It would be easy to think of the word “vegan” as one that would eliminate access to desserts completely. However, several bakers out there have created some amazingly simple and tasty vegan desserts. After coming across almost 100 recipes from different websites, these are easy to make and fulfill every vegan’s sweet tooth. Even if you have some visitors who are vegan and some who aren’t, everyone will enjoy all of them. So, some of these must be shared with you!
3 Very Traditional Desserts that Offer Vegan Recipes
Basic Chocolate Cake 1
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 c. sifted cake flour. Dutch-process cocoa1 tsp. baking soda1 c. sugar1/2 tsp. salt1 c. Strong brewed coffee. light olive oil1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract1 tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter and dust with all-purpose flour. Set aside. Whisk the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. Stir the coffee, oil, vanilla, and vinegar together and whisk into the flour mixture just until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center rack of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean — 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Serve the cake, iced with about 1 cup chocolate glaze. A cake can also be served plain alongside whipped cream or coffee ice cream.
Vegan No-Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars 2
INGREDIENTS: Base 10 pitted Medjool dates, 1 cup old fashioned oat, 1 cup raw cashews unsalted, 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, Peanut Butter Frosting, 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter, 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, 2 tbsp + 2 tsp water, Toppings 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips use Enjoy Life or other dairy-free variety if making vegan, 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes, 2 tbsp nuts of choice I used hazelnuts and walnuts. Pecans and/or peanuts would also be delicious, Pinch of sea salt.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease with non-stick cooking spray.
- Base: To a food processor, combine dates, oats, cashews, and maple syrup. A process on high for 1-2 minutes, until ingredients form a block of dough.
- Remove from the food processor and place it in a loaf pan. Press down to evenly distribute. It’s helpful to grease the bottom of a glass measuring cup and use that to compress the dough evenly in the pan.
- PB frosting: To a medium-sized bowl, add peanut butter, maple syrup, and 1 tbsp water. Use a wire whisk to combine, gradually adding in the additional water until the peanut butter starts to resemble frosting. Pour over dough in a loaf pan and use the back of a spoon to evenly spread out.
- Sprinkle toppings evenly over top, pressing gently into the peanut butter frosting. Add a sprinkle of sea salt (optional).
- Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours or refrigerate for 5-6 hours. Slice into 12 bars and serve! Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 week
Three-Ingredient Brownies 3
Ingredients: 3 large bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed) very ripe will give the best flavor. 1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened. 1 1/2 cups raw almond butter crunchy, oil slightly drained. (optional) ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-in. x 9-in. square baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray or rubbing coconut oil around the sides and bottom so the brownies do not stick.
- In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Add the almond butter and mix until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and optional cinnamon and blend until no visible cocoa powder is seen.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until set and slightly dark on the top. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
While many vegan recipes include ingredients that are either hard to find or require many steps to make them manually, many of these delicious desserts are quite simply made. Additionally, these are still quite healthy and low in sugar or gluten. This means that they are both beneficial for your guests who have either chosen a vegan diet or others, like diabetics and those with other health issues, who eat gluten-free.
Some of your favorite magazines and cooking websites likely offer quite long lists of these recipes to choose from. Country Living is one, while there are some found on Love & Lemons, and the Minimalist Baker. These are only a few lists, so there are likely many more out there to offer some healthy sweet options for everyone!
