Easy Homemade Vegan Tiramisu (No Cashews, No Tofu!)
Quite literally the best vegan tiramisu you will ever make, this easy dairy free tiramisu is layered with espresso soaked homemade ladyfingers, creamy and rich vegan mascarpone filling, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Tastes just like the classic Italian “pick-me-up” layered dessert!
Why you’ll love this easy vegan tiramisu:
If you love tiramisu, just wait until you try this amazing vegan version! It has every flavor of the classic, along with those gorgeous layers of espresso soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone filling. Yet it’s undetectably dairy free, eggless, and vegan with the options of being gluten free, refined sugar free, and nut free!
This pick-me-up layered dessert is the perfect healthier treat to bring to a dinner party or serve at a holiday gathering, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, or even a summer party (since it’s chilly and refreshing!).
You just won’t believe that this tiramisu is vegan. From the fluffy and creamy dairy free mascarpone filling to the soft yet delightfully soaked espresso homemade ladyfingers, this is the perfect dessert to test on your vegan skeptic friends and family 😉
What is tiramisu?
Aside from being my favorite dessert growing up that my great grandparents would make, tiramisu is a classic Italian layer dessert.
In Italian, tiramisu translates to “pick me up.” It consists of deliciously spongey vanilla “ladyfinger” cakes soaked in espresso and rum, and layered with zabaglione and mascarpone, finished with a dusting of cocoa powder.
Traditionally, tiramisu is not the easiest dessert, as it requires creating a custard from eggs, and layering the classic Italian dessert just right.
In all honesty, I wasn’t always allowed to have tiramisu as a little kid, since it contained wine and coffee. However, my great grandpa used to sneak me bites ha!
Since we’ve gone plant-based vegan, however, I actually haven’t had tiramisu in years. That’s why this year, I set out to recreate one of my favorite desserts from childhood!
The easiest tiramisu recipe ever!
This is truly the easiest vegan tiramisu recipe ever. I promise.
I wanted to be a bit different than the vegan and gluten free takes on tiramisu around the internet. Many use cashews or even tofu to make the layer of mascarpone. Others also slice a layer cake into vegan ladyfingers.
I wanted this vegan tiramisu to come as close to the traditional as possible, all while being tofu free, nut free, vegan, dairy free, and have the option of being gluten free.
And so, The Banana Diaries Vegan Tiramisu was created (based off of one of my grandma’s old recipes that she kept from my great grandparents!).
How to make vegan tiramisu from scratch
While this vegan tiramisu is easy, you will need to make it in layers. It’s not the quickest dessert, but it is straight forward and a wonderful treat for a dinner party or Christmas dinner.
First we’ll start by making the vegan ladyfingers (with a gluten free option). Then we’ll make the custard-like dairy free mascarpone, and then finally we’ll assemble the tiramisu!
Homemade Vegan Ladyfingers (Gluten Free Option)
Many recipes that are vegan essentially make a layer cake that we slice. I wanted to make the shape of the ladyfingers as close to the real deal as possible.
So that’s what we did.
Originally, I had developed this recipe using my vegan vanilla cupcake batter, and spread the onto a baking sheet to bake. It was a great vegan ladyfinger, but I wanted something a bit closer to the real deal.
This new version of a vegan ladyfinger is truly it. The lady fingers are light and fluffy, yet structured enough that when they soak up the espresso, the ladyfingers still maintain their shape and don’t become too sponge-like.
This batter will yield about 36 lady fingers, which is just the right amount of homemade ladyfingers to use for your vegan tiramisu. You can pipe the batter onto the baking sheets, but I found it just easiest to spread the batter almost like a sheet cake, then slice when baked. Once in the tiramisu, you really won’t notice!
Once the vegan ladyfingers are baked, we’ll move onto making the dairy free mascarpone.
Vegan Dairy Free Mascarpone
Traditionally, the custard-like mascarpone also includes zabaglione (a custard of eggs, wine, and sugar). However, seeing as this vegan tiramisu is egg free and dairy free, we had to get a bit creative.
Mascarpone cheese tastes most similar to a ricotta, so I combined vegan butter, dairy free yogurt, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a touch of coconut milk (or any dairy free milk!) to help the mascarpone frosting move. The result is super fluffy and light!
A note on vegan yogurt: the brand you choose will make or break this vegan tiramisu. I highly recommend using Forager Project cashewmilk yogurt or another yogurt that’s a little bit more on the liquid-y side. This could also be soy milk yogurt or coconut milk yogurt, but it can’t be a super thick coconut milk yogurt.
How to assemble tiramisu
Now we get to the fun part: assembling the vegan tiramisu!
You’ll need a 6×9″ baking pan or an 8×8″ baking pan. Make sure that you’ve prepared the espresso. If you want rum in the espresso, you can add 1/4 golden rum.
Here’s how to assemble tiramisu:
- Dip or brush half of the vegan ladyfingers in espresso.
Place the dipped ladyfingers into your baking dish.
- Spread about half of the vegan dairy free mascarpone over the top.
Save the rest for the next layer!
- Repeat for the next layer!
If you need to slice your ladyfingers to fit into your specific baking dish, that’s completely fine!
- Pipe the coconut whipped cream on top.
I recommend Forager Project coconut whipped cream for the most stable vegan whipped cream.
- Dust with cocoa powder and enjoy!
This vegan tiramisu needs about 2-3 hours to chill and set before serving.
Refrigerate the vegan tiramisu for at least 2-3 hours (so that it sets and can easily slice!). You can also refrigerate it overnight as well, which would be even better! Then when ready to serve, you can pipe coconut whipped cream on top and dust with cocoa powder.
Slice and serve!
Tips & Tricks
- Make this a vegan gluten free tiramisu with homemade gluten free ladyfingers: the only ingredient you need to be aware of is the flour. I recommend a gluten free 1:1 baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill.
- Keep this tiramisu alcohol free or add in golden rum: whichever you prefer! The alcohol version will taste closest to the traditional tiramisu. Kahlua would also be nice. However, I prefer mine without alcohol.
- Make ahead of time! I recommend making this vegan tiramisu the day before so as not to rush yourself if you’re preparing it for a special occasion.
- This vegan tiramisu is perfect for: Christmas, birthdays, Thanksgiving, weddings, graduations, baby showers, and more! It’s been served at our Christmas dinners for forever, so that’s why it always reminds me of the holidays!
- The vegan cream cheese does NOT need to be room temperature: but other baking ingredients do, especially for when making the homemade ladyfingers! Check out this awesome article by Sally’s Baking Addiction for why it’s important for taste, texture, and consistency to use room temperature ingredients in baking.
You are just going to absolutely love this vegan tiramisu recipe! It’s perfect for all eaters, vegan or not! If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others may find it!
As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy vegan tiramisu making!
More vegan Italian desserts:
Amazing Vegan Tricolore Cookies
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If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Print
Vegan Tiramisu (No Cashews, No Tofu!)
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 18
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Quite literally the best vegan tiramisu you will ever make, this easy dairy free tiramisu is layered with espresso soaked homemade ladyfingers, creamy and rich vegan mascarpone filling, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Tastes just like the classic Italian “pick-me-up” layered dessert!
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Ladyfingers:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour or sifted gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour (if doing gluten-free, add in 1 tsp arrowroot powder)
- 3/4 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) aquafaba*
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup (100 grams) dairy-free milk
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) unsweetened applesauce or dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tbsp melted vegan butter or coconut oil, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Vegan Mascarpone:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) vegan butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup (112 g) vegan cream cheese, unsweetened
- 2 tbsp dairy free yogurt*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp dairy free milk, as needed
Decoration:
- 2/3 cup cacao cocoa powder
- 1 cup brewed espresso
- Optional: coconut whipped cream for decoration (I also recommend Forager Project coconut whipped cream- it’s super easy to pipe!)
Equipment:
- 6x9″ or 8x8″ baking pan
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Espresso machine
- Stand mixer or Hand mixer
Instructions
- Please read through all instructions before beginning.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Measure out the ingredients for the ladyfingers first.
- Prepare the ladyfingers first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk together the aquafaba and cream of tartar on high speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Then add in 1/4 cup of the sugar, continuing to mix on medium speed. Then turn the speed up to high and continuing whisking for 10 minutes, until you reach stiff peaks (aquafaba takes longer to reach stiff peaks than egg whites). Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the dairy free milk, applesauce, remaining sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Add the mixture to the aquafaba meringue, and use a silicone spatula to gently fold the applesauce mixture into the meringue, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Then add in the flour mixture and gently fold again, being careful not to deflate the meringue. The batter will be slightly runny but should still be thick enough to pipe. Fill a piping bag with round nozzle, and pipe 3″ lady fingers onto your baking sheet, separating them by about 1″.
- Bake the ladyfingers: Place the baking sheet into the oven to bake for 15-18 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside. Cool for 10 minutes. You should yield 20-30 ladyfingers. Set the ladyfingers aside to cool completely. They’re even better if used the following day.
- Prepare the mascarpone. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue cream together until smooth. Then add in the dairy free yogurt, and cream together until fluffy. Use a tablespoon of dairy free milk as needed to help with the texture. Place the mascarpone in the fridge until ready to use.
- Assembly: brew the espresso and make sure you have a 6×9″ or 8×8″ baking pan. Remove the mascarpone from the fridge. Dip one ladyfinger into the espresso, and be careful not to soak it too much. Just make sure it’s entirely covered in the espresso. Remove the ladyfinger from the espresso and place in the dish. Repeat with the half of the ladyfingers until the first layer is complete. You’ll have half for the second layer. Spoon half of the mascarpone on top of the first layer of lady fingers. Repeat for the second layer, dipping the ladyfingers into the espresso, topping with mascarpone.
- Place the dish into the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve: when ready to serve, remove the tiramisu from the fridge. Pipe coconut whipped cream on top if desired, then dust with cacao or cocoa powder. Slice and serve! Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Aquafaba: This is the liquid in your chickpea can or jar. It acts just like an egg white and is an amazing egg substitute in baking!
Vegan yogurt: You can use any dairy free yogurt brand here. I used Forager Project cashewmilk yogurt, but you can use a nut-free one if you’d like. The original version I created used vegan cream cheese but I found there were too many inconsistencies across brands and this was the safer option to provide more consistent results.
Original recipe: Because of so many requests for the vegan cream cheese option for the mascarpone, I decided to add it as an option in the notes! Please find the original recipe here:
- Lady fingers:
- 2 cups cake flour or sifted gluten free 1:1 baking flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup dairy free milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsp dairy free yogurt or vegan sour cream, room tempearture
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Vegan Mascarpone:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 ounces vegan butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Keywords: vegan tiramisu, vegan tiramisu recipe, gluten free vegan tiramisu, vegan ladyfingers, dairy free tiramisu, egg free tiramisu
Hello!
Thank you for this recipe!
The coconut cream doesn’t bring in coconuts flavor??
Hi Teresa! I don’t notice too much of the coconut flavor, but if you find coconut too strong in general (some people notice it more than others!), then you can substitute 1 cup of raw cashews blended with 1/2 cup thick dairy-free milk (the only issue is if you’re nut free, then this isn’t the best option!).
I only made the “mascarpone” part of the recipe, and it tasted great. No coconut taste.
★★★★★
Aw that’s wonderful to hear!! Thank you!
Hi there! What brand of vegan cream cheese did you use? Thanks!
I use Violife always! They’re the best tasting vegan cream cheese I’ve found. And they’re nut-free too 🙂
I haven’t made this yet, but am excited to. Thanks for making a nut-free recipe, my son had a cashew allergy and so many vegan recipes contain cashews. It’s much appreciated.
Aw my goodness of course!! I cannot wait to hear what you both think! Enjoy!
Great recipe! Super easy to make and turned out as close as possible to the original version.
★★★★★
Aw this is so awesome to hear! Thank you so much, and enjoy 🙂
Hi there! What brand of vegan cream cheese did you use? Thanks!
This sounds great! Can you use coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar in the mascarpone? Thanks!
Hi Kristen! Excited for you to try 🙂 The coconut sugar won’t allow the mascarpone to be as fluffy, but it will still work- just won’t be exactly the intended texture/level of fluffiness. It will also be caramel in color, still delicious!
Hi, Kristen! I love veganizing old, family favorite recipes. This sounds delish and your pics look lovely and tempting to the eye!
I went to the Forager Project website and they don’t list the coconut whipped cream. Where do you purchase it? Thanks, -Patti❤️
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Hi Patti! Unfortunately Forager Project discontinued the whipped cream :/ I’m so sorry!! But you can check out my homemade coconut whipped cream if you’d like OR if you’ve ever purchased Silk!’s vegan heavy cream, it actually works just like regular heavy cream to make a whipped cream- it’s truly amazing!
Was looking for a tiramisu recipe without dairy and this fit the bill. It was so good and easy too. The marscarpone was delicious. Tastes just like from a restaurant. Love this recipe – definitely a keeper!!
So happy to hear this!! That’s awesome 🙂 Thanks for the review! Enjoy!
The recipe looks great except for the sugar. Could I use an alternate sweetener, as I am diabetic. I’m am also allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs, soy and cashews. (and other foods), so when I saw this recipe I had high hopes that this could be the ultimate one! I have noticed a lot of vegan recipes are very high carbohydrates so I have been having trouble finding recipes that fit my diet. Tiramisu was one of my favorites, but I haven’t had it in years. Cooking diabetic is new to me, but I have noticed a difference and I feel much better.
Hi Julie! I completely understand! So the whipped cream and the mascarpone you can definitely substitute a sugar free powdered sugar (so many great brands on the market right now!) and you’ll get very similar results. The only one I’m worried about substituting in is for the homemade lady fingers. If it were just gluten free vegan lady fingers, or if you substituted just the sugar for a granulated sugar while still using regular flour, it would still work. I can’t guarantee that the lady fingers will be as fluffy and be structured using both a sugar free granulated sugar and gluten free flour together. You can absolutely try it, but I can’t guarantee the results!
This looks beautiful!
I’m going to see if I can fill my Vegan Tiramisu Macarons with the beautiful Marscapone!
Oh wonderful!! I cannot wait to hear what you think!! Enjoy!
What would you use to sub the vegan cream cheese but still have it be vegan?
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I’ve just actually tried a different version of the mascarpone (which I’ll update in the recipe!) for those who don’t want the cream cheese! It’s 1 cup vegan butter, 1/3 cup dairy free yogurt (I used Forager Project’s cashewmilk, but any df yogurt with that kinda of near liquid consistency will work), + 3 cups powdered sugar. You’ll need to chill the mascarpone for 30 minutes after making it but it works so well and tastes delicious!
I wanted to ask how the recipe would go with just the cream cheese? we do have the creamcheese from violife here, but not that brand of yoghurt. I would love to know how to make it with the creamcheese instead of the yoghurt, is that recipe still up somewhere? or could i possibly get it?
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Hi Sabine! I apologize for the delay on this! I updated the notes section in the recipe card with the original recipe 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi there! What is the original recipe with V cream cheese?
★★★★★
Hi Ariel! I updated the recipe card in the notes section with the original recipe 🙂
Hey there im planing on making this for Christmas!!! looks deliciouse but I was wondering so I could have a more mascrapone cheese flavor could I substitute the yogurt for vegan cream cheese?
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Hi Avril! I so apologize for the delay on this! Yes, you can! I also added in the notes section of the recipe card the original mascarpone version using vegan cream cheese 🙂
What is the substitute for dairy free yoghurt?
You can use vegan cream cheese- I updated the notes section of the recipe card with the vegan cream cheese version!
I have made this recipe a few times now and it is always a hit. I have made it with the vegan cream cheese you recommended and it is amazing. The vegan/GF recipes you share are actually quite easy to make, but always look so fancy and are truly delicious, Thank you!
PS By any chance could you post the mascarpone recipe made with the cream cheese? It is such a hit in our home I use it for other things!
★★★★★
I’m so so happy to hear this, thank you!! I so appreciate it!
I just updated the recipe notes section in the recipe card with the old cream cheese version of the mascarpone 🙂 Please let me know if you see it on your end!
Thank you for putting the cream cheese recipe back up! I can see it. I want to say thank you again for posting soooo many wonderful recipes. I’ve made so many of your GF/Vegan recipes and every single one of them from tiramisu to the Christmas log to cookies are amazing. Thank you.
★★★★★
Oh my goodness!! This is so wonderful, thank you! I’m so grateful that you try them, and that they bring you joy!! Thanks for being here 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi! This recipe looks delicious! thank you, i’m going to make it for my mom’s birthday. Is there a substitution for the aquafaba?
Hi Arianna! So happy to hear it, thank you! Unfortunately, there isn’t a sub for the aquafaba- however, I put in the notes an alternative version of the lady fingers- these are made with applesauce. It doesn’t taste identical to the lady fingers using aquafaba, but it is a good alternative and easier. You’ll simply combine the wet ingredients then fold in the dry. Pipe the lady fingers onto the baking sheet, and follow the baking instructions listed in the directions in the recipe card. I hope that helps!
Hi! What can I replace the vegan yoghurt with? I also can’t use store bought vegan cream cheese because we don’t have stuff like that where I live
Hi Alyssa!
You don’t need the cream cheese if you’re using the newly updated recipe in the recipe card (the older version used the cream cheese), but the yogurt is really integral to the mascarpone frosting, so I’m afraid it wouldn’t taste much like mascarpone without it! One substitution that could POTENTIALLY work is using homemade vegan buttermilk instead (soy milk or almond milk with apple cider vinegar- I have a recipe for it on the blog if you search “vegan buttermilk” in the search bar. However, I cannot guarantee the results! Another option is just making this a “buttercream” and adding in 1-2 tsp lemon juice, but I’m afraid it would taste too lemony. I’m so sorry!
Can this be made in advance and frozen?
Thaw time?
Thanks
Hi Amanda! This tiramisu is really best enjoyed fresh- however, you can make it in advance if you really need to and freeze it! You can thaw it over 4-5 hours, placing it first in the fridge for up to 2 hours then allowing it to sit at room temperature (this will prevent any major condensation!). I hope that helps!
Hi!
I tried to make this and the marscapone started curdling when I added the yogurt 🤧 Any idea what I did wrong??
I’m so sorry to hear this! I’m thinking it was the type of yogurt- I haven’t had it happen with the yogurts I’ve used, but I know that there is a wide variance in textures from different df yogurt brands. Which brand did you use?
Hi can I use just brewed coffee i don’t have espresso on hand will it alter the flavor in any way? Also if adding Kahlua do I use 1/2 cup coffee to 1/2 cup Kahlua will this make it too sweet?
Thanks Liz
Hi Liz! You can definitely swap in coffee instead of espresso- for the Kahlua, unfortunately it isn’t vegan, so I wouldn’t be able to speak to that! (I’m vegan!) From other recipes I’ve seen, it looks like about 1/4 cup of Kahlua is enough- BUT again, I cannot speak to it as I’m vegan and have not tried it!
what brand of butter did you use? And was it salted or unsalted?
I use Miyoko’s vegan butter! I prefer salted, but you can use unsalted, and add in 1/8 tsp sea salt!!
Hello, I am just very curious to know the reason for adding so much sugar (3 cups of powdered sugar) to the mascarpone replacement, mascarpone (the non-vegan version) doesn’t contain sugar and if it does, is very little, is slightly sweet but not buttercream frosting sweet. Is this just a take on the original tiramisu recipe? I cannot wait to try it regardless, what would you recommend if wanting to omit the super sweet flavor in the mascarpone? THANK YOU!!!
Hi there! Yes, so this is a spin on it because vegan “mascarpone” is REALLY hard to achieve (there’s no vegan substitute currently on the market!). It definitely is a touch sweeter than tiramisu, but it’s still really delicious (and doesn’t taste vegan at all- that’s what I was going for!). I hope this helps!
YUM! For the Mascarpone recipe (not in the notes section) includes cream cheese. Should this be yogurt? I’m not seeing where yogurt is used. Thanks!
Hi Dani! So sorry for the confusion! So I’ve found many people are struggling with the use of the yogurt option (because DF yogurts can vary SO much in consistency, I’m guessing this is the reason why!) so I switched it to vegan cream cheese! If you want to try the yogurt still (my favorite option!)- you can use 1/2 cup! I hope this helps!
well, no cashew, no tofu, and then the main ingredient is Tofutti cream cheese made with Tofu…
You can use a different cream cheese if you’d prefer!
I have never made Tiramisu before, so this was going to be a whole new experience for me.
My Son is vegan so I thought this looked wonderful,and I would I’ve it try.
I am fascinated with each element of this recipe and how it all comes together.
This is the most wonderful tasting tiramisu I have ever tasted !!!
Please if you are vegan you must make this easy delishes recipe.
★★★★★
This is so wonderful!! So happy you loved it 🙂 Such a wonderful comment, thank you so much!! Enjoy, and happy holidays!
Made this for Christmas Eve dinner and it was really lovely although everyone agreed far too sweet! If I made it again, I would start with just one cup of icing sugar in the mascarpone rather than three, thanks
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