Dairy Free

31 Dairy-Free Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Butter or Cream

Never let dairy intolerance keep you from cake.
Sliced loaf of apple olive oil cake on a white tray.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Baking without butter or cream might seem like a challenge, but these dairy-free desserts prove that it’s a delight. Olive oil can add luscious moisture to cakes, and peanut butter can become a cookie with just two other ingredients, neither of which are milk-based. This list includes a few of our favorite vegan desserts, as well as sweet things that do require an egg or two. Scroll down for showstopping tarts, easy cakes, holiday-worthy pies, simple fudge, no-bake cookies, and refreshing frozen desserts for sunny days. No butter, no cream, no problem.

  • Slices of chocolate macaroon cake on small plates with the remaining whole cake on a serving platter.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    1/31

    Chocolate Macaroon Cake

    If you use vegan chocolate, this chocolate cake is a dairy-free dessert. Other good news: It also happens to be gluten-free and Passover-friendly. Almonds are delicious here, but you can also sub in another type of nut if preferred.

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  • Photo of peanut butter cookies on a rack.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    2/31

    3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

    These dairy-free cookies are as easy as 1-2-3. That is: an egg, peanut butter, and sugar. That's all—unless you want to sprinkle some flaky salt on top.

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  • This pie is one of the best rhubarb recipes we've heard of. Photo of rhubarb coconut custard tart on a plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    3/31

    Coconut Custard and Rhubarb Tart

    We often say that this rhubarb tart is ideal for spring celebrations. But the truth is, it's a celebration in itself. As soon as you start seeing rhubarb in the market, snap some up.

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  • Several slices of doubledecker peanut butter brownies.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    4/31

    Double-Decker Peanut Butter Brownies

    These flavorful flourless brownies are endlessly customizable. Top with vegan chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, or any crunchy snack you have in the pantry. Obviously, if you're going the dairy-free route, opt for melted coconut oil over butter. (Or use your favorite dairy-free butter.)

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  • Three peanut butter sandwich cookies arranged on a platter.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch
    9/31

    Peanut Butter Coconut Cream Cookie Sandwiches

    These cookies resemble a chewier, soft cookie version of a Nutter Butter, made a little more glam with a peanut butter coconut cream filling.

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  • Slice of a lemonpistachio loaf with white icing a white plate.
    Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    10/31

    Lemon-Pistachio Loaf

    Pistachios add rich flavor to this citrusy vegan cake. Take a slice for dessert or for a snack—it'll keep, tightly wrapped, at room temp for a few days.

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  • Several pistachio and dried cranberrystudded cookies drizzled with white chocolate on a pale pink platter.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    15/31

    No-Bake Pistachio–White Chocolate Cookies

    If you can track down vegan white chocolate chips, you're just minutes away from these crave-worthy dairy-free cookies.

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  • Two glass mugs of rose petal hot chocolate.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    16/31

    Rose Cocoa

    Prefer to drink your dessert? Coconut milk makes a fantastic base for this fragrant hot cocoa, which gets added aroma from food-safe dried rose petals.

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  • Photo of a slice of candied pumpkin with tahini date syrup and walnuts on a plate with a spoon.
    Photo by Matt Russell
    17/31

    Candied Pumpkin With Tahini and Date Syrup (Kabak Tatlısı)

    This Turkish dessert is low-effort and high reward. The squash gets tender on the inside and sticky-chewy-sweet on the outside—like a sugary piece of candied fruit but mellower in flavor.

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  • Seven cookies made of coconut flakes pumpkin seeds and pecans arranged on a platter.
    Photo by Kelsey McClellan
    18/31

    Granola Cluster Cookies

    These meringue-like cookies have all our favorite granola ingredients. You can swap in equal amounts of other nuts and seeds, such as hazelnuts, peanuts, or sunflower seeds.

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  • Photo of four flavors of halva on a counter.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    19/31

    Halva 5 Ways

    This classic sesame-based confection is so easy to make at home. (Just be sure to use vegan chocolate if that's the flavor you choose.)

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  • Chocolate tofu cheesecake topped with whipped cream and fruit on a serving platter.
    Photo by Con Poulos
    20/31

    Baked Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

    Is it a cheesecake? A chocolate mousse tart? Call it whatever you want. All we know is that it's delicious.

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  • Image may contain Food Dessert Bread and Pastry
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    25/31

    Crispy Peanut Butter Snack Cake

    Forage in your pantry for every snack you love, then mix it all together with peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and coconut oil for a snackable cake drizzled with vegan chocolate shell.

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  • Photo of berry ice pops one of our best blackberry recipes shown on a rectangular white platter a stack of purple...
    Photo by Kimberley Hasselbrink
    26/31

    Summer Berry-Coconut Milk Ice Pops

    The jammy mash-up of berries with coconut milk and cardamom makes these pops just rich enough—and irresistible.

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  • Image may contain Fudge Food Dessert Chocolate Glass Cocoa Ice Cream Cream and Creme
    Chris Gentile
    27/31

    Double-Deep-Chocolate Layer Cake

    This oil-moistened cake doesn't involve equipment any more complicated than a whisk and a bowl. Unsweetened coconut milk adds richness, and instant espresso deepens the chocolate flavor. Use vegan chocolate for the ganache frosting if you're trying to keep things free of dairy.

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  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie being sliced and served.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    28/31

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie

    This silky pumpkin pie is a classic Thanksgiving dessert. But it's so good, you'll probably want to eat it more often than just once a year.

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  • Pine nuttopped cookies piled into a ridged white ceramic cup.
    Photo by Romulo Yanes
    29/31

    Pignoli Cookies

    These classic pignoli cookies gets their chewy texture from almond paste and egg whites and crunch from the pine nuts embedded in their crispy surface. 

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  • Vegan Pecan Pie on a kitchen counter.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    30/31

    Vegan Pecan Pie

    This vegan pecan pie is flavored with coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond milk, while tapioca flour takes on the role of thickener, replacing eggs.

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  • Egg white recipes don't get better than these golden brown cookies. They're a perfect example of what to do with egg whites
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    31/31

    3-Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies

    Yes, you can make cookies even without any butter in the house. These simple hazelnut cookies are one of our favorite quick dairy-free desserts.

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