MAKE IT CUTE

What's better than ending your day with a delicious ice cream sundae? Absolutely nothing. Whether your fave part is the ice cream, the toppings or the sauces, it's hard to beat a sweet treat after a stressful day—except for when you realize all of your go-to recipes aren't vegan, and you, well, are.

If this sounds like you, and you're interested in perfecting the ultimate vegan ice cream sundae, then look no further, because we've crafted the perfect recipe for all vegans (or curious non-vegans) to try out this summer.

Step 1: The base
Everyone knows that you can't make an ice cream sundae without ice cream, but there are so many amazing options for dairy-free ice cream that, honestly, you won't even be able to tell the difference. 

Our faves? We love Forager Ice Cream, Oatly Ice Cream and NadaMoo Ice Cream. They are all *delish* brands that offer scrumptious vegan versions of your go-to ice cream flavors. Made from cashews, oats and coconuts, these brands have flavors ranging from classic vanilla to "Marshmallow Stardust".  Yum!

Step 2: The toppings
Everyone knows the most exciting part of making a sundae is choosing your toppings. If you want to make a fruity, fresh sundae, top it with berries and a cheesecake bites. More interesed in something rich and chocolatey? Add chocolate chips and cookie crumbles.

Want a tip to take your sundae to the next level? Top it with granola for a yummy, healthy alternative to a traditional topping. Our personal fave brand is gr8nola, because it doesn't have any of the unhealthy ingredients that are normally found in granola recipes. We also love gr8nola because they are partnering with feminist organization, Girl Up, giving girls entreprenural experience along the way! Read more about gr8nola HERE. 

Don't know how to incorporate granola into an ice cream sundae? We've got you covered. gr8nola's peanut butter flavor would pair perfectly with chocolate or mocha ice cream, while their matcha vibes flavor would add an extra boost to vanilla or mango. 

Aside from granola, you can also add sprinkles and sour patch kids (both totally vegan) to your sundae to give it an aesthetically pleasing rainbow vibe. 

Step 3: The sauces

It wouldn't be an ice cream sundae without adding a scrumptious sauce to the dessert. While you might think a lot of sauces are off the table while you're subscribing to a vegan lifestyle, there are more vegan dessert sauces than you would expect.

For example, Hershey's chocolate sauce is entirely vegan. If you love chocolate, add as much chocolate sauce to your dessert as you want, because even if Hershey's isn't your fave, there are *so* many vegan chocolate sauces on the market.

For a healthier sauce-alternative, we love to drizzle honey on our ice cream sundaes for a natural sweetener.

If you're a lover of whipped cream, Reddi Wip makes a dairy-free whipped cream out of cocoonut milk that is absolutely delish. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also make your own vegan whipped cream using this recipe. 

The last step: enjoy! Film yourself making your vegan ice cream sundae and tag us on TikTok @girlslifemag!

All GIFs via GIPHY | Slider image: @nadamoo | Article images: @nadamoo, @oatly, @gr8nola, @reddiwhip

by Serena Sherwood | 6/10/2021