Vegan Desserts!

1. VEGAN NO-BAKE COCONUT YOGURT CHEESECAKE

Creamy vegan cheesecake made with a date-walnut crust and cashew-coconut-yogurt filling for the ultimate tangy-sweet treat. Just 10 ingredients required, no-bake, and entirely vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 cup medjool dates (packed, pitted // pitted before measuring)
• 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts (or sub raw almonds or rolled oats)
• 1 pinch sea salt

              FOR THE FILLING

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight in cool water or in very hot water for 1 hour)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp citrus zest (orange or lemon)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (use less for a more tart cheesecake)
• 3/4 cup coconut yogurt
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR THE TOPPINGS

• Fresh berries
• Citrus zest/orange slices
• Coconut Whipped Cream

Instructions

1. Prepare a cheesecake pan (I prefer this springform one, but round cake pans or loaf pans work as well) by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Prepare the crust by adding dates to a food processor and blending until small bits remain and it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside.
3. To the food processor, add walnuts and salt and process into a meal. Then add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing.
4. Add crust to pan and press with fingers to distribute. To pack it down, use a small glass wrapped in parchment paper and really press it down, allowing the crust to come up the sides. Set in the freezer to firm up. 
5. Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth – up to 2 minutes. If it won't come together or appear chunky, add a touch more lemon juice, coconut yogurt, or maple syrup, as the liquid will help it blend better.
6. Scrape down sides as needed and blend until very creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, coconut yogurt for tanginess, or lemon or orange zest for citrus flavor.
7. Add filling to the chilled crust and tap a few times to release any air bubbles. Then loosely cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and freeze until firm – about 6 hours or overnight. Before slicing and serving, let thaw slightly for about 20-30 minutes.
8. Serve as is or top with a touch of coconut whipped cream and/or citrus zest and fresh berries.
9. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for a softer cheesecake for up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

2. VEGAN S’MORES BARS

Vegan s'mores bars with an almond-pecan-oat crust, chocolate ganache layer and toasted vegan marshmallows are soft, gooey and easy to make. Bring the campfire vibes straight to your kitchen with this indulgent dessert!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 cuprolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 5 Tbsp coconut oil(melted)
• 1/2 cup raw pecans (finely chopped)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYER

• 1 1/4 cup dark or semisweet chocolate(chopped) 
• 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk or light coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1/4-1 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 pinch sea salt 

MARSHMALLOWS

• 1 10-ounce bag vegan marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

1. Add oats, almonds, sea salt, and coconut sugar to a blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved, scraping down sides as needed.
2. Add melted coconut oil (5 Tbsp or 75 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and pulse to combine. This should form a loose dough when squeezed between two fingers. Add more if it's too dry.
3. Add chopped pecans and pulse a few more times to combine - you want a little texture here so leave a little chunky.
4. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, such as a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 375 F (190 C) and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from the oven to cool slightly.
6. In the meantime, add chocolate to a medium mixing bowl. Add almond milk to a separate small mixing bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan until almost boiling). Add milk to chocolate and don’t touch it for 5 minutes so it can melt.
7. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Then add melted coconut oil and cover. Let rest untouched for another 10 minutes to meld.
8. Use a mixer (or whisk) to beat the mixture together. A few unmelted chocolate pieces are fine. If you prefer sweeter ganache, add powdered sugar at this time (to taste), and whisk/beat to combine. Set aside.
9. Spread the ganache over a slightly cooled crust and sprinkle on a little sea salt for flavor balance (optional). Freeze (or refrigerate) until ganache is no longer wet and slightly firm (or less time if you want gooey, melty chocolate!).
10. Once the chocolate has set, lift the bars out of the baking dish and gently transfer to a baking sheet (remove parchment paper to avoid burning). Top with halved marshmallows and broil on the top rack on high for 30-45 seconds (watch closely - they can burn quickly!).
11. Carefully chop into 9 bars (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and serve immediately. Best when fresh. Store leftovers at room temperature, loosely covered up to 24 hours.

3. CINNAMON SUGAR VEGAN DONUTS

The best thing about these cinnamon sugar coated donuts is that they are baked, not fried. They are super delicious!!

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons soy milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon applesauce
• 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted vegan butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a donut pan with non-stick spray.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the soy milk, applesauce, melted vegan butter (1 tablespoon) and vanilla into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix well with a large wooden spoon to combine. The batter will be similar to cake batter; not too thick but not very runny either.  
3. Spoon the batter into the donut pan, OR fill a large ziplock bag with the batter, cut a hole in the corner and pipe into the pan, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Be careful not to overfill, as the donuts will rise and you might lose the "hole" of your donut. 
4. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. If your donut pan is larger than mine, they could take a few extra minutes to bake. Let cool for two or three minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack with a large piece of parchment paper beneath it (to help with the mess).

FOR THE TOPPING

1. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a medium bowl, and melt the vegan butter in a separate bowl. 
2. Dip the donuts into the melted butter, both sides or just one side if you prefer. Then dunk the donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. 
3. Serve immediately, or within one day for best results. Leftover donuts will keep for two days at most, covered and at room temperature.

 

 

4. LEMON BLUEBERRY LOAF CAKE

Looking for a fuss-free way to treat yourself? Try this easy vegan lemon blueberry loaf cake – it's light, fluffy, delicious, and made with very little effort!

Ingredients
Note these ingredients are for one 22cm loaf pan.

FOR THE CAKE

• 250g (2 cups) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 150g (¾ cup) light brown sugar
• 70 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tsp) sunflower seed oil
• 220 ml (1 cup less 1 tbsp) soy milk or almond milk
• 30 ml (2 Tbsp) lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp organic lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp cornstarch

 

FOR THE GLAZE

• 160g icing sugar
• 1 tsp blueberry powder or blueberry juice
• 1 tbsp plant milk (soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 22 cm loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Mix the vegetable oil, salt, and sugars together in a medium bowl. Add in the lemon zest, vanilla, and milk and stir to combine.
4. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
5. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour and whisk until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-47 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
7. Let cool down into the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the glaze

• Combine all the ingredients and spoon over the (cooled) cake. Add more icing sugar for thicker glaze/ milk for thinner.

 

5. CHOCOLATE BERRY TART
   

This vegan chocolate tart tastes so fresh and luscious! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and really makes a statement! It’s the belle of the ball at any dinner or party! 

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 3/4 cup oats(gluten free, if needed)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• pinch salt

 

FOR THE FILLING

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, such as Sprouts brand
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, such as Sprouts brand
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (can sub soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk )
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, such as Sprouts brand
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt

FOR THE TOPPING
1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh berries 

Instructions
FOR THE CRUST
1. Put the oats in a food processor and pulse to break up a bit.
2. Add cocoa powder, syrup, coconut oil, and salt. Process until mixture forms a ball    and comes together.
3. Transfer dough to a tart pan and pat out using fingers or the bottom of a cup until the crust is spread evenly. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

FOR THE FILLING
Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender, or you can do this by hand) and puree or pulse until well combined and there are no lumps remaining. Spread the filling over the crust and smoothen it out with a spatula or knife

FOR THE TOPPING
1. If serving within a few (4-5) hours, place the berries on top of the chocolate filling in any design you like, and chill for at least 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator to allow filling and crust to set. Store tart in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. If you are making this ahead of time (more than 4-5 hours before eating), refrigerate the tart (crust and filling). When ready to serve, top with berries. Store tart in the refrigerator.
3.If you are making this far in advance, you can make and freeze the tart without the berry topping and store in the freezer in an airtight bag for up to 2-3 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator before adding berries and serving.