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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Bakes & Desserts

    Published: Oct 27, 2021 · Modified: Oct 23, 2024 by joskitchenlarder · 4 Comments. · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding (Gluten-Free)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Bookmark Bookmarked!
    Sauce pouring over ice cream on top of vegan sticky toffee pudding.
    Vegan sticky toffee pudding on a plate.
    Vegan sticky toffee pudding on a plate with ice cream and pecan.

    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert! Gently spiced sticky date pudding recipe with compulsory, rich toffee sauce! Proper comfort food, stick to your ribs British pud!

    Vegan sticky toffee pudding on a plate with ice cream, toffee sauce and pecan nut.

    I might be a bit biased but this is the best vegan sticky toffee pudding recipe I've ever tasted.

    It is one of those desserts you reach for when in need of a little bit of comfort after lovely vegan Sunday lunch and despite already feeling full and ready for a bit of a nap.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging gluttony here but there is definitely time and place for this ultimate comfort food British pudding, especially when shared with your loved ones.

    Great alternative (in case you'd like one) would be my Polish Apple Cake (Szarlotka)- another cosy, autumnal pudding you'll love.

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you make it
    • 🥘 Ingredients & substitutes
    • Vegan Toffee Sauce
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🥡 Storing and freezing
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 😋 More delicious traybake recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you make it

    • Proper comfort food, stick to your ribs British pud
    • Vegan, dairy and egg free, you can omit nuts for nut-free version
    • Can be made gluten-free if required
    • Crowd-pleasing, easy to make recipe
    • Rich & gently spiced, perfect colder months dessert
    • Only standard ingredients required, no flax egg in this one
    • Easy traybake recipe, no need for individual moulds
    • It reheats well so can be made in advance
    Hand holding spoon with toffee sauce over portion of pudding.

    🥘 Ingredients & substitutes

    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding

    Dried, pitted dates - Any dried dates can be used here just make sure they're pitted (their stones have been removed). My favourite ones are Medjool dates for their exceptional softness, sweetness and stickiness but use whatever you've got.

    Self-raising or gluten-free self raising flour - For that extra lift. If you don't have it simply substitute it with equal amount of plain (all-purpose) flour (gluten-free if needed) + 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder (ensure it's gluten-free as well).

    I have baked this pudding successfully with both, regular and gluten free flours. I've used Doves Farm gluten-free self-raising flour (not sponsored) to bake this pudding and it worked a treat.

    Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) - Not only does it soften dried dates and makes them easier to blend but will also help our pudding rise. Make sure to use gluten-free one if required.

    Soya (soy) milk - It's my go to plant milk when it comes to baking but feel free to use any other unsweetened plant milk of your choice.

    Brown Sugar - I use light brown sugar here but you could also try dark brown variety for even deeper flavour.

    Rapeseed oil (cold-pressed) / Light olive oil - These are neutral tasting oils I like to use in my baking. Feel free to use different one as long as it's neutral.

    Vanilla Extract - Just a little flavour enhancer.

    Mixed Spice - Not something that was used in the traditional sticky toffee pudding but I think it adds that autumnal quality to the pudding. Feel free to substitute it with mixture of cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg if you want or just leave it out completely.

    Pecans - I love a little of a nutty crunch in my pudding. Feel free to use walnuts instead or leave nuts out altogether for nut-free dessert.

    Ingredients for making vegan sticky toffee pudding.

    Vegan Toffee Sauce

    Vegan Block Butter - In the UK I use Flora Plant (Unsalted), Naturli or Stork (block only as tub is not vegan).

    Brown Sugar - Either light or dark is fine.

    Black Treacle or Molasses - Adds depth of flavour and richness to the sauce.

    Soya cream - I use single cream but you could also use double plant cream. Elmlea Plant Double (UK) is really nice.

    Vegan butter, soya cream, brown sugar, black treacle.

    🍽 Equipment

    Rectangular springform cake tin 28cm/18cm (11inch/8inch) - I'm all for making your life simpler and when it comes to baking I'm all about traybakes. This springform cake tin with leakage protection is my favourite and one I use all the time.

    You could also use your favourite ceramic dish of similar size for this pudding. Simply make sure to grease it quite liberally with vegan butter.

    Baking Paper - To line the bottom of your springform cake. If you're using ceramic baking dish for more of a rustic feel you should be fine with simply buttering your dish.

    Chopping Board - For chopping dates.

    Chef's Knife - as above.

    Large Mixing Bowl - Essential for mixing your pudding batter.

    Medium Saucepan - For preparing toffee sauce. 

    Hand/Stick/Immersion Blender - For pureeing your dates mixture with all the other wet ingredients.

    Portion of pudding with ice cream, toffee sauce in a bowl and more pudding behind.

    💭 Top tips

    • Try not to overmix the pudding mixture. You don't want to incorporate too much air into the batter as it will cause rapid rise of your pudding in the oven followed by equally rapid fall which you'd like to avoid.
    • Don't worry about the lumps in the batter too much. As long as there are no visible signs of flour you're ready to pour your batter into baking tin and bake.
    • Once you've mixed your batter and poured it into baking tin get it into preheated oven as soon as possible to ensure nice rise.
    • If you don't have self-raising flour simply make your own by adding 2.5 teaspoon of baking powder to 200 grams / 7.05 ounces of plain (all-purpose) flour.
    • Feel free to pour half of the sauce (or more) over the entire sticky toffee pudding once out of the oven and has cooled a bit but make sure to keep enough to serve with each individual portion. You can even poke some holes in the cake so that the sauce soaks into it.
    • I found the amount of the sauce in this recipe adequate but feel free to double it if you want, you can always freeze the leftovers.
    • Vegan sticky toffee pudding is by far best served slightly warm with generous helping of toffee sauce.
    Portion of vegan sticky toffee pudding with ice cream and toffee sauce.

    🥡 Storing and freezing

    Leftover vegan sticky toffee pudding and toffee sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    The sauce will thicken quite considerably once cooled but once reheated it will come back to its original consistency.

    As it's best served warm, I usually simply reheat a portion of pudding and sauce in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds. It works really well and is by far the quickest way of getting that leftover pud in my belly.

    Vegan sticky toffee pudding is freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Ensure it's completely cool and cover it well for freezing. I would recommend freezing pudding and sauce separately.

    Defrost it at room temperature if to be consumed on the same day or overnight in the fridge. Sauce (once defrosted) can be reheated in the microwave or in the pan on the hob.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Vegan sticky toffee pudding is best served slightly warm with generous scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or my plain banana nice cream and generous amount of toffee sauce (of course).

    Vegan cream or even custard (not for me on this occasion) will work too.

    I also like to sprinkle over some more chopped pecans or walnuts but feel free to leave these out.

    Toffee sauce being poured over portion of vegan sticky toffee pudding.

    ❓ FAQs

    Can you make vegan sticky toffee pudding in advance?

    Yes you can. Both pudding and sauce reheat really well and take literally seconds in the microwave but you could also reheat the pudding in the low oven at 160C/325F until just warm and the sauce in a saucepan on the hob.

    Does sticky toffee pudding have dates in it?

    Yes. Traditional, British sticky toffee pudding is made with dates and in countries like Australia and New Zealand is even known as sticky date pudding.

    Can I freeze sticky toffee pudding?

    Yes. Make sure your pudding has cooled completely, wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze it whole or in individual portions. It's best to freeze toffee sauce separately. Defrost the pudding at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before reheating it in the microwave or the oven. Sauce can be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the hob.

    Is this sticky toffee pudding recipe gluten-free?

    Yes it is, simply ensure you use your favourite gluten-free self raising flour blend and gluten-free bicarbonate soda. In absence of self-raising flour simply use gluten-free plain flour + gluten-free baking powder (see Ingredients and substitutions).

    🔪 Instructions

    Ingredient quantities & detailed instructions to be found in recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Preheat the oven to 180C/350G/Gas Mark 4 and prepare your baking tin/dish by lightly greasing it and lining with baking paper. 

    Put roughly chopped dates in a small bowl with baking soda and cover with 200ml (0.85 cup) of boiling water. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so.

    Chopping and soaking dried dates.

    In a large bowl mix or sift together self-raising flour and mixed spice.

    Flour and mixed spice being mixed in a bowl.

    In a blender mix together dates mixture (including all of the soaking water), soya milk, oil, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.

    Preparing and blending wet ingredients.

    Pour the wet mixture over the flour with mixed spice and mix in gently, using nice folding motion until all the flour has been incorporated. Try not to overmix your pudding batter.

    Fold in some chopped pecans or walnuts if using and pour the batter into prepared baking tin.

    Bake your pudding in preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes.

    Combining wet and dry ingredients to make pudding batter, adding nuts.
    Pouring pudding batter into baking tin.

    While sticky toffee pudding is baking prepare your toffee sauce.

    Add brown sugar, vegan butter and treacle/molasses (if using) into a medium saucepan. 

    Let these melt slowly on low heat stirring until you get nice and smooth looking sauce. 

    Pour in vegan cream and stir it in, let the mixture come to a gentle simmer for couple of minutes and take the sauce off the heat.

    Process of making vegan toffee sauce.
    Finished toffee sauce in a pan on a trivet.

    Take your cake out of the oven and check whether it's baked with a skewer. Your sticky toffee pudding is done if the skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.

    Let sticky toffee pudding cool slightly in the tin before serving.

    Checking vegan sticky toffee pudding is baked with a skewer.

    Have you made my Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding?
    Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and sharing your thoughts in the comments.

    😋 More delicious traybake recipes

    Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake

    Coffee and Walnut Traybake (Vegan)

    Gingerbread Cake (Traybake) - Vegan

    Raspberry Cake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

    Dorset Apple Cake (Traybake)

    📋 Recipe

    Vegan sticky toffee pudding close up, with ice cream and toffee sauce.
    Print Pin
    5 from 3 votes

    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding

    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert! Gently spiced sticky date pudding recipe with compulsory, rich toffee sauce! Proper comfort food, stick to your ribs British pud!
    Course Afternoon Tea, Cake, Pudding, Traybake
    Cuisine British
    Keyword gluten free, sticky toffee pudding, vegan

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scales*
    • Rectangular Cake Tin (Small) 28x18cm*
    • Baking Paper*
    • Large Chopping Board*
    • Large Chef's Knife*
    • Stick Blender*
    • Large Glass Bowl*
    • Medium saucepan*
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes minutes
    Servings 8 generous servings
    Calories 587kcal
    Author Jo Allison
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary

    Pudding

    • 200 g dried dates, stones removed & roughly chopped see notes
    • 1 tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda) gluten free if necessary
    • 200 ml boiling water
    • 100 ml soya milk see notes
    • 80 ml sunflower or rapeseed oil see notes
    • 150 g brown sugar either light or dark is fine
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 200 g self-raising flour, gluten-free if necessary see notes
    • 1 teaspoon mixed spice see notes
    • 75 g pecans optional

    Toffee Sauce

    • 100 g unsalted vegan butter I use Flora Plants or Naturli
    • 150 g brown sugar (light or dark)
    • 150 ml single soya cream
    • 1 tablespoon treacle (molasses) optional

    Instructions

    Sticky Toffee Pudding

    • Preheat the oven to 180C/350G/Gas Mark 4 and prepare your baking tin/dish by lightly greasing it and lining with baking paper. I use rectangular cake tin 28x18cm/11x8inch.
    • Put roughly chopped dates in a small bowl with baking soda and cover with 200ml (0.85 cup) of boiling water. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so.
    • In a large bowl mix or sift together self-raising flour and mixed spice. I like to use a small whisk here
    • In a blender mix together dates mixture (including all of the soaking water), soya milk, oil, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.
    • Pour the wet mixture over the flour with mixed spice and mix in gently, using nice folding motion until all the flour has been incorporated. Try not to overmix your pudding batter.
    • Fold in some chopped pecans or walnuts if using and pour the batter into prepared baking tin.
    • Bake your pudding in preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
    • Let sticky toffee pudding cool slightly in the tin before serving.

    Toffee Sauce

    • While the sticky toffee pudding is baking prepare your toffee sauce.
    • Add brown sugar, vegan butter and treacle/molasses (if using) into a medium saucepan.
    • Let these melt slowly on low heat stirring until you get nice and smooth looking sauce.
    • Pour in vegan cream and stir it in, let the mixture come to a gentle simmer for couple of minutes and take the sauce off the heat.
    • Serve pudding with generous amount of toffee sauce and some vegan ice cream!

    Notes

    • Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (based on 8 servings including  toffee sauce) and should be treated as a guideline only. 
    • Any dried dates will do here although Medjool dates are by far the nicest. 
    • I like using soya milk in vegan baking as it gives the most predictable results due to its high protein content but feel free to use any other plant based milk instead. 
    • Use neutral tasting oil here (light olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil are the best). 
    • If you don't have any self-raising flour simply use plain (all-purpose) flour with 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder. 
    • I like adding a bit of mixed spice to my sticky toffee pudding but you can leave it out completely or substitute with ground ginger or cinnamon if you prefer. 
    • Handful of pecans goes really nicely here but you can leave them out or substitute with other nuts (walnuts would be great). 
    • Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    • Freezer friendly for up to 3 months. 
    TIPS:
    • Don't overmix the batter. You don't want to incorporate too much air into the batter as it will cause rapid rise of the pudding in the oven followed by equally rapid fall which you'd like to avoid.
    • Don't worry about the lumps in the batter too much. As long as there are no visible signs of flour you're ready to pour your batter into baking tin and bake.
    • Once you've mixed your batter and poured it into baking tin get it into preheated oven as soon as possible to ensure nice rise.
    • Feel free to pour half of the sauce over the entire cake once out of the oven and has cooled a bit but make sure to keep enough to serve with each individual portion. You can even poke some holes in the cake so that the sauce soaks into it.
    • I found the amount of the sauce in this recipe adequate but feel free to double it if you want, you can always freeze the leftovers.
    • Vegan sticky toffee pudding is by far best served slightly warm with generous helping of toffee sauce.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 587 Calories from Fat 270
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 30g46%
    Saturated Fat 4g20%
    Trans Fat 2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
    Monounsaturated Fat 19g
    Sodium 253mg11%
    Potassium 372mg11%
    Carbohydrates 80g27%
    Fiber 4g16%
    Sugar 57g63%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 61IU1%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 78mg8%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Tag me @Joskitchenlarder or use hashtag #joskitchenlarder!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Please leave a comment & rating if you've made my recipe! Feel free to ask questions too, I reply to all! Cancel reply

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    1. Sue says

      October 13, 2023 at 9:39 am

      5 stars
      Made it for family get together mostly non vegans. Everybody loved it! Thank you for your lovely recipes.

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        October 13, 2023 at 9:52 am

        So happy to hear that, thanks Sue! x

        Reply
    2. Sophia says

      December 26, 2021 at 10:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was the first Sticky Toffee Pudding I ever made because it is not common in my country but it turned out so delicious and my English partner even said it was the best Sticky Toffee Pudding he ever ate. Thanks so much for this great recipe, will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        December 27, 2021 at 3:33 pm

        I'm so pleased to hear that Sophia! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave the comment, it means a lot!

        Reply

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