Getting kids to eat their vegetables can feel like a daily battle, and plenty of grown-ups aren't much better. So why not take the fight to dessert? These vegan desserts with hidden veggies tuck sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, beets, pumpkin, avocado, and even beans and chickpeas into brownies, cakes, cookies and muffins, and nobody at the table has to know.
A Fun Way to Get Everyone Eating Their Veggies
Hiding vegetables in sweets isn't a trick to feel guilty about. It's a fun, low-pressure way to get a little more fiber, vitamins and color into the day for kids and adults. Vegetables also happen to be great bakers. Mashed sweet potato and pumpkin keep brownies and muffins fudgy and moist, grated zucchini and carrots add tenderness, avocado brings a rich creaminess that can stand in for butter, and beets give red velvet cake its gorgeous color without a drop of food coloring.
Beans and chickpeas are here too. They're technically legumes, but they're counted in the vegetable group on the plate, and they blend so smoothly into cookie dough and brownie batter that even the pickiest eaters won't notice.
Tips for Sneaking in the Veggies
- Go chocolate first. Cocoa and chocolate chips are the best disguise there is. Brownies and chocolate cookies are the easiest place to start with veggie skeptics.
- Grate finely. Use the small holes of a box grater for zucchini, carrots and beets so the shreds melt into the batter instead of showing up as flecks.
- Blend it smooth. Beans, chickpeas and avocado should be completely smooth before they meet the other ingredients. A food processor or blender makes quick work of it.
- Get the kids baking. Children are much more likely to try something they helped make, and measuring out pumpkin puree or rolling bliss balls is a great way to show them that vegetables can be fun.
- Save the big reveal. Let everyone take a bite first, then tell them what's inside. The surprise is half the fun!
From fudgy sweet potato brownies and zucchini brownies to carrot cake, beet red velvet cake, chickpea cookies and avocado chocolate mousse, here are 20 of our favorite vegan desserts with hidden veggies. They're grouped loosely by type, starting with brownies, then cakes, cookies, muffins, and finally mousse and no-fuss snack balls.
20 Vegan Desserts with Hidden Veggies
Mashed sweet potato is the secret behind these fudgy, deeply chocolatey brownies. With just six ingredients and no oil, eggs or dairy, they taste indulgent enough that nobody will guess there's a vegetable inside.
Shredded zucchini and melted chocolate chips go right into the batter of these rich, moist brownies. They're freezer friendly and the kind of chocolate treat the whole family will jump on board with.
Creamy mashed avocado makes these chocolate chip brownies rich and fudgy, with no butter or oil needed. They come together in about 30 minutes, and the avocado hides behind all that cocoa.
A can of black beans blends into the batter for rich, decadent brownies with a boost of nutrients. Quick oats, cocoa and vegan chocolate chips round out the simple ingredient list; just chill them in the fridge before slicing.
Sweet potato, peanut butter and almond flour make these gluten-free brownies extra fudgy, while maple syrup sweetens them. A sprinkle of chopped pecans (and chocolate chips, if you like) on top makes them look as good as they taste.
Finely grated beetroot gives this showstopping layer cake its deep red color, no food coloring required. It's gluten-free, layered with a rich vegan cream cheese frosting, and perfect for the holidays or Valentine's Day.
This one-bowl carrot cake is moist, warmly spiced and packed with grated carrots. A silky maple cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped nuts make it a crowd-pleaser for any celebration.
Fresh carrots, cinnamon and ginger flavor this tender gluten-free layer cake, finished with a zesty orange buttercream. It's a perfect springtime dessert or a year-round sweet treat.
Chickpeas are the surprise ingredient in this fudgy, high-protein cake flavored with cinnamon, cacao and sliced apples. It's gluten-free and dairy-free, and makes a lovely afternoon treat with a cup of tea.
A ripe avocado replaces the butter or oil in these double chocolate cookies and keeps them incredibly soft and moist. Made with cocoa and vegan chocolate chips, they're a sneaky way to add healthy fats to the cookie jar.
One can of chickpeas and some peanut butter make the base for these soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies. The dough comes together in a food processor with no chilling, oil or egg replacer needed.
Yes, black beans in cookies! Cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips completely disguise the beans in these soft, chocolatey treats, which are sweetened with agave and made with almond meal.
Pumpkin puree does double duty in these soft, cakey cookies, adding moisture and binding the dough so no eggs are needed. Warm fall spices and plenty of dairy-free chocolate chips make them hard to stop at one.
These one-bowl muffins hide pumpkin puree in a batter studded with vegan chocolate chips and crunchy sliced almonds. They're ready in about 30 minutes and work just as well for dessert as for breakfast.
Soft, tender pumpkin muffins made with applesauce and maple syrup instead of oil, eggs or refined sugar. They're gluten-free, warmly spiced and just as good for breakfast as for an afternoon snack.
Grated carrots, coconut, walnuts and golden raisins pack these gluten-free muffins with flavor, and quick oats give them plenty of texture while keeping them light and fluffy. They're ready in under 30 minutes.
Ripe banana and maple syrup sweeten these simple carrot muffins made with oat flour. They're gluten-free, quick to bake, and just as good in a lunch box as they are for breakfast or dessert.
Ripe avocados blend with dark chocolate and cocoa into a rich, velvety mousse that's dairy-free and gluten-free. It comes together fast and just needs a little time in the fridge to set.
All the flavor of carrot cake rolled into soft, chewy no-bake bites made with dates, pecans and grated carrot. Coat them in melted dark chocolate or desiccated coconut for a treat that's naturally sweetened with dates.
Lightly spiced pumpkin bites made with oat flour, chia seeds and raisins, rolled in oats and baked until golden. They're a simple make-ahead snack or a bite-sized dessert.
Whether you're packing a lunchbox, baking for a birthday or just want a sweet treat that does a little extra, these recipes prove that vegetables belong in dessert. And if you love these vegan desserts with hidden veggies, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:
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