43 Impressive Vegan Desserts for Plant-Based Dinner Parties
Just because you’re cooking more vegan recipes these days doesn’t mean you need to give up your baking habit—and vegan desserts don’t have to be complicated. Plant-based dairy has come a long way, and some of it is good enough to swap into your favorite recipes, no other changes necessary.
Our best vegan dessert recipes, however, were designed to be entirely dairy- and egg-free. Whether you’re looking for eggless cakes or refreshing granitas and ice creams, vegan brownies, tarts, or candies, you’ll find something to satisfy your sweet tooth below. With vegan dessert recipes this good, you’ll never miss the butter. Or the milk. Or the eggs.
Before you start baking, note that your sweets will not be vegan if you don’t start with vegan ingredients. Check the packaging of your sugar, chocolate, etc. to see if they’re free of animal products; not all brands are.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne1/43Vegan Pumpkin Pie
This crowd-pleasing vegan dessert has a rich pumpkin filling made with soft tofu and vegan cream cheese, plus cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla, and a wonderfully flaky vegan pie crust.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton2/43Vegan Banana Bread With Chocolate and Miso
Banana bread is one of those recipes that translates very naturally into the world of vegan baking. Applesauce and olive oil keep the loaf remarkably moist, while miso brings a savory note that beautifully complements the bittersweet chocolate chunks.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova4/43Kuih Lapis (Malaysian Steamed Rose Layer Cake)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich5/43Vegan Chocolate Cake
You probably already have everything you need to make this vegan dessert recipe: flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt, canola oil, and white vinegar. That’s all.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne6/43Vegan Pecan Pie
This vegan pecan pie is flavored with coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond milk, while tapioca flour takes on the role of thickener, replacing eggs. Bookmark this one for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich7/43Vegan Sweet Potato Date Muffins
Sweet potato purée and banana bind the ingredients together (so you can skip the eggs), while adding a light, earthy sweetness to the batter. These muffins would be just as good for breakfast as they’d be for dessert.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce9/43Halva 5 Ways
This flaky sesame candy is a no-bake breeze. Here’s our guide to making halva and flavoring it any way you want.
Photo by Dan Jones11/432-Minute Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookie
Yes, you read that correctly. Place a mound of cookie dough in the microwave and in just two minutes, dessert bliss can be yours.
Photo by Johnny Miller13/43Salted Miso Brownies
A practically perfect brownie: Dense and fudgy thanks to the chia seeds; rich, but not sickeningly so; with a salted caramel–like flavor that comes from using white miso and salt together.
