19+ Best Dairy-Free Desserts

Skipping dairy doesn’t mean skipping dessert. Plenty of classic treats, from fudgy brownies to creamy cheesecake, turn out just as rich and satisfying when you swap butter and cream for coconut milk, olive oil, or a handful of soaked cashews. Some of these recipes you’d never guess are dairy-free at all.

This roundup pulls together 19+ best dairy-free desserts that cover every kind of craving, whether you want something fudgy, fruity, frozen, or fresh out of the oven. Each one uses easy-to-find swaps and straightforward steps, so you don’t need special equipment or a pantry full of specialty products.

Quick picks:

• Best for chocolate cravings: Fudgy Dairy-Free Brownies
• Best for a special occasion: No-Bake Cashew Cheesecake with Berries
• Best for hot summer days: Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream
• Best for beginners: Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Fudgy Dairy-Free Brownies

Yield: 9 brownies | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: 28 minutes | Oven: 350°F

These brownies get their fudgy center from melted dairy-free chocolate and oil instead of butter. No one at the table will guess they’re missing dairy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment.
2. Whisk coconut oil, sugar, and cocoa together.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Fold in flour, salt, and chocolate chips.
5. Bake 28 minutes, cool before slicing.

For more chocolate-forward bakes, check our best chocolate dessert recipes.

2. Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 18 cookies | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 11 minutes | Oven: 375°F

Vegan butter gives these cookies the same crisp edges and chewy middle you expect from the classic version. They spread nicely and smell like a bakery while baking.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Mix in flour and baking soda, then chips.
5. Scoop onto a sheet, bake 11 minutes.

Browse our best vegan cookie recipes for more chewy favorites.

3. Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Yield: One 9-inch cake | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 40 minutes | Oven: 350°F

Olive oil keeps this cake moist for days, with bright lemon zest cutting through the richness. It’s a simple, elegant cake that doesn’t need frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, grease a 9-inch pan.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together.
3. Whisk eggs, oil, milk, zest, and juice.
4. Combine wet and dry, pour into pan.
5. Bake 40 minutes until golden.

For more citrus bakes, see our best lemon desserts.

4. Apple Crisp with Coconut Oil Oat Topping

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 35 minutes | Oven: 375°F

Coconut oil replaces butter in the oat topping, giving it a light, toasty crunch over soft, cinnamon-spiced apples. It smells incredible while baking.

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon in a baking dish.
3. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, and coconut oil.
4. Sprinkle over apples.
5. Bake 35 minutes until bubbly.

5. Coconut Milk Chocolate Mousse

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes, plus chilling | Cook: none

Chilled coconut cream whips up thick and silky, holding its own against melted dark chocolate. This mousse tastes far richer than its short ingredient list suggests.

Ingredients:

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 8 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Scoop solid coconut cream from the can, whip until fluffy.
2. Fold in melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt.
3. Chill 2 hours before serving.

For a similar quick fix, try our decadent 3 ingredient chocolate mousse.

6. No-Bake Cashew Cheesecake with Berries

Yield: 8 slices | Prep: 20 minutes, plus soaking and freezing | Cook: none

Soaked cashews blend into a filling so creamy it rivals real cheesecake, no baking or dairy required. Fresh berries on top add a tart finish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hours
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup crushed graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 2 cups mixed berries

Steps:

1. Mix crackers and coconut oil, press into a springform pan.
2. Blend cashews, coconut cream, syrup, and lemon juice until smooth.
3. Pour over crust, freeze 4 hours.
4. Top with berries before serving.

7. Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart | Prep: 10 minutes, plus churning | Cook: 5 minutes

Full-fat coconut milk churns into a scoopable, creamy ice cream with a subtle coconut note that pairs beautifully with vanilla bean.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Warm coconut milk and sugar until dissolved.
2. Stir in vanilla and salt, chill completely.
3. Churn in an ice cream maker per manufacturer instructions.
4. Freeze 3 hours before scooping.

See our best ice cream flavors for more frozen inspiration.

8. Peach Cobbler with Dairy-Free Biscuit Topping

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 35 minutes | Oven: 375°F

Vegan butter keeps the biscuit topping flaky while ripe peaches bubble up underneath into a juicy, syrupy filling.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups sliced peaches
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
• 3/4 cup almond milk

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss peaches with half the sugar, spread in a baking dish.
3. Cut butter into flour, baking powder, and remaining sugar.
4. Stir in milk, drop spoonfuls over peaches.
5. Bake 35 minutes until golden.

9. Strawberry Shortcake with Coconut Whipped Cream

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 15 minutes | Oven: 400°F

Chilled coconut cream whips into billowy peaks that taste like real whipped cream, piled high over juicy strawberries and tender biscuits.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 pound strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 can chilled coconut cream

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut butter into flour and baking powder, stir in milk.
3. Shape into biscuits, bake 15 minutes.
4. Toss strawberries with sugar, let sit.
5. Whip coconut cream, assemble shortcakes.

10. Coconut Milk Pumpkin Pie

Yield: One 9-inch pie | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 55 minutes | Oven: 350°F

Coconut milk replaces evaporated milk here, giving the filling a smooth, custardy texture with a faint tropical warmth behind the spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust, unbaked
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk pumpkin, coconut milk, sugar, eggs, and spice.
3. Pour into crust.
4. Bake 55 minutes until set at the edges.
5. Cool completely before slicing.

Find more coconut-based treats in our best coconut milk recipes.

11. Dairy-Free Lemon Bars

Yield: 16 bars | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 30 minutes | Oven: 350°F

A buttery vegan shortbread crust holds a tangy lemon filling that sets up firm enough to slice into neat squares.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 eggs

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut butter into flour and powdered sugar, press into pan.
3. Bake crust 15 minutes.
4. Whisk sugar, flour, lemon juice, and eggs; pour over crust.
5. Bake 15 more minutes, cool, and slice.

12. Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 12 cookies | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: 10 minutes | Oven: 350°F

These cookies skip butter entirely, relying on peanut butter for richness and a soft, chewy bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all ingredients until smooth.
3. Roll into balls, press with a fork.
4. Bake 10 minutes until set.

13. Raspberry Sorbet

Yield: 1 pint | Prep: 10 minutes, plus churning | Cook: none

Pureed raspberries and simple syrup freeze into a sorbet so vibrant and tart it tastes like summer in a bowl.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups raspberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps:

1. Simmer sugar and water into a syrup, cool.
2. Blend raspberries, syrup, and lemon juice, strain seeds if desired.
3. Churn in an ice cream maker.
4. Freeze 2 hours before serving.

14. Mango Sticky Rice

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

This Thai classic relies on coconut milk, never dairy, to turn sticky rice silky and sweet alongside ripe mango slices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sticky rice, soaked overnight
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe mangoes, sliced

Steps:

1. Steam soaked rice 20 minutes until tender.
2. Warm coconut milk, sugar, and salt; reserve some for topping.
3. Stir most of the mixture into warm rice, let absorb 10 minutes.
4. Serve with mango slices and reserved coconut sauce.

15. Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart with Coconut Cream

Yield: One 9-inch tart | Prep: 20 minutes, plus chilling | Cook: 5 minutes

Coconut cream simmers into a glossy ganache that sets firm in a crisp cookie crust, rich enough to serve in thin slices.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cookies
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 10 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped

Steps:

1. Mix cookies and coconut oil, press into tart pan.
2. Heat coconut cream until just simmering.
3. Pour over chocolate, let sit, then whisk smooth.
4. Pour into crust, chill 3 hours.

16. Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 9 rolls | Prep: 20 minutes, plus rising | Bake: 22 minutes | Oven: 350°F

Almond milk and vegan butter make a soft, enriched dough that rolls up with plenty of cinnamon-sugar swirl.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup warm almond milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1/3 cup melted vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Steps:

1. Mix milk, sugar, and yeast; let foam 5 minutes.
2. Add flour and butter, knead into dough, let rise 1 hour.
3. Roll out, spread with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
4. Roll up, slice, place in a pan, rise 30 minutes.
5. Bake at 350°F for 22 minutes.

17. Coconut Macaroons

Yield: 18 macaroons | Prep: 10 minutes | Bake: 18 minutes | Oven: 325°F

Shredded coconut and egg whites bake into chewy, golden-edged clusters with almost no fuss involved.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded coconut
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 egg whites
• Pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix coconut, condensed coconut milk, and vanilla.
3. Whip egg whites and salt to soft peaks, fold in.
4. Scoop onto a lined sheet.
5. Bake 18 minutes until golden.

For another easy version, see our simple 3 ingredient coconut macaroons recipe.

18. Cherry Clafoutis with Oat Milk

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 35 minutes | Oven: 350°F

This French baked custard turns silky and light using oat milk in place of cream, with sweet cherries studded throughout.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted cherries
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, butter a baking dish.
2. Scatter cherries in the dish.
3. Blend eggs, sugar, oat milk, flour, and vanilla.
4. Pour over cherries.
5. Bake 35 minutes until puffed and set.

19. Aquafaba Meringue Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies | Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 90 minutes | Oven: 200°F

Chickpea brine, known as aquafaba, whips up just like egg whites into crisp, airy meringues with zero dairy involved.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Whip aquafaba and cream of tartar to soft peaks.
3. Gradually add sugar, whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
4. Fold in vanilla, pipe onto a lined sheet.
5. Bake 90 minutes, then let cool in the oven with the door closed.

How to Keep Desserts Truly Dairy-Free

Check labels closely, since dairy hides in places you wouldn’t expect. Chocolate chips, caramel, and even some non-dairy creamers can contain milk solids or whey.

Look for a “dairy-free” or “vegan” certification on packaged chocolate and baking chips. “Dark chocolate” alone isn’t a guarantee, since many brands add milk fat for smoothness.

Watch for butter substitutes labeled “light” or “spreadable,” since some still blend in buttermilk. Stick to brands marked plant-based across the whole line.

If you’re baking for someone with a milk allergy rather than a preference, wash bowls and pans thoroughly between batches to avoid cross-contact. Shared butter dishes and measuring spoons are common culprits in home kitchens.

When a recipe calls for buttermilk, mix a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a cup of any plant milk and let it sit 5 minutes. It curdles just like the real thing and works great in cakes and biscuits.

Choosing Dairy-Free Baking Substitutions

Pick your substitute based on what the dairy was doing in the original recipe, whether that’s fat, moisture, or richness. The right swap depends on the job, not just the label.

Original Ingredient	Best Substitute	Works Well In
Butter	Vegan butter or coconut oil	Cookies, pie crust, biscuits
Milk	Almond or oat milk	Cakes, pancakes, custards
Heavy cream	Full-fat coconut milk	Mousse, ganache, soups
Cream cheese	Soaked cashews, blended	Cheesecake, frosting
Sour cream	Coconut yogurt	Cakes, quick breads

Coconut oil works best in recipes that want a firm, buttery texture at room temperature, like pie crusts and shortbread. It melts at a similar temperature to butter, so it behaves predictably in baking.

Oat milk and almond milk are fairly interchangeable in thin batters, though oat milk has a slightly richer body that suits custards like clafoutis. Canned coconut milk, chilled overnight, separates into a thick cream perfect for whipping or folding into mousse.

Cashews need at least four hours of soaking in warm water to blend smooth. Skipping this step leaves a gritty texture that no amount of blending fixes.

For more swap ideas across baked goods and frozen treats, our best vegan desserts and 25 dairy free desserts both offer additional recipes built around these same substitutions.