These vegan dessert recipes prove that plant-based sweets can be every bit as rich, chewy, creamy and delicious as traditional desserts.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Dessert Recipes
- Includes a variety of options such as cookies, muffins, pie, bars, and fruit-based desserts
- Offers desserts for holidays, fall baking, potlucks and everyday sweet cravings
- Uses familiar plant-based ingredients such as coconut milk, flaxseed, maple syrup and dairy-free chocolate
Tips for Making Great Vegan Desserts
- Use the egg substitute called for in the recipe. Flax eggs, fruit purées and starches behave differently, so they are not always interchangeable.
- Let baked desserts cool fully. Vegan cookies, bars and pies often continue to set as they cool.
Vegan Dessert Recipes
Use the recipe cards below for the complete ingredients and instructions.
Common Egg Substitutes in Vegan Baking
Eggs provide moisture, structure, binding and sometimes lift in traditional baking, so the best vegan replacement depends on what the egg is doing in a recipe. For the most reliable results, use the substitute already tested in the recipe rather than swapping ingredients at random.
Flax Eggs
A flax egg is made by combining ground flaxseed with water and letting the mixture thicken. It works especially well as a binder in cookies, bars, muffins and other sturdy baked goods. It adds a subtle nutty flavor and does not provide the same lift as a whipped egg.
Chia Eggs
Ground chia seeds mixed with water create a gel similar to a flax egg. Chia works well for binding, but the seeds can be more visible in light-colored desserts unless finely ground.
Fruit and Vegetable Purées
Pumpkin, applesauce and mashed banana can provide moisture and binding. They work best in cakes, muffins, quick breads and soft cookies where their flavor and extra moisture complement the dessert.
Commercial Egg Replacers and Starches
Powdered egg replacers and ingredients such as cornstarch can help provide structure without adding much flavor. They can be especially useful in recipes where a neutral result is important.
Best Dairy-Free Alternatives for Vegan Desserts
Dairy-free ingredients can provide the same richness, moisture and creamy texture that butter, milk and cream contribute to traditional desserts. The best option depends on the flavor and texture you want.
- Vegan butter: A useful one-for-one option in many cookies, crusts and baked desserts when the recipe calls for a buttery flavor.
- Coconut oil: Adds richness and works well in cookies, crusts and bars.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk creates a rich, creamy texture in sauces, custards and desserts such as mango sticky rice.
- Almond, oat and soy milk: These plant milks work well when a recipe needs a smaller amount of liquid. Unsweetened varieties give you more control over sweetness.
- Sweetened condensed coconut milk: A convenient plant-based alternative for rich layered bars and other desserts that traditionally use condensed milk.
Vegan Sweeteners to Know
Maple syrup, agave nectar, molasses, coconut sugar, brown sugar and granulated sugar can all be used in vegan desserts when appropriate for the recipe. Honey is produced by bees and is generally avoided on a vegan diet.
How to Store Vegan Desserts
Storage depends more on the type of dessert than on whether it is vegan. Let baked desserts cool completely before storing them so condensation does not make cookies, bars or crusts soggy.
- Cookies: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for short-term storage, or refrigerate or freeze according to the individual recipe.
- Bars: Keep layered or coconut-rich bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator when directed by the recipe.
- Pies: Refrigerate pies with moist fillings and keep them covered so they do not absorb refrigerator odors.
- Sticky rice: Refrigerate leftover mango sticky rice in an airtight container and add fresh mango after reheating for the best texture.
- Freezer storage: Use a freezer-safe container and separate cookies or bars with parchment paper when needed to prevent sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
A vegan dessert contains no animal-derived ingredients. That means no dairy milk, butter, cream, eggs, gelatin or honey. Plant-based alternatives such as vegan butter, coconut milk, flaxseed and dairy-free chocolate are commonly used instead.
Common vegan egg substitutes include flax eggs, chia eggs, applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin puree, commercial egg replacers and starches. The best substitute depends on whether the recipe needs binding, moisture, structure or lift.
Many granulated and brown sugars are suitable for vegan baking, but strict vegans may prefer brands that confirm vegan processing practices. Maple syrup, agave, molasses and coconut sugar are other options when they fit the recipe.
Yes. A properly vegan dessert is dairy-free because vegan recipes exclude milk, butter, cream and other ingredients derived from animals. A dairy-free dessert is not necessarily vegan, however, because it may still contain eggs or honey.
Many vegan cookies, bars and pies freeze well. Cool the dessert completely, wrap it tightly or place it in a freezer-safe container, and follow the individual recipe for the best freezing and thawing method.
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love
If you are looking for more plant-based inspiration, explore the full vegan recipe collection for soups, curries, salads, noodles, appetizers, drinks and more.
