Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache recipe ready in less than 5 minutes! This rich and decadent topping levels up any dessert, and requires hardly any effort to prepare!
As I mentioned in my Keto Chocolate Buttercream post, I recently made death-by-chocolate cake that just slapped me silly.
In addition to a rich, moist grain-free triple layer paleo chocolate cake, there was also that chocolate buttercream and this dairy-free chocolate ganache to really hit it from all chocolatey angles.
Chocolate ganache is deceptively easy to make! It has that ulta fancy vibe to it, but truly it couldn’t be quicker or easier.
Adding ganache to cake, cupcakes, cheesecake, and/or using it as chocolate sauce for any of your baked good is a surefire way of sending the flavor profile through the roof.
In fact, this is the exact ganache recipe I used for my Death by Chocolate Keto Brownies I showed you a couple months back.
At a minimum, all you need is two ingredients to make ganache: chocolate chips and heavy cream.
To make dairy-free ganache, I simply swap the heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk. This generates the same rich, silky amazing result, and you can’t even taste the coconut milk!
If you follow a low-carb ketogenic diet, you can use your favorite sugar-free chocolate chips to keep the ganache both dairy-free and sugar-free.
Before I get carried away, let’s chat about the ingredients so you know all of your options.
Ingredients for Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache:
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite brand of dairy-free sugar-free chocolate chips for the chocolate portion of this recipe.
If you are neither dairy-free nor sugar-free, feel free to use regular chocolate chips!
If you’re looking for brand suggestions for dairy-free chocolate chips, I recommend Enjoy Life, Lily’s, Lieber’s, Chatfield’s, and Lakanto.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: In order to melt the chocolate into silky, smooth, pourable bliss, we use full-fat canned coconut milk.
This generates the same creaminess and richness as heavy cream but is a great option for those of us who are dairy-free or dairy-light.
Do note that you must use full-fat coconut milk from the can, or the recipe won’t work. Light coconut milk won’t generate the same richness and coconut milk from the carton will turn into a separated, watery disaster.
If you aren’t dairy-free, feel free to use heavy cream instead of the full-fat canned coconut milk.
Coconut Oil: While coconut oil is certainly not mandatory, it helps give the ganache that shiny essence. Without the coconut oil the ganache has a tendency to dry into a more matted finish rather than shiny. If you’re okay with that, feel free to skip the coconut oil!
As an alternative, you can absolutely use butter instead of coconut oil if you aren’t dairy-free. Butter also gives the ganache that rich buttery flavor. Vegan butter also works here.
Pinch of Sea Salt: I love adding a touch of sea salt to enhance all of the flavors. It doesn’t take very much and you can always add more, so start very tiny!
How to Make Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache:
Add the coconut milk, chocolate chips, coconut oil (or butter or vegan butter spread) to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring very well in between, for a total of 50 to 60 seconds.
Stir in a tiny pinch of sea salt, to taste.
Use the ganache immediately for a drippy, shiny consistency or allow it to cool for 15 to 30 minutes on the counter to thicken up. You can also refrigerate ganache for a thicker, spreadable consistency.
Use on cakes, brownies, cupcakes, ice cream, and more! Enjoy all of your ganache experiences. 😉
All the Ganache!
Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk*
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips**
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk, chocolate chips, coconut oil (or butter) to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring very well in between, for a total of 50 to 60 seconds.
- Stir in a tiny pinch of sea salt, to taste.
- Use the ganache immediately for a drippy, shiny consistency or allow it to cool for 15 to 30 minutes on the counter to thicken up. You can also refrigerate ganache for a thicker, spreadable consistency.
- Use on cakes, brownies, cupcakes, ice cream, and more! Enjoy all of your ganache experiences. 😉
Notes
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Could you use coconut cream?
Hi Linda,
Yes, absolutely! If you use coconut cream you probably won’t have to wait as long for it to thicken, too, which would be nice 🙂 xoxo
Does the dairy free ganache have to be kept refrigerated?
I’m looking for a ganache that can stay at room temp.
Thank you
Hi Lisa! After the ganache cools to room temperature, it will remain the same thickness and can stay at room temp. I like refrigerating the ganache for a few minutes just after preparing it to help it set up quicker but to answer your question, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated 🙂
Chocolate chips have dairy. Do you know of a non dairy chocolate chip?
I do! Enjoy Life (https://amzn.to/3Te2xck), Lieber’s (https://amzn.to/3R5YCvr), Chatfield’s (https://amzn.to/3t3AbXo), Lakanto (https://amzn.to/3TckmYZ), and Lily’s (https://amzn.to/3Gv7Xb9) are all great options. I’ve seen Enjoy Life and Lily’s at most grocery stores so those you should be able to find locally. Let me know if you have any more questions! 🙂
Hi will this harden up in the fridge I would like to dip sugar cones in the chocolate ganache and then use sprinkles ontop…is this ganache suitable for dipping or will it slide off? Thanks Liz
Hi Liz! Ooh this is a great question. I haven’t tried dipping anything in the ganache, but I think using it for dipping or drizzling will work when it is still warm. Once it has cooled, the ganache does set up but it doesn’t become as hard as a magic shell. I’m actually wondering if a magic shell recipe will be more suitable for dipping cones. I hope this helps, Liz!
Hi! How long does this ganache stay fresh? I’d like to make ahead for a party in two weeks. Thanks!
Hi Holly! For the best tasting result, I’d make it no more than 5 days in advance and be sure to store it in an airtight container 🙂 If you need it to be runnier when you use it, you can microwave it for 20-second intervals (stirring in between each interval) until it reaches your desired consistency. Enjoy! xo
Used full fat coconut milk with this, and followed the recipe as written- this ganache is amazing!!!! (I drizzled it over a chocolate zucchini cake. It was PERFECT!)
I love hearing that, Emily! Now I’m craving chocolate zucchini cake with chocolate ganache! Thanks so much for sharing!
Can i add flavoring to the ganache? Vanilla, almond or Bailey’s Irish cream? Hoping that’ll work.
Hi Janet! I love the idea of adding flavoring! You can add 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract without making any changes to the recipe. If you use Bailey’s, I would replace the coconut milk with it so that the ganache doesn’t turn out too liquidy. Hope you enjoy!