Nut Free Dessert Recipes
Let me introduce you to part 3 of my Nut Free series. After some feedback from my community and doing a little research, I learned that 4-6% of people have allergies. That’s a huge number. When you take into consideration that 4 of the 8 most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy) are staples of a plant-based diet, the prospect of nut free cooking can definitely seem an impossible task.
Click here if you’re interested in checking out my Top Nut Free Meals; if you’re a snacker like me, I’ve also pulled together some easy Nut Free Snack Ideas.
Nut free, vegan desserts are perhaps the trickiest of all. We all know that the base of most vegan desserts are nuts, coconut oil and dates – and so, we had to get a little creative! These recipes are perfect to have at home, or even better for taking round to a friend’s place to impress!
Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
5 oz of sweet chocolate
14 oz can coconut cream strained (make sure can is cold before straining)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dairy free margarine
cacao powder for sprinkling
Directions
First up, straining coconut cream means removing the water so that you are left with the thick white cream. In order for this to happen the can needs to be cold. Once this is done, combine the coconut cream, chocolate and margarine in a saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring until thick and shiny. This should take about 15 minutes. Pour into 4 small dishes and refrigerate until cool. Dust with cacao powder and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffles
Ingredients
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 ½ Tbsp water – stir and allow to sit)
2 medium-size ripe bananas
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ Tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil or melted vegan butter)
1 cup soy / oat milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free when necessary)
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (or sub spelt or unbleached all-purpose)
1/4 cup dairy-free dark or semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Add peeled bananas and baking powder to the flax egg and mash with a fork. Add oil and whisk to combine. Then add nut free milk and stir to combine.
Next add salt and oats and stir again. Then add gluten-free flour and stir until just combined. Finally, add in chocolate chips and stir once more.
The batter should be cake-like in texture. If too thin, add more gluten-free flour and stir. If too thick, thin with a little milk and stir.
Let batter rest for 5 minutes while preheating waffle iron (you can always make them into pancakes instead if you don’t have a waffle iron). Once iron is ready, spray with oil.
Add 1 cup of batter to the waffle iron and cook.
Remove and set aside. Be sure not to stack the waffles to prevent them from getting soggy.
To serve, we suggest topping with a few more chocolate chips, vegan butter, and/or maple syrup.
Apple Cider Baked Doughnuts
Ingredients
1/4 cup aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas)
1/4 cup olive/coconut/avocado oil
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground ginger and nutmeg
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup apple cider (NOT vinegar)
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup gluten-free flour blend
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
CINNAMON SUGAR COATING -
3 Tbsp melted vegan butter (or coconut oil)
3 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius and grease two 6-slot donut pans.
To a small mixing bowl, add aquafaba and use a whisk to vigorously blend until soft peaks form. Set aside. If yours doesn’t quite whip up into soft peaks, it’s OK. Just get them as fluffy as possible! A sprinkle of cream of tartar helps them firm up.
To a large mixing bowl add the oil, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sea salt, ginger, and nutmeg and whisk vigorously to combine. Then add applesauce and apple cider and whisk once more to combine.
Add plain flour, gluten-free flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk gently to combine. Lastly, add in the whipped aquafaba and gently fold in, trying to be as gentle as possible.
If the batter appears too thin, add 1 Tbsp each plain flour or gluten-free flour at a time until it thickens up. It should appear like a thick cake batter - more scoopable than pourable.
Divide batter between donut tins, filling all the way full but leaving room for the center hole to be exposed (this can be done using a piping bag, Ziploc bag with the corner cut off, or just a spoon). There should be 11-12 donuts.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the edges appear brown, and the tops appear dry and fluffy. Time will vary depending on oven and if you subbed ingredients.
In the meantime, melt vegan butter (or coconut oil) in a small dish and prepare cinnamon-sugar coating by adding coconut sugar and cinnamon to a small dish and stirring to combine. Set aside.
Remove donuts from oven and let cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then tap over a cooling rack until they fall out. Let cool (smooth side up - the side that was in the tin) for at least 5 minutes on the rack. The longer they cool, the more they'll firm up!
While cooling or once cooled completely, brush the donuts with a light coating of melted vegan butter (or coconut oil) and dip in or sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar coating.
Black Bean Chocolate Protein Pudding
Ingredients
1 cup (185 g) cooked unsalted black beans
3-4 Tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk or light coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub more dates)
2 pitted Medjool dates (or sub more maple syrup)
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
FOR SERVING optional
Coconut whipped cream
Strawberries
Banana
Directions
To prepare the black bean pudding, simply drain and rinse black beans and add to a blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed by adding more maple syrup or dates.
There will be little bits of beans in the pudding. To remove those, simply pass through a fine mesh strainer and you’re good to go!
SERVING & STORAGE
Scoop pudding into serving containers and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until cold and thickened — at least 2-3 hours. Serve as is or with coconut whipped cream and strawberries or bananas!
Raw Caramel White Chocolate Hearts
Ingredients
3/4 cup raw coconut flour
2 tablespoons lucuma powder
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup tahini / seed butter (if allergy is to tree nuts)
1/2 cup melted cocoa butter
1/2 cup raw agave room temperature (or maple syrup)
1 tablespoon vanilla
Chocolate Drizzle - You can melt your favourite raw chocolate bar or make your own:
2 tablespoons melted cocoa butter
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon raw agave or maple syrup
Directions
It is very important that your butter and liquid sweetener are at room temperature.
If you don't have lucuma, you can try subbing with maca or your favorite vanilla protein powder
Do not melt the cocoa butter until you have followed the first 2 steps.
To a medium bowl, add the first 5 (dry) ingredients and whisk well.
In a food processor, add the seed butter, liquid sweetener and vanilla and pulse until just blended.
Finely chop the cocoa butter and melt, being careful not to burn. You need 1/2 cup, so make sure to measure after it's completely melted. Add it to the food processor with the other liquids. Pulse until very smooth. Pour over the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until all comes together in a large ball.
Press into 12 silicone molds or foil liners. Press firm and flat and around the edges. These are plenty delicious on their own, but if you want a more dessert style presentation, add the chocolate drizzle. Just melt the cocoa butter, add the agave and cocoa powder and whisk with a fork. Drizzle with a spoon or pour in a plastic ziplock bag and cut off the corner to make a small opening to pipe it out.
Place in the fridge for at least an hour to set. Keep stored in the fridge.