VegNews Guide to Coffee Flavored Food

Whether it’s dripped, sipped, percolated, caffeinated, iced, hot, or anything in between, coffee remains an indelible, all-occasion beverage. We use it to kickstart our mornings, take a break from work, or simply socialize with our nearest and dearest. Enjoy these eight, uniquely vegan java-centric recipes that take your morning cup of Joe to a whole new level.

1. Vegan Espresso Coffee Cake
If there’s anything we love more than drinking coffee, it’s eating it—and eating it encased in a warm chocolate-y fresh-from-the-oven cake. This recipe from Vegan Thyme calls for a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour to get the coffee cake crumble just right, and did we mention the palate-pleasing addition of sea salt for a sweet-and-savory goodness? You’re welcome.

2. Vegan Coffee Ice Cream
When the mercury rises and summer temperatures begin to boil, top your cold-brew coffee with a cup of homemade vegan coffee ice cream. The coconut milk in this recipe provides the richness while the almond milk smoothes out the rough edges of strong black coffee.

3. Vanilla Latte Chia Parfait
While we generally like our vanilla soy lattes piping hot first thing in the morning, warmer temperatures invite cooler caffeinated alternatives such as Vegan Yack Attack’s Vanilla Latte Chia Parfait. This recipe has a strong espresso flavor, agave and vanilla for a touch of sweetness, and all the health benefits of chia seeds in one beautifully layered morning parfait.

4. Vegan Coffee Cookie
We may be a few months early for Christmas, but we’ve got this Vegan Coffee Cookie recipe on reserve for a certain jolly, red-suited man with a white beard and an affinity for chimneys. While other people place boring cookies beside their glass of soymilk for Santa, we’re going to bake a batch that’ll make sure Saint Nick hits all the houses this year.

5. Raw Vegan Espresso Brownies

Just because we’re coffee (and coffee dessert) junkies doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t conscious of our health! These espresso brownie bites are raw, grain-free, and naturally sweetened with medjool dates. We couldn’t ask for more—except maybe a cool cup of rice milk to wash it all down!

6. Creamy Boozy Iced Coffee
We love decadence and creativity, but you can’t go wrong with a classic. Don’t fix what isn’t broke they say, and we’re listening with this basic iced coffee recipe that calls for a little non-dairy creamer and cold-brew coffee, but we won’t leave it at just that. The recipe also calls for a splash of hazelnut liqueur, which we think is a very good idea.

7. Coffee-Braised Seitan
Though this list may make you jittery from the caffeine and sugar in our sweet recipes, here’s an innovative savory seitan surprise to even you out: coffee-braised seitan topped with toasted pine nuts and served with a side of hearty mashed potatoes. Try ordering that at a Starbucks!

Learn about the unlikely health benefits of coffee.