This dairy-free chocolate ganache recipe can be used as frosting or drizzled over desserts. Making lactose free ganache is simple, fudgy and so yummy!
Try it drizzled over my 3-Ingredient Brownies, Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies, or Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies next.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: About 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings (makes 1 ¾ cups)
- ⚡ Calories: 270kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, fudgy dark chocolate with silky coconut cream (and no coconut taste!)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple as my dairy-free fudge
Quick Answer
Place the chocolate chunks or morsels in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the entire can of coconut cream on the stove (so it mixes the solids and liquids) until it is just about to boil. Pour 1 cup of the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted, then whisk in the vanilla until very smooth and creamy. Reserve the remaining coconut cream for another time.
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There is one thing that makes chocolate desserts divine and gives them a fudgy essence and that is chocolate ganache!
I have a weakness for fudgy desserts with a whipped consistency like this fudgy avocado pudding and healthy dairy-free fudge. You know what I am talking about, the kind where you sink your teeth in, and it leaves gorgeous scrapes of teeth marks where the bite was taken. Ganache, when chilled after drizzling over cake for sure puts those marks into treats! It is so rich and creamy and satisfying. Yep, that is chocolate ganache for ya😉.
What is ganache? Ganache is a glaze, icing or sauce made of chocolate and cream that is used to fill pastries, top on cakes and is used in place of icing. The consistency of dairy free chocolate ganache is the same as one made with dairy, and despite using coconut cream there is no "coconut" taste.
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Coconut cream stands in for dairy cream. The rich fat content of canned coconut cream creates the same silky emulsion with melted chocolate that heavy cream does, so the consistency is identical to a classic ganache.
- Heat the whole can. Warming the entire can on the stove mixes the solids and liquids together, so the cup you pour is perfectly balanced cream.
- Almost boiling is the magic temperature. Cream heated to just about a boil melts the chocolate evenly and completely without scorching it.
- Whisking builds the shine. Whisking the hot cream and chocolate together until smooth creates that glossy, pourable ganache texture.
- Chilling transforms it into frosting. A few hours in the refrigerator thickens the ganache so it pipes beautifully over cupcakes, brownies and cookies.
- Whipping adds air. Two minutes with an electric mixer on high turns the same ganache light and fluffy for a whipped frosting.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Just 3 simple ingredients. Chocolate, coconut cream, and vanilla are all it takes.
- No coconut taste. Despite using coconut cream, this ganache tastes purely of rich chocolate.
- So versatile. Use it as a drizzle, a dip, a filling, a frosting, or whip it fluffy. This recipe is so yummy you may just want to eat it by the spoonful!
Key Ingredients
- Chocolate - dairy-free and vegan chocolate chip chunks or dark chocolate morsels.
- Coconut cream - canned coconut cream, heated whole so the solids and liquids blend.
- Vanilla extract - for a bit a flaavva!!!
As always, please see recipe card below for full ingredient list.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chunks or morsels. Vegan chocolate chunks and dark chocolate morsels both melt beautifully. Pick whichever your family loves.
- Whipped ganache. Whisk the finished ganache with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes until fluffy for a light whipped frosting.
- Piped frosting. Chill the ganache a few hours until thick, then add it to a piping bag with a decorative tip and pipe it over your favorite baked goods.
How to Make Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache
Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
1Prep the chocolate. Place the chocolate chunks or morsels in a medium heat-safe bowl.
2Heat the coconut cream. In a small saucepan, heat the entire can of coconut cream on the stove (so it mixes the solids and liquids) until it is just about to boil. Pour 1 cup of it over the chocolate and whisk together until melted. Whisk in the vanilla until very smooth and creamy. Reserve the remaining coconut cream for another time or to add to creamy soups.
3Optional: whip it. Whisk with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes to give it a whipped, fluffy consistency.
4Store it. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to use chocolate ganache as frosting
Add the prepared chocolate ganache to a piping bag with a decorative tip. Place it in a sealed baggie so the tip does not dry out. Set in the refrigerator to chill and harden for a few hours (it keeps up to 1 week). When ready, pipe the icing over your favorite baked goods such as cupcakes, brownies and cookies.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Heat the WHOLE can. Warming all of the coconut cream blends the solids and liquids, so the 1 cup you measure out is perfectly balanced.
- Almost a boil, not a boil. Pull the cream off the heat just before it boils for evenly melted, never-scorched chocolate.
- Save the leftover cream. Store the remaining coconut cream in a sealed container in the refrigerator and add it to creamy soups like my creamy mushroom onion soup or rainbow chard soup.
- Chill it for piping. Straight from the bowl it is a glossy drizzle. After a few hours in the refrigerator it becomes a thick, pipeable frosting.
- Know your yield. This ganache recipe makes 1 ¾ cups, enough to frost a batch of cupcakes or drizzle two desserts.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Use it as a thick and fudge-like dairy free chocolate ganache frosting, top a cake with it then use it under fondant, or fill cupcakes with it: scoop out a bit of the center, pipe it with the frosting or sauce, and then top the cupcakes with frosting. It is also wonderful for dipping fresh fruit or filling chocolate lava cake.
Drizzle it warm over a batch of 3-ingredient brownies, my healthy peanut butter cookies, a bowl of vegan banana ice cream, or a slice of vegan banana bread. And if you love chocolate treats, keep the fudgy streak going with my dairy-free fudge and avocado chocolate pudding.
Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache FAQs
Ganache is a glaze, icing or sauce made of chocolate and cream that is used to fill pastries, top cakes and stand in for icing. This dairy-free version swaps the cream for coconut cream with the exact same silky, fudgy result.
No! Despite using coconut cream, there is no coconut taste. The consistency of dairy free chocolate ganache is the same as one made with dairy cream, and the flavor is pure rich chocolate.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It thickens as it chills, which makes it perfect for piping as frosting.
Add the prepared ganache to a piping bag with a decorative tip, place it in a sealed baggie so the tip does not dry out, and chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours until thick. Then pipe it over cupcakes, brownies and cookies.
Yes! Using a hand-held or electric mixer, whisk the chocolate ganache on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Whipped ganache is lighter in color and texture and spreads like a classic whipped frosting.
Use dairy-free and vegan chocolate chip chunks or dark chocolate morsels. Both melt smoothly into the hot coconut cream, so pick your favorite or whatever you have on hand.
Other Recommended Chocolate Treats
I hope you enjoy this Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache! Tried it? I'd love to see your creations! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to rate the recipe in the recipe area and leave a comment below.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups vegan chocolate chunks or dark chocolate morsels
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the entire can of coconut cream on the stove (so it mixes solid and liquids) until it is just about to boil. Pour 1 cup over the chips and whisk together until melted. Whisk in the vanilla until very smooth and creamy. Reserve the remaining coconut cream for another time or to add to creamy soups.
- Optional to whisk with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes to give it a whipped consistency.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Julie says
How do you think this would hold up as a fondue? Would the coconut cream keeping the chocolate from seizing up? It would be left on low in a fondue pot. Sounds delicious!!!
Danielle Fahrenkrug, Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach says
I think it would work great! Heated on low it should be delicious and runny like fondue!
Karyn says
I’m allergic to coconut. Can I use dairy free half-and-half creamer in place of coconut milk?
Danielle Fahrenkrug, Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach says
Yes, you can use plain dairy-free half and half creamer.
Melissa says
I tried this with white chocolate. It is still in the fridge and I am hoping it will get thick enough to frost with. Is white chocolate okay to substitute? I'm wondering if I should have stuck with reg. dark chocolate. It is smooth, silky and delicious, but so far isn't firm enough to use to frost my cake prior to fondant. Thank you. I know I'll use this recipe again and again.
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
I love white chocolate, although I have not tried it for this recipe. How did it turn out?
Maureen says
I made a gluten free cake and glazed it with the Ganache. Everyone raved about it! Thank you so much!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I am so glad y'all enjoyed this recipe!
Lynda Taschek says
This was my first time making a ganache. I didn't know which non-dairy recipe to follow and I'm glad that I chose this one. It was easy and delicious! I used a mix of Enjoy Life dark morsels and semi-sweet mega chunks and topped a chocolate bundt cake. Thanks for the recipe!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
You are welcome! I am so glad you love this ganache recipe!
Paige says
Hi! Is your picture of the bowl of ganache with the spoon spooning some out, is that the regular ganache or the whipped ganache? Thanks so much!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Yes, it is the ganache whipped - it's so good!
Denise says
Hi Danielle, thanks for this recipe, it looks delish! Will this harden completely like normal ganache if I cover a tall stacked cake with it? I’m planning to use fondant over it so I’ll need the ganache to set. If it does set, how long do you think it will take please?
Many thanks!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Hi Denise! It will harden, with a slight softness- where if you poke your finger on it when refrigerated it will leave a print. This ganache has a beautify silky texture. Covering it with the fondant will work lovely for that silky layered texture in every bite, and the fondant should be able to be placed on top! To harden, I would let it set for 4 hours minimum to make sure. I also suggest making the ganache and testing it on a pan or slice of bread. Spread it out like you would a cake, then chill for 4 hours and see what you think about the texture. That way you can gage if it is to your likening before using it on the stack cake. I hope that helps and would love pictures of your cake!