Desserts

During the winter months mandarins are so sweet and tasty, and moist polenta cakes are such a great way to enjoy gluten-free baking.

The ultimate treat

This decadent, gluten-free cake is a showstopper

A grown-up version of the author's childhood memories, this cake is worthy of any celebration

Freezing and shattering into geometric shards turns simple fruit-studded fro-yo into a modern art-esque dessert

Beat the summer heat with this delicious, dairy-free frozen treat

The silky texture is thanks to almond creamer

This vegan dessert brings zippy citrus and creamy texture to the party

This veganized dessert uses aquafaba to acheive the traditonal meringue

These are by far my favorite donuts. They even have a little coffee kick in the dough to live up to their name. If you love all things pumpkin spice, you have got to try these!

The combination of sweet caramel, salty peanuts and creamy chocolate makes these bars one of my most popular recipes. Made using plant-based, mainly whole-food ingredients, these chocolate bars are the ultimate guilt-free and cruelty-free dessert.

This juicy fruit pie (Paleo and vegan!) is packed with antioxidant-rich blueberries and mangoes. The flaky crust is made with almond flour.

Do you ever feel guilty after eating something sweet? Well, this mini cheesecake recipe is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without overindulging. Not only does it include a comprehensive green superfood powder, its filling is primarily cashews—who knew?

Go bananas and add some cocoa and chocolate chips to your banana bread. Now you can have your chocolate and eat it, too!

Cobblers are made by dolloping a biscuit dough topping over fruit, then baking until the biscuits are tender and chewy in the center, but crisp on top. If you don't have time to make our topping, just lay 8 prepared biscuits (refrigerated or frozen and thawed) over the fruit and sugar mixture. Frozen blueberries also work well here.

Don't deprive yourself of luscious desserts. Replace sugary treats with healthier options — like this fruit-based dessert — that still taste good

This chilled dessert, usually made with gelatin and heavy cream, is a classic in Italian cuisine. Our vegan version is thickened with agar, a gelatin substitute derived from algae; you'll find it most natural foods stores or Asian markets.

Pâte à choux dough is a very egg-rich dough that can then be filled with luscious creamy pastry cream custard. These profiteroles are made with vegan eggs and butter to create a rich and creamy dessert.

The subtle vanilla and sweetness from the custard perfectly complements a punchy and flavorsome baklava filling.

The perfect Christmas dessert (or indulgent breakfast?), this looks beautiful and is so much fun to make. Store leftover chocolate hazelnut spread in sterilized jars. Or double-batch the spread as it will keep in the fridge for up to a month. Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves for extra festive flavor.

Typically, quinoa is used as a savory base in recipes, but it’s also versatile enough to be used for sweet treats! Instead of going for rich flavors like chocolate, these bites have a light and refreshing lemon flavor.

This elegant version of a sunken pear cake is true to its flavors and hides the perfect surprise on the inside, making it incredibly moist and fluffy. This bread gets a powerful infusion of fresh ginger, maple syrup and white wine to make it even more festive.

Dates and walnuts take the place of gluten, sugar and butter in these no-bake high-protein vegan bars.

This tropical frozen treat is vegan and loaded with omega-3s.

A home-style dessert gets a tropical twist by baking spiced mangoes and pineapple beneath a crunchy crumble topping. Serve with non-dairy, vanilla ice cream.

This dessert takes its inspiration from the harvest cakes of Italy and Provence, where grapes and olives grow in abundance. The recipe calls for a sweet wine to flavor the cake, but you could also use white wine left over from last night’s dinner.

Snickerdoodles are just sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. Try adding ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice to the cinnamon sugar to boost flavor.

Coconut milk adds a hint of extra flavor to this classic dessert.

These cookies turn out crispy and light rather than chewy. To make them truly gluten-free, choose oat flour that is certified gluten-free; some brands risk cross-contamination with wheat during production and packaging.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Rustic, free-form tarts are my favorite summer dessert for entertaining.

Want to win over the cookie lovers in your family? Make a batch of miniature whoopie pies! Kids will love the sweet marshmallow cream filling, while kids at heart can appreciate the tender chocolate cookies with a richer flavor than store-bought versions.

Cointreau, a sweet orange liqueur, gives fudgy brownies an elegant touch.

A smooth, creamy pumpkin custard surrounds sweet pear halves for an updated version of the classic holiday dessert.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Sponsored content: Presented by Natural Gourmet Institute

Sponsored content: Presented by Natural Gourmet Institute

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

A decadent, custardy delight that looks sophisticated, but is also homey and comforting.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

This deep-dish pie is the stuff of state fairs and road-trip diner stops.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Rev up your apple pie repertoire with this free-form beauty that’s loaded with dried apricots, figs, and cranberries, plus a healthy splash of Armagnac, an aged brandy from Bordeaux.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!

For this quintessential luau dessert from Mark Reinfeld, the pudding should be sliced into petite squares and served on small pieces of ti or banana leaf.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Fabulous to eat and surprisingly simple to assemble

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

These layered desserts are inspired by candy corn – but taste so much better

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Dried fruit adds tang, texture, and color to crisps, crumbles, and pies.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Chocolate bark is a good way to try your hand at tempering, the technique of heating and cooling chocolate so that it solidifies quickly and remains firm and shiny. A simplified version of tempering involves melting two-thirds of the chocolate, then cooling it by adding the remaining one-third and stirring until smooth. For best results, use a candy or instant-read thermometer to check chocolate temperature.

Use a high-quality honey to keep this tart from tasting overly sweet.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.