Matcha Fudge

I am so excited to share today’s Matcha Fudge recipe with you guys! It’s no secret that I love adding matcha to sweets for the ultimate nutrition boost. This recipe uses creamy coconut butter and rich cacao butter for the ultimate oil-free vegan fudge. It only takes a few simple steps to make, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

What Is Matcha?

You have probably heard of matcha at some point. However you may still be a little unsure of what it is exactly. The most basic definition of what matcha is, is it is ground up green tea (powdered green tea). However that definition is not completely accurate. You can’t just blend up green tea and call it matcha.

Matcha is grown differently than green tea, and there is a completely different process to creating it. However not all matcha is created equally and therefore it is super important to purchase your matcha from a trusted retailer. I always get my matcha from Matcha.com.

Matcha.com (Matcha Kari) is the best place to get high quality matcha from in my opinion. All of their matcha is grown in Japan, and goes through various stages to ensure that the matcha you receive is of the highest quality. I also love Matcha Kari, because they have a variety of matcha products each created for different levels of matcha enthusiasts. This leads me to my next point: why it’s important to purchase ceremonial grade matcha.

Why Buy Ceremonial Grade Matcha?

When it comes to matcha quality is key. For the longest time I wasn’t a fan of matcha, I thought it had a super bitter taste, that didn’t go well with anything. However it wasn’t until I tried proper matcha that I realized how amazing matcha can be.

The quality of matcha can vary greatly, and that’s why it’s super important to buy high quality ceremonial grade matcha. Experts grade matcha according to color, aroma, flavor, texture, and freshness. This is where the grading comes into play. Typically high quality matcha is referred to as “ceremonial grade” and low quality is referred to as “culinary grade”. Ceremonial grade matcha is more vibrant green, smoother, and less bitter.

If you’re looking for a matcha powder to use in lattes, I strongly recommend using ceremonial grade. You can get away with using culinary grade matcha powder in baked goods, but personally I love using ceremonial grade, because it adds a delicious complimentary flavor. It makes a huge difference in recipes like this Matcha Fudge, because it is not baked, and therefore the matcha flavor is stronger.

Why Buy Matcha From Matcha.com?

Matcha has become extremely popular in recent years. It is available at most grocery stores, and there are thousands of brands selling it online. However I strongly believe that matcha.com is the best place to order matcha from.

Matcha.com (Matcha Kari) is my go-to place for all things matcha. It is truly a one stop shop. They have the best matcha selection I have ever seen, hundreds of in depth blog posts about matcha, and many more matcha recipes (including more of mine!).

If you’re interested in investing in some quality matcha, I definitely recommend the Tenchi Ceremonial Organic Matcha. It’s my go-to matcha, because it’s smooth and slightly sweet. As always my Matcha Kari discount code: “TANVEGAN” for 20% off your Matcha.com purchase!

Ingredients For This Matcha Fudge:

• Tenchi Organic Ceremonial Matcha – This is my go-to matcha. If you’re looking to invest in some high quality matcha, I definitely recommend this one. It’s smooth and slightly sweet. As always, my code: “TANVEGAN” gets you 20% off your Matcha.com purchase!
• Coconut Butter – This is what gives the Matcha fudge the creamy and fudgy texture. I used coconut butter instead of sweetened condensed milk for a whole foods plant based option.
• Cacao Butter – Is the perfect oil-free substitute for vegan fudge. It helps the fudge to hold it’s shape, add a white chocolate taste, and add additional nutrients.
• Coconut Extract – You can also use vanilla extract, if that’s your preference. Personally I love the combination of coconut and matcha. This Matcha Fudge is already coconut based, but the coconut extract really enhances that flavor.
• Maple Syrup – Any liquid plant based sweetener will work perfectly for this recipe. I went with maple syrup, because it doesn’t effect the color as much as other sweeteners such as date syrup.
• Coconut Chips – Any size of coconut chips, or flakes will work. You can also top with chocolate chips, cacao nibs, nuts, etc.

How To Make This Matcha Fudge:

This matcha fudge is surprisingly easy to make. Fudge can be a very tricky dessert to make, and is typically very labor intensive. However this recipe does not require any thermometers, or boiling. The only heating you will need to do is melting the cacao butter.

To make this Matcha Fudge, begin by combining the coconut butter, coconut extract, and maple syrup together in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. If your coconut butter is firm/super solid, I recommend mixing it around by itself for awhile to heat it up. When it heats up slightly it is a much easier mix with the other ingredients.

Melt the cacao butter using a double broiler. Sift the matcha powder into the liquid cacao butter. Mix until smooth. It’s important to make sure that there’s no clumps of matcha in the cacao butter before combining it with the other ingredients.

Pour the matcha cacao butter mixture into the coconut butter mixture and mix until everything is smooth and combined. The mixture should be thick and resemble thick nut butter. Since this vegan fudge is oil-free, and refined sugar-free, the texture before chilling will be much different than other fudge recipes.

Place a sheet of parchment paper in a baking pan. Scoop the fudge into the pan and smooth out. Top with coconut flakes and place in the fridge to set for about an hour.

Once the fudge has set, cut into 1 inch slices and enjoy immediately!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Matcha Fudge Vegan Friendly?

Fudge is a classic. it’s rich and decadent, and so addictive. However, traditional fudge is far from being vegan friendly. Fudge is usually made up oof three ingredients: milk, butter, and sugar. Unfortunately two of these ingredients are not vegan, and the third is not always vegan either. Therefore you probably won’t be able to find vegan fudge at very many places.

However, this Matcha Fudge is the perfect whole foods plant based fudge, because it is made with minimally processed vegan ingredients and is naturally sweetened.

Are Matcha Desserts Healthy?

Matcha is an incredibly nutrient dense food. Therefore finding ways to incorporate it into your diet is a great idea. However just because matcha is super healthy does not always mean that matcha desserts are healthy. I see tons of matcha desserts that are made with highly processed oils, sugars, and grains that claim to be healthy. I can assure you that any dessert that contains these and claims to be healthy is a lie.

Even though matcha is incredibly healthy, it can’t overcompensate for an unhealthy diet. Personally I believe that superfoods like matcha should only be added to desserts if you’re making whole foods plant based desserts like this Matcha Fudge.

Is Matcha Good For Weight Loss?

I am a firm believer that sustainable weight loss is only possible by eating a plant forward diet. There is no such thing as a magic pill that will help you lose weight. However, there are certain ingredients that can assist in weight loss. Matcha is one of those ingredients.

There are plenty of scientific based studies that prove that matcha is a great weight loss aide. Matcha is great for weight loss, because it increases thermogenesis (the rate at which the body burns calories). It does not do this overnight, and not all matcha will work the same. That’s why it’s important to consistently drink high quality matcha for long periods of time to see the weight loss results of matcha.

You can read more about the weight loss benefits of matcha for weight loss here.

Related Recipes:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Popsicles
• Matcha Coconut Cupcakes
• Dragon Fruit Matcha Smoothie Bowl
• Protein Fudge