This fudge is a distant cousin of the one I’m used to eating at Christmas. It’s still rich, creamy, and decadent in all the right ways, but is much easier to make, is made with more nutrient-dense ingredients, and is kept in the freezer, lest it melt. Oh, and there’s lots of peanut butter; you didn’t think I was going to go a whole month without posting a new PB recipe, did you? 
So, fudge. I feel really guilty saying this, but I have to be honest with you: I’m not crazy about the stuff. My Dad and my Nanny (aka my grandmother) have been making fudge every Christmas for as long as I can remember, and then the memory must be traced through my aunts and uncles because I haven’t been around long enough to witness the origins of our family’s fudge tradition. I’m guessing they’ve been making it for a solid 50+ years. Maybe even longer. And their fudge is good. Like, perfect in all the best fudge ways. It’s dense, creamy, rich, and super sweet; they put walnuts in half of it and leave the other half completely unadultered, as any good compromising family should. Even as a kid I could only eat a couple pieces because this stuff is almost too sweet to handle. Which, just maybe, is why I wasn’t crazy about it. 
I love the nostalgia of my family’s fudge, and it hurts my heart to say it, but I rarely eat it anymore. Not because I think sugar is “bad” or because I don’t eat “normal desserts” (spoiler alert: I do, all the time) but because I take a tiny nibble, feel satisfied, and am ready to move on to the mountain of other available Christmas desserts. And when there’s an option that tastes great, makes my body feel great , and can easily be made year-round? Well, I’m on board. 
Why am I telling you about this Christmas tradition in September? Although I’m not crazy for traditional fudge, I’m kind of in love with chocolate and peanut butter, and fudge seems like a good vehicle for said addiction. I happened upon this fudge by chance. I was satisfying my peanut butter cravings after dinner for a few weeks this summer by stiring up a little bowl full of PB, coconut oil and raw honey, then sticking it in the freezer to firm up. I’d grab a spoon and dig into the cold, partially solidified peanut butter, and be happy. One night I left it for too long, and the resulting solid mass reminded me of fudge. Much experimentation and Internet research later, I added cocoa powder and fudge emerged. 
This may not be Christmas fudge, but I’m okay with that. This fudge is a treat I can happily eat every day, and even several pieces in, I don’t feel a sugar coma coming on. The simple ingredient list (peanut butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup/honey, vanilla, salt) makes these quick and easy, and arguably turns them into a great snack anytime of day. Breakfast fudge? Now we’re talking. 
I think you’re going to love this fudge as much as I do. It’s dense, creamy, and undeniably fudgey. The peanut butter tempers the sweetness, of which there isn’t much to begin with, and the coconut oil makes this fudge melt in your mouth. It’s also the reason this is freezer fudge, as coconut oil is liquid at room temperature; so would this fudge be, if you let it sit out for too long. I’m thinking that won’t be a problem, as this fudge is so good, everyone will gobble it up before it has a chance to soften. I’ve been keeping a batch in the freezer for a quick snack anytime (every time? shh) I walk through the kitchen. Which, by the way, is often. 
If you try out this nutrient-dense superfudge, let me know! Comment below or tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can pinpoint your location and come snack on your fudge once mine is all gone. Kidding…kind of. Happy weekend, friends!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter*
- 6 Tablespoons coconut oil melted or at soft room temperature
- 1/4 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, and make room in your freezer for the pan.
- 2. Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl, and stir well to combine with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour fudge into the prepared pan, spreading it to create an even layer.
- 3. Place pan in the freezer, covered, for at least an hour, but up to a month. When ready to eat, use the parchment as a sling to pull the fudge out of the pan, and slice with a sharp knife. I cut mine into 18 1-inch squares. Store fudge in the fridge or freezer, or else it will return to the soft, batter-like consistency it began as before you froze it.