10 Top Vegan Dessert Recipes!

If you’re new to being a vegan you’ve probably encountered several obstacles when it comes to food. Although more restaurants now offer vegan options they are still few and far between. You have to be super wary of what is in your food and find yourself checking labels constantly. It can be especially hard when you have a sweet tooth because everything from cakes, crème brulees, brownies and cookies all contain eggs and milk. So, we’ve pulled together 10 Top Vegan Dessert Recipes that are deliciously sweet and taste so gorgeously indulgent that you’ll never have to skip dessert again!

1. Raw Brownies

Ingredients (makes 10-15):
140g pecans or almonds
400g pitted Medjool dates
3 tbsp raw cacao powder
Optional – 2 tbsp maple syrup

Method: Simply pulse the pecans (or almonds) in a food processor until they form a crumbly mixture, then add the dates, cacao and maple syrup (if using) and blend again.

Once the mixture is very sticky, take it out of the processor and put it into a baking tray. Freeze the brownies for an hour to let them set and then store them in the fridge. Credit: Deliciously Ella (book).

2. Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients (makes 24):
1 cup pecans
6 Medjool dates
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Filling:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 3 hours)
½ cup frozen strawberry slices
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup frozen strawberries (melted)

Method: Remove the pits from the Medjool dates and soak them in warm water for 10 mins. Drain the water from the dates and place in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process until the nuts are crumbled and the crust sticks together on its own. Press about 1 ½ teaspoons of the mixture into the bottom of each mini muffin cup.

Drain cashews from the soaking water and rinse under fresh water. Then add them to a high speed blender or vitamix along with frozen strawberries, agave nectar, melted coconut oil, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture into a bowl and set aside. Clean out the blender to make the strawberry puree for the swirl.
Allow the frozen strawberries to melt at room temperature or heat over low heat in sauce pan for a few minutes until soft. Then blend this in a blender into a smooth puree. Take a scant tablespoon of the cashew filling and pour on top of the pressed crust. Then take ½ tsp of strawberry puree and dollop on top of the cashew filling. Take the end of a toothpick and swirl the two mixtures around to make a fun artsy pattern!

Freeze the cheesecakes for 1-2 hours until solid. Remove them from the mini muffin trays and allow to thaw for 10-15 mins before biting into them. Credit: Food Network.

3. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients (serves 1):
2 sliced and frozen bananas
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
3 tbsp raw cacao nibs
Pinch sea salt
Drizzle of agave or maple syrup (optional)

Method: Place frozen banana slices in a food processor and run the machine until it resembles a crumb-like consistency. Add peanut butter, cacao nibs, sea salt and agave and whiz a little longer until you get a soft-serve ice-cream consistency.

Tip: You can add so many other things to this frozen banana ice cream base. Try candied nuts, almond butter or another favourite nut butter, cinnamon, frozen blueberries, chopped dates, candied ginger…The options are endless! Credit: Food Network.

4. Cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 18):
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups almond milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 18 paper baking cups. Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with almond milk to make 1 ½ cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the almond milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting. Credit: All Recipes.

5. Summer Strawberry-Banana Crumble

Ingredients (serves 6-8):
8 ripe bananas, peeled
400g punnet of strawberries
8 tbsp maple syrup
300g rolled oats
150g ground almonds
2 tsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
4 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method: Preheat the oven to 200ᵒC (fan 180ᵒC). Slice the bananas into a bowl, then chop the strawberries into bite-sized pieces and mix them in with the bananas. Place them in a baking dish (preferably 31x21cm) and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup over them. Put the tray in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crumble layer. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the coconut oil and cinnamon, to a mixing bowl, not forgetting the rest of the maple syrup.

Put the coconut oil in a saucepan with the cinnamon on a low heat until it’s melted, then pour into the bowl and mix all the ingredients together. Once the fruit has cooked for 10 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven and spread the crumble layer over the top. Place the dish back in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, until the top turns a golden brown. Credit: Deliciously Ella (book).

6. Banana Rice Pudding

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla rice milk, divided
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 ripe bananas, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Combine rice, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the liquid is fully absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Stir in 3 cups rice milk, brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon and bring to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon rice milk in a small bowl until smooth; add to the pudding. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture is the consistency of porridge, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Mash 2 bananas in a small bowl. Stir the mashed bananas and vanilla into the pudding. Transfer to a large bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, slice the remaining 2 bananas. Top each serving with a few slices of banana and sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Credit: Eating Well.

7. Oatmeal Chia Seed Cookies

Ingredients (serves 12):
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup applesauce
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir applesauce and coconut oil into oat mixture until dough is evenly mixed.

Fold cranberries, chocolate chips and coconut into dough. Spoon dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Credit: All Recipes.

8. Blueberry Mini Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cup whole wheat spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cup organic blueberries
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup soy milk
½ cup 100% maple syrup
¼ cup agave nectar

Method: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a mini cupcake tin with paper cups. Mix wet ingredients together in large bowl, then stir in dry ingredients, followed by the blueberries. Using small spoons, divide the batter among the cups so they’re almost filled to the top. Bake until muffins are golden brown, for about 20 minutes. Credit: Food Network.

9. Carrot Cake

Ingredients (serves 24):
2 cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup soy flour (optional)
1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cloves
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp tapioca starch (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups hot water
¼ cup flaxseed meal
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried currants (optional)
6 carrots, grated
½ cup blanched slivered almonds (optional)

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, soy flour, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking soda, tapioca starch and salt in a bowl until blended; set aside. Pour the hot water into a mixing bowl, and sprinkle with the flax meal. Stir for a minute until the flax begins to absorb the water, and the mixture slightly thickens.

Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved, then add the currants, carrots and almonds. Stir in the dry mixture until just moistened, then pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Credit: All Recipes.

10. Double-Ginger Cookies

Ingredients (makes 24):
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup chopped crystallised ginger
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
1 ¼ cups sugar, divided
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Method: Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients (flours through ground ginger); stir well with a whisk. Make a well in centre of mixture. Combine 1 cup sugar, applesauce, and next 4 ingredients (applesauce through vanilla). Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist; cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat hands with flour. Shape dough into 24 balls (about 2 tablespoons each; dough will be sticky). Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar and place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on pan then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Credit: My Recipes.

Don’t forget this list isn’t exhaustive by any means, trying these recipes is a good start and will delight your taste buds. They’ll show you that you don’t have to settle for bland food just because you’re vegan! Embrace more flavours and buy some vegan cookbooks from your local bookshop. We personally love “Deliciously Ella”, she’s got an inspiring back story and as you’ll see from her recipes featured here, she lives off a plant-based diet and puts a healthy twist on our favourite comfort foods. Show us your vegan creations on Twitter and Instagram at @KeepFitKingdom!

Safia Yallaoui

Safia is a lifestyle blogger and coach at the fitness membership company MoveGB. She also has an MA in journalism and has done a variety of freelance work in print, radio and online. After losing 14lbs a few years ago Safia got into health and fitness realising the most important thing about clean eating is nourishing your body. She loves to keep in shape with weight training and going to fitness classes. Whilst training to be a Nutritional Therapist she is learning how to alleviate health problems by including or omitting certain foods and has a keen interest in the affects of sugar on a person's physical and mental health.

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