Dairy-free treats for a plant-based Easter

Easter is almost here, which means four days off to munch hot cross buns and chomp chocolate. But what if you’re dodging dairy? You might choose to avoid milk for ethical or environmental reasons. Or you could be lactose intolerant. Whatever the reason, you don’t need to miss out. Whether you’re hunting for delicious dairy-free Easter treats for yourself or want to spoil the vegan in your life, our friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have you covered with their plant-based Easter picks.

Treat Dreams Cream “Egg” Bunny

As the creator of the first-ever vegan cream egg, Treat Dreams knows how to wow even the most discerning chocolate connoisseur. This Easter, it’s introduced a cream bunny. Adorable and decadent, this little guy joins three other little flavour-filled bunnies that will make your plant-based Easter gifting (or feasting) easy. Grab them at the Treat Dreams website.

Rocky Road Co Vegan Mylk Easter Bilby

If you’re looking for an alternative to a bunny, you can’t go wrong with this Aussie icon. Not only is this chocolate version of our native marsupial totally adorable; it’s also creamy, Aussie-made and vegan-certified. It’s available from the Vegan Grocery Store.

NOMO Cookie Dough Bunny

NOMO stands for “No Missing Out”, and it really does offer a cure for FOMO. Perfect for an Easter egg hunt, these adorable bunny-shaped chocolates feature creamy vegan milk chocolate with a cookie dough-flavoured centre made from rice cereal and cocoa pieces. They’re available from Big W and the Vegan Grocery Store.

Sweet William Hollow Chocolate Easter Bunny

Sweet William is one of the original “free-from” chocolate companies, and its Easter range just keeps on growing. This gorgeous bunny, dressed in a cute knitted jumper, will delight kids. It’s also free from gluten and nuts – perfect for little ones who have allergies. It’s available from Aldi, Big W and selected IGA stores.

Poppy’s Chocolate Mylk Chocolate Easter Egg Fun Block

Love the childhood favourite freckles? Then this one’s for you. Fun and colourful, this flat, egg-shaped block is dotted with a rainbow of sprinkles and vegan mini marshmallows. It’s also gluten-free. You can find it at the Poppy’s Chocolate website.

Gingerbread Folk Chocolate Gingerbread Bunny Folk

Not everyone’s crazy for chocolate, and these make an awesome alternative. Shaped like the cutest bunnies ever, these chocolate and ginger mini biscuits make a tasty Easter treat. They also go brilliantly with coffee – perfect after the kids have woken you up at the crack of dawn. Plus, they’re free from nuts and palm oil. They’re available from the Gingerbread Folk website and The Vegan Grocery Store.

Pana Organic Salted Caramel Chocolate Egg

Renowned for being decadent, Melbourne-based chocolatier Pana Organic has long delivered unique flavour combos and “I can’t believe it’s not dairy” creaminess. And its Easter range is no exception. In addition to this sweet and salty caramel egg, the company also offers vegan milk chocolate and a 70 percent dark chocolate egg, all beautifully boxed for gift-giving. They’re available from Woolworths and IGA.

Hot cross buns

Easter isn’t just the perfect time to eat chocolate. It’s also the season of hot cross buns. For plant-based bun lovers, Woolworths, Coles and Bakers Delight traditional hot cross buns and fruitless varieties are all vegan-friendly. You can also add a gorgeous pop of colour to the Easter table by whipping up a batch of Sara Kidd’s vegan raspberry hot crossed buns. You can also try Sami Bloom’s recipe for vegan, gluten-free rustic hot cross buns.