Best Vegan Donuts and Sweet Treats in London

London’s vegan dessert scene isn’t just growing-it’s exploding. Five years ago, finding a truly delicious vegan donut meant hunting down a tiny pop-up or a hidden café in Hackney. Now, you can walk into a bakery in Shoreditch, bite into a glazed donut that tastes like it came from a family-run shop in New Jersey, and not even realize it’s 100% plant-based. No soy aftertaste. No chalky texture. Just soft, fluffy, sweet, and totally guilt-free.

Why vegan donuts in London are better than ever

It’s not magic. It’s science-and a lot of trial and error. Vegan bakers in London stopped trying to copy traditional recipes and started building new ones from the ground up. They figured out that oat milk creates a richer crumb than almond milk. That flaxseed gel works better than chia for binding. That coconut oil gives the perfect melt-in-your-mouth feel when paired with the right flour blend.

Brands like Donut Time a London-based vegan bakery specializing in hand-rolled, small-batch donuts made with organic ingredients and no artificial flavors and Vegan Treats Co. a bakery in Peckham known for its creative seasonal flavors and commitment to zero-waste packaging don’t just use plant-based milk-they use locally sourced, cold-pressed rapeseed oil and British-grown oats. The result? Donuts that hold their shape, stay fresh for days, and taste like the real thing.

And it’s not just donuts. The whole sweet game changed. Vegan brownies now crackle at the edges like they’re made with real butter. Chocolate eclairs have creamy, ganache-filled centers that don’t separate. Even classic scones now rise high and stay tender, thanks to aquafaba-the liquid from canned chickpeas-replacing eggs.

Top 5 vegan donut spots in London you can’t miss

• Donut Time (Shoreditch) - Their Maple Bacon donut (with coconut bacon bits) is legendary. The glaze is made with real maple syrup, not corn syrup. They rotate flavors weekly, but the Choco-Dipped Sea Salt is always on the menu. Open daily from 8am to 6pm. Lines start forming by 10:30am.
• Vegan Treats Co. (Peckham) - Think donuts with a twist: Blueberry Lavender, Tiramisu, and their Red Velvet with Cashew Cream Cheese frosting. All glazes are made with organic cane sugar. They also sell mini donut boxes for parties. Closed on Mondays.
• Butter & Dough (Camden) - This spot does classic glazed, but their Matcha White Chocolate donut is a revelation. The matcha is stone-ground in Japan and imported directly. They also have a vegan croissant that’s flakier than most butter-based ones.
• Plant Based Bakery (Brixton) - The only vegan bakery in London with a dedicated donut machine. Their Churro Donut is dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with a side of dark chocolate dipping sauce. They use only non-GMO ingredients and source their cocoa from Fair Trade cooperatives in Peru.
• Love Donuts (Notting Hill) - Started as a food truck, now has a brick-and-mortar shop. Their Strawberry Shortcake donut looks like a dessert from a fancy patisserie-but it’s all plant-based. The strawberries are local, in season, and macerated in vanilla and a splash of apple cider vinegar to intensify the flavor.

Beyond donuts: other vegan sweet treats worth trying

If you’re already hooked on vegan donuts, you’ll want to explore the rest of the scene. London’s vegan dessert options are now so diverse, you could spend a whole weekend just tasting.

• Chocolate truffles - Vegan Choc a London-based artisan chocolatier using 85% dark cacao and coconut cream for truffles with no refined sugar makes truffles that taste like luxury. Their Sea Salt & Orange version is a bestseller.
• Ice cream - Nunna a vegan ice cream brand using coconut milk and cashew butter, with no stabilizers or gums has a Dark Chocolate Fudge flavor that’s so rich, even non-vegans ask for seconds.
• Macarons - The Vegan Macaron Co. a small bakery in Islington that makes macarons using aquafaba and fruit-based colorants offers flavors like Blackberry Rose and Spiced Chai. They’re delicate, not overly sweet, and come in recyclable boxes.
• Sticky toffee pudding - The Plant-Based Kitchen a restaurant in Marylebone that serves a vegan version of the British classic using dates, oat milk, and coconut yogurt makes a version so close to the original, regular diners ask if they’ve switched back to dairy.

What makes a vegan sweet treat truly great?

Not all vegan desserts are created equal. Some are just sugar with a side of soy. Here’s what separates the good from the great:

• No weird aftertaste - If you taste bitterness, chalkiness, or a metallic edge, it’s probably from low-quality plant-based milk or additives. Look for brands that use organic, cold-pressed oils and real fruit.
• Texture matters - A good vegan donut should be soft inside, slightly crisp on the outside. If it’s gummy or dry, the recipe isn’t balanced.
• Ingredients you can pronounce - If the list includes “mono- and diglycerides,” “carrageenan,” or “artificial flavor,” walk away. The best vegan treats use fewer than 8 ingredients.
• Seasonal and fresh - The best bakeries change their menu based on what’s in season. A strawberry donut in November? Red flag. A spiced apple donut? Perfect.

How to spot a truly vegan bakery

Some places say they’re vegan but still use honey, gelatin, or dairy-based butter in hidden ingredients. Here’s how to tell if they’re legit:

• Check the label for certified vegan logos (like the Vegan Society trademark).
• Ask if they use separate equipment. Cross-contamination isn’t a health risk, but it matters to strict vegans.
• Look for transparency. The best bakeries list their suppliers on their website or even on the packaging.
• Read reviews from actual vegans-not just “this was tasty!” but “this doesn’t taste like a compromise.”

Don’t be fooled by places that just swap butter for margarine. Real vegan baking is about rethinking, not replacing.

What’s new in 2025?

This year, London’s vegan dessert scene got even more exciting. New players are popping up every month:

• Zero Waste Donuts - A new bakery in Walthamstow that uses upcycled fruit pulp and spent coffee grounds in their dough. Their Espresso & Date donut is a hit.
• AI-Flavored Donuts - Sweet Algorithm a startup using machine learning to predict flavor combinations based on customer preferences and seasonal trends launched a limited-edition Black Forest donut with cherry liqueur made from fermented cherries and a chocolate glaze infused with cocoa nibs.
• Subscription boxes - Companies like Vegan Sweet Box a monthly delivery service that sends 6 different vegan desserts to your door, all made by London-based bakeries now ship across the UK. Perfect for gifting or treating yourself.

Final tip: Go early, go often

The best vegan donuts sell out fast. Donut Time often runs out of their Maple Bacon by noon. Vegan Treats Co. only makes 80 donuts a day. If you’re planning a treat, show up before 10am. Or better yet, become a regular. Many bakeries offer loyalty cards-buy five, get the sixth free.

And don’t just stick to one spot. Try them all. London’s vegan dessert scene isn’t about finding the one best place. It’s about discovering the joy of sweets that don’t cost the earth-or the animals.