Following a vegan diet has many benefits, both health-wise and environmentally, and while it means omitting dairy and all animal-derived products from your diet, it certainly does not mean you need to avoid tasty treats. Many of us look forward to a delicious dessert at the end of a hearty meal; after all, there is a separate dessert appetite, right? Others love to bake and perhaps want to recreate some age-old classics the whole food way; regardless of why you are drawn to discovering a healthy way to indulge, we've got you covered right here.
First, let's take a look at whole foods and what we mean by this, and following on; we will unveil our top picks of the tastiest and healthiest whole foods desserts, which will make your mouth water.
An Introduction to Whole Foods – What is the term whole foods?
A whole foods diet consists of unprocessed foods such as a wide and colourful range of vegetables and fruit, as well as a variety of nuts, seeds and legumes. When following a vegan diet, you need to be more conscious of the foods you ingest, not only to make sure they don't contain any animal products but also because you need to know that you are fueling your body with all the essential nutrients and vitamins. Believe it or not, being vegan does not only mean 'cutting out meat and dairy'; it also encourages a more conscious diet which is full of whole foods, and without including a range of these unprocessed foods into your diet, you may risk leaving your body deficient of necessary vitamins, which is certainly not healthy.
A healthy vegan diet should include as many whole foods as possible for each meal, and by each meal, we don't just mean breakfast, lunch and dinner. Contrary to what you might think, there are a variety of whole foods and desserts which are indeed healthy, and this is something every vegan should be excited about. Luckily these days, the range of vegan-friendly options has expanded beyond belief, and it is not uncommon to find fully vegan menus in restaurants around the world, which offer delicious, whole foods desserts such as vegan cheesecake, vegan cupcakes and vegan chocolate chip cookies. So, if you are looking for the healthiest way to satisfy your cravings or create something delicious and vegan for that sweet tooth, be prepared to be inspired by these scrumptious whole foods desserts.
The Best Whole Foods Desserts – Our tastiest top picks
The best whole foods desserts to put your cravings at bay
- Chocolate Chip Kale Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Apple Crumble
- Chocolate Pudding
- Vegan Lemon Bars
- Peanut Butter Banana Cheesecake
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Vegan Wholegrain Spelt Brownies
Chocolate Chip Kale Cookies – A superfood treat
If you are a lover of chocolate chip cookies – and let's face it, who isn't? Then this is the ultimate treat for you since it contains kale, a superfood that provides us with an abundance of essential nutrients, flax seeds, cocoa powder and maple syrup. However, if you are not a fan of kale and are finding it hard to add those leafy greens into your diet, then this is the best option when it comes to whole foods desserts – you won't even know it's in there!
Ingredients featured in these delicious treats are:
- flaxseed
- whole wheat flour
- cocoa powder
- baking powder
- salt
- applesauce
- chopped kale
- non-dairy milk
- maple syrup
- unprocessed sugar
- coconut oil
- Vegan chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars – A tasty and filling option
One of the best ingredients for preparing whole foods desserts has to be peanut butter, and we don't blame you if you want to eat this by the spoon on its own; it's just so delicious. However, using peanut butter in vegan whole-food desserts is extremely popular, and once you've tasted these peanut butter cookie bars, you'll know why. Not only does it just take five ingredients to prepare these, but this is one genuinely healthy way to indulge because peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients featured here include:
- Powdered sugar
- Cookie crumbs
- Creamy salted peanut butter
- Vegan butter
- Vegan chocolate chips
Apple Crumble – A classic dessert
Apple crumble one of the tastiest and most comforting whole foods desserts there is, and many of us may have grown up eating this throughout our childhoods, so it provides a sense of nostalgia, plus it is a very healthy vegan option. This baked dessert is delicious for any occasion. It is ideally paired with vegan custard or vegan cream to make it extra indulgent; plus, this is a fantastic choice for sharing, so whether you plan to make this at home or pick one up from a vegan bakery, it is a good option for a family dessert.
This classic comfort food contains:
- Bramley apples
- Plain Flour
- Golden caster sugar
- A dairy-free spread
- Rolled oats
- Demerara sugar
- Optional vegan cream/vegan custard
Chocolate Pudding – A true indulgence
There are plenty out there who are the ultimate sweet tooths who need a dose of rich and indulgent chocolate to really feel like they have satisfied their cravings. For those of you that fit this category, you need to keep an eye out for this melt-in-your-mouth vegan chocolate pudding. You may be surprised that a healthy chocolate pudding is possible without sacrificing the taste, but we are here to show you that it certainly is.
In this dessert you will find:
- Cornstarch
- Coconut sugar
- Vegan milk
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla extract
- Vegan chocolate
Vegan Lemon Bars – A light, zesty option
Not only are these delicious citrus-based treats one of the best whole foods desserts to indulge on with a cup of tea or at the end of a hearty meal, but they are also ideal for serving guests at a dinner party. If you thought that the fluffy, spongy texture would be compromised with this vegan version of lemon bars, you would be pleasantly surprised, as the whole food ingredients used create a healthy yet perfect alternative. One of the reasons this is one of the popular whole foods desserts is that it is so light and refreshing, which is ideal if you have a sweet tooth but don't want to indulge in a heavy dessert.
Within these zesty vegan lemon bars, you will find
- Coconut cream
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
- Flour
- Salt
- Lemon extract
- Vegan butter
- Turmeric (for colour)
Peanut Butter Banana Cheesecake – A delicious vegan treat
There could not be a list of vegan whole foods desserts without the mention of a delicious cheesecake, and despite assuming that authentic cheesecake needs to contain real cheese, the healthy vegan alternative proves that theory is outdated. Cheesecake is a dessert we are all familiar with. If you have recently started following a vegan lifestyle, you may have assumed that there are limited vegan dessert options; we have our beloved vegan cheesecake among this mouthwatering list of healthy desserts.
This vegan peanut butter banana cheesecake contains:
- Dates
- Peanuts
- Coconut oil
- Cashews
- Maple Syrup
- Peanut butter
- Water
- Salt
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls – One of the must-try vegan whole foods desserts
If you find yourself longing for a delicious cinnamon roll and perhaps you thought that a vegan alternative was not an option, then you would be wrong because there are whole-food vegan cinnamon rolls that exist, and they taste just fantastic. Vegan cinnamon rolls are one of the most popular vegan whole foods desserts, which are healthy and can kick your cravings to the curb.
- Vegan cinnamon rolls contain:
- Organic sprouted spelt flour
- Coconut sugar
- Vegan milk
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut oil
- Cinnamon
- Vegan Butter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Baking powder
Vegan Blueberry Muffins – A sweet snack for any time of day
Not only are these whole food desserts ideal as an on-the-go snack or as a post-dinner dessert, but they are fantastic quick and healthy breakfast options because many of us like to start the day with a little bit of sweetness. Blueberry muffins are a classic which can be found in many cafes and bakeries all over the world. If you are following a vegan diet, you need to try these vegan blueberry muffins, a delicious healthy alternative.
Each blueberry muffin contains ingredients such as:
- Vegan milk
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Orange zest
- Fresh/Frozen blueberries
- Coconut oil
Conclusion
From reading through our list of the best vegan whole food's desserts, it is apparent that there are a wide variety of healthy indulgent treats for everyone who follows a vegan lifestyle. So, whether you prefer a rich chocolate pudding, a fluffy fruit muffin, or a classic apple crumble to satisfy your cravings, you will find one here. It is worth adding that while these are our top picks for the tastiest and most exciting healthy vegan desserts, there are endless options, making being vegan all that more exciting. So, keep an eye out for healthy, vegan alternatives; you never know what you may stumble upon.