If you’ve ever dreamed of a dessert that marries rich, gooey sweetness with the warmth of comforting spices, let me introduce you to the ultimate crowd-pleaser: the Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe. This luscious pudding is a beautiful homage to a classic treat, but completely plant-based and incredibly moist thanks to a brilliant blend of medjool dates, vegan buttermilk, and silky vegan butter. Every bite offers a perfectly spongy texture smothered in a decadent toffee sauce made from coconut cream and cane sugar, making it a divine dessert that no one will believe is dairy- or egg-free. Trust me, once you try this Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe, it will become your go-to for cozy nights and special occasions alike.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe relies on ingredients that are wonderfully simple yet indispensable. Each component plays a key role, whether it’s adding natural sweetness, fluffiness, or that gorgeous golden color everyone craves in a classic toffee pudding.
- Medjool dates: These are the stars of the show—natural caramel-like sweetness that keeps the pudding moist and flavorful.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the batter providing structure to the pudding’s soft crumb.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Together they ensure the pudding rises beautifully and stays tender.
- Ground cinnamon: Optional but warmly aromatic, it adds a subtle spice that lifts the whole dish.
- Sea salt: A pinch of salt elevates all the flavors and balances the sweetness perfectly.
- Vegan buttermilk: Adds tender moisture and a slight tang to brighten the batter.
- Vegan butter: Provides richness and helps achieve that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Light muscovado sugar: Gives the pudding and sauce a deep, complex sweetness with subtle molasses undertones.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt: Adds creaminess and aids in keeping the pudding soft.
- Cane molasses (or black treacle): Infuses the pudding with sticky, robust notes essential to any authentic sticky toffee.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a sweet, fragrant warmth that rounds out the flavor profile.
- Coconut cream (soy or oat cream): The secret to the toffee sauce’s silky, rich texture—totally indulgent yet vegan.
How to Make Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Pan
First things first, preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Grease a baking dish that’s about 10.5 by 7.5 inches with a 3-inch height. This creates the perfect vessel to hold your pudding as it bakes into gooey perfection.
Step 2: Create the Date Paste
Chop those luscious medjool dates coarsely and soak them in freshly boiled water for 20 to 30 minutes. This soaking process is key—it softens the dates so they mash into a silky paste that infuses the pudding with incredible moisture and natural sweetness.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional cinnamon, and sea salt. This blend ensures even flavor distribution and helps give the pudding its light, fluffy texture.
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Use a stand mixer or vigorous whisking to blend the room-temperature vegan butter and light muscovado sugar until pale and fluffy—this step traps air, essential for a light pudding.
Step 5: Add the Wet Ingredients
Beat in the vegan Greek-style yogurt, molasses, and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture. It’s normal if it looks a bit split at this stage; trust the process, it all comes together beautifully.
Step 6: Build the Batter
Add half of the vegan buttermilk and half the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, whisk gently, then repeat with the remaining halves. Stop whisking while you still see a few flour streaks to avoid overworking the batter, which keeps your pudding tender.
Step 7: Fold in the Date Paste
Using a spatula, carefully fold the date paste into the batter until just incorporated. This step ensures that the dates are evenly distributed, giving every mouthful those sweet, sticky delights.
Step 8: Bake the Pudding
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, start making the caramel sauce that will take this pudding to the next level.
Step 9: Prepare the Toffee Sauce
In a saucepan, combine the coconut cream, sugar, vegan butter, and sea salt. Bring the mix gently to a simmer, then reduce the heat and stir for a few minutes until slightly thickened. This sauce is rich, indulgent, and the perfect sticky complement for your pudding.
Step 10: Soak and Cool
Once the pudding is baked and a skewer comes out with sticky crumbs, poke several holes all over, then pour three-quarters of the caramel sauce over while still warm. Let it cool for about 30 minutes so all that luscious sauce soaks in.
Step 11: Final Touch
Just before serving, drizzle the remaining toffee sauce over the top for an extra glossy, sticky finish that will wow anyone lucky enough to taste it.
How to Serve Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
Garnishes
Keep it simple or get creative with your garnishes. A dollop of whipped coconut cream adds cloud-like softness, while a sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts brings a delightful crunch and nutty flavor that contrasts beautifully with the sticky sweetness.
Side Dishes
This pudding is rich enough to stand on its own, but feel free to serve it alongside a scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream or a fresh fruit compote to brighten the plate and cut through the toffee richness.
Creative Ways to Present
Want to impress? Serve the pudding in individual ramekins with a caramel drizzle artfully pooled around them. Or layer warmed chunks of pudding between layers of vegan custard in a trifle dish for a show-stopping dessert centerpiece.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your leftover Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe covered tightly in the fridge for up to four days. The flavors deepen beautifully overnight, making it just as tasty the next day.
Freezing
You can freeze the un-sauced pudding in an airtight container for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, thaw it slowly in the fridge and warm gently in the oven before adding fresh toffee sauce.
Reheating
Warm individual portions in the microwave or oven until heated through. Add a splash of coconut cream or extra toffee sauce before serving to revive its luscious stickiness and keep it moist.
FAQs
Can I use different types of dates in this Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe?
Medjool dates are preferred for their soft texture and natural caramel flavor, but if you only have firmer dates, soak them for longer to ensure a smooth paste. Other varieties work too but might slightly alter taste and moisture.
Is it possible to make this pudding gluten-free?
Yes! Substituting the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend should work well, but make sure your blend contains xanthan gum to help with texture and rise.
What if I don’t have vegan buttermilk on hand?
Simply make your own by mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice with 200 ml of plant-based milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles. It’s a foolproof substitute that adds the necessary tang.
How sticky should the toffee sauce be?
The sauce should be pourable but slightly thickened so it clings luxuriously to the pudding without running off. If it’s too thin, simmer for another minute or two; if too thick, stir in a splash of coconut cream.
Can I make this recipe nut-free?
Definitely! The recipe is naturally nut-free unless you add nuts as garnish. Just check your vegan butter and yogurt for any nut ingredients to be safe.
Final Thoughts
There’s something undeniably comforting about a warm slice of sticky toffee pudding, and this Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe perfectly captures that magic while staying entirely plant-based. Whether you’re impressing guests or craving a cozy night in, this recipe delivers luscious texture and indulgent flavor every time. Give it a try—you won’t regret bringing this sweet little treasure into your dessert repertoire.
Print
Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding is a decadent, comforting dessert made with moist medjool dates and a rich vegan caramel sauce. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and baked to golden perfection, it’s a dairy-free, egg-free treat ideal for vegans and anyone craving a classic sticky toffee pudding with a plant-based twist.
Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 250 g medjool dates, pitted
- 200 ml freshly boiled water
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 batch vegan buttermilk (usually made by mixing plant milk with vinegar or lemon juice)
- 120 g vegan butter, room temperature
- 100 g light muscovado sugar
- 120 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
- 45 g cane molasses (or black treacle)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Toffee Sauce (Caramel):
- 200 g coconut cream (or soy or oat cream)
- 150 g light muscovado sugar
- 50 g vegan butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease a 10.5 x 7.5-inch baking dish with about 3-inch depth using some oil to prevent sticking.
- Make Date Paste: Roughly chop the pitted medjool dates and place them in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the dates and allow them to soak for 20-30 minutes until softened. Use a fork to mash the dates into a smooth paste.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon (if using), and sea salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and light muscovado sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk the vegan Greek-style yogurt, cane molasses (or black treacle), and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. It’s normal if the mixture appears slightly separated at this point.
- Combine Batter: Add half of the vegan buttermilk and half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking to combine. Then add the remaining half of the buttermilk and dry ingredients and whisk gently. Be careful not to overmix; some streaks of flour should remain visible.
- Fold in Date Paste: With a spatula, carefully fold the prepared date paste into the batter until just combined.
- Bake the Pudding: Pour the batter into the pre-greased baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes until set.
- Make the Toffee Sauce: While the pudding bakes, combine the coconut cream, light muscovado sugar, vegan butter, and sea salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer while stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Check Doneness and Soak: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of the pudding to check for doneness. It should come out with a few sticky crumbs. When the pudding is out of the oven, poke multiple holes in the surface with a skewer or fork. Pour about three-quarters of the warmed toffee sauce over the pudding and let it soak, cooling for about 30 minutes.
- Serve: Just before serving, pour the remaining toffee sauce generously over the pudding for an extra luscious finish.
Notes
- Note 1: Ensure the medjool dates are soft and pitted for easy mashing; soak longer if they are harder.
- Note 2: Use room temperature vegan butter to ensure it creams well with the sugar.
- Note 3: Light muscovado sugar adds a rich, caramel-like flavor essential for this recipe.
- Note 4: Vegan Greek-style yogurt helps keep the pudding moist and tender.
