5 Fab Vegan Desserts in (Almost) No Time, by Jessica Langenhan, MD, VLCE

posted January 16, 2024

I admit I often make meal-planning decisions based on the number of dishes I have to wash afterwards. So, I appreciate having a few quick and easy vegan dessert recipes on hand. But relying on cookbooks or Google searches to find such recipes is overwhelming. And the definition of easy varies widely.

I’ve done the legwork for you, with five recipes that are truly easy—no 40-minute bake times or 14-item ingredient lists here. Keep it simple and prepare just as written for a weekday dessert, or get creative with flavor add-ins or toppings, such as fruit or vegan whipped cream, to jazz them up for a weekend dinner party.

1. Detoxinista’s Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas

Directions:

1. 

   Peel and slice the bananas into coins and freeze them overnight in freezer-safe bags.

2. The next day, add the bananas to a food processor with an “S” blade and process until they have a smooth and creamy texture.
3. Serve immediately for a soft-serve ice cream or freeze for 2 hours to get a more scoopable dessert.

Notes:

To make it a little fancier (or sweeter), you can add a sweetener, such as agave, or other flavorings, such as peanut butter or cocoa, before you process the bananas.

Courtesy of Detoxinista.

2. Fork’s Over Knives’ Strawberries & Cream

Ingredients:

• 

  16-ounce package of fresh strawberries

• 8 ounces firm silken tofu (drained
• ¾ cup pitted dates (Deglet Noor work best)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom

Directions:

1. Blend 1½ cups of the strawberries (hulled), drained tofu, dates, lemon zest, vanilla, and cardamom in a blender.
2. Slice the remaining strawberries and layer the cream over them in dessert dishes.

Courtesy of Forks Over Knives.

3. Fork’s Over Knives’ Frozen Grapes with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 

  8 ounces grapes

• ¼ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 5 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• Water

Directions:

1. Thread 1-3 grapes onto toothpick and freeze for 2 hours
2. In a high-power blender or food processor, combine almond flour, cocoa, maple syrup, and vanilla. Process while adding water, 1½ teaspoons at a time, until a smooth, thick sauce forms. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Courtesy of Forks Over Knives.

4. The Conscious Plant Kitchen’s Vanilla Mug Cake

Have a cup-cake in a flash!

Ingredients:

• 

  4 tablespoons flour (unbleached or whole-wheat)

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons coconut or white sugar
• 3 tablespoons room temperature plant-based milk
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or applesauce
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a microwave-safe mug, whisking until you have a smooth batter.
2. Microwave for 90 seconds at 800W. For lower-power microwaves, you may have to increase baking time by 20-second bursts. If you are uncertain about the device’s power, start with 60 seconds and add 20-second intervals as needed.

Notes:

If you prefer not to use a microwave, mix the ingredients in an oven-safe greased ramekin and bake at 350˚F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Courtesy of The Conscious Plant Kitchen.

5. Chocolate Oat Milk Chia Pudding

This is my spin-off of Pinch of Parsley’s Vegan Vanilla Chia Pudding.

Ingredients:

• 

  ½ cup chia seeds

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (use dark cocoa powder for more of an Oreo chocolate flavor).
• 2 cups oat milk
• 2 tablespoons date syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Mix chia seeds with cocoa powder.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together oat milk, date syrup, and vanilla.
3. Add the chia-cocoa mixture to the liquid mixture and whisk well. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then whisk again.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
5. To serve, spoon into bowls or Mason jars and top, if desired, with cacao nibs or fruit.

Adapted from Pinch of Parsley’s Vegan Vanilla Chia Pudding

Vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2013, Jessica Langenhan, MD, is a Board-Certified psychiatrist based in Southern California. Having learned basically nothing about nutrition in medical school, she has followed an individualized curriculum in plant-based nutrition not only to enhance her own journey but also to allow her to guide her patients in making lifestyle changes.

She is a certified vegan lifestyle coach and educator through Main Street Vegan Academy, and she has received certification in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Foundation Center for Nutrition Studies. Jessica is a member of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and completed the 200-hour certification for teaching yoga (RYT 200) in 2018.

In addition to baking, Jessica’s hobbies include reading, running, taking OrangeTheory Fitness classes, practicing yoga, and making jewelry. Connect with Jessica through LinkedIn.