use Powdered Sweetener.
Do not use liquid sweetener – the fudge won’t set. Do not use concentrated pure powder, like pure stevia or monk fruit – it will be bitter with the chocolate. Do not use granulated sweetener – it will be grainy.
So, what kind can you use? Either powdered erythritol or powdered monk fruit blend both work great. You can also make your own powdered sweetener by running a granulated one through a coffee grinder, food processor, or high-power blender. Just make sure it’s very fine.
Use the right size container.
You don’t have to use the same container I did, but don’t use one that is too big. The size you need is probably smaller than you might think.
Here is the fudge in the container before chilling:
Line the container with parchment paper with edges hanging off the sides.
Once the fudge sets, it will be nearly impossible to remove it from the bottom of an unlined pan. Line it with parchment paper first, and make sure the sides are hanging off so that you can easily lift it out of the container.
Cut the keto fudge correctly.
Once your fudge is set, run a knife along the edges of the container to release. Then, you can pull on the parchment paper to lift it out and place it onto a cutting board.
When cutting keto chocolate fudge, use a large chef’s knife and cut in a straight down motion. Don’t see-saw, because it will crumble.
To help avoid sticking, run the knife under water between cuts, and wipe with a paper towel before making the next cut.
If you find that the fudge starts to crumble when you cut into it, even using a straight-down motion, then it’s likely too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for a while to soften and then try again.
Toppings for The Best Keto Fudge
You don’t have to add toppings for your keto chocolate fudge. But in case you want to, here are a few ideas for you!
My absolute favorite is coarse sea salt flakes, which are pictured. I just discovered them this year, and oh my goodness, they make so many things better. The way they pair with chocolate is just incredible. You can get my favorite coarse sea salt flakes here.
What else? If you aren’t nut-free, try chopped nuts! Chopped pecans, almonds, or even macadamias would be amazing. For a more popular type, try a keto walnut fudge.
For those who are nut-free, pumpkin or sunflower seeds can easily add the same crunch as nuts.
If you like a little drizzle on your keto fudge, try some runny peanut butter or sugar-free caramel sauce. Mmm.
How To Store Keto Chocolate Fudge
The best way to store keto chocolate fudge is in the fridge, or for a longer shelf life, in the freezer.
It’s best to bring the keto fudge to room temperature right before serving, but don’t keep it at room temperature for prolonged periods. It will start to melt if it’s at room temp for too long.
Depending on your fridge temperature, you might be able to cut it right out of the fridge or have to wait for it to warm up a bit to soften enough to cut. If you’re bringing it out of the freezer uncut, you definitely need to wait for it to soften, or it will definitely crumble.
The best way to do it? Just cut it according to the recipe instructions when you make it, then store the individual cubes in the fridge or freezer to grab whenever you want. Then you don’t have to worry about cutting or crumbling, and you can decide each time if you want to enjoy it cold or have a softer fudge at room temperature.
Easy Keto Fudge Recipe With Cocoa Powder:
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Easy Keto Fudge Recipe With Cocoa Powder & Sea Salt
This easy keto fudge recipe needs just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes prep! And, making keto fudge with cocoa powder and sea salt is super easy.
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GET BESTIInstructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Line a 28 oz rectangular glass container with parchment paper, so that the parchment hangs out over the sides.
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Using a hand mixer at LOW speed, beat the coconut oil and sweetener together, just until fluffy and combined.
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Beat in the cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt to taste. Adjust sweetener to taste. Do not overmix.
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Transfer the mixture to the lined container. Smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
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Refrigerate the keto fudge for about 45-60 minutes, until solid.
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Sprinkle the top of the fudge with sea salt flakes and press gently.
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Run a knife along the edge and take out using the edges of the parchment paper. Slice carefully - see post above for slicing tips.
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Keep the fudge refrigerated and bring to room temperature right before serving. You can also freeze it - see tips above. Do not leave at room temperature for prolonged periods, as it will melt easily.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cube, or 1/12 of entire recipe
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164 Comments
Adrianne
Made this a few days ago, and I’m very pleased with the taste and how quickly it came together. Used a stand mixer w/ paddle, which mixed things fairly well. The biggest problem was figuring out the dimensions of a 28oz pan (8×5). Crumbled a bit when I cut the fudge into pieces. Next time, I’ll probably make 12 “truffles” by dropping the batter onto a lined cookie sheet.
Billiejo
How many carbs in this?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Billiejo, There are .4g net carbs in 1/12 the recipe.
Jeff
Great recipe, a little strong taste for me, but salt and /or peanut butter really helped.
I did use a silicone icecube tray and that made perfect squares that pop out very easily!
I used coconut oil that is sitting at room temperature in my pantry, and it was perfectly softened it blended easily with my sweetener
As a sweetener I used a powdered Erythitol and monkfruit blend.
Paula Richarson
I made this with butter instead of coconut oil and it’s Delicious thank you for the recipe
Adrianne
My only comment is that I wanted to eat it all in one sitting, but it is so rich, that I could handle one piece.
Yum.
Susan
Hi Maya,
I made this fudge today, and had one small issue with it. In getting the coconut oil cold enough and trying not to over mix, I ended up with some big globs of hard coconut oil in the fudge that didn’t mix in. I have plans to get a newer, better mixer that has a real slow speed (the one I have belonged to my husband’s late wife and was ancient when I married). Would a slower speed help or should I not have to coconut oil so very firm? We really enjoyed the taste of the fudge, and though I did not put salt on top, I can see why you would want to do that. I’d appreciate any ideas you have for overcoming my issue.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Susan, The coconut oil doesn’t need to be cold, just in a solid state. The slower speed of the mixer will help, but you also may need to mix a little longer too to break up some of the chunks. I hope this helps!
Susan
It does help. A lot. I had refrigerated the coconut oil because it is always hot here (about 9 months of the year), and I have discovered that when we go to eat the fudge, it softens up quite quickly, even with the AC on. I will wait to make it again until I get my new mixer to make it again, and I will try to be more observant about the state of the coconut oil. In the meantime we are really enjoying the fudge. It’s a definite keeper recipe!
Susan
One thing that I would have found helpful is if you had mentioned the dimensions of your container; I have no clue about what size a 28-oz. container is. I was actually able to find dimensions on Amazon: interior dimensions are 4.25″ x 6.5″. Even though I’m not big on candy, I think I would actually make this fudge – it would make an excellent snack. Thank you for taking the effort to figure out how to make it work.
Margaret Stacy
Thanks. It’s really nice to know I don’t have to give up my favorite things. Really helpful too.
tammy capo
Im wondering if it will work to make the fudge in ice cube trays so it won’t need to be cut. Just worried about no lining.Since this is so small amount I might try it.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Tammy, If you want to use a tray, then I would suggest freezing the fudge instead of refrigerating it. It will be much easier to remove frozen.
Julie
I taught a class this morning with FUDGE as a spelling word. My brain said, “MUST HAVE FUDGE.” I found your recipe and LOVED that you suggest NOT melting the fat. (It’s warm enough here in Charlotte, NC that I actually had to REFRIGERATE my coconut oil a bit so it wasn’t liquid!) My tastebuds were not satisfied with the combo of cocoa powder and coconut oil. (BTW, I ground my own erythritol, and it seemed SUPER sweet.) I have no problem with dairy, so I will try the recipe with softened butter and see how that comes out more to my personal liking. You always have great recipes and ideas.
Shannon
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! I’m in week 5 of Keto & my cravings for something sweet were off the chart. Luckily I purchased a bag of Anthony’s erythritol from Amazon when I started, but it’s granulated so I pulverized it into a powder in a mini-food processor and it was perfect. Also, I opted to use butter instead of coconut oil simply because I was concerned that the oil would liquify too quickly. (my hand-mixer is broken, so I had to mix everything by hand & knew it would take a lot longer)
Fast forward one hour & I was savoring melt-in-your-mouth chocolate walnut fudge buried under a cloud of Reddi Whip. I thought I went to heaven!
Lori M.
Thanks for another tasty recipe to try! Unfortunately, I must agree with the folks said this is frosting/icing – not fudge – hardened by whatever amount of coconut oil used (I did 1/2 butter-1/2 coconut oil). I know of which I speak because years ago I would keep prepared icing in the fridge to eat a spoonful or two as a treat. This is still valuable that same way now. I accidentally made a true keto fudge once with a failed batch of hot fudge sauce where I beat it too much getting it smooth. I too used cocoa powder, since why use expensive keto tempered and formed chocolate bars or chips when the unsweetened natural cocoa powder is so accessible as well as inexpensive in stores. I get that it takes cooking, more time and more work while being finicky on temperature but the usual keto swaps of sweetener for sugar and cream for milk would seem to work in any of the “old fashioned fudge” recipes I’ve come across. So thanks again for an easy chocolatey fat bomb but further work is needed to make a chocolate fudge recipe.
Ronny
Hey so here I the deo coconut I always in liquid state as it’s pretty hot here , you think I mix it anyways and then put it to set or first set the coconut oil abd then prepare the fudge and then set the fudge
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ronny, Try refrigerating your coconut oil for a few hours. Once it’s solid, you can use it for this recipe. Enjoy!
Dawn
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I used Wholesome Yum powdered allulose and it was great. Hey, folks complaining about aftertaste for powdered erythritol, “You get what you pay for.” In general, I do not like the aftertaste of erythritol, but Wholesome Yum has much better quality and the aftertaste is barely perceptible. But, I use Wholesome Yum’s allulose and there is NO aftertaste! I constantly have folks do taste tests and haven’t yet met anyone who could consistently tell the difference! I am so happy, thank you!
Judy
just made this, tasted off the beaters could not wait till it got solid. Yummy. I think it would be better in a 8×8 pan instead of 9×12.
Nikki
This is excellent. I did however melt the coconut oil and beat it on high and got it super creamy. My kitchen is rather cool so it didn’t take long for it to start trying to get firm again. Had to be quick to get it poured before it wouldn’t. I also added a ton of shredded coconut and chopped walnuts. Not so much like fudge but more like a bark or a candy bar. We went through it quick a few days ago so I’m about to do it all again, but this time I think I’ll do half butter instead of all coconut oil.
Saundra Rathburn
Tastes GREAT! How long can it be refrigerated or placed in freezer? Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Saundra, This fudge can stay in the fridge for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Diane
it was SUPER GREAT! SO TASTE AND DELICIOUS!
Melony Lynch
Truth be said, this should never be called fudge. Please name it something else. It’s no where close to tasting like fudge! The term fudge conjures up wonderful memories of grandma’s chocolatey, yummy fudge recipe. I don’t know what this is, but it’s not fudge.
Call it Keto bark. Calling it fudge leads to serious disappointment.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Melony, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. If you prefer a more traditional fudge texture, you can try this recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge.
Hope
This is absolutely delicious and so easy to make!! Thank you!
Melody
This is so easy and really good! My non keto family members ate it too.
Jessica MacKay
This is so creamy and delicious! We always have a tray made and keep in the fridge for those sweet cravings! Plus it’s super easy…win win!
Bianca
Hi! May I use Monkfruit instead? Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Bianca, Yes that should work. Please check with the manufacturer of your sweetener to see how much you will need to use. Brands can vary in sweetness level.
Judy Mayer
A+, Maya!
I did a test half batch today in a loaf pan. We need to watch our salt, so I put some chopped pecans on top.
Really a nice treat, and the piece is pretty big. It will be a nice thing to have after our Sabbath meal. We can’t have dairy then. The Swerve brownie mix is really pricey.
Thank you ever so much! I will be looking for more of your dairy-free recipes. I deleted my Instagram app, or I would post a picture. Yum yum.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Judy, Thank you so much! If you have Facebook, we are have a great support group there and would love to see the picture there.
Catherine
I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of sweetener I can use it won’t give me a migraine I’ve tried them all and still no luck. I’m really want to try to do Keto this is one of the worst things for me thank you and I did order your cookbook just waiting for it
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Catherine, Have you tried allulose yet? It is actually a rare form of sugar, so it doesn’t affect most people negatively. You can read more about allulose here and pick up a bag of Besti pure Allulose here or Monk Fruit Allulose Blend here.
Julie Weimer
Can the coconut oil be substituted? Its a no no for me?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Julie, If you can’t do coconut, then I recommend trying this recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge instead.
Paula
I made this last night – I found it was a lot of cocoa for my tastes. I also may not have mixed it enough in fear of mixing too much. Haha! I made more with some peanut butter swirl and that took the edge off. It was delicious!
I was wondering how I could possibly make this into a salted caramel or vanilla version? I have NO idea what I would do. I’m horrible at this stuff.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Paula, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I am sure peanut butter was a great addition. I’m not sure about a vanilla flavor, as the cocoa powder adds a lot of structure to the recipe and I don’t think the recipe would work without it. Salted caramel would still need the cocoa powder in it too, but you could add Besti Brown Sweetener to the mix to give it a caramel flavor.
Susie
Hi, what modifications would you recommend for those of us with cacao powder instead of cocoa powder? The cacao is much more bitter so I would imagine less is needed— but how much less and what else would need to be done? Thanks in advance!! đŸ™‚
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Susie, I would decrease the amount to 3 tablespoons and adjust the amount of salt to taste. The salt will help to balance the bitterness. Enjoy!
Rhonda Pickard
I wanted to add to my review to say that I used Monk Fruit instead of erythritol which works great. Our eating program has been enriched through discovering wholesome yum. Thanks
Rhonda Pickard
This fudge is absolutely amazing. I top it with celtic sea salt. I just cant get enough. Keto way of living works for me and my hips and my husband’s hips as well.
elaine
I was unsure about making this fudge due to mixed reviews and unfortunately for me, it was awful. I used powdered erythritol and coconut oil but the after taste was so strong. It wasn`t at all fudgy either. Maybe I didn’t do it right. There were some good reviews I thought I had found the perfect treat. It’s my first time using powdered erythritol instead of granulated I never had an after taste with the granulated so maybe it was that.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Elaine, I am sorry this didn’t work out for you. You may prefer this recipe for peanut butter fudge. It is nut butter-based, so it has a creamier/fudgier texture that you are looking for.
Jessica
So if my room temperature coconut oil is liquid-y, I’m guessing I should refrigerate it for awhile first?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jessica, Yes, you will want to refrigerate the coconut oil until solid.
Mena
Amazing! Absolutely amazing! I’m stunned by how easy it was to make and how good it turned out. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Steph
I made the chocolate fudge first and then made the peanut butter fudge and put it on top. It tastes like a peanut butter cup! So delicious.
Roberta
Thanks for the very useful and smart instructions and tips: this is a perfect step-by-step guide that make even the newbies feel confident in trying experimenting with home-made fudge, and knowing they’ll be healthy, nourishing but tasting great and satisfying any kind of taste being highly customizable… well… it’s an announced success đŸ™‚ !
Keep going on with this approach, your hard work sharing your recipes is a great resource for a lot of people and spreads the message that being healthy isn’t that hard nor restricting if you know how to manage your diet, thank you Maya!
Jo Du Plessis
I make this fudge but use coconut oil which I melt, cocoa powder+raw honey. Sometime I add sunflower or sesame seeds. I normally mix it in my blender but today I mixed it with my beater. Tastes very yummy.
E
Could I do something besides chocolate? Not a fan of chocolate fudge id prefer butter or vanilla fudge
Wholesome Yum M
Hi E, I’m sorry, not with this recipe. It relies heavily on the cocoa powder for success.
Kara
I followed the recipe but used stevia confectioners instead. The taste was horrible, too much coconut oil period. And something made it taste chemically and nasty i cant even describe it. Never gonna make it like that again.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kara, I’m sorry this didn’t turn out as expected. Unfortunately, I think the stevia is probably what gave the chemical flavors to your fudge. It can have an unfavorable flavor in large quantities.
Mary
Try using Swerve, I use it in all recipes requiring a sweetener. I have never had that chemical taste that you write about, using Swerve, although the “icing sugar” Swerve reminds me of the awful taste that Stevia has.
Good luck trying your recipe again with an alternative sweetener.
Carl
To try this out, I cut it down to tbsp instead of cups and used butter. It was delicious, and a great tiny snack. I will give the full thing a try when I have coconut oil. (Which I actually hope the coconut flavor does come through!)
Thank you!
Ania
You can swap half of coconut oil for butter and add 1/4 c of dry milk. It tastes divine.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ania, Thanks for the tip!
Kristi
Thanks so much for this recipe! It turned out DELICIOUS!!! I used refined coconut oil to not have a coconut flavor and it was just great! I love your recipes!! I would suggest that when you post recipes that say 4 ingredients that it has 4 ingredients, not 6. Again, thanks so much! Happy cooking!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kristi, I generally don’t count pantry staples like salt, pepper, or water as ingredients. I usually only count ingredients you would have to buy specifically to make this recipe. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
karen
Another wonderful recipe…I love this recipe and so many others in your cookbook. Thank you for sharing the recipes.
Oscar
I had a bad reaction from my kids and I tasted a lot of coconut oil. Not pleased with overall texture. Thanks it was worth a try.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Oscar, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as you hoped. Coconut oil is the base of this recipe, so the texture will be similar to that. As for the flavor, you can get refined coconut oil that has a more neutral flavor. If you are looking for a fudge that has a more traditional texture, I suggest trying the Peanut Butter Fudge recipe.
Megan
Hello!
I made this recipe and find the fudge to taste very strong like coconut, any tips to help? It still tastes decent, though I was hoping to use this as a base to make different flavours of fudge, especially for holidays.
Thanks so much!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Megan, Look for Refined coconut oil at your grocery store. It has a more neutral flavor and will be less noticable.
Janek Fischer
I tried it, and
1. It tasted like consuming pure fat – I don’t know if I did something wrong, but the coconut oil was far too dominant
2. The blending process was meh – a Handmixer didn’t really work, in the end I beat it with a spoon. Since everything except the coconut oil is a powder, it also spilled a lot
3. The result was more of a cream than a fudge, even after a day in the fridge
Note that I used coconut sugar instead of erithrytol because I don’t have the latter and thought that might fit as well.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Janek, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as planned. Did you use fractionated coconut oil? I don’t know why it didn’t set up. Coconut oil turns to a solid at room temperature, so time in the fridge should have quickly set it.