Protein Chocolate Fudge that won’t foil your healthy eating…this rich gluten-free treat is sweetened with dates and pure maple syrup with complex flavor notes of vanilla and espresso.
We all get those days. Maybe that one coworker was relentless today, or maybe traffic was especially fun. Maybe your hubs is giving your marriage vows a run for their money (hey, it happens in real life). Or perhaps it’s just that time of the month. Whatever the reason, sometimes we just need a little chocolate in our lives, especially when it’s healthy like this Protein Chocolate Fudge. Am I right, ladies?
Not to mention, when certain holidays roll around (ahem, Easter), and we’re inundated with chocolate everywhere we look. There’s no avoiding temptation, so we might as well give in…with something that’s actually nourishing!
Something funny about this recipe…when I was making it, Mike saw the chopped chocolate I was using (which is completely unsweetened!) and grabbed a piece; before I could tell him I didn’t think he’d enjoy it, he stuffed it in his mouth. Two seconds later he spit it out and asked me how on earth I can eat that. After that I couldn’t get him to try this fudge for love nor money, despite assuring him that it is adequately sweetened with dates and maple syrup.
However, this Protein Chocolate Fudge is definitely not overly sweet! If you have a serious sweet tooth or are making this fudge for husbands and/or kids, you can increase the dates to 6 oz/170 grams and increase the maple syrup to 6 tablespoons. It’s still a healthier choice than most store-bought candy!
There are times when I surprise myself at how well a recipe turns out. I mean, I expected this one to be good (it was adapted from my recipe for Paleo Brownie Batter, which is one of my favorite healthy indulgences), but it goes so far beyond good. Especially considering it’s full of real food ingredients and won’t blow your healthy eating to smithereens.
Here are a few more homemade candy recipes to inspire you…
3-Ingredient Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Eggs {Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs Copycat}
Chocolate-Covered Sponge Candy
Healthy Chocolate Treats
One of the keys to making healthy chocolate treats that you can enjoy more frequently like this Protein Chocolate Fudge is to choose a healthier sweetener alternative instead of sugar. Use unsweetened chocolate and/or unsweetened cocoa powder and instead of adding regular sugar, so you can use a more natural sweetener (like honey or maple syrup) or a low or no-calorie sweetener (such as stevia or erythritol).
Healthy Fudge Recipe
I always think of fudge as a special occasion treat. As a kid, the only time we had fudge in my family was on holidays like Christmas and Easter! But there’s no reason fudge can’t be healthy, and when it’s healthy there’s no reason we can’t fit it into our regular eating habits, right? This recipe is chock full of nutrient-dense ingredients:
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Medjool dates
- Tahini
- Pure maple syrup
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate protein powder
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt
- Espresso powder
Paleo Sweeteners to Make Healthy Chocolate Treats (Like Protein Chocolate Fudge!)
Here are a few of my favorite paleo-friendly sweeteners:
- Dates
- Coconut sugar
- Maple syrup
- Honey (not vegan)
- Stevia
Vegan Protein Powder
In this recipe for Protein Chocolate Fudge, I used vegan pea protein powder, which is a great source of dietary protein for vegans and vegetarians. I developed this recipe using a slightly-sweetened chocolate-flavored protein powder, so if you use an different flavor of protein powder, you may want to add more sweetener and/or chocolate.
Naked Nutrition Pea Protein Powder
This protein powder is made by extracting the soluble pea protein from yellow-split peas; most of the starch and fiber is removed. Yellow pea protein powder is an excellent source of dietary protein for people who cannot use animal or milk-based proteins. Naked Nutrition Pea Protein Powder is processed via mechanical water-extraction without the use of chemicals, and is gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. The only ingredient is yellow pea protein. This pea protein powder also comes in chocolate flavor, which contains just yellow pea protein, organic raw cacao, and organic coconut sugar.
Bob’s Red Mill Chocolate Protein Powder
This blend is made from pea protein powder, chicory root fiber, chia seeds, probiotics, and monk fruit extract for a bit of sweetness. Bob’s Red Mill Chocolate Protein Powder is gluten free, vegan, a good source of omega-3, an excellent source of iron, and high in fiber.
More Protein-Rich Healthy Chocolate Treat Recipe Inspiration:
- Protein-Packed Thick and Creamy Hot Chocolate from Healthy Sweet Eats
- Chocolate Protein Pancakes from Jennifer Meyering
- 3-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites from The Keto Queens
Protein Chocolate Fudge (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 4 oz pitted Medjool dates (about 6 to 8), soaked in hot water for 3 minutes if they need softening
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons plain unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate protein powder of choice see Note
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions
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Line an 8½ inch by 4½ inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
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Add the melted chocolate, dates, tahini, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla to a food processor and process until smooth.
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Add the protein powder, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder and process until smooth.
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, about 2 to 4 hours, before cutting.
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Serve; you can store any leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
Protein Powder: I used Bob's Red Mill Chocolate Protein Powder in this recipe; Naked Nutrition Chocolate Pea Protein Powder would also be great.
The Flecks of Chia Seeds You See in the Fudge: Are from the protein powder I used! I didn’t add additional chia seeds.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
This looks delicious! A perfect protein snack for sure!
hmm….looks wonderfully yummy! pass me some please… :)
I love that this is a healthier treat, real fudge is SO bad for you. Can’t wait to make some!
THAT is totally something that my husband would do. He’s forever sneaking behind me to steal a nibble of whatever it is I’m cooking.
Totally trying this so so soon! My husband is the complete opposite as he LOVES unsweetened dark chocolate. Totally weird HA!
I love this healthier take on fudge! Just what I need for my afternoon pick me up :).
From a male perspective, I’d eat chocolate ANYTIME. I actually swore off and made sure I had no chocolate malted easter eggs this year. I am so proud, but this would make me cave in for sure. Love the dates/maple syrup sweeter in this too. Then that tahini came out of nowhere. Pinned to try!
BTW, the other recipes you posted are killing me. Especially that sponge candy. I’m a sucker for that every time. :)
totally divine! and i love love the story about your husband tasting the unsweetened chocolate. reminds me of last week when i made some gf blueberry lemon muffins, and they were amazing, but my beau said “they’re good, but they must be healthy, right?” lol.
this fudge is calling my name! i’ve recently found a protein powder i like so i’m excited to try your recipe. dates, aren’t they a mighty little fruit?
xo