Vegan Rocky Road

This vegan rocky road is so simple to make! It’s sweet, salty and crunchy and can be made according to your preference with your choice of mix-ins.

If you love all things chocolate, you’re going to love this recipe!

I was inspired to make this vegan rocky road when I had some at a lovely afternoon tea recently.

I thought everybody deserved to have some dairy-free rocky road in their life so I decided to create my own recipe!

To make this, I loosely followed my Tiffin recipe and just added some more delicious mix-ins like marshmallows and popcorn.

It worked out perfectly first time and I cannot. stop. eating it.

So good.

It’s the perfect mixture of sweet and salty and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser whatever the occasion.

My mum said it came a close second to my vegan brownies, which is a huuuge compliment because she loves them so much!

How to make vegan rocky road

This is a pretty simple recipe but I wanted to write step-by-step instructions for anyone who’s never made a vegan dessert before! And if you like this, be sure to check out my rocky road cookies too!

Step 1:

The first step is to measure out your wet ingredients (you’ll melt them all together!).

You’ll need 250g of vegan dark chocolate (~9oz), 120g of dairy-free margarine (1/2 cup) and 3 tablespoons of golden syrup*.

I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate for best results, especially if you’re using salty mix-ins such as pretzels. I used to use Bournville but unfortunately it’s not vegan anymore. Lovett’s is a good option and I’ve listed more vegan chocolate options in my UK vegan chocolate guide.

*If you don’t have golden syrup, you can substitute it for agave nectar instead. I wouldn’t recommend using maple syrup in its place though as the flavour is too overpowering for this recipe.

Step 2:

Break up the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl with the margarine and golden syrup. Gently melt it, mixing often, until there are no lumps of chocolate left.

Set the bowl aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.

Step 3:

In a large bowl, roughly crush 250g of Digestive biscuits (9oz, about 14 biscuits) and 65g of salted pretzels (1 cup).

You want the pieces to be quite chunky with a few smaller crumbs in there. Make sure not to crush them too finely.

Step 4:

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the bowl. Add your additional extras. I used 60g of mini vegan marshmallows (1 cup), 20g of sweet and salty popcorn (1 heaped cup) and 35g of vegan white chocolate chunks (1/3 cup).

Mix it all together really well until everything is coated in the chocolate mixture.

Step 5:

Transfer the mixture into an 8 x 10-inch rectangular pan lined with baking paper and spread it out evenly.

Use the back of a wooden spoon or the bottom of a cup to press it tightly into place.

Step 6:

Place it in the fridge for 3 hours until firm.

Remove it from the tin using the baking paper and cut into 12 square pieces.

Mix-in ideas

I wanted to make something a little different when I first decided to make dairy-free rocky road. Every kind I’ve had in the past has had raisins in it which I am NOT a fan of.

I always end up picking them out so I made one without! The great thing about this recipe is that you can basically just chop up any of your favourite treats, throw them in the mixture and it’ll taste amazing!

I’ve never had a vegetarian rocky road with popcorn or pretzels in it before but I absolutely love the way the saltiness contrasts with the sweetness so they are definitely going to be my go-to mix-ins from now on.

Some other ideas you can try are:

• Honeycomb

Contrary to its name, honeycomb doesn’t actually contain honey! It would make a tasty addition to this recipe.

However, in the supermarkets, it can be quite tricky to find any that isn’t coated in milk chocolate.

I do know that some Asda stores stock the Fabulous Freefrom Factory Crunchee bites which are so delicious! I wanted to include them in my rocky road but sadly all my local stores were out of stock! Whenever I find them again, I’m definitely keeping them for future baking.

• Dried fruit

If you like raisins, I won’t judge you (much). Feel free to add as many as you like! Some other dried fruit options are apricots, dates or figs.

• Peanut butter cups

I didn’t think of this idea until after I’d started making it but peanut butter cup rocky road sounds like HEAVEN! Make your own by following my easy peanut butter cup recipe.

• Turkish delight

I am absolutely adding some chopped up turkish delight the next time I make this recipe!

Most types of Turkish delight are vegan but make sure to double-check that it doesn’t contain gelatin.

• Chopped nuts

Peanuts, almonds, cashews… whatever takes your fancy!

• Fudge

If you like the sound of adding fudge, the Fabulous Freefrom Factory also make dairy-free fudge! Just chop it into pieces and chuck it in!

Or if you have a bit more time and patience, you could have a try at making your own (such as my peanut butter fudge).

FAQ:

More no-bake vegan desserts:

• Oreo tiffin
• Biscoff cheesecake bites
• Bounty bar copycat
• Scottish macaroon bars

I hope you enjoy this dairy-free rocky road! Leave a comment and let me know what you add to yours! xo

5 from 12 votes

Print

Vegan Rocky Road (Dairy-Free)

A dairy-free & vegetarian version of a crunchy, chocolatey no-bake treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan

Keyword vegan rocky road

Prep Time 15 minutes

Chilling time 3 hours

Servings 12

Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients

• 250 g / 9oz Vegan semi-sweet chocolate (around 40-50% works best)
• 120 g Vegan margarine (½ cup)
• 3 Tablespoons Golden syrup
• 250 g Digestive biscuits (14 biscuits)
• 65 g Salted pretzels (1 cup)
• 60 g Mini vegan marshmallows (1 cup)
• 20 g Sweet and salty popcorn (1 heaped cup)
• 35 g Vegan white chocolate chips or chunks (⅓ cup)

Instructions

1. Line an 8×10-inch rectangular tin with baking paper.

2. Break the chocolate into pieces and place it into a heatproof bowl with the margarine and golden syrup. Melt it over a pot on the stove or in the microwave, stirring often, until there are no lumps left.

3. In a large bowl, crush the Digestive biscuits and pretzels with a rolling pin. The pieces should be quite chunky with a few crumbs.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl with the crushed biscuits and pretzels.

5. Add the marshmallows, popcorn and chocolate chips. Mix well until everything is well coated in the chocolate.

6. Transfer the mixture into your lined tin and use the back of a spoon to pack it in very firmly.

7. Refrigerate for 3 hours then cut into 12 squares and enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks.
• Sweeter dark chocolate works best to contrast with the saltiness of the pretzels.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Rocky Road (Dairy-Free)

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 304 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Sodium 80mg3%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 1.5g6%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 3g6%

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