More and more people are deciding to go vegan this year! Even I’ve been reducing how many animal products I consume. Once we get to the holidays, all the old habits come rushing back. I want to try to make Christmas and Thanksgiving as vegan-friendly as possible this year! I need cookbooks to do that.
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Cooking for the holidays is no easy feat. Now, adding no meat and no dairy makes it extraordinarily difficult. With these vegan cookbooks, anything is possible.
Let’s start with two vegan holiday books by Audrey Dunham!
If you are unfamiliar with Audrey Dunham, you may recognize her husband Jeff Dunham. She has been on her vegan journey for many years. If you want to know how they handle vegan Thanksgiving, you can watch her most recent YouTube video. It’s an honest and really cute video about being vegan during the holidays.
Luckily, she has a few cookbooks to share with her famous recipes!
Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner and Pies: All of Your Thanksgiving Dinner and Dessert Classics Made Vegan!
Let’s start with the holiday coming up soonest – Thanksgiving.
I want to create an epic vegan Thanksgiving dinner and pies! Must-haves are mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and turkey! Audrey Dunham’s Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner and Pies: All of Your Thanksgiving Dinner and Dessert Classics Made Vegan! cookbook has it all.
I am excited for the full-colored photo that accompanies almost every recipe. Everything looks super delicious! In addition, she gives us ways to make each dish ahead so we don’t have to stress.
My favorite feature is tips on how to make each recipe gluten-free! That means I can indulge in a vegan Thanksgiving dinner, too.
Vegan Christmas Cookies & Cocoa: Holiday Treats and Warm Winter Drinks, All Astronishingly Egg and Dairy-Free
I think the most difficult part about a vegan Christmas is the desserts! I’m glad Audrey Dunham can come to the rescue. A lot of recipes in Vegan Christmas Cookies & Cocoa: Holiday Treats and Warm Winter Drinks, All Astronishingly Egg and Dairy-Free are sweet treats!
The woman behind Peanut’s Bake Shop Cookie Kits graciously shares her secrets with us in this cookbook.
Again, she is mindful of her gluten-free audience! Each recipe given has gluten-free substitutions when applicable.
Some recipes you will find are:
- Brownies
- Bars
- Hot Cocoa
- Christmas Cookies
- Homemade Marshmallows
- …and more!
If you need help baking vegan during Christmastime, Vegan Christmas Cookies & Cocoa: Holiday Treats and Warm Winter Drinks, All Astronishingly Egg and Dairy-Free is incredibly useful.
The following cookbooks are not from Audrey Dunham, but are just as handy.
Celebrate: Plant-Based Recipes for Every Occasion
Bettina Campolucci Bordi
I need to learn how to bake vegan for every celebration, not just the holidays. That’s why I thoroughly enjoy Celebrate: Plant-Based Recipes for Every Occasion by Bettina Campolucci Bordi. She gives us recipes for the entire year!
Her chapters include:
- Dinner at Mine
- Easter and Spring
- Barbeques and Garden Parties
- Moveable Feasts
- Halloween and Thanksgiving
- Christmas and New Year
- Birthday Parties
- Make Your Own
Each occasion has dish pairing suggestions for a completely stress-free experience.
One dish I want to make this year for Thanksgiving is the Creamy Sweet Potato and Leek Bake! It’s unique and looks delightful!
There are little icons that distinguish each dish. That way you know it is gluten-free, make-ahead, or freezer friendly. Plenty of recipes are all three! You can meal-prep efficiently for all your celebrations using these markings.
I love the large photos throughout the Celebrate: Plant-Based Recipes for Every Occasion cookbook. Everything is very modern and clean!
Va Va Voom Vegan Cakes: More than 50 recipes for Vegan-Friendly Bakes that Not Only Taste Great but Look Amazing
Angela Romeo
I have a little secret – I prefer cakes above pies for Christmas. Mostly, I always save pies for Thanksgiving and overindulge. Christmas is only a few weeks after Thanksgiving and I am “pied” out. That’s why I am including the Va Va Voom Vegan Cakes: More than 50 recipes for Vegan-Friendly Bakes that Not Only Taste Great but Look Amazing cookbook.
I want to learn how to make moist, delicious vegan cakes for Christmas. January tends to be our big birthday month in my family, so I’ll be able to hone my skills by then, too!
There are over 50 delicious vegan baking recipes for sweet treats that look amazing in this cookbook!
A lot of these I can’t believe are vegan. They look stupendous! Not only am I excited to start baking more vegan, but these recipes are very distinct.
Here are some examples:
- Rooibos Tea Loaf
- Gin & Tonic Traybake
- Knickerbocker Glorious Cake
- Cakesicles
- Chocolate and Pumpkin Halloween Cake
These cakes can be made all year round. I am most excited about the “Sugar and Spice” chapter. It features cakes that use flavors that are common during the season.
With all of these vegan cookbooks, we learn what ingredients to always have on hand. Vegan staples are just as available as any animal product. The recipes are virtually the same with small adjustments!
Who here commonly celebrates the holidays strictly vegan? Share some of your favorite recipes and stories in the comments!
~Kaiti
