I’ve had vegan hot fudge before, but this is on a whole other level. I mean Kahlua, come on.
The basis for this recipe is simple: coconut cream, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, sugar and sea salt. Then in a fit of boozy glory you add in two shots of Kahlua – the ultimate coffee-flavored liqueur. I don’t have to tell you that chocolate and coffee belong together but I will.
CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE BELONG TOGETHER. There, now you know.
This fudge comes together in a matter of minutes. Here’s so:
1. Crack open your can of coconut milk and scoop off the top cream.
2. Whisk it in a saucepan with sugar, cocoa powder and sea salt.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and Kahlua.
4. PUT IT ON EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED EVER.
5. The end.
The flavor of this fudge is NOT overwhelmingly coconut-y like you’d think. The chocolate and Kahlua are actually the dominant flavors. The coconut cream simply gives it a slight hint of coconut and a super thick texture.
In fact, after refrigerating it pretty much becomes mousse. Yeah, CHOCOLATE KAHLUA MOUSSE.
Vegan Kahlua Hot Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (cream only – see instructions)
- 1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 4 Tbsp raw or granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp Kahlua coffee liqueur*
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Open your unshaken can of coconut milk (refrigerated or not) and use a spoon to scrape off the top layer of thick cream, reserving the watery, liquid portion for smoothies or other uses.
- Add cream to a sauce pan over medium-high heat and add cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and cook for a few minutes. Add sugar and salt and whisk – cook until warm and bubbly – 5 minutes. Reduce the heat if you see it getting too bubbly.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and Kahlua and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. You may prefer more Kahlua or vanilla than I did.
- Transfer to a clean glass jar or bowl to let cool. Once room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Will keep for a couple weeks. Either reheat in the microwave before serving, or warm in a saucepan of simmering water.
Notes
*There seems to be some dispute over whether Kahlua is vegan-friendly or not. Past formulations seemed to be, but on their website Kahlua says its “original” is not vegan-friendly. However, looking at the ingredients it’s unclear what’s not vegan-friendly about it (no dairy is listed and they don’t filter their sugar through bone char). If vegan, proceed with caution and read the ingredients depending on which Kahlua product you’re buying.
Richie says
This is the ultimate vegan chocolate sauce: deep, dark and velvety smooth. Even though the coconut cream I used (Fair Trade) did not make a solid cream (even though it was left in the refrigerator overnight), and even though I skipped the liqueur, I am gobsmacked by the result.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Richie!
Richie says
One question: how do I turn it back into a pourable sauce after having refrigerated it?
Hi! You can gently heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. It’s caused by the coconut milk becoming solid below room temperature. Hope that helps!
Richie says
As a mousse this is EVEN BETTER!
AMAZING!
sheila says
Easy, perfect for ice cream! Really appreciate how much you all test your recipes because they come out perfectly every time!
I didn’t have Kahlua and just left it out, still classic and great.
Aw, thank you for your thoughtful review, Sheila! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Cara says
Does anyone know how much coconut cream a 14 ounce can of coconut milk yields? I have small cans of coconut cream.
Forgive me if this has been covered, I didn’t read all the comments!
Hi Cara, a little more than 1 1/2 cups. Hope that helps!
Ann says
Would it be possible to sub the kahlua for something else?
I’d say omit or sub another alcohol of choice!
Megan says
I just made this with cacao powder, dark cocoa powder, a superfoods + greens smoothie powder, agave nectar, and the canned coconut cream. I also added a hint of cinnamon. YUM!! Thanks for the inspiration, MB! You’re always my go-to!
Christina says
Another reply from kahlua.com today: Hi Christina, my name is Giancarlo and I head up global communications for Kahlúa.
I wanted to personally address this query and make myself available for further clarification if needed.
All bottles of Kahlúa are mixed and bottled in the same place, Fort Smith, Arkansa, USA. Up until two years ago when the full production process was scrutinised we were under the assumption our suppliers did not use this method. Upon investigation we were informed that some of the affiliates of this supplier in North America uses the process. For us to be able to tell whether each specific batch is made using the process or not is extremely difficult and costly. Therefore we have the duty to communicate this to consumers, which is what we did and changed the status of Kahlúa to non-vegan friendly.
With that said, we have now started a process to ensure this is no longer the case and hopefully in 6-12 months will be able to claim Vegan again.
Please bare with us while we undertake this challenge.
Feel free to reach out if you have any other queries.
Best wishes,
Team Kahlúa.
This is helpful! Thanks for sharing, Christina.
Christina says
I wrote to kahlua.com and received the following answer today in regards to Kahlúa Original: Hi Christina,
For clarity we do not add animal derivatives into our products, however, upon a thorough investigation two years ago, we discovered that one of our sugar suppliers uses a process that is not considered vegan-friendly. While this is a common practice in the industry, it unfortunately also means we are unable to call our Kahlúa suitable for a vegan diet.
We also know this will probably mean we will lose you as a customer, but we are here to help in any way we can.
All the best,
Team Kahlúa
Thanks for sharing, Christina.
Christina says
http://www.barnivore.com claims that Kahlua original is not vegan
Anyone knows why?
There are vegan-friendly and non-vegan friendly versions of Kahlua. Just ensure you check the bottle you buy!
Christina says
According to https://www.kahlua.com/en/faq/ none of their versions are vegan. A couple of years ago they said the original version was, but not any longer. I’m wondering if it’s a mistake on their own website… I find it very strange since more and more companies seem to go vegan and not the opposite. Also, they must be aware of all the vegan influencers on Youtube, instagram etc who have been and are using Kahlúa original.
Ok interesting! We’ll make a note in the recipe!
carol says
I have never tried vegan cooking but am trying to come up with a vegan fudge sauce to serve to friends.
I made this recipe following the directions closely except I used coconut cream instead of full fat coconut milk. Although the flavor and level of thickness is very good the consistency is very grainy. Is there something I did wrong or is vegan fudge sauce just not as smooth as fudge sauce with dairy products?
Hmm, perhaps your cocoa powder was a little grainy or not fresh? Also, what brand of coconut cream did you use? Sometimes that can be the culprit (especially Trader Joe’s).
carol atwill says
Thanks for getting back to me. I know my cocoa powder isn’t the culprit because I’ve made fudge sauce with dairy and it was nice and smooth. I used Goya coconut cream. Is there a brand that you recommend? Should I have used a little of the “water” at the bottom of the can? I hesitate to do that since I did think it was a good “thickness” but maybe I didn’t have enough liquid to absorb the sugar and cocoa granules?
carol
Yeah I’m not quite sure why it would’ve been grainy, unless the sugar didn’t get dissolved well enough?
Allison says
This recipe is pure genius. Have not gone a month in the refrigerator without it. Who would imagine that vegan hot fudge would become a dietary staple.
Thank you
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Allison. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Andrew says
Hi,
I can get hold of pure coconut cream. How much should i use in this recipe?
Thanks
Hi Andrew, our best estimate would be about 1/2 cup. Let us know how it goes!
Cheryl says
I made this, and we loved it! I did not use Kahlua as we don’t use alcohol, and ended up adding one more tablespoon of sugar. I should have sifted my cocoa as I couldn’t whisk out the lumps, but it was delicious and veganly decadent, anyway!
Thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
This is fantastic! I didn’t have the Kahlua, so I left it out and only added three out of four tbsp of the sugar. Turned out so yummy! Thanks for another amazing recipe keeping my sweet tooth alive! Lol ?
Angela says
Added this to vegan and non-vegan sundaes and no one could believe it was vegan. AMAZING recipe!!! Will definitely be making again!
Megan says
Can I freeze this?
We haven’t tried, but recommend refrigerating! It will keep for a couple weeks.
Angela says
Just made this, it is ridiculously delicious. I’m loving your recipes bought your book a few weeks ago and enjoying many delicious and super easy meals so just bought a second for my sister. Thank you so much for sharing
Teyebeh Bashir says
I don’t drink alcohol so what can I use in place of Kahluha? My son is allergic to coconut so can I replace it with heavy cream? I can’t have sugar , can I substitute with dates? Thank you!
Dates and heavy cream should work. And I’d just leave the kahlua out or sub it with a little espresso powder or very bold coffee!
Hannah Elizabeth says
Okay, so I have two questions. If you were using coconut cream (not the reserved cream from the top of a can of coconut milk), how much cream would you add? Also, do you think any alternative sweeteners would work? I was thinking liquid ones would make it too liquid-y, but I don’t know, maybe not. Possibly date paste? Would that mess with the flavors? Sorry for all the questions!! This looks fantastic; can’t wait to give it a try!!
Shannon says
I thought Kahlúa was not considered vegan because of their company’s (Pernod Ricard) support of bullfighting. I’m not vegan but have friends who are whom I cook for. I love Kahlúa and would like to use it if I could. I’m not sure if there are just more strict vegans than others. [?] So confused!
Kathryn Mader says
Oh yeah, I forgot to rate the recipe…I’ll catch on eventually.
haha, thanks Kathryn!
Kathryn Mader says
This recipe is beyond brilliant…out of this world!! 11 out of 10, A+++, 5 glowing, pulsating starts all the way! The coconut cream (which I used a small can of pure coconut cream) gives it that nice buttery flavor which is showcased in the best non-vegan homemade chocolate sauce recipes. Thank you, Minimalist Baker! Oh, and your blog is quickly becoming my very favorite of all the great ones out there. HAPPY!
Ah, yay! So glad you liked this, Kathryn! This made my day :D
Kathryn Mader says
I hope you can’t OD on the chocolate sauce. In case you didn’t recognize my name, I am the subjective/objective/who/whom crazy person :) Keep fooding away!
Julia says
I forgot to rate it…
Julia says
Oh my wow…this is so yummy & fast! Thank you!!!
Jen says
I’ve made this numerous times and have a batch on the stove right! Each time I’ve made it, I use the whole can of coconut milk, and it turns out great. Still gets thicker when refrigerated, just probably not as “mousse like”. I’ve also found this to be a delicious addition to a cup of coffee! :) Thanks for the great recipe.
Julia says
This looks AMAZING. Boozey ice cream sundae bar must happening: kahlua hot fudge, bourbon caramel, and some of your coconut ice cream. get in my belly.
[but i did want to let you know there is a typo in “definition” on your graphic]
Julia says
Okay, humble pie eaten – there’s a typo in my comment too.
ah! Thanks for the catch! I’ve eaten my humble pie now too :D
Jenny @ BAKE says
I absolutely love the photos on your site! and this sauce sounds amazing!
india says
my mouth is watering so bad!
alexandra @ sweet betweens [blog] says
yes. all of these things. coffee. chocolate. kahlua. fudge. ice cream. mousse. damn, woman. you’ve got mad kitchen skills!
tijya says
This may be earth changing. I must try it.
Coty and Mariah says
You seriously make the coolest things. Oh, and your photography is lovely!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I could seriously put this fudge on everything! LOVE!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says
Ultimate awesome sauce.
Heather says
Love love love this. And on top of chocolate mint ice cream? oh, so amazing.
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
This looks dangerous. Really. Really dangerous.
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
There you go making coconut milk magic again! Want want want.
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
I concur, chocolate & coffee = match made in heaven.
Elaine says
How long will this last in the fridge once made?
Mine has been in the fridge 1 week and it’s still perfect. I would guess a few more days over that, but maybe more. Hope that helps!
Michelle says
Could you process it for canning?
Hmm I’m not sure and haven’t tried it! If you give it a go, report back!
Sophie says
Can’t. even.
Donna says
MOUSSE….it MUST be made. Question…any changes needed to this superlative Hot Fudge recipe to mousse-ify it….or just chilling in the fridge?….Loving this …and your photography here is even above the usual spectacular level…The contrast of dark background and white ceramic…In awe….really.
Janine says
Oh wow, this hot fudge looks stunning and sounds absolutely amazing! Great work!
Tieghan says
Making fudge with coconut is always so good! I actually use it all the time just because I like it! And the Kahlua? Yeah well, that is one of my very favorite ingredients. I use the stuff when ever possible in my baked goods. It’s awesome!