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Soft, moist, and perfectly spice, this vegan chai sticky toffee pudding offers a delicious twist on the classic British dessert. Sweetened with dates and topped with a rich, dairy-free toffee sauce, it’s a crowd-pleasing treat that’s perfect for any celebration.
Table of Contents
The History of Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is one of the UK’s most loved desserts, though its history is relatively recent. Most stories trace it back to the 1970s, with two hotels claiming to have created the first recipe: Sharrow Bay in England’s Lake District and the Udny Arms in Scotland.
The pudding is a moist sponge made with chopped dates, soaked in a glossy toffee sauce, and usually served with cream or custard. Its flavor is rich but simple, combining deep caramel notes with the natural sweetness of dates.
Within a short time, it spread across Britain, becoming a staple on menus in pubs and restaurants. Today, it sits alongside traditional favorites like treacle sponge as a symbol of British comfort desserts.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Masala chai and boiling water: Steeping tea infuses a hearty, spiced flavor into the foundation.
- Medjool dates: Develop natural sweetness and help build signature stickiness.
- Baking soda: Soak dates to soften them.
- Neutral oil: Moisturizes the pudding without dominating flavor.
- Non-dairy milk: Add both creaminess and moisture to the batter.
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the pudding.
- Baking powder: Makes the cake rise.
- Spices: Build layers of heat and depth that enhance the caramel flavor of the dates.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances out sweetness.
- Vegan heavy cream: Adds richness and silkiness to the sauce.
- Chai black tea: Brings spiced depth to the caramel base.
- Vegan butter: Builds body and richness into the sauce.
- Brown sugar: Caramelize to a deep toffee flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Completes the sauce with a touch of sweetness.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and counteracts richness.
How to Make Vegan Chai Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Steep the tea bags in boiling water for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.
- Soak dates. Place chopped dates and baking soda in a bowl. Pour over the hot tea mixture. Soak 10 minutes.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and spices. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Blend. Process the soaked dates and tea in a high-speed blender until nearly smooth.
- Combine wet ingredients. Add the date mixture, oil, and non-dairy milk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
- Pour into the baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
For the sauce, simmer the vegan cream with tea bags for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. - Make the sauce. Add vegan butter and brown sugar. Simmer 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
Once the pudding is baked, poke holes all over the top with a toothpick. Pour half the hot sauce over the pudding. Let it sit 15 minutes to absorb. - Serve. Pour over the extra sauce and top with vegan vanilla ice cream or vegan heavy cream.
Equipment Needed
- Medium saucepan (for steeping tea and making toffee sauce)
- Mixing bowls (at least 2, one for dry and one for soaking dates)
- Food processor or immersion blender (to blend dates)
- Whisk
- 8×8-inch baking dish (or similar size)
- Toothpick (for testing doneness and poking holes)
Tips for the Best
- Don’t skip soaking the dates. This step gives the pudding its signature texture.
- For a stronger chai flavor, steep the tea longer before using.
- If making ahead, warm both the pudding and sauce before serving.
Toffee pudding FAQ
Yes, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat slices in the microwave or oven, then drizzle with warm sauce before serving.
Yes, you can freeze the baked pudding without the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven before adding sauce.
Yes, the sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week. Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
This chai sticky toffee pudding is sweet, spiced, and indulgent, yet simple enough for a weeknight treat. Serve it warm and let the sauce soak in for the best results.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 100% vegan and dairy-free
- Infused with chai spices for extra flavor
- Simple ingredients, no eggs or complicated swaps
- Can be made ahead and reheated before serving
- Pairs perfectly with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
More Decadent Desserts to Love
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Vegan Chai Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Soft, moist, and infused with spice, this vegan chai sticky toffee pudding offers a delicious twist on the classic British dessert. Sweetened with dates and topped with a rich, dairy-free toffee sauce, it’s a crowd-pleasing treat that’s perfect for any celebration.
Ingredients
Pudding:
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 2 masala chai tea bags
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- ½ cup neutral oil
Toffee Sauce:
- ¾ cup vegan heavy cream
- 2 masala chai tea bags
- ½ cup (1 stick) vegan butter
- ¾ cup (155g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the black tea bags to the boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and discard.
- Add the dates and baking soda to a medium bowl. Pour over the tea mixture and make sure the dates are submerged. Set aside for 10 minutes for the dates to soften.
- Meanwhile, add the flour, baking powder, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F and grease an 8×8” or similar-sized baking dish.
- Once the dates have soaked, add them and the soaking liquid to a food processor. Blend until nearly smooth–you can leave it chunkier if you prefer chunks of dates in your sticky toffee pudding. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the mixture in the bowl.
- Add the date mixture, oil, and non-dairy milk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs.
- While the pudding bakes, prepare the toffee sauce. Heat the vegan heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once at a simmer, add the black tea bags and lower the heat to low. Steep for 10 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags.
- Add the vegan butter and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes. The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Once the pudding is done baking, remove it from the oven and use a toothpick to poke holes all over the cake, poking all the way through.
- Pour about half of the hot toffee sauce over the pudding. Allow the pudding to cool and absorb the sauce for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with additional sauce and a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a splash of more vegan heavy cream.
Notes
The best dates for this recipe are Medjool dates because:
- Soft texture: They blend smoothly into the pudding, creating natural sweetness and moisture.
- Large size: Easy to pit and chop.
- Rich caramel flavor: Enhances the toffee notes in the dessert.
If Medjool dates are unavailable, Deglet Noor dates can be used as an alternative; however, they should be soaked for an extended period to soften.
You can also lightly chop them for texture or blend thoroughly for a smoother pudding.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 38 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Ovwn
- Cuisine: British
