Have your cake...

9 local spots whipping up guilt-free vegan desserts

Photo courtesy of Vicecreme

This is the time of year when people are making rash vows to forever change their eating habits. While few of us stick to our overly-ambitious resolutions past January, if health is your motivator for cutting back, Austin has a solution that might just offer the compromise you’re looking for.

Dairy-free, vegan, lactose intolerant, whatever label you put on it, desserts without animal products are not only better for you and the environment, they can be found all over Austin. That means there’s no deprivation required if you’re looking to cut back on the ol’ fat and calorie intake. Of course, dessert is still dessert (it wouldn’t be so delicious if it wasn’t), but skipping the butter, eggs, and cream means zero bad cholesterol and often less fat and fewer calories.

Check out some of these killer vegan options in Austin and feel (slightly) better about what’s going into your body during this season of resolutions.

Capital City Bakery
Cap City is a favorite among the vegan crowd because of their mean assortment of delightful cupcakes. If you’ve been jonesing for one of those pre-packaged, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes from your childhood, they have those. They have strawberry, chocolate peanut butter, and key lime, too. Cheesecake, kolache, brownies, and scones — all vegan, occasionally gluten free — are also available.

Fat Cats
Who doesn’t occasionally crave a waffle a la mode? At Fat Cats you can have one. (The waffle is vegan along with half their ice cream.) Wash it all down with a latte, throw in a moist, cakey donut or breakfast bar for good measure, and have yourself a treat.

Mr. Natural
This restaurant/health food store/bakery has cases full of baked goods, both vegan and non-vegan alike. Craving tiramisu? They have that. Tres leches? That, too. Carrot cake? Cookies? You betcha. But their most popular item might just be their chocolate-covered, gluten-free vegan donuts. Grab a couple to go and get breakfast sorted.

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop
Omnivores, herbivores, and the gluten-intolerant can all find something at Sugar Mama’s. There are only a few vegan options alongside more conventionally made pies and cakes, but if you’re in South Austin and need a sweet treat, this is the place to be.

Sweet Ritual
All ice cream lovers will delight in Sweet Ritual's sundaes and ice cream sandwiches which are all vegan, all the time. There are several dairy-free ice cream parlors in Austin these days, but this is the beloved original. How could it not be with flavors like Unicorn Poop and chocolate chai made with bases like coconut milk, almond milk, even sunflower seeds? You can fill up a bowl, a cone, smash a scoop between two vegan cookies, or even top it with vegan marshmallows and hot fudge. You won’t be missing out on anything by forgoing traditional ice cream shops here. Promise.

Vicecreme
Another dairy-free ice cream shop, snuggled away at the Oasis on Lake Travis, opened this summer. They serve familiar coconut-based ice cream, but their homemade soft serve is what makes the shop worth a visit. It's made with frozen bananas, though you’d never know it. The distinct banana-y flavor is disguised by delightful concoctions like dark chocolate peppermint or maple cinnamon. And it’s only 130 calories per serving.

Voodoo Doughnuts
The Sixth Street staple offers delicious doughnuts with frequently euphemistic monikers served 24 hours a day. Most of the varieties, including their infamous signature doughnut shaped like a little man with a pretzel stake through his heart, are available in traditional and vegan.

Wheatsville Co-op
You may know it as a prime destination for locally-grown produce and wholesome home goods, but did you know their bakery whips up some mean vegan donuts, cookies, and muffins? Hit up the pastry case and go to town. Try the apple fritter; you won’t regret it.

Zucchini Kill
If baked goods could be punk rock, these cupcakes would be The Ramones. Everything in the little shop is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan (also delicious). The cupcakes in flavors like black forest and Gingerdead are the main attraction, but cream coffins (think Twinkies) and cookies are always on the menu, too.

desserts

A takeout miracle

10 top Austin takeout options for an easy Christmas feast at home

Photo courtesy of MYLK Collective

The "Christmas Dinner To-Go" from Walton's Fancy and Staple.

This year, restaurants and businesses are really showing up for Austinites who don't feel like cooking their way through the holidays. While some places are staying open so you can go out on Christmas, others are making eating at home much easier with takeout options. From meals to desserts to wine pairings, this list of 10 takeout options should check all the boxes on your Christmas food wish list.

Launderette Cookie Boxes
Pick up from December 6-23, 2115 Holly St.
Between December 6 and 23, pick up a cookie box at Launderette. These boxes will include a festive assortment of cookies: raspberry cheesecake blondies, chewy gingersnaps, peppermint white chocolate macaron, chocolate crinkles, rosemary brown butter fudge, caramel pecan squares, butterfinger truffles, praline millionaire's shortbread, and sparkle toffee. Orders can be placed online.

Launderette's festive cookie box can be picked up anytime before December 23. Image courtesy of Jon Scotty

Central Market
Pick up by Christmas Eve at either Austin location
As per usual, Central Market is going big for Christmas. Its holiday meal options include a tamale casserole with black beans and rice, an all-natural hickory smoked ham meal, a "holiday feast" that comes with both ham and turkey and plenty of fixings, Urban-crusted beef tenderloin, a Beef Wellington meal, a vegetarian butternut squash. If that's not enough, there's plenty of sides like mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, mac and cheese, savory cornbread dressing, and more. Desserts include a chocolate bûche de noël (yule log), and just about any type of pie you'd like. Holiday meal orders can be placed online and must be picked up by December 24. A minimum order of $50 is required.

Whole Foods
Pick up by Christmas Eve at various locations
Like Central Market, Whole Foods is offering a variety of pre-made holiday meals for in-store pickup. You can order complete meal packages, or appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts, beverages, and other goodies separately. Some highlights listed on the Whole Foods website include a plate of finger sandwiches, cranberry goat cheese flatbread, and Champagne Dijon roasted salmon. Order anytime between now and December 29.

Walton's Fancy and Staple
Pickup December 22-24, 609 W 6th St.
This year, Walton's Fancy and Staple is preparing a Christmas dinner to-go, including a brown sugar and mustard-glazed ham, sharp cheddar mac and cheese, shaved Brussels sprouts and kale Caesar salad, Yukon gold potatoes, and more. There's also a variety of 9-inch pies and mini-pies. Dishes can be mixed and matched, or you can order everything.

Fresa's Chicken al Carbon
Pick up between December 22 - 24, multiple locations
Fresa's is offering a special menu presenting all sorts of holiday tamales, cookie trays with Mexican Wedding cookies and fudgy brownies, and a kale and pomegranate salad. You can pre-order your tamales and add-ons now through December 22, to be picked up from December 22-24. Be sure to order before 5 pm for next-day pickups.

Zoe Tong
Pick up December 23 or 24, 1530 Barton Springs Rd.
Chinese-meets-Southern Comfort restaurant Zoe Tong is offering a take-home feast package inspired by the Christmas classic A Christmas Story. Dishes include things like BBQ char siu glazed ham, scallion swirls, kale and roasted sweet potato salad, and holiday spiced banana pudding. One package includes enough food to serve four to six people ($280) and the other should feed eight to 12 people ($480). Orders can be made on toasttab.com.

TCL Christmas To-Go Spread TLC's Christmas To-Go Spread should feed eight to 10 people this holiday season. Photo courtesy of TLC

Tare Austin
Pick up December 23 or 24, 12414 Alderbrook Dr.
This Michelin Recommended restaurant is bringing us exclusive holiday caviar boxes, including its famous Black River Royal Oscietra Caviar. Additionally, each box is paired with traditional blinis, blue potato chips, house-made salsa macha crème fraiche, green onions, and hard-boiled eggs. Prices range from $150 to $510, depending on the size of box. Boxes are available to pre-order now and can be picked up on December 23 or 24.

TLC Christmas To-Go
Pick up December 23 or 24, 1100 S Lamar Blvd Ste. 1150
TLC's Christmas family meal serves 8-10 people and includes Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bone-in Ham (6-7 lb), rosemary fingerling potatoes, country green beans, honey glazed carrots, chocolate pecan pie, white chocolate-peppermint bark, a hot cocoa kit, cookies for Santa with a decorating kit (TLC bakes the cookies, you decorate), and carrots (for Santa's reindeer). The TLC Christmas Package is $299 and can be ordered at tlcaustin.com.

Aburi Oshi Sushi
Pick up by December 31, 5610 N. Interstate Hwy. 35
Award-winning, Canada-based sushi group Aburi Oshi will be offering a 48-piece holiday takeout platter through December 31. This platter includes several signature bites like salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and more. This is all available for a limited price of $98. Orders can be placed here.

Aburi Oshi Sushi platter Aburi Oshi Sushi's 48-piece holiday sushi platter. Photo courtesy of MYLK Collective

Cape Bottle Room
Pick up anytime (not open Christmas), 500 San Marcos St. Ste. 102
These expertly curated South African wine boxes have been created to pair perfectly with whatever type of food you're eating over the holidays. If you're serving turkey, your box will include a Silverthorn Greenman MCC, Free to Be Riesling, Sophie Rose, and Elgin Ridge 282 Pinot Noir. If you're having brisket or ham, your box will be completely different. Each box is $185.

holidays christmas takeout