No-Bake Yule Log (Vegan-Friendly)

This no-bake yule log is super easy to make and it’s vegan-friendly too! A chocolate biscuit roll filled with vanilla buttercream and coated with dairy-free chocolate ganache. This makes for a delicious Christmas dessert and is suitable for beginner bakers.

It’s been quite a while since I last posted a recipe but I’m back with this super festive no-bake yule log! I actually got the idea for this from my mum, who told me she used to make it when she was a child.

I’d never heard of a no-bake yule log before that so I did a quick Google search and found this wonderful recipe by Home Cooking Adventure on YouTube, which is what I used to make the biscuit roll part of my recipe. Since it’s made with Digestive biscuits which are accidentally vegan, I thought a dairy-free version would be fun to make.

I used the same filling and ganache as I did in my sponge cake yule log recipe because it’s such a delicious combo. If you’ve tried and failed to make a crack-free yule log before, this no-bake version is a great alternative. If you follow the instructions closely, it’s pretty much foolproof.

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s what you will need to make a vegan no-bake yule log:

• Digestive biscuits. Digestive biscuits are vegan almost all of the time but it’s best to double-check the ingredients before buying. I used McVities because that’s what I had lying around but I usually use Asda’s own brand Digestives.
• Sugar. You can use granulated or caster sugar for this recipe. If you’re in the USA, make sure to buy organic sugar to ensure it’s vegan-friendly.
• Cocoa powder. You should use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Hot chocolate powders or similar will not work well.
• Vegan butter. I recommend using blocky vegan butter rather than margarine. Some of my favourites include Flora plant butter and Stork baking block.
• Icing sugar. This is one of the main ingredients in the buttercream filling. Icing sugar is vegan in the UK but again, those in the USA may wish to buy organic.
• Soy milk. This is used in the buttercream filling and the chocolate ganache. It’s best to use unsweetened soy milk as the sugar in the sweetened version will spoil the texture of the ganache.
• Vanilla extract. This is for extra flavour in the filling. Feel free to substitute it with another flavour (such as peppermint)) if you prefer.
• Dark chocolate. You can use any dairy-free chocolate that contains between 40 and 50% cocoa solids (it will usually tell you in the ingredients list). I used Tesco dark cooking chocolate.

You can also use some extra bits and bobs for decoration if you like. I used icing sugar, desiccated coconut, and some artificial berries and leaves.

Equipment

To make this recipe you’ll need the following equipment:

• Food processor or high-power blender
• Large mixing bowl
• Small heat-proof bowl
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Saucepan
• Clingfilm
• Rolling pin
• Electric hand whisk (optional but recommended, for fluffy buttercream)
• Fork and a sharp knife

How to make no-bake yule log

Got all your ingredients and equipment? Let’s get started!

Step 1:

Place 400g (1 pack) of Digestive biscuits into a food processor or blender and blend into fine crumbs. Make sure there are no big lumps left in there.

Place the crumbs into a large bowl and set aside for now.

Step 2:

In a small saucepan, mix together 100g of sugar and 30g of cocoa powder. Add 160ml of cold water and mix until well combined, then add 70g of vegan butter.

Place the saucepan over medium heat on the stove and simmer for 5 minutes, ensuring the butter has melted fully. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Step 3:

Once the liquid mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl with the biscuit crumbs and mix well until the crumbs are fully coated.

Step 4:

Prepare your vanilla buttercream filling by mixing 80g of vegan butter with 200g of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. You can use 1 tablespoon of unsweetened soy milk to loosen the buttercream if needed.

Use an electric whisk to whisk the buttercream until pale and fluffy. This step isn’t totally necessary but it makes it easier to spread.

Step 5:

Place a sheet of clingfilm onto a flat surface and place the biscuit mixture on top. Add another sheet of clingfilm on top and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Try to ensure that the thickness is even all over, which will prevent breakage when rolling.

Step 6:

Remove the top sheet of clingfilm and gently spread the buttercream on top of the biscuit, leaving a small gap at the edges to prevent spillage.

Step 7:

Roll into a log, using the clingfilm on the bottom to help. Place in the fridge for 3 hours.

Step 8:

Prepare the chocolate ganache by adding 200g of vegan dark chocolate and 80ml of unsweetened soy milk to a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of water, ensuring the bowl isn’t touching the water.

Place on a low heat and stir often until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let it sit at room temperature until the ganache is thick enough to spread. This should take around an hour or so.

Step 9:

Remove the log from the fridge and cut a section from the top diagonally. Place the diagonal section at the side of the log as pictured below.

Step 10:

Cover the log with ganache and use a fork to create wavy texture lines. Place in the fridge for a further hour or two until the ganache is fully set. If desired, top the yule log with decorations before enjoying.

Top tips

Here are my top tips for a successful no-bake Buche De Noel.

• Use blocky vegan butter instead of margarine (they produce different results due to the fat ratio). Check out my vegan butter for baking post if you need more information.
• Roll out the biscuit dough as evenly as you can. If certain parts are thicker or thinner than others, it will be harder to roll without cracking.
• Always use unsweetened soy milk- the ganache is likely to spoil if you use sweetened soy milk.
• You can change the filling to any filling that you like- chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting would be nice. I have a post full of vegan icing and frosting recipes if you need some more ideas!

I hope you enjoy this no bake yule log recipe! If you make it at home, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. And don’t forget to share the recipe using the share buttons on this page. Happy baking! xo

5 from 4 votes

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No Bake Yule Log (Vegan-Friendly)

An easy, no-bake Yule log or Buche De Noel. It's perfect for Christmas baking and is suitable for vegans.

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan

Keyword vegan no bake yule log

Prep Time 30 minutes

Chill time 5 hours

Servings 15 slices

Calories 345 kcal

Ingredients

For the chocolate biscuit roll:

• 400 g Digestive biscuits (Double check the ingredients to ensure they're vegan- most brands are.)
• 100 g Sugar
• 30 g Cocoa powder
• 160 ml Cold water
• 70 g Vegan block butter

For the filling:

• 80 g Vegan block butter
• 200 g Icing sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened soy milk
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

For the chocolate ganache:

• 200 g Semi-sweet vegan chocolate at around 40-50% cocoa (I used Tesco dark cooking chocolate)
• 80 ml Unsweetened soy milk

Instructions

Biscuit roll:

1. Put the Digestive biscuits into a blender or food processor and grind them into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in the water.

3. Add the vegan butter to the saucepan. Place over medium heat and simmer for around 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

4. After 15 minutes have passed, pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of biscuit crumbs. Mix well until all the crumbs are coated.

Filling:

1. Add the butter into a bowl a mix until soft. Add the icing sugar a little bit at a time until smooth, using the soy milk to loosen if needed. Stir in the vanilla extract.

2. Whisk the mixture until pale and fluffy. This will make it easier to spread.

Assembly:

1. Place the biscuit mixture between two pieces of clingfilm on a flat surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the mixture to a 10×14-inch rectangle. Try to make the thickness as even as possible to avoid breakage when rolling.

2. Gently spread the filling over the rectangle, leaving a small gap at the ends to prevent spillage.

3. Carefully roll into a log shape, using the bottom piece of clingfilm to assist you.

4. Place in the fridge for 3 hours to set.

Chocolate ganache:

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl with the soy milk.

2. Place the bowl over a small saucepan of water, so that it sits on top without touching the water. Place on the stove on low heat and gently stir until the chocolate has melted completely.

3. Remove the bowl from the pan and let the ganache sit at room temperature until it's thick enough to spread- this usually takes an hour or so.

4. Cut a diagonal section off one end of the log and place it at the side to make a branch shape. See images in the post for clarity.

5. Cover the log with chocolate ganache then use a fork to create wavy texture lines.

6. Place into the fridge for another hour or two to let the ganache fully set then enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Biscuit roll recipe adapted from Home Cooking Adventure.
• For a sponge cake log, see my vegan Yule log recipe.

Nutrition Facts

No Bake Yule Log (Vegan-Friendly)

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 345 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Sodium 70mg3%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 30g33%

Protein 3g6%

* All values are an estimate only and will vary depending on the food brands used.