10 Very Special Vegan Holiday Desserts
Out of office autoreply activated! It’s the perfect time to relax and enjoy the company of those closest to you, with plenty of room for guilt-free indulgence throughout the season. It’s the perfect time to relax and enjoy the company of those closest to you, with plenty of room for guilt-free indulgences throughout the season. Yes, the 2024 holiday season is here, and we’re celebrating with a lineup of delicious vegan-friendly desserts. This list of our top 10 vegan holiday treats (and alternatives) from our iconic vegan recipes library is made with your favorite Elmhurst Plant Milks ensuring they’re not only delicious but also wholesome and nutritious – not to mention totally customizable to your tastes.
Yes, the 2024 holiday season is here, and we’re celebrating with a lineup of delicious vegan-friendly desserts. We’ve created a list of 10 top vegan holiday treats (and alternatives) from our vegan recipes library. As always, each one includes at least one of our Plant Milks, are they’re all wholesome, nutritious, and fully customizable to suit your tastes.
5 Vegan Holiday Dessert Recipes
Let’s kick things off with some dairy-free twists on more “traditional” holiday favorites that are perfect for your festive table, so everyone can enjoy a sweet treat.
1. Dairy-Free Chocolate Cream Pie
Smooth, creamy, and irresistibly chocolatey. Need we say more? Our Dairy-Free Chocolate Cream Pie is a silky and velvety choice that’s sure to be the star of your holiday dessert spread.
We’ve included the recipe for both the crust and the creamy filling, but if you’re short on time or don’t want to bake the crust from scratch, feel free to use a store-bought crust of your choice – just make sure it’s vegan! This dessert features our Unsweetened Cashew Milk and creamy Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Milk, making it both dairy-free and delicious.
2. Easy Vegan Coffee Cake
At Elmhurst, we take our coffee cake seriously, and we promise our Easy Vegan Coffee Cake recipe won’t disappoint. It’s rich, buttery and oh so streusel-y, topped with crunchy cinnamon crumbles that will have everyone reaching for seconds. The best part? This recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious!
We love to make this with our Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Milk, but you can totally sub in our Unsweetened Cashew Milk if that’s more your speed. Both will work beautifully in this recipe and bring the perfect balance of sweetness and spice to your holiday spread.
3. Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Christmas Cookies
Batman and Robin. Peanut butter and jelly. The holidays and cookies. Some pairings are just meant to be and these Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Christmas Cookies are no expectation!
These cookies are simple to make and perfect for getting little hands involved in the kitchen - just make sure they don’t sneak too much dough before the cookies make it to the oven! We use our Unsweetened Walnut Milk to add some warm, toasty flavor, but any of our Plant Milks will do the trick to create a batch of these irresistible and indulgent goodies.
4. Peanut Butter Stuffed Vegan Brownies
You can’t go wrong with brownies, and the layer of peanut butter and chocolate chips in our recipe takes them to another level of deliciousness. Plus you can make them 100% gluten-free by choosing a gluten-free baking flour!
For the brownies, we highly recommend using either our Unsweetened Walnut Milk or Unsweetened Hazelnut Milk. They’ll help create the ideal base for these beauties, and add an extra hint of nuttiness to the batter that pairs beautifully with the chocolate fudge.
5. Simple & Sweet Dairy-Free Icing
If you’re looking for a dairy-free icing for the holidays, you really can’t go wrong with our recipe. Of course it’s super simple (plant milk + powdered sugar), but our unbelievably creamy Elmhurst plant milks are really the best choice for this.
We recommend using our extra creamy Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Milk for this – its rich & creamy texture adds just the right amount of body, and its balanced flavor doesn’t bring any nutty notes to your icing. If you’re looking for a nut-free option though, we also recommend our Unsweetened Oat Milk. Once you’ve crafted your icing, enjoy it on cakes, cookies and other baked goodies – your holiday recipes will thank you!
5 Vegan Holiday Dessert Alternatives
If you’re looking for the perfect pairing to a holiday dessert or want to offer a fun alternative, these four drinks are sure to impress your guests and add a cozy touch to your festive celebrations. We’ve got something for our coffee people, our mocktailers, and everyone in between.
1. Homemade Double Hot Chocolate
‘Tis the season for rich, velvety Homemade Double Hot Chocolate - a perfect excuse (not that you really need one) to get creative in the kitchen with our Barista Edition Plant Milks.
Whether you choose our Barista Edition Oat Milk or Barista Edition Almond Milk, this indulgent hot chocolate is the ultimate winter treat. The recipe comes with plenty of inspiration for customizing your own version, allowing you to add a personal twist to this seasonal classic.
2. Dairy-Free Gingerbread Cold Foam
Put a holiday twist on your coffee routine and make the must-have cold foam of the season at home with our Dairy-Free Gingerbread Cold Foam. Perfect for topping off your holiday coffee or tea, this velvety cold foam has the perfect spicy gingerbread flavor.
Our Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Milk is the best for this recipe, but you can also sub in our Unsweetened Cashew Milk or Unsweetened Cashew Creamer – they’ll all froth beautifully into a cloud of cold foam!
3. Vegan Peppermint Mocha
Looking for a delicious after-dinner drink without the hefty price tag? Our Vegan Iced Peppermint Mocha lets you skip the overpriced, overly complicated peppermint syrups from popular chains, and instead, craft a simple, flavorful treat at home.
Just grab your favorite Elmhurst Barista Edition (we recommend Oat or Almond for extra creaminess) and you’re all set. Love peppermint year-round? Bookmark this recipe and turn it into a bright and refreshing iced mocha for the summer!
4. OatNog Espresso Martini
What could possibly be better than an Espresso Martini? An OatNog Espresso Martini! Crafted with our Limited-Edition OatNog, this vegan holiday cocktail is the perfect smooth and creamy treat to cap off all your holiday nights! It’s everything you want in espresso martini, but with an extra layer of creamy coziness courtesy of OatNog.
If you’d rather make it a mocktail, just cut out the alcohol – OatNog and cold brew are already a match made in coffee heaven!
5. Classic Boozy Nog
We’re wrapping up with the ultimate cozy holiday treat: Classic Boozy Nog. Made with our special Holiday Special Edition OatNog, this festive drink is the perfect way to end a celebration - or kick off the fun! It’s so delicious that no one will miss the “real” eggnog.
If you’d rather skip the alcohol, enjoy our OatNog on its own for a rich, creamy experience. And for the little ones who want to join in on the holiday cheer, simply leave out the rum and cognac but keep the festive garnishes so they can feel like part of the celebration!
Happy Holidays from Elmhurst!
What’s our favorite part of the holidays? There’s plenty of time to try all of these tasty desserts and get creative with your own unique twists!
Hosting a holiday party? Why not take the stress off and ask your guests to each bring a different dessert - guaranteeing an even sweeter spread! And don’t forget to stock up on your favorite Elmhurst Plant Milk to make sure you’re ready to whip up all your festive treats.
Wishing you a joyful and indulgent holiday season!