Here’s a Vegan Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipe that you can use to fill your sweet breads, mochi, steamed buns and more! Coconut oil, flour and almond milk are used to replace the butter, eggs and milk that are usually required in the traditional pastry cream recipe.
BONUS: this recipe is freezer friendly! Keep it frozen until you need it – defrost overnight and reheat in the microwave. You’ll have this chocolate filling ready in minutes.
Ingredients Used to Make Chocolate Pastry Cream
**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – can also use cashew milk, coconut milk, macadamia milk or oat milk
- Coconut Oil – use refined coconut oil for the best flavor.
- update: try using butter flavored coconut oil for even better flavor – Like this one.
- Sugar – I used raw cane sugar (granulated sugar) in this recipe. You can also use sugar-free sweetener alternatives such as monk fruit sweetener.
- All Purpose Flour – Cake flour is also ok, but bread flour will not work in this recipe.
- Cornstarch – another thickener used with the flour to provide a better mouthfeel and glossy sheen that flour can’t do alone.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – vanilla bean paste adds a rich sweet flavor to the custard. You can also use 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
- Chocolate chips of choice – you can use any chocolate chips of choice, like semi sweet, dark cocoa, white chocolate, mint chocolate. To keep this vegan friendly, you can also use this brand of chocolate chips which are dairy free and vegan.
Step by Step Guide
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Pastry Cream with Almond Milk (No Eggs)
STEP 1
In a heavy bottom saucepan or a deep skillet, heat 3 Tbsp of coconut oil over pan until fully melted.
STEP 4
Stir in all purpose flour until dissolved. Whisk the mixture until the milk and flours are evenly mixed
STEP 5
Cook the mixture until hot and bubbly.
STEP 6
Add the almond milk and vanilla extract
STEP 7
Cook, constantly stirring, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. The mixture will be thicker, but still runny.
STEP 8
Pre-Mix the dry ingredients (sugar, cornstarch, salt) in a separate bowl. Add to the almond milk mixture all at once and whisk until evenly mixed.
**Pre-mixing the dry ingredients prevents the cornstarch from clumping when it’s added to the hot custard mixture. so don’t skip this step!
STEP 9
Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until the custard mixture forms ribbons when drizzled over the top.
STEP 10
Remove the pan from the heat and pour into a separate bowl.
STEP 11
Add the chocolate chips while the pastry cream is still hot.
STEP 12
Stir until smooth. Serve warm, or if using it for a filling, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or until cold. The mixture will thicken much more once it cools. and can be used to fill sweet breads, mochi and more.
Recipe Variation
Vegan White Chocolate Pastry Cream
Add 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips to the finished pastry cream, until the chocolate is fully melted. **For a vegan friendly version, be sure to check the labels as most white chocolate chips contain milk solids! (here’s a vegan chocolate chips you can use)
More Filling Recipes Like this Here
Vegan Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipe Made with Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp refined coconut oil , or butter flavored coconut oil for more flavor
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cup unsweetened almond milk room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom saucepan or a deep skillet, heat 3 Tbsp of coconut oil over pan until fully melted.
- Stir in all purpose flour until dissolved. Cook for 1 min until hot
- Add the almond milk and vanilla extract
- Cook, constantly stirring, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. The mixture will be thicker, but still runny.
- Mix the dry ingredients (sugar, cornstarch, salt) in a separate bowl. Add to the almond milk mixture all at once and whisk until evenly mixed.**Pre-mixing the dry ingredients prevents the cornstarch from clumping when it's added to the hot custard mixture. so don't skip this step!
- Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until the custard mixture forms ribbons when drizzled over the top.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour into a separate bowl.
- Add chocolate chips of choice to the custard while still hot.
- To use for filling, cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or until cold. The mixture will thicken much more once it cools. and can be used to fill sweet breads, mochi and more.
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