When I was a kid, candy was my favorite food group. Lollipops, gummy bears, taffy, jelly beans—you name it. If it had sugar in it, I would eat it, no questions asked. Now that I’m vegan and (ahem) a little older, my palate is a bit more sophisticated. But just because I’ve traded in candy corn for kale and lollipops for soy lattes doesn’t mean I don’t still indulge my sweet tooth from time to time. Here, in no particular order, are a few of my favorite sweet treats, which will tempt even the most refined and “grown-up” of tastes—and best of all, they’re all vegan!
If you have a vegan sweet tooth like I do, you probably already know about Allison Rivers Samson. A PETA Business Friend, she is the mastermind behind Allison’s Gourmet, an online shopping site that offers a delectable range of desserts, including amaretto almond brownies, double chocolate chunk cookies, salted chocolate caramels, chocolate orange fudge, and other mind-meltingly good artisan vegan sweets. If you can’t decide, try one of Allison’s sampler packs.
Chocolate Galore
There’s no question that dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants, is a better choice than milk chocolate (certainly for the cows!). What you may not know is that some great vegan options are as close as your neighborhood supermarket. Some brands to try include Chocolove dark chocolate bars in sophisticated flavors, including Ginger Crystallized in Rich Dark Chocolate and Chilies & Cherries in Dark Chocolate; Ghirardelli Intense Dark 72% Cacao Twilight Delights; the Endangered Species dark chocolate collection; and Newman’s Own Organics Espresso Dark Chocolate and Orange Dark Chocolate bars. The next time you’re at Whole Foods or your local health-food store, be on the lookout for Go Max Go Foods Twilight, Jokerz, or Mahalo chocolate bars—fabulous vegan versions of long-time favorites.
Spreadable Sweets
Speculoos: If you’ve never tried this European treat, it’s like a spicy gingerbread cookie in spreadable form—and it will soon become your favorite indulgence. Spread it on toast or bagels, spoon a little over vanilla soy ice cream, or use it as a dip for apple slices. Some people have even been known to eat it straight from the jar. (Don’t judge.) And for you fans of that famous chocolate-and-hazelnut spread, be sure to try the better-for-you vegan version, Rawtella, which contains just three ingredients: cocoa nibs, hazelnuts, and coconut sugar.
Sweet & Sara
Whether you like your marshmallows in s’mores, rice-crispy treats, or hot chocolate—or just straight out of the bag—you will love Sweet & Sara gelatin-free vegan marshmallows in tempting flavors, such as classic vanilla, toasted coconut, and cinnamon pecan. Sweet & Sara also makes sinfully good peanut-butter s’mores, rocky-road bark, macaroons, and biscotti.
Other Sweet Treats
Mary Janes, Jolly Ranchers, Cracker Jack, Newman’s Own Organics Licorice Twists, Vegan Sweets Gourmet Caramels—these are just a few of the other vegan candies that are available. Whatever your sweet tooth desires, odds are that you can find a vegan version of it online, at your local health-food store, or at a well-stocked supermarket. For more options, check out PETA’s list of vegan candies.
Now it’s your turn—how do you indulge your own sweet tooth?
