Oh do I have a fun treat for you today. It showcases one of my old favourites – carob. Have you tried carob powder before? The pods of the tropical carob tree contain a sweet pulp which is dried, roasted, and ground into powder form. Carob is caffeine-free and contains antioxidants as well as calcium, iron, potassium, and fibre. I love mixing a spoonful of it into my vegan overnight oats, banana soft serve, homemade almond milk, or tossing some into a smoothie for a natural sweetener. I usually buy it in bulk from Bulk Barn (a great way to sample it if you are on the fence), but certain brands like Bobs Red Mill also sell it by the bag in many grocery stores and you can also find it online.
Here’s the kicker –
carob powder is naturally sweet which reduces the need for a lot of added sweeteners in a recipe – a total bonus if you ask me. If you can get over the fact that carob doesn’t taste like chocolate, you are golden. Some people say carob has a flavour similar to dates. I think that’s a better comparison, but you really just have to try it for yourself!
The makings of freezer fudge…
In this recipe, I paired carob with a touch of cocoa powder to add some chocolate flavour. You really can’t go wrong when these two powders are combined as you get the sweetness from the carob and the rich chocolate flavour of the cocoa powder. Of course, if you want to skip the cocoa powder all together you can do that too. Or if you want to use all cocoa powder you can try that, although you’ll need to add more liquid sweetener to the recipe to make up for carob’s lost sweetness.
I worked off my favourite Seductive Raw Chocolate Walnut Freezer Fudge and this carob variation was born. This recipe has a fraction of the added sugar (about 75% less), but I promise you won’t notice anything is missing. Now that’s my kind of treat. Best of all it takes 10 minutes to whip up and only another 20 minutes to set in the freezer. The only downside is that the hubby keeps eating it all on me!
Carob Almond Freezer Fudge
Yield
10 large or 16 smaller squares
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Chill time
20 minutes
Total time
Ready in 30 minutes, this carob freezer fudge is low in sugar while still tasting quite decadent. Feel free to change up the nut butter, sweetener, and mix-ins as you see fit. The coconut oil is necessary in this recipe though as it helps solidify the fudge when chilled. It melts quickly so be sure to enjoy it straight from the freezer and don't let it sit on the counter for more than a couple minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup creamy natural almond butter (roasted or raw are both fine)
- 1/4 cup carob powder, sifted
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice), to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rice crisp cereal (to add crunch - optional)
Directions
- Line a very small loaf pan (4" x 8") with plastic wrap for easy removal.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth.
- With a spatula, scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out.
- Freeze for about 20 minutes, or until solid.
- Slice into squares and enjoy! Store leftovers in a container in the freezer as it melts quickly at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
pssst – Bonus recipe alert! Carob powder makes a healthy “frosty” too. Just blend 1 large frozen banana, 1 1/2 tbsp carob powder, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tsp cocoa powder, 1 ice cube, and 1 tbsp chia seeds until smooth, icy, and thick. Absolutely delish! It reminds me of the Wendy’s frosty drinks of my youth.
Looks out of this world amazing! My mom used carob all the time in her baking when I was a kid. So nostalgic! I must try. :)
This is officially on my ‘to try’ list. Carob here I come! :)
Holy yum! The Mr will flip for these! I can’t wait to surprise him with it.
If I only have cocoa powder, can I use that instead of carob powder?
You sure can, but you’ll probably need to add more sweetener to make up for the bitter quality of cocoa powder. Just add to taste and you should be good!
I used cocoa instead of carob and chopped pecans instead of the rice crisp cereal with no more sweetener than 3 T of maple syrup, and it was delicious!
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! Super easy and delicious… the perfect amount of sweetness for everyone who has tried them so far… Highly recommend!
I agree with Kathryn’s comment – this fudge is insanely delicious and so easy to make! I actually like it better than chocolate, which I didn’t think was possible! I too give it a five-star rating.
I love the taste of carob! I have gestational diabetes so I won’t be eating these for the time being (although if I left out the rice puffs and paired it with protein it might work…not worth the risk though), but I’m pinning these to whip up for when I get some kitchen time at some point post-partum…they look amazing.
Carob? Never heard of it! Eager to give it a whirl.
Love how your husband was gobbling this fudge down….translation, this IS really good. Because one thing I’ve learned, men do NOT fake it, when I cook something not so great….my husband can’t tell a lie. His eyes say it all! Love the idea of the gluten free rice crispy for that crunch factor, gotta have it =)
I love freezer fudge, so this has got to be great! I love how easy this looks!
O man! This looks delicious and so easy. I can’t wait to try this treat.
Ooh looks delicious!! I must get myself some carob!
Yum! These look perfect. Pinned and can’t wait to try them!
I love freezer fudge and I especially love the idea of adding the cereal because it is otherwise so dense and rich. Will have to try this recipe soon :)
Wooah Ange, this sounds unreal! Love the simplicity of it and the low sugar content too! I really enjoy carob but haven’t had it in a while. I used to swirl it into Greek yogurt with some cocoa powder and cinnamon – so so tasty. Sounds like you need a new hiding spot so that you can keep some of the fudge for yourself! ;)
oh yum!
This looks beyond amazing! I love the combination of almond butter and chocolate mm!
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Carob… I really wanted to like it but I tried it literally one time after I got it from the health food store. No matter how much sweetener I added I couldn’t get over that ‘weird’ – I’m not sure how to describe it – taste. However, your recipe looks so promising I’m tempted to try it again. Yet I’m still scared…
I can’t believe I’m craving carob right now!
Freezer fudge is dangerous because it’s so easy I make it ALL the time! This looks delicious :) But I kid you not, a PB freezer fudge recipe has literally taken over my life. I should be careful!
Oh my word! This freezer fudge looks deee-lissh!!! I can’t blame your hubby for eating it all because I am not sure if I could resist this chocolatey summer treat! I can’t wait to try and ‘bake’ with carob for the first time! This might just fix the Almond butter + chocolate cravings I have been having lately :D
Both of these treats sounds amazing. I must try the smoothie asap. I love a cold refreshing drink!
I have never tried carob powder. It is one of those things that is on my list to try. I like that it is naturally sweet. I didn’t know that.
These look fab, especially with the addition of cripsy rice cereal. It reminds of the cripsy cakes I used to make when I was younger.