Growing up, we were definitely “back of the package recipe” makers. And that included Kraft’s Fantasy Fudge on the marshmallow crème jar. Fortunately, this recipe works wonderfully without dairy. I simply make a simple swap for the evaporated milk, and tweak a couple other ingredients ever so slightly. The result is dairy-free fantasy fudge that friends and family devour.
Dairy-Free Fantasy Fudge to make Your Chocolate Wishes Come True
Here are some quick notes about the ingredients I used to create dairy-free fantasy fudge:
- Butter Alternative – The classic fantasy fudge recipe actually uses margarine, which is often dairy free. You can use dairy-free margarine or buttery sticks. I made my most recent batch with Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.
- Milk Alternative – I use coconut milk to maintain the richness that evaporated milk provides. And no, the fudge does not taste coconutty – I have verified with tasters! If you need coconut-free for health reasons, I recommend using soymilk. I always use a plain, two-ingredient soymilk, like WestSoy, for recipes. We haven’t tested this dairy-free fantasy fudge recipe with other milk alternatives. Packaged types like oat milk and almond milk are often too thin and don’t perform as well in recipes like this.
- Vanilla – I increased the vanilla when making dairy-free fantasy fudge, as it mellows any possible hints of coconut.
- Salt – Regular salted margarine or buttery sticks are used (Country Crock is actually on the salty side), but I still like to add another big pinch of salt for more depth in flavor.
What if I Don’t Have a Candy Thermometer?
It really is best if you use one, but many recipes state 4 minutes of boiling will do it. I used a heavy saucepan on flat electric stove, and it did take about 4 minutes to reach 234°F. This temperature is right on the border of the thread and soft ball stages, so it can be more difficult to reach visually. If you don’t have a thermometer, I would time 4 minutes from when the mixture reaches a full boil and hope for the best!
Does this Dairy-Free Chocolate Fudge Ship Well?
Yes! This is the recipe I use if I want to ship dairy-free fudge. We have a lot of chocolate fudge recipes up that I love, but this is the one that keeps best at room temperature and keeps it’s shape better. If you’re concerned about warm temperatures, insert an ice pack with your shipment.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Fantasy Fudge
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, and vegetarian. Be sure to choose the buttery sticks and chocolate chips that suit your dietary needs.
Egg-free and Vegan Note: I recommend using one of our vegan fudge recipes instead! We have The Best Vegan Holiday Fudgeand a few more vegan fudge recipes listed below the recipe on this post. Egg-free marshmallow creme does exist, but it can be very hard to find. Melted vegan marshmallows might work, but we haven’t tested it. If you confuse eggs with dairy, you’re not alone! See this post: Are Eggs Dairy?
- 3 cups white sugar
- ¾ cup dairy-free buttery sticks
- ⅔ cup canned coconut milk (regular or lite, shaken)
- 2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I use semisweet)
- 1 (7-ounce) tub marshmallow creme
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Big pinch salt
- Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper overhanging on two opposing sides (to easily lift the fudge out. Use a smaller pan for thicker fudge, a 9x13-inch pan for thinner fudge.
- Place the sugar, butter alternative, and coconut milk in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly as the mixture comes to a boil. Boil until the mixture reaches 234°F on a candy thermometer. This is usually takes about 4 to 5 minutes, but can vary depending on your stove and pot.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, vanilla, and salt. Stir until the chocolate and marshmallow are melted.
- Scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and even it out.
- Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature to set, about 4 hours.
- Remove the fudge block, using the parchment paper, and cut into 1-inch squares.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can refrigerate it to keep or a few weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
More Dairy-Free Fudge Recipes
Vegan Maple Cream Fudge
Vegan Peppermint Fudge Bites
Foolproof Peanut Butter Fudge
