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Decadent vegan desserts to impress
Vegan desserts with major wow factor
By Emily Price · March 26, 2024
Originally published on loveFOOD
Stunning vegan sweet treats
Whether you’re fully committed to veganism, are catering for a vegan crowd or simply want to eat a more plant-based diet, this collection of indulgent dessert recipes proves that you certainly don’t need to miss out on sweet treats. From towering meringues to exquisitely iced celebration cakes and dense, fudgy brownies, these plant-based desserts are decadent, delicious and entirely egg and dairy-free.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 29 incredible vegan dessert recipes that everyone will love.
Vegan blueberry and macadamia cheesecake
In this recipe, soaked macadamias are blitzed up to create a cheesecake-like filling that’s just as creamy and decadent as its dairy-based counterpart. The crunchy base meanwhile features more macadamia nuts, plus coconut and pumpkin seeds and the whole thing is finished with a homemade sweet-tart blueberry sauce. In short, it’s an absolute winner of a vegan dessert that can be ready in just 30 minutes, without even switching on the oven.
Get the recipe for vegan blueberry and macadamia cheesecake here
Vegan espresso crème caramel
Espresso adds a rich yet pleasingly bitter note to this vegan crème caramel, which works well with the warmth from the vanilla seeds. The full-fat coconut milk, meanwhile, ensures it still tastes wonderfully creamy and indulgent, while remaining dairy-free. This recipe also includes instructions for vegan pistachio biscotti, which are the ideal crunchy accompaniment to the silky, smooth dessert. Should you not eat them all in one go, they’ll keep for up to a month in an airtight container.
Vegan white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake
Did you know that Oreos are actually vegan? The cult-favourite cookies aren’t marketed as being vegan friendly and do warn that they may contain traces of dairy due to manufacturing processes, but the ingredients in the cookies themselves are completely vegan. This creamy white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake recipe takes full advantage of that fact, with finely crushed Oreo’s used to make the cheesecake base.
Get the recipe for vegan white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake here
Blood orange and cardamom sorbet
Quite the prettiest sorbet you’ll ever see, this fragrant, orange-red icy dessert is wonderfully light and refreshing – and easy to put together too. Crushed cardamom gives the sorbet base an extra flavour note, but you could leave it out if you’re not a fan. Layer scoops of the sorbet and handfuls of crushed pistachios in delicate glasses to serve.
Vegan salty caramel cake
This caramel cake doesn’t contain any refined sugars, relying on maple syrup for its sweetness instead. Thanks to both the syrup and a dose of creamy almond butter, the cake is wonderfully moist and sticky – a sprinkling of sea salt balances the rich, caramel flavours perfectly. Dark chocolate chips add an extra touch of decadence to this elegant after-dinner treat.
Vegan chocolate chunk brownies
These vegan brownies contain roughly chopped nuts for extra bite – use almonds for a subtle sweetness, or hazelnuts for a Nutella-style twist. Our recipe uses soya milk instead of cows' milk, but this can be subbed for your preferred non-dairy milk. Decadent, gooey and utterly delicious, these chocolate brownies are guaranteed to be a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike.
Vegan caramelised banana with candied walnuts and lemon sorbet
This clever recipe relies on the natural, creamy sweetness of bananas. Topped with candied walnuts and a decadent toffee sauce and served alongside a refreshing homemade limoncello sorbet, it looks and tastes like a truly impressive pud, but actually only calls for everyday ingredients.
Get the recipe for vegan caramelised banana with walnuts and lemon sorbet here
Vegan crêpes
This classic French dessert can easily be made vegan by switching out cow’s milk for oat milk and butter for sunflower spread or coconut oil. When it comes to toppings, opt for non-dairy yogurt, nuts and apricot conserve as the recipe suggests or keep things simple, with a squeeze of lemon juice and dusting of sugar.
Vegan Victoria sponge
With its simple sponge and jam and cream or buttercream filling, the Victoria sponge is a British tea-time classic. Pleasingly, it’s very possible to whip up a vegan version of the staple cake; in this recipe a combination of dairy-free soya yogurt, non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar ensures the sponge is just as light and fluffy as it should be. Dairy-free butter meanwhile provides the base for the buttercream, which can be topped with a generous spread of raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant or even apricot jam.
Vegan millionaire’s shortbread
Unabashedly indulgent and seriously sweet, millionaire’s shortbread has it all: crunch from the biscuit base, gooey homemade caramel and a generous layer of chocolate. The caramel in this recipe calls for dates and maple syrup, with Biscoff Spread (which is vegan) adding a lovely, caramelised sugar note. Guaranteed to satisfy cravings for something sweet, these little beauties are easy to make, too.
Chin chin mango cheesecake
‘Chin chin’ – crispy pieces of deep-fried dough, named after the sound they make when you munch them – form the crunchy base of this cheesecake. A rich, tropical mango filling made with soaked cashews and coconut cream is sweetened with dates and agave (or maple) syrup, while a dash of ground turmeric provides vibrant colour. Bright and beautiful berries are the final addition to this summery dessert.
Tropical fruit salad
Some might suggest that fruit salad doesn’t qualify as a show-stopper dessert. If so, they obviously haven’t tried this totally tropical delight. Here fruits of all colours, textures and flavours – from pineapple to lychees, jackfruit to strawberries – are coated in a mint, lime and vanilla-infused syrup for a truly delicious, light yet memorable vegan dessert.
Banana and chocolate mousse
This recipe proves once again that bananas and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Here the bananas are blitzed with oat cream and maple syrup to make a silky chocolate mousse which simply needs to be left in the fridge to set, before being topped with berries to serve. Easy, delicious and entirely vegan – what more could you ask for?
Griddled pineapple with salted caramel
This griddled pineapple dessert is super simple. When seared in a pan with maple syrup, the pineapple takes on a sweeter note, whilst maintaining its juiciness. Topped with a generous drizzle of homemade salted caramel and a scoop (or two!) of vegan ice cream, this is a warm dessert with a tropical twist. Come summertime, try cooking the pineapple on the barbecue.
Get the recipe for griddled pineapple with salted caramel here
Fudgy espresso vegan brownies
The espresso in this recipe keeps the brownies properly moist and fudgy. With both 70% cocoa dark chocolate and a pinch of sea salt featuring in the ingredients list, this is a truly grown-up take on the classic chocolate brownie. They’re topped with chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch and are served dusted with icing sugar.
Peanut butter and banana quesadillas
This treat is a sweet take on the classic savoury quesadilla. Bananas, plenty of peanut butter, rich vegan chocolate and gooey marshmallows are all encased in a flour tortilla, before being folded in half and cooked on the barbecue (you could use a dry frying pan instead), until the tortilla shells are slightly crispy and the filling just beginning to melt.
Get the recipe for peanut butter and banana quesadillas here
Chocolate and peanut butter fridge bars
The key ingredient in these no-bake fridge bars is chickpeas, which are blitzed up with dates, peanut butter and cacao to make a smooth, creamy base for this sweet treat. Topped with chopped hazelnuts for added bite and a generous drizzle of melted vegan chocolate for even more decadence, these tasty bars are also free from gluten.
Get the recipe for chocolate and peanut butter fridge bars here
Quince clafoutis
A clafoutis is a traditional French dessert, typically made with stone fruits. This recipe calls for quince, giving the clafoutis a tanginess that’s offset perfectly by the sweet caramel base. Oat cream and dairy-free milk and butter ensure the dish remains a vegan one, while a scoop of sweet-sharp homemade lemon-yogurt sorbet is a lovely accompaniment.
Vegan Caribbean spiced doughnuts with dark chocolate sauce
Once cooked, these fluffy vegan doughnuts are coated with a cinnamon, orange and cayenne pepper-spiked sugar (trust us, it works). They're best served warm, drizzled with ribbons of silky, melted dark vegan chocolate and are perfect for sharing with a group of friends.
Get the recipe for vegan Caribbean spiced doughnuts with dark chocolate sauce here
Vegan peanut butter cookies
Peanut butter adds texture, flavour and a sense of gooey indulgence to these vegan cookies. Opt for crunchy peanut butter if you want your cookies to have more bite, or keep things silky with smooth. The dark chocolate and sea salt balance each other out perfectly, making these bakes a decadent treat, without being sickly sweet.
Vegan pancakes
The classic pancake is a weekend brunch staple, so nailing a vegan version is essential for those following a plant-based diet. Here soya milk and apple cider vinegar help to keep the pancakes just as light and fluffy as they should be. Serve with plenty of maple syrup and fresh berries as suggested, or add your favourite toppings.
Banana and chocolate ice cream
This smart vegan twist on traditional ice cream is incredibly easy to whip up, with no cooking or ice cream machine needed. Simply blitz frozen bananas with cocoa powder and chocolate almond milk (or any other non-dairy chocolate milk) and you’ll be all set. Once blended, the frozen banana has a lovely natural creaminess to it, which replicates the texture of ice cream brilliantly. The recipe suggests adding chunks of mango and cacao nibs as garnish, but feel free to get creative.
Chocolate caramel tart
A shop-bought vegan shortcrust pastry base ensures this recipe is fuss-free, while also looking (and tasting) fabulously decadent. The pastry is topped with layers of melted chocolate spiked with vanilla, as well as a dreamy homemade caramel sauce. A generous sprinkling of toasted almond flakes scattered on top is the fitting final touch (and adds crunch).
Tropical vegan pavlova
Aquafaba - the starchy liquid in cans of chickpeas and other beans – works wonderfully as a vegan replacement for egg whites. This recipe uses aquafaba to make a vegan meringue, which forms the base of a seriously impressive pavlova (avoid waste by reserving the drained chickpeas for another dish). Topped with decadent coconut cream whipped with vanilla paste and maple syrup and an array of tropical fruit, the dessert makes a gorgeous centrepiece for a dinner party and tastes just as good as it looks.
Peanut butter pudding
This peanut butter pudding also uses aquafaba for a light, silky consistency. Once made, the pudding is topped with a delicious peanut butter caramel for extra indulgence and is finished with a scoop of homemade dark chocolate sorbet. For those with a slightly less sweet tooth, the rich sorbet is also fabulous enjoyed on its own.
Chocolate, pistachio and cardamom cookies
These cookies draw on Indian flavours and spices for inspiration and are bursting with warmth from the ground cardamom, as well as finely chopped pistachios and rich, dark chocolate. The perfect treat, they take just minutes to whip up but with their complex range of flavours and soft, gooey texture, are sure to impress family and friends.
Get the recipe for chocolate, pistachio and cardamom cookies here
Vegan chocolate orange cupcakes
Chocolate and orange make a crowd-pleasing pairing and here the richness of the chocolate is perfectly complemented by the fresh citrus flavours from the orange. These cupcakes are super-simple to make, eschewing elaborate frosting or decoration in favour of a drizzle of melted chocolate and a garnish made from orange rind.
Pistachio and tahini chocolate fridge cake
Tahini is a sesame paste known for its silky, smooth consistency and is often used in Middle Easten cooking. The subtle sweetness of the sesame marries beautifully with dark chocolate and golden syrup to make these no-bake fridge bars. Loaded with dried fruits and nuts and finished with a generous sprinkling of roughly chopped pistachios, they look and taste fantastic.
Get the recipe for pistachio and tahini chocolate fridge cake here
Avocado and kiwi fruit iced birthday cake
Vegan baking can sometimes require a little creativity, encouraging us to make use of ingredients that might not usually feature in a sweet recipe. With exactly that in mind, don’t knock the vibrant, avocado-rich icing used to make this cake until you’ve tried it; the naturally creamy fruit is mixed with sweet agave nectar for a seriously tasty – and unique looking – result. Topped with tangy kiwi fruit, this cake is what vegan show-stopper desserts are all about.
Get the recipe for avocado and kiwi fruit iced birthday cake here
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