17 Vegan Desserts to Make This Winter

January 18, 2021

Skip gallery slides

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

End your day with one of these healthy vegan dessert recipes. Whether it’s cookies, brownies or cake, these sweet treats are free from animal products, thanks to alternatives like coconut milk, rice milk and aquafaba (aka the liquid from canned chickpeas). Recipes like Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake and Dairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding are delicious and will bring comfort on any cold winter night.

Start Slideshow

1 of 17

Mug Brownie

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

You might want to keep a copy of this recipe in the pantry beside the cocoa for those moments when you crave a chocolaty treat. Cook this fudgy brownie in a mug in the microwave and it's ready in less than a minute!

Advertisement

Advertisement

2 of 17

Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy way to add decadent coconut flavor to this coconut-dark chocolate truffle recipe and other baked goods. It packs a whopping 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (with only 2 grams of total and saturated fat). Look for coconut flour near other gluten-free flours.

3 of 17

"Chocomole" Pudding

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Creamy avocados make this dairy-free and vegan chocolate dessert recipe super-rich. Serve as a not-so-sweet dessert or with strawberries for dipping.

Advertisement

4 of 17

No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Soft, chewy and no added sugar! Sweeten these classic oatmeal cookies with ripe bananas and raisins or dates. Plus, a touch of nut butter adds lots of flavor and holds the cookies together while keeping them vegan and gluten-free.

5 of 17

Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This deeply dark chocolate vegan cake is not just for vegans. This fudge-like cake is also gluten-free, perfect for Valentine's Day and can even be made kosher to enjoy for Passover by making your own confectioners' sugar. The fresh berries on the side are a nice addition to the rich chocolate.

6 of 17

Dairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This rice pudding is dairy-free, but the bananas and rice milk make it so creamy and rich-tasting, no one will know the difference.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

7 of 17

No-Bake Vegan Date Brownies

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sweetened with dates, these whole-grain bars provide energy and protein, thanks to nut butter. With just 5 ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can make these delicious, chewy brownies with no added sugar. Whip up a batch as a healthy dessert or for grab-and-go energy bars for a healthy snack.

8 of 17

Carob Molasses Cake (Sfouf b' Debs)

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

With all due respect to baklava, we've found a new favorite Lebanese dessert. This rich, moist cake is sweetened with carob molasses and has a hit of anise. We may or may not have fought over it in the Test Kitchen.

9 of 17

Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand to make this old-fashioned crumble. Typical crumble topping has as much as a half cup of butter--ours has just a bit of canola oil and, for richness, chopped almonds, which are full of healthy monounsaturated fats.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

10 of 17

Vegan Lemon Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

You don't have to be vegan to enjoy this vegan lemon cake! It's moist, delicious and plenty lemony thanks to a combination of lemon juice and zest. A glaze made with lemon juice, confectioners' sugar and almond milk adds a sweet-tangy finish.

11 of 17

Pomegranate Masghati Dessert

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This beautiful pomegranate dessert is served to celebrate Yalda, the Iranian celebration of the winter solstice. Think of masghati as a cross between Jell-O and panna cotta. It's infinitely more refined and delicate than Jell-O and not quite as wobbly as panna cotta. Prepare pomegranate masghati a few hours in advance, and serve chilled out of the fridge for a light and refreshing dessert.

12 of 17

Princess Tea Cakes

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Working on this makeover of a classic Russian Tea Cake made Bridget Klein feel closer to her late sister, Gina, because they are “a great match for her personality: delicate and refined, pretty to look at, and yet a definite character that inspires adoration and loyalty.” Gina's middle name, Sarah, means “princess,” in Hebrew; hence the name of these confections. Klein's mom “swore these cookies couldn't be made without butter,” she says, “until she tasted them.” Klein continues: “Gina was a traditionalist, too, but I think I might have been able to fool her with these.”

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

13 of 17

Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

No one will guess that this moist, decadent devil's food cake is vegan. Aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas, is the secret to whipping up the gloriously light buttercream-like frosting on this vegan chocolate cake.

14 of 17

Country Apple Tart

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The pastry for this rustic tart features gets a nutty flavor from fiber-rich oat flour and flaxseed meal. Pecans top it off.

15 of 17

Spiced-Pomegranate Poached Pears

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Looking for a unique and delicious dessert? These spicy-sweet pears are poached in red wine, served with a pomegranate syrup and sprinkled with walnuts and cinnamon.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

16 of 17

Orange-Cinnamon Figs

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Ready in just 10 minutes, these figs in an orange-cinnamon sauce are a refreshing treat.

17 of 17

Cranberry-Apple Crisp

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Tangy cranberry sauce and tart Granny Smith apples are topped with a walnut topping in this simple crisp.

Up Next