Looking for some vegan desserts that don’t taste vegan? This is the post for you! It contains 30 recipes for decadent desserts that taste just like the real deal.
Have you ever ordered a vegan dessert that looks good but you can immediately tell it’s vegan once you bite into it? Maybe it’s a crumbly cake, a seed-filled cookie, a cashew cheesecake or a soggy-bottomed tart.
If so, this post is for you. I’ve put together a round-up of all of my best vegan desserts that taste just as good as the traditional version. And when I say that, I mean it! All of these desserts have been tried by my non-vegan family and given their stamp of approval. I often get told by people that they wouldn’t know my desserts were vegan if I didn’t tell them, which I take as a compliment.
This post contains 30 recipes, with everything from cheesecake and brownies to biscuits and baklava. I hope you like the post and if you try any of the recipes at home, please leave a comment to let me know how it goes.
Vegan desserts that don’t taste vegan
Let’s get into the recipes, shall we? I’ve split this post up into categories so that it’s a bit easier to find what you’re looking for at a glance. The categories are: Cheesecakes, meringue-based desserts, cakes & cupcakes, tray desserts, cookies, biscuits, and everything else. I hope you enjoy!
Cheesecakes
Let’s start with the cheesecakes. I promise that if you follow the recipe recommendations, you will NEVER be able to tell that these cheesecakes are vegan. They are so deliciously smooth, creamy and full of flavour (and not that plasticky vegan cheesecake flavour, LOL).
Biscoff Cheesecake
An easy, no-bake dessert that is always a crowd-pleaser. I have yet to meet someone who didn't like this cheesecake when they tried it!
This cheesecake is made up of a fiery gingernut biscuit base and a sweet, creamy white chocolate filling. The two flavours and texture compliment one another perfectly.
Next up are the meringue-based desserts. These are probably the trickiest recipes in this roundup post but also the most impressive. Practice makes perfect!
Macarons
No, you don't need eggs to make macarons. These vegan macarons are made with aquafaba and taste just as delicious. Fill them with dairy-free buttercream for an authentic taste.
This pavlova is for sure one of those vegan desserts that don't taste vegan. It looks and taste just like a traditional pavlova, down to the chewy centre. Top it with dairy-free whipped cream and fresh fruit for a show-stopping treat.
Next we have cakes and cupcakes. Whether you’re looking for a special occasion cake or something quick and easy, you’ll find the perfect recipe below.
Biscoff Cake
This is the most popular recipe on my blog to date and for good reason! Many readers have made it for their non-vegan friends or family members and it always receives rave reviews!
These cute, bite-sized lemon loaves are super fluffy but just as moist as a traditional lemon cake. They're topped with a lemon icing drizzle for an extra burst of citrus flavour.
If you ever attended UK school dinners, you'll probably remember this classic vanilla sprinkle cake. The traditional cake is made with eggs and dairy but this vegan version tastes just as delicious.
This chocolate cake is great for children's parties or any other occasion where you need to feed more than a few people. It's super chocolatey, topped with dairy-free buttercream and a mixture of white and 'milk' chocolate chips.
These cupcakes are super light and fluffy yet perfectly moist. They're made with coconut and lime juice, topped with homemade coconut buttercream, lime zest and desiccated coconut.
These are the best vegan chocolate cupcakes you'll ever try! Fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with dairy-free chocolate buttercream. So simple but so delicious.
Here are all of my favourite tray vegan desserts that are 100% plant based but don’t taste vegan. Everything from baklava to flapjacks!
Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are super rich and fudgy and they even have that classic papery brownie crust. They're my mum's favourite dessert that I make and probably one of mine too!
Rich, sticky date pudding topped with sticky toffee sauce. If you want a vegan dessert that doesn't taste vegan, this is the one for you! It's great served warm with dairy-free ice cream.
These ginger flapjacks are just as soft, chewy and gooey as tradtional flapjacks. You'll only need 5 ingredients to make them and they're ready to eat in less than an hour.
Here are 4 of my cookie recipes that taste just as good as the ones with eggs and dairy.
Warm Cookie Dough
Remember Pizza Hut's cookie dough? Now you can enjoy it as a vegan because this is a copycat recipe! It's super gooey on the inside and is best served warm with vegan ice cream.
I veganized these cookies based off of Subway's chocolate cookie recipe and they taste just like them! They're easy to make and require just a handful of simple ingredients.
These peanut butter cookies are soft and chewy in the middle with crispy edges. They're rich in peanut butter flavour and are just the right amount of sweet.
Chunky, chewy chocolate cookies with pieces of dairy-free white and dark chocolate throughout. This is one of my most favourite vegan desserts that don't taste vegan!
Next up are the vegan biscuits. Here are 4 of my most popular recipes:
Custard Creams
Missing custard cream biscuits? You can make your own! Most of the time, custard cream biscuits contain dairy and/or eggs but this vegan version tastes just as good.
Swirled shortbread biscuits sandwiched together with strawberry jam and dairy-free buttercream. You'll never be able to tell the difference between these and the non-vegan version.
I'm adding these to the list because they are my granny's favourite recipe of mine and the lady knows her Empire biscuits! These are made with two crunchy shortbread rounds, strawberry jam, icing and vegan jelly sweets.
These desserts didn’t quite fit into any of the other categories but they are not to be underestimated. They are ultra decadent and indulgent, just as good desserts should be!
Biscoff Cinnamon Rolls
The addition of Biscoff takes these vegan cinnamon rolls to the next level! They are perfectly, sweet, sticky and fluffy- nobody will ever know they're vegan.
This peanut butter fudge melts in your mouth- it is SO good! I made this fudge for a candy stall once, without advertising that it was vegan, and it sold out in minutes!
There you have it! 30 vegan desserts that don’t taste vegan. I hope you enjoyed this post. If you found it useful, please share it with a friend by using the share buttons on this page. Happy baking! xo
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Welcome to Baked by Clo! Here you'll find vegan dessert recipes with simple ingredients and easy to follow instructions. Everything from show-stopping desserts to beginner basics.
