I’ve been making this creamy Keto Fudge recipe for what feels like forever now. When the chocolate cravings strike and nothing but fudge will do, this is my go-to recipe. And I’ve made both the dairy and dairy-free versions for friends and family.
There are no shortage of keto fudge recipes here on All Day I Dream About Food. My Keto Peanut Butter Fudge is exceptionally popular. And Keto White Chocolate Fudge is perfect for the holidays.
This recipe was the first sugar-free fudge I ever made, way back in 2013. But I am always striving for improvement in my own recipes. And now I’ve found a way to make it creamier and even lower in carbs. And with added nutrition benefits too!
Reader’s Thoughts
“This is the best fudge I have ever made. It’s creamy and smooth and just sweet enough. It’s perfect.Thank you for the recipe.” — Tannis
Why we love this recipe
- Easy recipe: This simple recipe has you simmer some cream, then whisk in the chocolate and other ingredients. Pour into a loaf pan and let it set!
- Rich flavor: This keto fudge has a wonderfully rich, deep chocolate flavor from the unsweetened chocolate and the cocoa powder.
- Creamy texture: The smooth, melt-in-your mouth texture is absolutely toothsome.
- Dairy-free option: I’ve made this fudge both with dairy and dairy-free ingredients. It’s delightful both ways!
- Low carb: With no added sugar and only 4.6 grams of carbs per serving, it delivers chocolatey indulgence without the sugar crash.
Ingredient Notes
- Heavy cream: You can use heavy cream or full fat canned coconut milk.
- Almond milk: Using a little almond milk helps cut back on excess fat. You can also use hemp milk or other nut milks, or simply use more cream or coconut milk.
- Sweeteners: I use a combination of powdered erythritol sweetener and a little allulose. See Tips for Success for more details.
- Butter: This helps the fudge thicken and set properly, and also adds creaminess, so don’t skip it.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Make sure to choose chocolate that is 100% cacao with no sweeteners at all. It is lower in carbs and also helps the fudge thicken and set properly.
- Collagen peptides: This is a recent addition to the recipe and gives it extra chewiness. See the Tips for Success for substitutions.
- Cocoa powder: I recommend Dutched cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. Raw cacao powder does not dissolve well for keto fudge.
- Pantry staples: Vanilla extract, salt.
Quick Overview: How to make this recipe
- Thicken the cream: This step has you make a simplified version of keto condensed milk, which acts as a thick base for the fudge. It takes about 30 minutes to thicken and reduce by about one-third.
- Melt the chocolate: Once the cream has reduced, add the chopped chocolate and let it melt, then whisk until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Whisk in the collage, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Chill and set: Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment and chill about 6 hours to firm up.
Tips for Success
Like most keto fudge recipes, this does get a bit soft at room temperature, so it’s best stored in the fridge. However, it can sit out on the counter for several hours if you are serving it to guests.
Unsweetened chocolate is temperamental and can seize when subjected to too much heat. Be sure to remove the hot cream mixture from the heat before adding the chopped chocolate. Also make sure not to allow any water into the mix, as that will cause it to seize as well.
It’s best to use a good quality unsweetened chocolate, such as Guittard or Ghirardelli. I find that Baker’s brand tends to seize more easily than higher quality brands.
Troubleshooting: If your mixture does seize or begin to separate during the process, you can often rescue it by beating with a hand mixer on low and slowly increasing the speed as it begins to come together. This can also work in a blender if you have one that has a low setting.
To cut keto fudge into perfect squares, heat up a sharp knife. I like to hold mine over the flame of my gas stove for 5 seconds. You can also run some boiling water from a kettle over the blade.
Collagen substitutions: The collagen in this recipe provides a wonderful chewy quality and also some additional structure. You can use unflavored, chocolate, or vanilla. If you prefer to skip it, then I recommend adding another tablespoon each of cocoa powder and powdered sweetener.
One reader indicated that they swapped the collagen for some chocolate whey protein powder and that worked as well. I have not tried it myself so I can’t really say for certain.
Sweetener Options
I know it would be simpler if there was just one go-to sweetener that worked in every application. But that is often not the case with alternative ingredients. I recommend using a powdered erythritol-based sweetener to help set the keto fudge properly, and a little allulose (or xylitol) to keep it from recrystallizing.
I do not recommend using only allulose or xylitol in this recipe, as it will be far too soft and may not ever set properly. I don’t recommend cutting back more on the erythritol more, as it helps the fudge set. However, if you do try it, you may want to add another tablespoon or two of cocoa powder to give it more structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can freeze keto fudge very easily. Wrap the fudge up tightly and store in a container so it doesn’t get crushed. It can be frozen this way for several months. You can also keep this keto fudge in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Unsweetened chocolate is a keto-friendly ingredient. It is made up of cocoa mass and cocoa butter, with no added sugars or sweeteners. It has 4g total carbs and 2g fiber per half ounce serving. So it has only 2g net carbs. It’s useful in many keto dessert recipes, such as keto chocolate frosting.
This creamy keto fudge recipe has 4.6g of carbs and 2.2 gram of fiber. So it has only 2.4g net carbs per serving. And the best part is that it tastes just like the chocolate fudge you loved as a kid!
More fudgy keto recipes you’ll love
Keto Fudge Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (315.45 ml) heavy whipping cream, or canned coconut cream
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) almond or hemp milk, unflavored
- 1/3 cup (63.33 g) powdered sweetener
- 3 tbsp (2 tbsp) granular allulose, (or xylitol)
- 2 tbsp butter, or coconut oil
- 5 oz (141.75 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup (33 g) collagen peptides
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with waxed paper or parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream, sweeteners, and butter to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened and reduced by about one third.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, until melted, then whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Whisk in the collagen, if using, the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
- Spread the mixture in prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt or chopped nuts, if desired. Chill 6 hours until firm and cut into squares.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Hi Carolyn I love your recipes. I made this and it was delicious! I also made it with a bag of Choc Zero white chocolate chips and it was divine!
I’ve seen a lot of comments stating that the fudge came out to liquidy, so, I decided to try a couple of things that might affect the outcome of the consistency.
I hope my tips are helpful.
The first thing, I let the cream mixture come to a slight boil and then simmer for a full 30 minutes.
Second, I chopped the chocolate into fine pieces, yes I did use Bakers because that’s what I had on hand. After the 30 minutes of simmering, I removed the pan and poured in the finely chopped chocolate pieces. I allowed it to sit in the cream mixture without touching it for 5 minutes. And then whipped it. I added the last ingredients, whipped.
I refrigerated it overnight.
I did use butter instead of coconut, I did not use the coconut extract. And the chocolate fudge came out excellent! The consistency is firm, yet soft. just like normal fudge.
I was wondering if I can use the liquid form of the allulose along with the swerve? thanks in advance!
I think you’re going to need to experiment. I worry that it will introduce too much liquid and the fudge wont’ set.
I made this yesterday and followed your recipe to the T (I added collagen but not the coconut extract). Aside from the small amount of coconut oil not completely incorporating into the melted chocolate, it was perfection! I whisked the melted fudge together and placed in the dish to set up (I placed in the freezer overnight). Today I removed from the freezer and then left in the fridge to thaw a bit. The coconut oil that didn’t blend in was easily cut off (yes, I ate it!). This keto fudge tastes just as creamy, sweet (but not too sweet) and chocolatey as any fudge I’ve ever made that’s loaded with sugar and carbs. I’m so happy I have a keto friendly version to make during the holidays! Thank you for this delightful recipe!
Darn, sorry that didn’t incorporate properly. But glad it turned out well!
I just made this last night. I followed your recipe to the letter.
I left it overnight in the fridge but it never completely set. It tasted absolutely delicious though.
We put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. When it came out, part of it was still a little soft. I used Collagen too! Not sure what happened but it seems it happened to several of us???
You’re right, it does seem to be happening to a lot of people. I am trying to figure out the issue. Can you tell me what brand of chocolate and what cocoa powder you used? Also.. what sweetener?
I used Bakers Chocolate, Dutch cocoa, combo of eurithol and Allulose
Okay… one brand of chocolate I never recommend is Baker’s. It’s really not great, tends to seize easily. But one more question for you… how much allulose did you use?
This tastes delicious, but it did not set up. It is rather gooey. I used granulated erythritol instead of Bocha sweet and coconut milk with coconut oil. I only had 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, so I subbed 3 Tbsp of cocoa powder and 1 Tbsp of coconut oil for the other ounce of unsweetened chocolate. I ended up putting it in the freezer overnight and it still did not set up.
I think your substitution of cocoa powder and coconut oil is the likely culprit, Also… did you use the collagen?
Yes, I did use the collagen. Should I have gone with just 4 oz of unsweetened chocolate instead?
No, you really needed more chocolate to firm it up properly. That sub with cocoa powder doesn’t give it enough structure, I am afraid…
It seems to be not firm at all after 16 hours in refrigerator over night. Almost liquify. I’ve placed it in the freezer for 1 hour to see if it will set-up! I used coconut milk and butter like recipe stated.
What brand of chocolate did you use? And did you use the collagen?
Thanks again for this recipe. I used to make batches of fudge for Christmas and decided it’s too much work and too tempting since going low carb.It’s funny but I actually didn’t want to eat it anymore until I couldn’t have it. such is life. I tried the cream cheese fudge. once. like you said, cream cheese does not belong in fudge.
Can’t wait to try this for the holidays.
Do you use virgin or refined coconut oil in your recipes?
Mostly virgin…
Stupid question, probably, but I’m used to people saying to scoop the cream off the top and just use that. So does this take the entire can or just the cream? Thanks.
Amazing!! And so simple! You never disappoint, Carolyn!
????
Just want to tell you that I replaced collagen with Whey protein (no flavor, unsweetened) and it was fantastic!
I am surprised, I didn’t think it would mix in well. Thank you for the tip!
I followed your recipe but my fudge did not set up properly. I can re-melt it, as you mentioned you had to do with one batch, but what can I use to firm it up?
Did you use a different sweetener?
You can re-melt it (very gently) and stir in more cocoa powder and/or collagen.
My daughter ants this. LOL Can I use coconut condensed milk instead of the sugar, coconut milk, and the oil? If so how many oz or do I just use the whole can.
Do you mean store-bought coconut condensed milk? I am honestly not sure, since it’s pretty high carb and I don’t use it.
Would I be able to add walnuts to this?
The only changes I made was I didn’t use coconut extract or shredded coconut, only because I didn’t have either one. I love coconut, but it was too much for me. This is a good recipe and I’ll still use it as a base. It actually set in less than a couple of hours and is a good consistency. Thank you for the recipe.