If you told me that Dairy-Free Tiramisu could taste better than the original, I wouldn’t have believed you -- at least not without trying it. For this recipe, I made traditional tiramisu with mascarpone cheese at the same time as the dairy free one. With a side-by-side comparison, my taste-testers and I agreed that the dairy-free version is better than the traditional! I think it's obvious that we finished the dairy free tiramisu first...
My original tiramisu recipe was this amazing Giada's Tiramisu with a Twist. Since most of my family is dairy-free and I eat mostly dairy-free, it was important that I made a version that was safe for everyone to enjoy. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert, so it was especially important to get it just right.
Why you’ll love this Dairy Free Tiramisu
- It doesn't get any better than espresso soaked ladyfingers covered in a rich cream
- you only need 8 ingredients
- ready in 30 minutes
- No baking required
- You will totally wow your friends!
- No one will notice it's dairy-free 😉
How is dairy-free tiramisu different from the traditional?
Tiramisu uses one key dairy ingredient: mascarpone cheese. Other than that, most tiramisu recipes are completely dairy free!
Some ladyfingers have dairy, so check the package to make sure. I used Schaer gluten free ladyfingers for my recipe. You can use regular or gluten-free ladyfingers for this recipe.
What do you use instead of mascarpone cheese?
The cream layer of traditional tiramisu is made of sugar, egg yolks, and mascarpone cheese. Since this recipe is dairy-free, coconut cream is used in place of mascarpone cheese.
Does it taste like coconut?
Are you ready for it? This one really surprised me – my taste testers and I didn't notice any traces of coconut flavor! In addition to the coconut cream, there are egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, and a little espresso in the cream layer. These other flavors totally mask the coconut.
What can I use instead of rum in tiramisu?
Most traditional tiramisu recipes are actually made with Marsala wine. However, I enjoy using rum and it’s easy to purchase in small amounts. You can replace the rum with marsala wine, almond liqueur, or coffee liqueur. For alcohol-free tiramisu, you can omit the rum entirely.
Is tiramisu hard to make?
I procrastinated making Tiramisu because I thought it was hard. Once I tried it, it was so easy! No baking required if you use pre-made ladyfingers. No baking means it's an awesome dessert recipe for van life, tiny kitchens, or hot summer days.
(I had the exact same realization when making the Easy Paella Recipe!)
How do you make Tiramisu from scratch?
Most “from scratch” tiramisu recipes use pre-made ladyfingers. If making your own, the first step is to bake the ladyfingers. Then the process is simple: 1) whip the cream ingredients together 2) dip each ladyfinger in an espresso and rum mixture, then layer across the bottom 3) add a layer of cream 4) add another layer of soaked ladyfingers 5) add the final cream layer and top with chocolate shavings.
Building a layered dessert like tiramisu could not be easier!
Let’s make Dairy Free Tiramisu
With these instructions, you'll get the perfect tiramisu on the first try! Dairy Free Tiramisu needs only 8 ingredients and a few key tools.
Ingredients
Egg yolks, sugar, coconut cream, vanilla extract, espresso, dark rum, ladyfingers (gluten-free optional), and dark chocolate.
Tiramisu Essentials
Instructions
Whip together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. This takes about 5 minutes and you'll want to use an electric mixer with whisk attachement.
Add the other cream ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. You'll add coconut cream, espresso, and vanilla extract in this step.
Add cream ingredients to whipped egg & sugar. Final cream.
Mix rum and remaining espresso in a shallow bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough that you can dip a whole ladyfinger into the mixture.
Dip each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture for 5 seconds. Any longer and the ladyfingers may fall apart.
Make a layer of soaked ladyfingers across the bottom. Break the ladyfingers as needed to fit. It's ok if they fall apart a little.
Top with the first layer of cream. Use half the mixture -- there's one more layer at the top!
First layer of soaked ladyfingers. First layer of cream.
Add another layer of soaked ladyfingers.
Top with the final layer of cream.
Second layer of soaked ladyfingers. Second and final cream layer.
Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours. This allows the layers to set.
Then top with chocolate shavings and enjoy!
Other Dairy Free Desserts you’ll love:
- Mango Coconut Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Gluten Free Blondies (paleo)
- Heavenly Double Chocolate Brownies (paleo)
Dairy Free Tiramisu Recipe
Print
Impossibly Authentic Dairy Free Tiramisu
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-9 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This super easy Dairy Free Tiramisu tastes just like the traditional! It can easily be made gluten-free using gluten-free ladyfingers. You'll love that it uses only 8 ingredients with no baking required.
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks*
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cans coconut cream, cream only (no liquid)**
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups strong espresso, cooled, divided
- 4 teaspoons dark rum
- 24 packaged ladyfingers (~200 grams)
- ½ cup dark chocolate shavings
Instructions
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer with whisk attachement, whip together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. This takes about 5 minutes. Then add coconut cream, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of espresso to the mixture. Whip together until smooth.
- Pour the remaining espresso and dark rum into a shallow dish large enough to fit a ladyfinger. Dip each lady finger into the mixture for only 5 seconds, turning and flipping to coat all sides. Place the soaked lady finger on the bottom of an 8 by 8 inch baking dish. Continue until you have a single layer of soaked ladyfingers. You may need to break ladyfingers for a snug fit.
- Gently layer one half of the coconut cream mixture across the top of the soaked ladyfingers. Then add another layer of soaked ladyfingers. Top with the final layer of cream. Cover with plastic wrap or other airtight lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the layers to set.
- Before serving, sprinkle the chocolate shavings evenly across the top of the tiramisu. This recipe tastes amazing on its own or topped with fresh berries and mint leaves.
Notes
*Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
**I used ~400 ml (15 ounce) cans of coconut cream and scooped out the solid cream layer. The total amount of cream was about 2 cups.
Ladyfingers can come in different sizes. If larger than the standard 3-inch sized ladyfingers (like mine), 200 grams is roughly equivalent. I used Schaer Gluten Free Ladyfingers.
Storage: Store tiramisu in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 30
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: gluten free tiramisu, dairy free desserts, no bake dairy free desserts
I hope you enjoy our new favorite dessert!
xo, Jamie
Jenn
Tiramisu is one of those things I thought I would never know how to make or be able to eat (being dairy free and all). But this recipe proved me wrong--it's so easy and amazingly creamy and delicious. I love the rum and coffee flavor!
★★★★★
Jamie
Thank you for trying this recipe and the feedback--I hope to see you around more!
Amanda
My family LOVED this recipe! Thank you for making it so easy! We really couldn't taste the coconut flavor. Also, a tip for the can of coconut cream, if you store it upside down, you can open it and just pour off the extra liquid 😉
★★★★★
Jamie
That is such a good tip about the coconut cream Amanda -- thank you! And I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Violet
Definitely making this again! Kept it in a cooler for a picnic to surprise my family and they went wild for it. Polished it off in 1 hour.
★★★★★
Jamie
I love that you used this for a surprise and that it went so well! Thank you for the review Violet 🙂
★★★★★
Swae
Is there a way to save the ‘custard’ mixture if it curdles?
I have no idea why this happened, I followed the recipe to a T!
Still tasty though!
Jamie
Hi Swae! Try adding more solid coconut cream. I haven't had an issue with curdling with this recipe, but I know if you dilute coconut cream too much it can lose its structure. I've had this happen with coconut whipped cream if I added too much sugar, and it was solved with more coconut cream. Let me know if this works! I'm happy to help troubleshoot more if needed.
Jenny
Hi! Do you use granulated sugar or caster sugar? Thanks!
Jamie
Hi Jenny! I use regular granulated sugar (USA) for this recipe. However, if you are in the UK, I think you may want to choose caster sugar. Either way, you'll want to choose the same kind of sugar you'd use for a cake or cupcakes.
I hope you love this tiramisu as much as I do!
Janneke
I felt like this was too heavy to have after a heavy pasta dish, so I paired it with a chicken cacciatore recipe. Perfect combination and I definitely recommend!
★★★★★
Jamie
That sounds like an excellent pairing! Two perfect Italian dishes. Thank you for sharing Janneke 🙂
Bill
My cream turned out really runny. I tried cooling it but no luck. Going to try again today with different brand coconut cream, and using stand mixer instead of hand mixer. I just have regular beaters not a whisk attachment could that be the problem?
Jamie
Hi Bill -- there are two things I can think of that might make it runny. Did you beat the egg yolks and sugar until they thickened and turned a lighter color? With the whisk attachment, it takes 5 minutes or maybe a little longer at high speed. I haven't tried using regular beaters here but I suspect it may take a little longer. The photos above the recipe card can help you compare thickness along the way.
The second is the coconut cream. What kind did you use? You need about 1 1/2 cups of solid cream only (with the excess coconut water in the can poured off).
I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes.
Candice
Too good to be true! Delicious! Made it for my family. Everybody loved it and wanted the recipe!
★★★★★
Jules
Just wow! I love that you compared this to a regular tiramisu. I couldn't tell the difference at all but it's been so long since I had one. Also to future tiramisu makers: the egg yolks really do whip up to "pale and smooth". I was skeptical because it takes the full 5 minutes but it works! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Nick
It has been so long since I had tiramisu. This is truly a treat! My family loves this recipe and they eat dairy.
★★★★★
Sarah Cowton
I tried this for a dinner party where one of my guests is intolerant to milk, I didn't want her to be left out so thought this would work for everyone. Instead of rum I used marsala wine in the cream mixture and whisked up the egg whites and folded them in aswell so as to keep it closer to the traditional recipe, it worked, turned out light and fluffy. I was hoping that I might get a little hint of coconut in the background but for anyone who is sceptical it was not detectable at all. This was an absolute winner ( by the way, my husband is Italian!) I never would have thought of substituting marscapone for coconut cream. Add some tía Maria coffee liqueur to the expresso when you soak the lady fingers, your guests will appreciate it! Will defo do this again.
★★★★★
Annie
I am really in love with this cream! I made 1 1/2 batches of the cream just to have some on the side. I brought the tiramisu to a potluck and it was a huge hit! The extra cream I kept at home just for me. It seriously tastes just how I remember the ones in Italy tasting many years go when I could still eat lactose. I've made this 3 times. Don't hesitate to try it!
★★★★★
Kim
Would it work to prepare the day before or will it be too soggy? I want to make this for my sister’s birthday but won’t have time to refrigerate it. That’s why I wanted to do it the day before.
Jamie
Hi Kim! You can definitely prepare this the day before, and preferably in the evening to prevent sogginess. I've let the tiramisu sit up to 24 hours before serving in the past with no problems. If you get it into the refrigerator quickly, that will help too because the cream will solidify a bit and prevent additional softening of the ladyfingers. Happy Birthday to your sister!
Karen
I am so thankful for this recipe and will make it soon! Is there a brand of eggs that you recommend using to help ensure safety when eating raw yolk?
Jamie
I hope you enjoy it Karen! I recommend choosing pasteurized eggs (most are pasteurized in the USA). Gently washing the outside of the egg can also help to reduce bacteria transmission since that's where most egg-related infections originate.
June
I made this for my mom’s birthday and she was so blown away that I had to show her the recipe so she believed it was dairy free! Definitely making this again!
★★★★★
Candra
Hi All,
I was wondering if there's any vegan egg yolk substitutes that would work in this recipe? I'm not vegan so I'm not familiar with substitutions but don't want to leave out a vegan friend coming for dinner. Thank you!
Jamie
Hi Candra! So nice of you to include your vegan friend. I have not tried this recipe without egg yolks, so I can't say for sure what will work and still provide a nice taste and texture (hopefully someone else has tried and will chime in).
Some options to consider are increasing the amount of coconut cream to make up for the egg yolks and adding a little extra espresso or vanilla to taste. Another option is to look up a recipe for "whipped silken tofu" and try replacing the egg yolks with that! I think either could work out, and since they are vegan, you can safely taste test as you go.
Please let us know what you try and how it goes if you don't mind! We'd love to know 🙂