You’ve witnessed firsthand how great sweet potato pies and black bean desserts can be. In other unexpected dessert ingredient news, here’s everyone’s fave paleo hack ingredient: cauliflower! It whips up light and fluffy, and since it tastes great mashed it will work in a batter too. Whether you’re trying to sneak more veggies into your meals or you’re avoiding grains and dairy altogether, cauliflower is a great gluten-free, dairy-free thickener in sweet treats. Here are 13 cauliflower desserts that show why this food hack is catching on.
1. Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake: This “cheesecake” is vegan, dairy-free and GF, without totally relying on soaked cashews the way other recipes tend to do. Light and fluffy, it’s made with whole ingredients so it’s healthier than its namesake without skimping on taste. (via Our Four Forks)
2. Chocolate Cauliflower Bars: These bars are as fluffy as chocolate mousse and taste deliciously chocolatey. Keep a batch on hand in the fridge for healthy snacking when those midday munchies hit. Make extras and bring them to share with your favorite coworkers. (via Nirvana Cakery)
3. Cauliflower Protein Brownies: These brownies taste like chocolate and peanut butter nirvana, thanks to the luscious cashew butter swirl. They’re also a breeze to make, so you can whip some up any time you have a bit of leftover cauliflower. (via Honestly Healthy Food)
4. Lemony Cauliflower Cake: Finally a cake that checks all the boxes: raw, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, GF and paleo. Best of all, it’s lemony, creamy and divine. Serve this at your summer dinner parties and nobody will be able to guess that it’s healthy too. (via Unconventional Baker)
5. Vegan Chocolate Buttercream: Cauliflower puree forms the base of the frosting here, replacing butter and sugar. A bit of coconut oil and avocado transforms it into creamy heaven. Cocoa and maple syrup add delicious flavor, and a pinch of sea salt gives it that salty-sweet combo nobody can resist. (via 84th and 3rd)
6. Cauliflower & Raspberry Cheesecake: Creamy cauliflower and sweet raspberries make a delicious pairing, and the cauliflower whips up smooth as silk. This no-bake recipe gets its sweetness from stevia or rice malt syrup. Paleo peeps can substitute pure maple syrup for a treat they’ll love too. (via I Quit Sugar)
7. Chocolate Cauliflower Cake With Salted Cinnamon Caramel Icing: This one is for folks with more traditional palates who want to sneak some extra veggies into their meals. Complete with sugar, butter, flour, eggs and cocoa, this cake is one luscious, sweet and creamy mouthful. Kids will never guess there’s cauliflower in the batter. (via Veggie Desserts)
8. Chocolate Pizza With a Cocoa Cauliflower Crust: So you know how cauliflower makes a great paleo pizza crust? What if you added cocoa, and what if the toppings were sweet instead of savory? Chocolate pizza, that’s what! Top this baby with all the nuts and cocoa nibs your chocolate-loving heart desires. (via Clean Eating With a Dirty Mind)
9. Chocolate Cauliflower Ice Cream Cake: This raw chocolate cauliflower cake is smooth and light with a deep chocolate flavor. It’s just what the (nut-free) doctor ordered: a perfect lightened-up dessert that still offers all the tastiness of its more indulgent cousin. (via Unconventional Baker)
10. Cauliflower Chocolate Pudding: This low-carb pudding is super simple to make. Just microwave cauliflower until soft, then puree with cocoa, gelatin, heavy cream and sweetener. Don’t resist — just go for it. (via Low Carb Yum)
11. Paleo Cauliflower Rice Pudding: If you’re a big fan of riced cauliflower, you’re going to love this pudding. Rich, creamy and totally satisfying, it’s the 100% paleo answer to all your dessert cravings. (via Cheap Recipe Blog)
12. Non-Dairy & Paleo Strawberry Cheesecake: It looks like the real thing and it tastes like the real thing but—SURPRISE—it’s made with cauliflower! This cheesecake stands out with a crunchy crust made of hazelnuts and raw coconut. Even non-paleo folks at the table will be clamoring for seconds. (via The Healthy Foodie)
13. Cauliflower White Chocolate Fruit Dip: Creamy and sweet, this dessert dip pairs well with berries and fruit. Dairy-free and refined sugar-free, it provides exactly the healthy white chocolate fix you need. (via Unconventional Baker)