Delicious Vegan Ice Cream Toppings You Need To Try

Although it might be a bit odd to think about, vegans do, in fact, eat ice cream. The number of vegan ice cream brands on the market has grown significantly in recent years as many consumers have committed to dropping dairy from their diets. Now, you'll find an array of plant-based ice cream flavors, ranging from standard classics like vanilla and chocolate to more wacky concoctions that utilize different fruits, ingredients, and textural additions. Once you've narrowed down your dairy-free ice cream of choice, it's time to tackle the second-best part of ice cream: the toppings.

As a plant-based eater and ice cream lover, I've quickly learned how to read and decipher ingredient labels on a range of classic ice cream toppings to find ones that are dairy, egg, and animal ingredient-free. That way, I can enjoy not just a plain scoop of ice cream, but one adorned with nearly all of the same toppings that a non-plant-based eater would enjoy. Here are some of the already-plant-based ice cream toppings you should try on your next scoop, as well as some vegan alternatives to sundae classics. That way, you can enjoy a sweet treat after a long day at work, or whip up a creative ice cream spread for a sundae night with friends. 

If you loved the all-too-sweet strawberry syrup on your Dairy Queen cone as a kid, you're going to love spooning some strawberry compote on your plant-based sundae. This spread is significantly thicker than standard jams and sauces, which means that you'll get pieces of sugary strawberry in every bite. 

The best thing about compote is that it's easy to make. And if you don't like strawberries, you could also substitute them with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries (or all three for a mixed berry compote). The only major adjustment you'll have to make is swapping out the plain granulated sugar for organic or beet sugar, as not all sugar is vegan. If you're using raw sugar with a larger crystal size, you'll also need to make sure that you stir it up really, really well so that all of the granules integrate into the compote. 

Strawberry compote is a great pairing for a variety of ice creams, but it works best on flavors that are particularly basic. Think 365's organic almond milk vanilla or Jeni's lemon bar ice cream.  

Chances are that if you love a decadent Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Half-Baked or something with Reese's peanut butter cups in it, you're also adding a scoop of peanut butter sauce on top of your ice cream for good measure. Peanut butter sauce isn't as thick as regular peanut butter; it's often made a little more goopy with sweetened condensed milk. This addition makes it more pleasurable to eat, as each bite of peanut butter slides right over your tongue rather than getting caught on the back of your throat.

Peanut butter sauce is one of the easiest ice cream toppings on this list to make plant-based. Instead of grabbing that can of condensed milk, mix melted peanut butter with oil (like vegetable shortening or coconut oil) to give it a more liquid consistency. If you like your peanut butter sauce sweet, rather than borderline savory, consider adding a drizzle of maple syrup to it.  

Peanut butter sauce is a more versatile topping than you may think. You can add it to peanut butter ice cream, or try your hand at making a vegan chocolate ice cream and serving it with chopped plant-based peanut butter cups and this sauce.  

Whimsical ice cream flavors (like cake batter) and more basic renditions (like plain vanilla) alike can really use a dose of colorful sprinkles on top of them. Unfortunately, not all sprinkles are vegan; they can be made with shellac, carmine, and beeswax — all of which are sourced from insects. If you're looking for a topping alternative for your ice cream, you'll want to consider purchasing vegan sprinkles rather than your go-to sprinkles brand.

Supernatural Sprinkles is one of my favorite brands to purchase from. The brand makes an entire lineup of vegan hard sprinkles in shapes like Unicorn Tracks and Dinomite (because who doesn't love topping their sundae with plant-based sugary dinosaurs)? However, you may understandably want something a little more plain (that won't break your teeth, either). If you dig hard enough, you can find some brands of vegan rainbow or chocolate sprinkles from brands like Sweet Eva's. Save the rest of your sprinkles for baking vegan cookies or decorating an uber-sweet stack of pancakes.  

Did you know that marshmallows aren't vegan? Luckily, many plant-based marshmallow brands will satisfy your sweet tooth and elevate your ice cream — all without any gelatin involved. Many folks will opt for Dandies as an all-purpose marshmallow brand; besides adding them to your sundae, you could swirl them into a warm hot chocolate or even melt them down for a spin on Rice Krispies treats. However, my go-to brand of vegan marshmallows has always been the more budget-friendly (and accidentally vegan) Trader Joe's mallows. 

That being said, some folks don't enjoy the texture of mallows, especially when contrasted with the freezing-cold texture of ice cream. If you're one of these people, you may be better off trying to get your hands on a jar of Dandies marshmallow creme. Try swirling in this thick concoction with some peanut butter, vegan graham crackers, and chocolate chips for a decadent take on a s'mores sundae.  

Chocolate chips are a more popular ice cream topping than you'd think (though, I'd argue that there are more inventive toppings out there that are more worthy of your time). Most chocolate chips contain some sort of dairy in them, but if you look hard enough, you can spot some plant-based offerings, too. And the best part about it? You may not have to pay full price for some organic, premium chocolate in the specialty aisle at your local grocery store. Instead, there could be some accidentally-vegan chocolates waiting to be found in the baking aisle. 

Take Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips as an example. They're a staple in my household for both chocolate chip cookies and ice cream sundaes. However, the one drawback to this brand is that it isn't necessarily allergen-friendly, since it may be processed on shared equipment. Folks who are dairy, nut, and soy-free may want to opt for a product like Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chips instead for their next ice cream sundae.  

I'll admit that I really don't like hot fudge, so this one isn't a common staple for my ice cream nights. But, if you are a fiend for all things hot fudge, the good news is that there is a plant-based alternative out there for you. 

If you want your hot fudge to crisp up like a magic shell, you'll want to use coconut oil — or another fat that's solid at room temperature. But, if you like the permanently molten hot fudge like you'd get at a Dairy Queen or a Friendly's, you can easily whip one up sans oil. Whisk together a base of vegan butter, cocoa powder, dairy-free milk, and vanilla extract over low heat until it starts to thicken up and form a syrupy consistency. Like a good hot fudge sauce, this one will start to thicken as it sits and cools. So, if you have some left over in your fridge, be sure to bring it up to pouring temperature by nuking it in the microwave.

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Reese's peanut butter cups are not, in fact, vegan. But, your hopes for a peanut butter sundae aren't lost — and you won't have to whip out those peanut butter cup molds anytime soon, either. If you don't mind unwrapping and chopping peanut butter cups for your ice cream, you may want to consider a brand like Unreal as an alternative. Unfortunately, the brand only offers dark chocolate peanut butter cups, rather than the traditional milk chocolate ones. The good news is that the dark chocolate isn't super dark-chocolatey though, so you may not even notice the difference. 

Hershey's has also jumped on the vegan chocolate bandwagon to offer its plant-based oat milk peanut butter cups. While I don't think the chocolate here is as high-quality as Unreal's, you probably won't notice the difference too much when it's covered in sweet ice cream and a hefty dose of peanut butter sauce. 

Plant-based whipped cream has come a long way in the short years that I've been a vegan. At one point, it was a product that I scoffed at, mainly because brands struggled to mimic that lightness in texture and inoffensive flavor that I had become accustomed to with regular whipped cream. Luckily, you can find an array of different vegan whipped toppings available on the market today, ranging from oat and almond-based whipped cream to coconut-based ones. 

If you're making your own whipped cream yourself, try using coconut cream as the base. This fat, which is the white stuff on top of a can of full-fat coconut milk, easily stabilizes when it's combined with sugar and vanilla extract. Or, you can peruse your grocery store's refrigerator aisle to find a product that would work for you. There are numerous non-dairy whipped cream options around the holiday season, too — like peppermint and pumpkin spice. But, if you're just sticking to basics, plain whipped cream (from a reputable brand like Reddi-Wip) isn't a bad option, either. 

Caramel sauce? Wait, wait, wait ... doesn't that have milk and butter? While most caramel sauces are made with non-vegan ingredients, there are ways that you can tweak the recipe so that it is free from animal-based ingredients. In essence, you'll need to use coconut cream to replace the fat in the normal recipe. A hefty dose of vegan butter will also add that distinct flavor to your caramel and help offset any of the tropical notes from the cream. 

Start by cooking sugar, coconut cream, vegan butter, vanilla extract, and cornstarch (to help it thicken) on the stovetop. It may take a while for the cornstarch to activate and thicken the sweet concoction to caramel-adjacent territory. From there, you can add a sprinkle of salt, or just store the mixture in a heat-proof container for when your ice cream cravings hit later on. 

If you don't consider making caramel sauce your idea of a fun time (or simply don't have the time to babysit the mixture as it cooks), you can always swap it out for a pre-made product. Mr. Dewie's caramel sauce is dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free — which makes it a great addition to an allergy-friendly ice cream bar. You can also try a brand like Hey Boo for a corn syrup-free product that tastes just like the real thing. 

Don't blame me if you want to eat the entirety of the cookie dough before you can slather it on your ice cream cone. It's just that addicting — and it's even better knowing that it's not made with eggs, butter, or milk. 

The key to making edible cookie dough, whether you're making it vegan or not, is to always use heat-treated flour. You could, of course, use a substitute like almond flour, but I personally think this nutty alternative detracts too much from the flavor of the cookie dough. To heat treat the flour, you'll need to put it in the microwave or oven just enough to kill off any lingering pathogens, but not toast it. Microwave flour for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 15-20 seconds to ensure even heating.

From there, you can make your vegan cookie dough recipe as normal; just substitute the regular butter for a vegan replacement (Earth Balance or Miyoko's Creamery are two of my favorite vegan butter brands to work with). You also won't have to worry about adding any leavening agents to your cookie dough, since you don't plan on baking it. 

Cereal might be one of those products that you would assume is almost always vegan, but isn't actually. Some ingredients are lurking on the ingredient label that may not make cereal suitable to eat on a plant-based diet. You have your obvious suspects, like whey and yogurt — but then you also have some unlikely additions. Fortified breakfast cereals may use vitamin D derived from lanolin, or sheep's wool. Some glazed cereals, like Frosted Mini-Wheats, may also contain gelatin — which can be sourced from animal bones. 

There are some cereals that you can enjoy as a vegan for breakfast or as a crunchy addition to ice cream. Cap'N Crunch Peanut Putter Crunch cereal is one option; try pairing it with a vegan peanut butter cup or chocolate ice cream. Another underrated item you may want to try adding to your ice cream that's distantly related to the cereal family is granola. Give the ingredient list of your favorite granola a once-over and look for honey, butter, or white sugar before adding it to your ice cream sundae bar. 

If the taste and consistency of cookie dough weirds you out, fear not; you can always get a sugary boost for your ice cream sundae by chopping up some cookies and pouring them on top. Oreos are one cookie that has historically been heralded as being vegan — but this may not entirely be the case. They're not as vegan as you might think because they may include ingredients like honey and sugar — even if no dairy is involved. So, it's dependent on what you consider to be "vegan."

Luckily, you can purchase a dairy-free and bone-char-free-sugar version of Oreo cookies that would work just perfectly for your ice cream sundae. Organic sugar can't be processed with bone char, making anything that's certified a safe bet. Newman's Own, for example, makes organic sugar-based chocolate sandwich cookies that are nearly the same as Oreo cookies. And, even if you consider yourself to be a cookie snob, you probably won't notice the difference when these cookies are covered in other syrupy and sticky spreads and stuck into the side of a scoop of ice cream.

There are other vegan cookies that you can use for your ice cream bar, too. Whip up a batch of vegan chocolate chip cookies and leave them in the oven a bit longer than usual to encourage them to get slightly crispier. That way, you'll get a better contrast with the softness of the ice cream.  

It's hard to resist grabbing a handful of M&M's when you pass by the pantry — but if you're a vegan, you may not have that luxury. Thankfully, there are several different vegan candy-coated chocolate brands out there that will give you a similar product, with the same satisfying mouthfeel that you get when you bite into the candies and cold ice cream. 

Unreal is usually my go-to brand for M&M's alternatives; I especially appreciate the satisfying contrast of the dried, crunchy quinoa and the rich chocolate. If you are more texturally-averse, you may consider Yum Earth's chocolate candies — they have a texture that's similar to the classic, smooth chocolate-filled M&M's candy. Sprinkle a handful on top of your plain vanilla ice cream to add some texture, or consider blending them straight into your vegan ice cream base to impart a subtle chocolatey flavor and unique, defined crunch.