The holidays are my favorite time of year, full of excitement, friends and family, food, and entertaining. But it is also the time of year when we need to give our immune systems some support, not bombarding them with foods that are difficult to digest. So instead of making fudge with conventional ingredients like marshmallow fluff and white sugar, make these healthier versions. Your body will thank you.
These fudges are perfect for increasing your intake of heart-healthy coconut oil. Coconut oil contains lauric acid and other fatty acids that are very good for you. I try to eat 4 tablespoons of coconut oil every day. But aside from the practical benefit, these are beautiful and nourishing during the time of year when we usually eat a lot of refined sugar and flour during the holidays. If you make these for a holiday party, or even to simply have around at home for a sweet snack, you will find that you are able to curb the need for white sugar and white flour.
I really love it when I find a dessert recipe that is not only GAPS-legal but actually and truly very, very delicious. I mean really delicious, as in: you-don’t-have-to-have-real-food-tastebuds-to-appreciate-this delicious. And it is a really special day when I have not one, but two, recipes to share that are up to this standard. I have read coconut butter fudge recipes before, and I find these combinations below to be the most approachable and satisfying. Adding the shredded coconut to these makes them extra special. They have a lovely texture and flavor.
Chocolate Peppermint Coconut Fudge
makes one 9X9 pan
1/2 cup coconut butter (aka coconut spread) (buy coconut butter here)
1/2 cup expeller-pressed coconut oil* (buy coconut oil here)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (buy cocoa powder here)
1/4 cup thick, raw honey (buy set honey here)
2 teaspoons peppermint extract (buy peppermint extract here)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (buy good vanilla extract here)
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (buy shredded coconut here)
- In a food processor, combine coconut butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, honey, peppermint, and vanilla until very well-combined. Add shredded coconut and pulse until combined.
- Spread mixture into a square glass pan**, smoothing the top evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the pan, and cut into squares (if it’s too stiff, then let sit 10 minutes at room temperature and try again). Using a small spatula, loosen the individual squares. Store in the refrigerator in a container. To serve, remove from the fridge and let the chill come off for about 20 minutes.
*Expeller-pressed coconut oil is neutral-tasting, as opposed to virgin coconut oil that tastes like coconut. I prefer less coconut taste, but if you love coconut, go for the virgin coconut oil. They are both extremely good for you! (buy all kinds of coconut oil here)
**You can also line your pan with parchment paper and then lift the entire square of chilled fudge onto a cutting board to cut into squares. I prefer not to waste the parchment, but this method is very effective!
Coconut Citrus Fudge
makes one 9X9 pan
1 cup coconut butter (aka coconut spread) (buy coconut butter here)
1 cup coconut oil (buy coconut oil here)
1/2 cup thick, raw honey* (buy set honey here)
1 tablespoon citrus zest (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime)** (buy a microplace here)
2 tablespoons citrus juice (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime)**
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (buy shredded coconut here)
- In a food processor, combine coconut butter, coconut oil, honey, zest, and juice. Process until very well-combined. Add shredded coconut and pulse until combined.
- Spread mixture into a square glass pan***, smoothing the top evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the pan, and cut into squares. Using a small spatula, loosen the individual squares. Store in the refrigerator. To serve, remove from the fridge and let the chill come off for about 20 minutes.
*Use more honey for lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Use less honey for orange, since it’s naturally sweeter)
**It’s very fun to make two batches of this fudge, and use zest from two different fruits. I like doing one lemon and one lime; the flecks of color from the zest is gorgeous.
***You can also line your pan with parchment paper and then lift the entire square of chilled fudge onto a cutting board to cut into squares. I prefer not to waste the parchment, but this method is very effective!
These recipes both use coconut butter, also known as coconut cream concentrate and coconut spread. You can find jars of coconut butter at the Wilderness Family Naturals link in my resource page for a best quality coconut spread. Yum!
This post is a part of Sunday School at Butter Believer, Make Your Own! Monday at Natural Family Awareness, Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist, Fat Tuesday at Real Food Forager, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Traditional Tuesday at Whole New Mom, Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Healthy2day Wednesday at day2dayjoys, The Mommy Club at Crystal & Co., Welcome Wednesday at Take it From Me!, Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS, Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen’s, and the Handmade Christmas Gift Carnival at The Nourishing Gourmet.
Looks great! I totally understand about the “real food taste buds” thing
I know, right! I always have my husband taste things for their “weirdness” levels, lol.
These just went on my new pinterest site for me to make! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! *goes to follow you on Pinterest*
The coconut citrus fudge sounds delish! Can I substitute stevia for the honey? Do you think the consistancy will be the same and will it hold together well?
I think you could use stevia still. The consistency will be different, but since it’s refrigerated I’m guessing it will still hold together just fine. Try it and tell me if it works! I’m curious
What is coconut butter? I didn’t find it on Wilderness Family Naturals website. Or is there another name for it?
It’s called “coconut spread” on the Wilderness Family Naturals site. Sorry for the confusion. I’ll update the OP.
These look yummy! I know I need to up my coconut oil intake
Any substitutes for the coconut butter? We have coconut cream concentrate from Tropical Traditions…do you know if that is the same thing?
Yes, the coconut cream concentrate is the same thing, so go ahead and use it.
I am working on a Frango Mint recipe..but wanted to do it w/out eggs….thanks for the idea!
Hi Kendahl,
This fudge is just awesome. I can’t wait to try your recipes. Hope you are having a great week end and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks! We’ve been having this for dessert for a few days now, and it’s a great motivator for certain children at my house to eat their dinners a little more quickly!
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Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
These look great!
Check back later tonight when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts!
YUM!!! Need to track down some of that coconut butter so I can make these. Thanks!
Yes, do it! It’s also sometimes called coconut spread, or from Tropical Traditions as “coconut cream concentrate”. But they’re all the same thing: ground up coconut meat until it becomes a paste.
They look so good, thanks for sharing! Off to buy coconut butter!
Both look so good! Thanks for sharing! I am going to try them!
Oh good, I hope you enjoy
These recipes sound yummy! Do you melt the coconut oil first before putting it in the food processor?
No, I just put it in and the food processor does the work. In fact, I have made these in the winter when my coconut oil is pretty solid and the summer when it’s completely liquid, and it works both ways. I hope you love these as much as I do
What kind of cocoa powder do you use? Do you get it from Wilderness Family Naturals? They listed raw, dark, etc. Wasn’t sure which one to get.
Thanks!
I use the one that is called Cacao powder, raw, certified organic. I see the “dark” one there, but I haven’t ever tried it and I don’t know what the difference is. It certainly sounds good either way
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I made the chocolate peppermint coconut fudge last night – it is to die for! I could barely stop licking the spatula long enough to get my fudge in the dish. I used virgin coconut oil since it’s what I had on hand and there is definitely a faint coconut taste, but the overarching flavor is still mint chocolate. Thanks for this recipe!
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The coconut citrus looks absolutely fantastic! Actually they both do, but I’m on GAPS and can’t have cocoa yet, so I’ll have to turn a blind eye to the chocolate one for the time being
I’d better start making some coconut butter!
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I have nothing but thanks for you and this recipe, Kendahl! It is the easiest, quickest and most delicious GAPS treat I have had to date! I have always been a huuuuuge chocolate peppermint fan, so you won me over before I even tried the recipe. I am soooooooo thankful to you and my little 1cm by 1cm cubes of coconut chocolately goodness! This is the best treat EVER!
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Hi Kendahl,
I tried the peppermint chocolate recipe and it turned out great! However, when I attempted the citrus fidge, it seems the coconut oil separated and I couldn’t get it to blend with the rest of the ingredients. Has this happened to you? Is it still salvageable at this point?
I love your blog, btw!
Thanks!
Did you use a food processor? I have never had any trouble getting mine to combine, but I also haven’t tried it in the middle of summer/when it’s warm. Is your coconut oil liquid? If so, try putting it in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden up a bit and then mix again. That may solve the problem.
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I added a handful of cranberries to the citrus fudge recipe. Gave it an extra tang and pretty red flecks. Will try on the chocolate peppermint fudge next.
Ooooh, I may need to try that!
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