Get ready for a dessert that’s pure decadence! This vegan tiramisu is made with layers of coffee-soaked vegan ladyfingers and sweet cashew cheese blended with whipped coconut cream. It’s absolutely heavenly and you’d never guess it was dairy-free.
I’m just going to say it: this is the best tiramisu I’ve ever had. I don’t say something like that lightly, as I LOVE tiramisu, and I’ve had lots of it.
Also, we’re including both vegan and non-vegan tiramisu in this competition. Back when I was in college I waited tables at several restaurants that claimed to have amazing tiramisu, and I enjoyed that tiramisu and agreed with them at the time.
And since I love it so much, I recently sought out some vegan versions to taste-test in preparation for creating this vegan tiramisu recipe (I hadn’t had it in years, so I needed a taste-refresh). They were delicious. But not as delicious as this.
Now I’m sharing the recipe so you can create this deliciousness in your own kitchen!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw cashews. These are the main ingredient in our vegan mascarpone cheese. They need to be raw (not roasted), and you’ll need to soak them in water for several hours to soften them up, so plan accordingly.
- Maple syrup. Maple will give the filling a really nice flavor, but you can certainly substitute another vegan liquid sweetener like agave if you prefer.
- Non-dairy milk. You can use pretty much any vegan milk that’s unsweetened and unflavored, such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk. Read my guide to non-dairy milk if you’re having trouble choosing one.
- Lemon juice. Be sure to use freshly squeezed juice, which will give your cashew cheese much better flavor than anything from a bottle.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
- Coconut cream. You can usually get this in stores near the coconut milk, in cans. You’ll need to chill it in the fridge overnight before using it to make vegan whipped cream for this recipe.
- Vegan ladyfingers. We’re using homemade vegan ladyfingers in this recipe, because I’ve never had luck finding them in the store. If you don’t feel like making ladyfingers, feel free to substitute with your favorite vegan cookies or even strips of vegan vanilla cake. They really serve mostly as a vehicle for the coffee, so it’s not super critical what you use. You can even keep the entire recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free cake or cookie! If you’re using a particularly dense cookie, like a vegan sugar cookie, just soak it a little longer in the coffee.
- Espresso. You can use strong-brewed coffee if you don’t have expresso handy.
- Coffee liqueur. This is optional, just use it if you’d like a little extra coffee flavor punch. For a different twist, try substituting rum.
- Cinnamon.
- Cocoa powder.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Place all of your vegan mascarpone ingredients into a blender or food processor bowl: soaked raw cashews, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt.
Blend everything up until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This can take a few minutes if you’re not using a high-powered blending device, so be patient.
Tip: Did you forget to soak your cashews? You can soften them up more quickly by boiling them in water.
Open your can of coconut cream, then drain off any liquid. The solids that are left are coconut cream.
Place the coconut cream into a mixing bowl, then beat it at high speed with an electric mixer until it becomes light and fluffy. This will only take a minute.
Tip: If you can’t find coconut cream, buy full-fat coconut milk instead. There will be a bit more liquid to drain off when you open the cans. Simply buy an extra one to make up for the loss.
Fold the cashew cheese mixture into the whipped coconut cream using a spatula. Be gentle, but keep folding until they are completely combined.
Combine the espresso and coffee liqueur (if using), then dip a ladyfinger briefly in the mixture before arranging it in a baking dish. Do this for half of the ladyfingers. Cover the ladyfingers with half of the coconut mixture.
Arrange a second layer of dipped ladyfingers over the coconut mixture, the top it all off with the remaining coconut mixture. Dust everything with a touch of cinnamon and a generous coating of cocoa, and pop it in the fridge until it’s completely set.
Your vegan tiramisu is ready to slice and serve! I like to top each slice with a few chocolate shavings.
Tip: Vegan tiramisu is sloppy. If you want nice clean slices, try sticking it in the freezer (after it’s set) for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Easy Variation
Need a quick an easy alternative to the method I just described? Or perhaps you don’t have a blending device? I have an alternative for you, BUT it’s not as good. It’s still very tasty, but not nearly as amazing as the recipe version.
Instead of blending the cashew mascarpone mixture, simply beat together two (8 ounce) containers of vegan cream cheese, ⅓ cup of maple syrup, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Fold it into your coconut cream mixture the same as you would with cashew cheese, and proceed with the recipe as otherwise instucted.
Leftovers & Storage
Vegan tiramisu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.
More Classic Vegan Desserts
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The Best Vegan Tiramisu
Get ready for a dessert that’s pure decadence! This vegan tiramisu is made with layers of coffee-soaked vegan ladyfingers and sweet cashew cheese blended with whipped coconut cream. It’s absolutely heavenly and you’d never guess it was dairy-free.
Ingredients
-
1 ½
cups
raw cashews,
soaked in water 4 to 8 hours, drained and rinsed -
⅓
cup
maple syrup -
2
tablespoons
unsweetened non-dairy milk -
1
tablespoon
lemon juice -
2
teaspoons
vanilla extract -
½
teaspoon
salt -
2
(13.5 ounce/400ml) cans
coconut cream,
chilled overnight in the fridge (Note 1) -
36
vegan ladyfingers
(Note 2) -
1 ½
cups
espresso or very strong coffee -
2
tablespoons
coffee liqueur,
optional -
½
teaspoon
ground cinnamon,
optional -
1
tablespoon
unsweetened cocoa powder,
or as needed
Instructions
-
Place the cashews, maple syrup, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
-
Open the cans of coconut cream and drain off the liquid. Transfer the remaining solid portion to a large mixing bowl.
-
Use an electric mixer at high speed to whip the coconut cream until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
-
Add the cashew mixture to the bowl with the coconut cream. Fold in the cashew mixture using a spatula.
-
Place the espresso into a small bowl. Add the coffee liqueur, if using.
-
One at at time, dip half of the ladyfingers in the expresso mixture, then arrange them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
-
Spread half of the coconut cream mixture over the ladyfingers.
-
Dip each of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso mixture, then arrange them over the coconut cream layer.
-
Spread the remaining coconut cream mixture over the top layer of ladyfingers.
-
Sprinkle the cinnamon (if using) over the coconut cream mixture, followed by the cocoa.
-
Cover the dish and refrigerate the tiramisu until set, about 4 hours.
Recipe Notes
- If the coconut cream has been stored in a warm area or you can hear sloshing when you shake it, you may need to chill it for a full 24 hours.
- Store bought vegan cookies, or thin strips of vegan vanilla cake can be substituted for ladyfingers if you don’t feel like making them. Denser cookies may need a bit longer of a dip in the espresso mixture.
Nutrition Facts
The Best Vegan Tiramisu
Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/12 of recipe))
Calories 497
Calories from Fat 182
% Daily Value*
Fat 20.2g31%
Saturated Fat 11.3g57%
Sodium 180mg8%
Potassium 278mg8%
Carbohydrates 74.8g25%
Fiber 1.3g5%
Sugar 54.8g61%
Protein 5g10%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
