Creamy, delicious and just a little addictive. This incredibly easy vegan tiramisu can be made in just 10 minutes!
I never thought that making this classic Italian dessert vegan would be so simple. It’s so quick, effortless and tasty that you will want to make it again and again. All you need is 7 simple ingredients, cocoa powder and chocolate for decoration included.
And it’s quick! We actually timed ourselves, and yes, you can really whip this up in ten minutes. This recipe gives you everything you are looking for in a good vegan tiramisu.
A lot of vegan recipes for tiramisu seem to be a bit over-complicated. Making your own ladyfingers, soaking cashews, tons of ingredients… You might do that once, and then say, Okay, I’ve had my vegan tiramisu now, and move on. Making it again? Too much of a hassle.
So, we set out to find an easier way to get that MMMMHH!! that only tiramisu gives you. And we’ve found it in three simple ingredients: Silken tofu, coconut milk and plain biscuits.
Our vegan tiramisu is nut-free, and can easily be made gluten-free by using biscuits that are free from gluten.
Table of Contents
The creamy layer
We love how simple this is. Traditional tiramisu uses mascarpone cheese and eggs. Our vegan version is similarly simple - with the added timesaver of not separating and beating the egg.
Silken tofu serves as the cream base, essentially replacing the mascarpone. The two are actually very similar in the way they are made. Both are curds. Mascarpone cheese is made from heated dairy milk that is curdled with lemon juice. Tofu uses soy milk, and is typically curdled with nigari salt (magnesium chloride) but you can actually also make it using (guess what) lemon juice. You see? Not much difference.
Don’t use non silken/block types of tofu, as they will always retain a grainy texture and a strong taste of its own. If you can’t get your hands on any silken tofu, we have a really easy, straightforward way to replace it with soy milk and lemon juice. Find it in the recipe notes!
We also blend in the creamy, fatty part of a can of coconut milk. The fat in it gives the tiramisu that smooth feeling on your tongue.
And finally, we add some sugar when we blend the silken tofu with the coconut cream. The reason for this has to do with the other main part of the tiramisu, the biscuits.
The biscuit layer
If you’ve ever tried to find vegan ladyfingers, you might know it seems impossible. Ladyfingers, aka sponge fingers or Savoiardi, are a very specific type of biscuits, and their main use is in the making of desserts. They get their light and spongy texture from eggs, and they are covered in very fine sugar crystals.
The good news is, there’s no reason to make life difficult when making vegan tiramisu. In place of ladyfingers, for our vegan tiramisu we use plain vegan biscuits which are so easy to find.
In the UK look for rich tea biscuits, digestives, in Europe you can use Marie biscuits and in America look for Graham Crackers. They are a great alternative, because they are so common, sweet and neutral, and most often vegan.
You can really use any type of plain biscuit. Just make sure they are vegan. You might even find ‘finger’ shaped biscuits, for an even more authentic experience. Because this kind of biscuits are typically not sugar-coated like ladyfingers, we add some sugar to the creamy layer for extra sweetness in our tiramisu.
Typical for any tiramisu, the biscuits are dipped in very, very strong coffee. We make this about three to four times as strong as Paul’s regular cup of coffee. Add a splash of alcohol if you like - marsala wine, rum, amaretto or coffee liquor - but it is not necessary.
Assembly tips and FAQ
Layering the tiramisu is the best part of making it, and it can be a social and fun activity! Here are some more thoughts and tips for making our vegan tiramisu, as well as some answers to commonly asked questions.
What size dish?
Our basic vegan tiramisu recipe makes about four (very generous) portions. If you want to make it in one dish, a size of about 20 x 20 cm (8” x 8”) should suffice. If it helps, you can use a dish about the size to make lasagne for four. Alternatively, you can simply use ramekins or glass dessert bowls for separate portions like we have here.
Soaking biscuits
There is a sweet spot to this, where the biscuit is not too dry and has soaked up a good amount of coffee flavour but is not soggy. When the biscuits are soaked right through, they fall apart very easily. Turn them over a couple of times, make sure they still have a solid core under a wet outside. As long as the coffee is strong enough, that will do.
How to layer? How many layers?
We start with a layer of coffee-soaked biscuit, and spread the creamy layers fairly thick. How many layers you make is up to you and the shape of your tiramisu dish! Top it off with some cocoa powder sprinkled through a fine sieve and grate some dark chocolate on top. Tastes great, looks great!
Will it taste like coconut? Or worse, like tofu?
Don’t worry, it won’t. Silken tofu is very neutral. The coconut cream adds richness, but the flavours of coffee and cocoa, combined with the sweetness in the cream gently overpower any flavours that don’t belong in tiramisu.
Can I eat it straight away? Do I have to make it in advance?
First of all, the coffee needs to cool down. Apart from that, this vegan tiramisu benefits from letting the flavours soak for a while in the fridge, and the cream layers to firm up bit. We recommend chilling for at least one hour, better eight hours or overnight for best consistency and flavour.
How long will it keep?
This vegan tiramisu should keep about three to four days if stored appropriately in the fridge.
Try these other delicious vegan desserts with an Italian twist!
Paul & Sophie
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.5 oz) silken tofu see notes for substitutions
- 150 g (⅔ cup) coconut cream from the top of 1 can of coconut milk
- 50 g (¼ cup) sugar
- 200 g (7 oz) plain biscuits rich tea, graham crackers
- 250 ml (1 cup) coffee very strong
Decoration
- cocoa powder
- dark chocolate
Instructions
Preparation
- Refridgerate the coconut milk over night for better separation of the creamy and liquid parts.150 g (⅔ cup) coconut cream
- Brew the coffee.250 ml (1 cup) coffee
For the creamy layer
- Briefly drain the silken tofu, and put it in a blender bowl.300 g (10.5 oz) silken tofu
- Scoop off the creamy, fatty part from the top of the canned coconut milk (about 150g per can). Add it (the creamy part) to the blender.
- Add the sugar and blend until completely smooth.50 g (¼ cup) sugar
Assembly
- Cover the bottom of your tiramisu dish(es) in biscuits soaked in coffee. (See recipe notes)200 g (7 oz) plain biscuits
- Cover the biscuits with a layer of the creamy mixture.
- Add more layers of biscuits and cream, finishing with a layer of cream. How many layers you end up with depends on the size dish(es).
- Using a fine sieve, sprinkle on cocoa powder, and grate some dark chocolate on top.
- Refrigerate to let flavours blend and the tiramisu stiffen up. For best results, we suggest chilling for at least 8 hours.
Notes
- 1 L organic unsweetened soy milk
- juice of 1 lemon (or ½ tsp citric acid)
- Mix the lemon juice with about half a cup of water. If using citric acid, dissolve it in the water.
- Gently heat up the soy milk, stirring frequently, until just about to boil. Take off the heat.
- While stirring, slowly pour about half of the lemon water into the soy milk. Eventually, the soy milk will start to form curds. Slowly stir in the rest of the lemon water, until the soy milk has completely separated into curds and clear, yellowy liquid.
- Strain the curds in a sieve or colander lined with a muslin cloth or thin kitchen towel.
- Transfer to a suitable bowl and blend with an (immersion) blender until smooth. Let cool down a bit before using it in the Vegan Tiramisu recipe.
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
Nirmanie says
OK this is amazing! I can't believe that tofu and some Marie biscuits would turn out actual tiramisu!! I love this!! Can't wait to whip it up for special occasions!! Thank you for making this and for posting this!
Sophie and Paul says
Yes, Nirmanie, that's what we like so much about this tiramisu... For such a simple recipe, it's incredibly good! 🙂
Love, Paul & Sophie
Angelo says
This recipe looks great. I think I'm going to try to make this tomorrow, but the only biscuits I have on hand are biscoff. Do you think they could work in this recipe?
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Angelo, I've made it with biscoff before and the taste worked well, but they do get very soft in texture. Using a double layer might help them not disappear so much. Another alternative would be to bake a thin vegan sheet cake and use that for a more fluffy/cakey tiramisu. Hope that helps and have a lovely day! Sophie
Angelo says
I made this with biscoff a few weeks ago and the taste was great, but you were right about the texture. I didn't mind that it was soft, but it was a bit gritty too. I made it again last night with Maria cookies and it was amazing! The texture and the taste is just like non-vegan tiramisu with the Maria cookies! This is definitely going to be a regular for me!
Laura says
Hello, are the total calories shown for the whole batch of 4 servings or for 1 serving but the amount of ingredients serve 4 people?
Thanks 😊
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Laura, the calories are for 1 serving, and the recipe makes 4. I hope I've made that clearer now 🙂 about half of the calories are actually in the biscuits!
Hope this helps! Paul
Maya says
Hi!
I am standing and stirring my milk with lemon for 2hrs now and no curds 🙁 any idea how long should it take so I know when to give up? Haha
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Maya, So sorry to hear that! I assume you are trying to make the silken tofu substitute? It usually only takes around 10 minutes to curdle. Can I ask what brand of soy milk you used? I think it could be that additives or stabilisers are stopping it from curdling. All the best, Sophie
Mary says
I have my coconut milk in fridge just now as I’m dying to make this. How long do I need to leave it in the fridge to separate.
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Mary, It will vary but around 12 hours/overnight is what we usually do. One easy way to tell, is to pour it into a glass first, then you can see when it's separated.
Different brands of coconut milk will be different - some may already be separated with the cream on top without need for refrigeration, and other brands won't ever separate because of added stabilisers, which is why we recommend organic or premium coconut milk. Hope that helps! Sophie 🙂
Amanda says
Wow! I really cannot believe how fantastic this is. So easy and so delicious.
Sophie and Paul says
Delighted you loved it. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know Amanda!
Gosia says
I am so happy I came across your recipe! It is so delicious, exactly as it says under the title; creamy and moreish. For someone who is not convinced about the tofu or rather wasn’t ....simply genius! Thank you 🙂
Sophie and Paul says
And we're so happy you enjoyed the recipe Gosia! So glad we've helped you discover one of the great things about tofu!
Rozalia says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
A quick question, what brand of cookies did you use?
I’m not much of a cookie eater, so not really familiar with brands, but my children are coming over for a visit and it would be a wonderful surprise-desert for all of us.
Thank you
Sophie and Paul says
Hey Rozalia, Thanks so much 🙂 We're in the UK and use McVities Rich Tea biscuits. Our US readers tend to use these vegan graham crackers by Nabisco. stacked in a double layer. Hope that helps! Sophie
Mai says
Tiramisu was one of my favorite dessert growing up and I never thought I'd be able to have it again, much less make it at home, after I went vegan! This recipe is so easy and I already have all the ingredients, which is a big plus. I've made this twice and it tastes almost like the real thing. I like the amount of sugar in it, it's not too sweet, which makes this a great guilt-free dessert! Thank you so much for this delightful recipe.
Sophie and Paul says
Hooray, we're so happy you can enjoy tiramisu again with our recipe! Thanks so much for your feedback Mai.
Sara says
This looks so wonderful--tiramisu has always been my favourite dessert and I haven't been able to have it for years!
One question, if I have ladyfinger-like cookies that are already covered in sugar, should I still add the 4 tbsp of sugar to the cream layer... or would that make it way too sweet?
Thank you!
Sophie and Paul says
Hey Sara, If you've got sugar covered cookies, I'd probably reduce the amount of sugar in the cream, but not leave it out entirely. You could perhaps check it to taste and adjust before you do the layering. Enjoy!
Adi says
Planning on making this in a few days. Would replacing the coconut cream with cashews work? If so, how much do you think would be best? I was thinking 1 cup?
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Adi, We haven't tried it ourselves, but I think it will be ok to replace the coconut cream for cream made from cashews. First soak the cashews overnight, then rinse and drain. Then blend with some water until thick and very smooth. With regards to quantities I'd try the same amount cashew cream as coconut cream. So 1/2 cup for four servings. I reckon you'd probably only need about 1/2 a cup raw cashews to start with, but you could always start with a cup and see how much cream it makes. Any leftover cashew cream would be great mixed into a chilli or curry for extra creaminess! We hope you enjoy the tiramisu! Sophie
Adi says
Cool thanks! One last question. What is 4 servings? I’m making this for about 10 people. Should I double the recipe?
Sophie and Paul says
4 servings is for four people/large ramekins as pictured, so yes you'd want to double the recipe. You can just click on the 2x next to the ingredients and it should calculate the amounts for you 🙂
Patricia Sackett says
Is there a substitute for the coconut cream?
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Patricia, You could try full fat vegan cream cheese or another thick plant based cream such as whipped elmlea double cream if you are in the UK. Hope that helps. 🙂
Tiffany says
Finally a vegan tiramisu that actually tastes like tiramisu! One of my absolute favorite dessert and I’m so happy to be able to have it again. Thank you Sophie and Paul 🙂
Tiffany
Phlanx's Marketing Specialist
Dani says
Hello! Is it meant to have a strong coconut flavor? I’m not sure if maybe I used too much coconut cream from the can or maybe I didn’t use the right kind because the whole can was solid after placing in the fridge. Thanks for your help!
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Dani, We find there to be very little coconut flavour usually, although brands can vary in taste. We recommend organic coconut milk as some coconut milks won't separate into the fatty coconut cream and more watery liquid (which has a stronger coconut flavour) because of added stabilisers. So if your coconut milk didn't separate, or you used the whole can (the amount of coconut cream needed is 1/2 cup or 150g which is about 1/3 of a 400ml can), then that might be why. Hope you can still enjoy it! Sophie
Becky says
I appreciate the quickness and the fact I don't need cashews but using store bought silken was not the best flavor or texture for this recipe. I will make it again and mess around with it to my taste but overall I liked it.
Barbora says
They are in the fridge waiting for friends to come over and I can't wait <3 It is my first time making vegan (or any) tiramisu and I wonder - do you put the cocoa and chocolate on them straight away when you make them or just before serving? Thank you!
Sophie and Paul says
Hey Barbora,
you can do it either way, but it will look a bit nicer if you put on the cocoa and chocolate fresh close to serving 🙂
Enjoy the tirarmisu with your friends! Hope you'll all like it! Lots of love, Sophie & Paul
Angelica says
Hi, I’m planning to make this recipe for Father’s Day. I found a silken tofu on the Target website but it’s an “extra firm silken tofu” https://www.target.com/p/mori-nu-silken-extra-firm-tofu-12-3oz/-/A-51353989
is that okay to use? Or does it need to be a soft silken tofu or just simply silken tofu. Thank you in advance!
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Angelica,
I think this should work just fine! 🙂 We tried both the firm and soft type of the same brand and both blended up completely smooth.
Enjoy making the tiramisu! Fingers crossed it's a success for Father's Day!
Best wishes, Paul
Olivia says
Hi im trying to make it and the curds arent forming in the milk, do you know why that may be? Itll probably be too late by the time you respond but would help for another time. Thanks!
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Olivia!
There are two main reasons why the soy curds would not form. First, try heating the mixture up a bit more, as the curds form better when it's properly hot. If it starts to simmer and still no curds form, then the acidity might be too low. Add more lemon juice or citric acid (dissolved in a bit of water) while stirring.
I also found that some packed soy milks have got stabilisers in them, which might prevent curds from forming properly. Opt for organic where possible, and the ones with least additives.
I hope this helps you 🙂 If you've still got the mixture by this time, it might not be too late either. I do hope that you can still get it done and enjoy the tiramisu!
Good luck, and let us know how you got on!
Best wishes, Paul
Paul says
Followed the reciped to a T
Was OK
Someone mentioned Tia Maria liquor OMDs game changer
We poured some into dessert WOW
So in future soak biscuits in Tia Maria instead of coffee
Sophie and Paul says
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Liquor is a nice addition for people who don't mind the alcohol.
Lauren says
Looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it! I’m not clear on the measurement for the silken tofu. In the video it looks like two blocks were used. Is that correct? Thanks!
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Lauren,
It is 300g grams of silken tofu, which is one block. The video shows one block, it's just cut in half so it's easier to put in the container!
Enjoy, Sophie
Allison says
I can not believe how amazing this was! I am so blown away. Who would have thought some tofu and regular cookies could taste exactly like the real thing!! It was so easy to make too. Thank you for figuring out how to make this and sharing. This will be a go-to dessert for sure!
Sophie and Paul says
Hooray! We're so happy to hear that Alison 🙂 We did a lot of testing on this recipe, so we're delighted our hard work paid off! Sophie