Vegan Christmas Dessert Recipes

Find healthy, delicious vegan Christmas dessert recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Fresh Apple Squares

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One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pear Crumble

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This easy, comforting pear crumble is sure to please. Serve it as is or with low-fat ice cream.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Apple Confit

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Sturdy apples are flavored with cinnamon and vanilla in this slow-cooker apple compote. Top with low-fat vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts for dessert.
By Patsy Jamieson

Sugared Rosemary

Use these festive-looking sugared fresh rosemary sprigs to decorate any holiday dessert platter. They look especially beautiful alongside a traditional yule log cake.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Drunken Prunes

The oaky taste of Armagnac, a French brandy made in Gascony, has long been paired with prunes. While Armagnac is available in vintage bottlings, nothing so extravagant is needed for this recipe. Use waterproof markers to decorate the outside of glass jars with flowers, abstract designs or a favorite line from a poem.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

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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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

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This easy vegan pumpkin pie gets its structure from aquafaba (the leftover water from a can of chickpeas) whipped up into a meringue-like foam. When it's combined with pumpkin and poured into a gluten-free pecan crust, you would never know beans had anything to do with this vegan pumpkin pie recipe.
By Breana Killeen

Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles

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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.
By Katie Webster

Burnt Sugar Lollipops

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No special equipment or fancy molds are needed for these gorgeous jewels--just a little patience and steady hand to pour out the hot sugar syrup. Wrap the lollipops individually in large, clear lollipop bags and seal with a silver twist-tie or a piece of ribbon. Affix them individually to the bows of your holiday presents or hang them on your tree and offer them to guests as they leave.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Apple Pie

Make classic apple crumb pie vegan-friendly with this easy dairy-free flour crust. Take your dessert to the next level by whipping up a can of coconut cream into vegan whipped cream to dollop on top.
By Devon O'Brien

Cranberry-Orange-Nut Cookies

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Crisp, moist and chewy, this cookie created by Georgene Egri of Walnut Creek, California, has the essential ingredients for the holidays: citrus, nuts and cranberries. These cookies travel well for gift-giving and lunchboxes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

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Coconut oil stands in for butter in this dairy-free, eggless cookie recipe for completely mouthwatering gingerbread cut-outs. Decorate cookies with a simple vegan icing or sanding sugar.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles
A decadent Christmas treat your Paleo, gluten-free, vegan friends will love.
2-Ingredient Chocolate Nut Bark
Use your favorite combination of nuts to make this quick and easy chocolate nut bark.
Pumpkin Pie You Won't Believe Is Vegan
Slow-Cooker Hot Cider
Vegan Christmas Cookies Everyone Will Love
Pomegranate Poached Pears
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Princess Tea Cakes

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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.”

All Vegan Christmas Dessert Recipes

Winter Fruit Salad

Fruit salad isn't just for summer; orange, grapefruit, pineapple, star fruit and pomegranate combine for a satisfying dish your body craves.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pear & Dried Cranberry Strudel

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All across Wisconsin, Scandinavian and German bakeries start firing up with the onset of crisp, cool autumn days; the lines soon grow long for fresh fall-fruit pastries. For most of us, rich strudel wouldn't be an everyday affair. But with walnut oil (instead of copious amounts of butter) and fresh pears, it can, nevertheless, become a decadence-free indulgence, perfect for your next dinner party. Serve it with frozen nonfat vanilla yogurt or vanilla crème anglaise.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Orange Marmalade

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This classic orange marmalade is a pretty gift for the holidays.
By Iris Raven

Georgian Stuffed Prunes

Serve these prunes as a dessert or to accompany roast meat. The recipe is adapted from Primorski Restaurant, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.
By Joan Nathan

Pomegranate Sorbet

Pomegranates are a rich source of potassium. Before they disappear from the markets in January, scoop up a dozen to turn into a colorful, refreshing sorbet (and while you're at it, don't forget to tuck a few extra containers of seeds into the freezer to enjoy throughout the winter).
By Patsy Jamieson

Cashew & 3-Seed Chocolate Bark

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and aniseed into this chocolate bark, which is perfect for a gift.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Kumquats in Vanilla Syrup

The flesh, rind and seeds of kumquats are edible. Although the preserves are delicious on their own as a simple dessert, you can serve them as an accompaniment to fruit sorbet or use them to enliven a compote of fresh oranges.
By Nora Carey

Cinnamon-Apple Lollipops

The warm, winning flavor of cinnamon can be savored for a long time with this homemade apple lollipop.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Maple-Walnut Pralines

Maple syrup gives new inspiration to this Louisiana classic.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Cookie Glaze

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This basic cookie glaze can be tinted in small batches if desired.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Papaya & Chile Chocolate Bark

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir dried papaya, pepitas and chile powder into this chocolate bark, which is perfect for a gift.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cookie Icing

This simple cookie icing is great for decorating holiday cookies.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Candied Grapefruit Peels

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A fine cup of coffee and two or three of these bittersweet confections make a fitting conclusion to a holiday meal. The peels remain soft and full of flavor because they are made with the entire peel, including the white pith. The same technique can be applied to navel oranges.
By Nora Carey

Apple Cider Granita

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Fresh apple cider and apple brandy make a simple granita that's the perfect ending to a fall meal.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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