cinnamon sugar dessert gnocchi

It’s been a minute since I posted a new recipe here for y’all. But hey, I was busy promoting the heck out of my new cookbook hot for food all day! It’s a bestseller already, ya know?!

Before we launch into dessert gnocchi, as part of pub week I appeared on The Vegan Life Magazine weekly podcast with Jake Yapp. This is the most fun podcast interview I’ve done as of late because I chatted with fellow vegan chefs Nikki Webster of Rebel Recipes and Brett Cobley, author of What Vegans Eat. We’re on the same level when it comes to delicious vegan food and we got really into it ALL on the pod. Take a listen to the episode here.

We are so inspired at one point we all agree to make our own versions of dessert gnocchi. Nikki said this was a little sweet treat she whips up from time to time but had never published a recipe! We all got very excited about taking the internet by storm with this genius idea. Collectively we had never heard of it before. Of course, me being me, I hit google right after we disconnected our call and found that it already went viral in 2019. And it actually has a lengthy history in Veneto, Italy—you can read more about that here.

Whether you’ve heard of this delectable dessert gnocchi idea or not, this vegan version with buttery cinnamon sugar and coconut whip is going to blow your mind! I had to stop myself from eating the whole pound of it to myself.

I find a lot of gnocchi recipes just boil gnocchi and that’s it! Personally, the key to the best gnocchi is a quick boil and then a pan sear to get that delicate crispy skin on the outside. It also works perfectly to finish these in the pan because you get the butter and cinnamon sugar to caramelize around the potato pillows. This method creates the best bite every time!

Check out the version Jake Yapp made live on instagram here… it’s fire!

4.43 from 7 votes

Print Recipe

cinnamon sugar dessert gnocchi

soft pillowy potato gnocchi coated in vegan butter, cinnamon sugar, and topped with coconut whip. It doesn't get better than this!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 2 to 4 servings

Author Lauren Toyota

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lb/453 g potato gnocchi
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• coconut whipped topping, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add gnocchi and boil for a couple of minutes or until most of the gnocchi start to float.

3. Meanwhile heat up a nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat with butter for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fully melted and sizzling. Use a large slotted spoon to scoop out gnocchi from boiling water. Shake lightly to get rid of excess water and place gnocchi into the hot pan. Ensure each piece is touching the pan and brown on one side for 4 to 5 minutes. Toss only once to get the other side slightly crispy and light brown.

4. Add cinnamon sugar and toss to coat the gnocchi. Spread gnocchi into an even layer and cook another 1 to 2 minutes to allow the sugar to slightly caramelize. Lower heat to prevent burning. Turn off the heat and let the gnocchi rest for 1 minute as it will be very hot.

5. Portion gnocchi onto small dessert plates and top each serving with a generous scoop of coconut whip on top and a little sprinkle of cinnamon as garnish.