On a cold winter evening, there are few treats more richly comforting than a warm slab of sticky toffee pudding. This vegan version doesn't take any obscure ingredients, and has all the same deep toffee flavors and the moist texture that everyone loves about the original. Your family will love this vegan sticky toffee pudding during the Christmas season or all winter long!
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Ingredients
Non-vegan sticky toffee pudding recipes ask you to use regular butter, milk, and eggs in the pudding batter, and regular butter and cream in the toffee sauce. I swapped the regular butter for my favorite vegan butter alternative, Earth Balance. Instead of 2 large eggs, I used ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce, which has a more subdued flavor than a flaxseed egg replacement.
The milk/cream is simple to swap out with any mild-flavored plant-based milk. I used almond milk for both the pudding and the sauce. Using almond milk in the sauce will make it more liquidy than a traditional sauce, as almond milk is more watery than dairy cream. If you want a closer substitute for the cream in the toffee sauce, I recommend using full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream.
Questions
What does sticky toffee pudding taste like?
Sticky toffee pudding (or STP as it is known in the UK) has rich, caramelized flavors from the dates and brown sugar in the cake part, and a very moist texture. The pudding gets a little sticky on top from the sugars in it. Despite having a lot of sweet ingredients, this classic British dessert is far from being sickeningly sweet; it has a refreshing edge of bitterness from the molasses.
This sticky dessert is traditionally served warm during the cold months of year, alongside homemade toffee sauce, pouring cream, vanilla custard, or vanilla ice cream. Choose what toppings you would like best, but don't skip on the homemade toffee sauce, as it really adds to the depth of flavor in this beautiful pudding.
Is sticky toffee pudding the same as sticky date pudding?
Yes, these two treats are one and the same. Sticky date pudding is the name more commonly used in Australia and New Zealand, while those in England, Canada, and the US typically refer to this dessert as sticky toffee pudding.
Why are dates used in sticky toffee pudding?
The natural sugars from the dates help sweeten the pudding, while the actual fruit itself lends a rich flavor and moist texture to the sponge. They're definitely an important ingredient in this dessert, so don't leave them out! Feel free to use whole dates that you pit and chop yourself, or the ready-chopped ones.
How long will vegan sticky toffee pudding keep?
Sticky toffee pudding will keep well at room temperature for 3-4 days, as long as it's kept well sealed under plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can freeze STP in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients for the pudding.
Combine the chopped dates and milk in a small saucepan, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Then, tip the mixture into a bowl and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda until blended.
Beat together the softened vegan butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the molasses, applesauce, and vanilla along with a few spoonfuls of the flour mixture. Beat until blended.
Gradually mix in the remaining flour mixture, then stir in the cooked and cooled dates. Pour the batter into an 8x8-inch pan and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.
While the pudding is baking, make the toffee sauce. Combine the vegan butter, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla in a saucepan until thickened, then blend in the milk to create a thin sauce.
Once the baked pudding has cooled for 10 minutes, drizzle ⅓ to ½ cup of the toffee sauce on top to give this dessert a sticky top. Let the pudding stand for 20-30 minutes, then slice and serve.
Make sure to pour additional toffee sauce on top of each slice! You can also serve this with vegan vanilla ice cream or pour coconut cream on top.
Pro Tips
- Make sure that the vegan butter is softened before you begin.
- Let the cooked date mixture cool before adding it to the batter.
- Don't overmix the batter, or the pudding may be tough.
- Want individual puddings? Pour the batter into a greased and floured muffin tin, filling the cups halfway. Bake at 350 F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Other British Desserts You'll Love
Other Vegan Treats to Try
- Vegan Brownie in a Mug
- Vegan Tiramisu
- Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Gingersnaps
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
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Recipe
Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
For the Sticky Toffee Pudding
- 8 ounces chopped dates
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Coconut cream or vegan vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)
For the Toffee Sauce
- 1 ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond milk or coconut cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Simmer dates in the almond milk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool it down before adding it to the batter.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda until blended.
- Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. (This is the amazing flex edge attachment that I used for this recipe.)
- Add the applesauce, molasses, and vanilla to the butter mixture along with ½ cup of the flour mixture and beat until blended.
- Gradually add the remaining flour mixture and stir on low speed until well mixed.
- Pour the cooled date mixture into the batter and stir to combine.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. The pudding is baked when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the pudding stand on a wire rack to cool.
- While the pudding is baking, make the sauce. Combine the butter, sugar, molasses, and vanilla over very low heat until the mixture is melted and thick, then add the milk and boil for 1 minute. (The sauce will be quite thin; if you want it thicker, simply cut down on the milk or use vegan cream instead.)
- Pour ⅓-1/2 cup of the sauce on the pudding and let it stand for 20-30 minutes, then slice and serve with the remaining sauce.
Notes
- Make sure that the date mixture is only slightly warm to the touch, not boiling hot, before adding it to the batter.
- Mix the batter until it is combined but not for too long, or the pudding may be tough.
- Want individual puddings? Pour the batter into a greased and floured muffin tin, filling the cups halfway. Bake at 350 F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Alex
This pudding is delicious! It's moist, sweet, and sticky. The smell was divine! I would totally have this again.
Emma
I'm glad that you enjoyed this, Alex!
Beth
This dessert is soft and chewy. I love the dates and the molasses in here. The sticky sauce on top is lovely. I love this sticky toffee pudding!
Emma
So glad to hear that, Beth!