26 Vegan Dessert Recipes Even Dairy Fans Will Love

There are plenty of dishes that are difficult to veganize. Anything with seafood, for instance, can be tricky — the texture of vegan seafood replacements tends to be off. But there's one category of food that's pretty easy to make vegan, and that's dessert. Since most desserts don't contain meat or meat products, you're really just looking for dairy and egg replacements, which is surprisingly easy to do. So, no, you don't have to skip dessert because you're trying to avoid animal products.

Every recipe on this list (yes, even the baked goods) is vegan. Keep in mind that many of these recipes call for sugar, which can sometimes be produced with animal products. Therefore, ensure you're sourcing your sugar from a place you trust if you are picky about sugar in your vegan products. But even if you're not vegan, there's a good chance that you'll love these sweet treats — once the dairy lovers get a taste for these rich, decadent, and often creamy desserts, they'll be blown away by how delicious vegan sweets can be.

During the Great Depression, home cooks had to make do with what they had at home, which often meant throwing a bunch of ingredients together to see what worked. This Depression-era wacky cake is an excellent example of that. At the time, people could make this cake even when they didn't have any dairy or eggs on hand, which made it more accessible. These days, though, we make it because it's tasty ... and conveniently vegan.

Recipe: Depression-Era Wacky Cake (No Bowl Needed)

Cheesecake is one of the best desserts of all time, but you may assume that it's impossible to make a vegan version of this treat. That's absolutely not the case. This vegan blueberry cheesecake calls for cashews and coconut milk in place of cream cheese, creating a rich and slightly nutty base that pairs beautifully with the fruit's sweet and tart notes. It's not quite as simple to make as a standard cheesecake, but it's worth the extra time and effort it takes once you take a bite.

Recipe: Vegan No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

If you have dietary restrictions — or you just have preferences for what you like to put in your body — then finding dessert recipes can sometimes be tricky. But this recipe for chocolate brownies is the best of all worlds. Not only is it vegan, but it's also gluten-free. Additionally, it packs a generous serving of protein, so you don't have to feel like you're eating junk for dessert. Who doesn't love a healthier-feeling version of a classic?

Recipe: Vegan and Gluten-Free High Protein Chocolate Brownies

When people think of keto food, they might think of ingredients that are specifically not vegan. But just because you want to eat higher-protein and lower-carb doesn't mean you can't stay true to your vegan roots. This chocolate mousse is made with coconut cream, so it packs in plenty of delicious fat while avoiding the dairy products that vegans shun. This better-for-you dessert tastes like any other chocolate mousse you've ever had, so even dairy lovers won't be able to tell the difference.

Recipe: Keto Chocolate Mousse

Want to impress your loved one on Valentine's Day, no animal products involved? We think that this vegan chocolate mousse is a great way to do that. Made with aquafaba, cream of tartar, sugar, and dark chocolate, it's rich and decadent without too much sweetness. The toppings, though, add some texture to the dish. We recommend using raspberries, mint leaves, and chocolate shavings to up the flavor ante even more.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Mousse for Valentine's Day

You don't have to have seen the movie "The Princess Diaries" to crave this stunning mint and pear sorbet. Pear's subtle flavor profile, which is slightly sweet and fruity, provides the perfect, somewhat neutral backdrop to allow the mint to shine. When you're done making this dessert, you're left with a bright green, scoopable sorbet that is bound to impress at any dinner party (although it's totally worth making all for yourself, too).

Recipe: The Princess Diaries-Inspired Mint and Pear Sorbet

There's nothing like a good slice of coffee cake alongside a shot of espresso to bring your dinner to a close. But why settle for an average, boring coffee cake when you could make this one that contains lots of blueberries for a burst of fruity freshness? Using vegan butter and dairy-free yogurt means this dessert comes out totally vegan without sacrificing flavor. Don't forget to serve alongside coffee for the perfect palate cleanser at the end of your meal.

Recipe: Vegan Blueberry Coffee Cake

We love standard brownies, of course, but when you're on the lookout for a dessert that promises a bit more texture, turn to these quinoa cacao brownies. The quinoa is the star of the show — it creates an almost crunchy texture that offers more than the basic gooeyness you can get from most brownie recipes. Plus, the cacao offers a tinge of bitterness that prevents these brownies from becoming too sweet, despite the addition of maple syrup.

Recipe: Quinoa Cacao Brownies

Sticky, chewy, and perfect for dipping in a glass of milk, these oatmeal cookies are absolutely out of this world. Even if you're not generally a big fan of oatmeal cookies, you have to try these out. They're flavored with vanilla extract, cinnamon, and ground cloves for a subtle but warming, comforting flavor that'll have you craving another as soon as you finish your first. It's definitely one of the more delicious ways to use up the dry oatmeal you have in the pantry.

Recipe: Vegan Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

You can find matcha all over, but you don't have to stick to lattes alone if you love the ingredient's green, floral flavor. Instead, use matcha to create a fruity layered dessert that looks almost as good as it tastes. You'll make a crunchy raspberry chia seed jam that you'll spread onto the matcha layer of the bars, then finish it off with a few fresh raspberries on each bar.

Recipe: No-Bake Vegan Raspberry Matcha Bars

Vegan brownies can be as rich and as decadent as their counterparts that contain animal products. We love this specific recipe because it's simple — it's not trying to recreate a healthier version of brownies, but instead, it veganizes a basic version of the dessert. If you're vegan and you've been missing the homemade brownies your non-vegan mom used to make, save the recipe for when you get a sweet tooth.

Recipe: Rich Vegan Brownies

In its classic form, tiramisu is not a vegan dish, but it's actually pretty easy to pull off a vegan version. This recipe calls for aquafaba (the liquid you find in a can of chickpeas after you open it), as well as vegan cream cheese and dairy-free whipping cream. And since you're making your own ladyfingers from scratch, you don't have to read through a bunch of ingredient lists to find a vegan version of the cookie.

Recipe: Vegan-Friendly Tiramisu

When you need to feed a whole crowd — particularly when part of that crowd is vegan — making a whole cake is the way to go. Not only can everyone get a slice, but it also makes your dessert spread look a lot more impressive. This vegan carrot cake is a fun dessert to make, especially when you decorate the top with mini marzipan carrots to mirror the inside of the dish.

Recipe: Vegan Carrot Cake with Cinnamon-Cashew Frosting

Sure, there are lots of vegan ice creams out there these days, but when you're craving fresh, fruity flavors, try making this swirled piña colada sorbet. You'll create both pineapple and coconut sorbets to make up this dessert, then swirl them together for an undeniably beautiful sweet treat. Both sorbet flavors contain a bit of rum, so enjoy this dessert when you're ready to let loose and celebrate.

Recipe: No-Churn Swirled Pina Colada Sorbet

Avocado? In brownies? It sounds absolutely strange to those who have never tasted it before, but avocado, with its relatively neutral flavor profile, actually makes an excellent addition to brownies. They make the sweet rich and dense, but because you're working with so much chocolate, you can't even taste the avocado at all. Plus, it only calls for six ingredients, so there's a good chance you can make it even when your kitchen isn't well-stocked.

Recipe: Vegan Avocado Brownies

A lot of people don't like tofu simply because they've only had it poorly seasoned and in its most basic form. But tofu is actually an incredibly versatile ingredient, and you can make a wide variety of dishes with it. This chocolate caramel tofu mousse is the proof. Importantly, you'll want to grab silken tofu. Firm tofu has a completely different texture and won't function the way you want it to in this particular recipe.

Recipe: Plant-Based Chocolate Caramel Tofu Mousse

Sometimes, you have to stick with the basics, especially when it comes to dessert. That's what this recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies allows you to do. It recreates an absolute classic, omitting the animal products that you usually find in cookie ingredient lists. The swaps are pretty simple here — you'll use flaxseed in place of an egg, along with vegan butter instead of regular butter. Don't forget to check that you're using dairy-free chocolate chips as well.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

When you want to make a dessert that stuns before you even take a bite, look no further than this chocolate pomegranate tart. It's vegan and gluten-free, making it a great option for those with various food restrictions. The pomegranate seeds deliver acidity, along with a really pleasant crunch that balances nicely with all that chocolate. Add blueberries or raspberries on top if you want to make it even fruitier.

Recipe: Vegan, Gluten-Free Chocolate Pomegranate Tart

One of the most basic vegan desserts you should learn to make is banana ice cream. Instead of using dairy products, you'll freeze your bananas, then blend them with other ingredients to infuse more flavor into the mix. In addition to those frozen bananas, this recipe calls for cocoa powder, maple syrup, and cacao nibs. Since you only need four ingredients to make it, the dessert easily comes together in a pinch.

Recipe: Chocolate-Banana (Vegan) Ice Cream

We love crinkle cookies for their unique texture, but if you try to buy them at a store or a bakery, chances are, they won't be vegan. But you can achieve that same texture when you make these almond crinkle cookies at home. Not only will you use almond flour for the base of these cookies, but you'll also add some almond butter to the mix, which creates a rich, nutty flavor profile.

Recipe: Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate may be a dessert flavor that you want to enjoy year-round, but once autumn comes, pumpkin-flavored everything is the way to go. But no, you don't have to succumb to all the non-vegan pumpkin-flavored packaged foods on store shelves just to get your fix. Make these vegan pumpkin bars instead, and you'll see how good real pumpkin can taste. Use canned pumpkin instead of a whole one to make the process easier.

Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Bars

Apple crumbles are another elite fall dessert, but they're even better when they're individually portioned. This recipe is pretty simple — all you have to do is mix the ingredients together, place them into ramekins, and bake them in the oven until they're golden brown and nice and gooey. The apples taste particularly sweet and delicious after spending some time in the oven, where they take on an almost syrupy texture that adds moisture to the dish.

Recipe: Mini Apple Crumbles

Whether you're throwing a birthday party or want to make a sweet treat that feels fun and special, these vanilla cupcakes are a must-make. The swaps here are pretty simple: Use vegan butter instead of regular butter and swap out the eggs for applesauce. Don't forget to use a plant-based milk, too — we particularly like coconut or almond milk. This recipe also includes instructions to make vanilla icing, so you can really go all out.

Recipe: Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Not a huge fan of vanilla cupcakes? No worries — some of us like a darker, more intense flavor. In that case, turn to these chocolate cupcakes instead. This recipe uses a base quite similar to the vanilla version listed above, but you need to add cocoa powder to achieve that rich chocolatey note that sets this sweet treat apart. A light, airy vanilla frosting provides a contrast to the richness of the cake.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

You don't have to go out and buy a pint of vegan ice cream when you can make a homemade version. This vegan chocolate ice cream calls for only three ingredients, including unsweetened coconut milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Even though you're only using a few ingredients, the finished product is deeply creamy and flavorful. You might just make this your go-to ice cream recipe from here on out.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

Although we love a good classic vanilla or chocolate pudding, when you want a flavor that's more subtle and sophisticated, turn to pistachio. It'll infuse a nutty flavor into the dessert, and you can even add pistachios on top for an extra crunch that makes the texture of the treat that much more interesting. In place of dairy, this recipe calls for a whole can of coconut milk, which imparts a light flavor.

Recipe: Pistachio Pudding

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