Vegan Vlaflip Recipe – Easy Dutch Custard & Yoghurt Dessert
Vegan | GF | Soy-free | Nut-free | No rice
An easy Dutch custard and yoghurt dessert that looks almost too good to eat—but you’ll eat it anyway because the combination of sweet and sour makes your mouth water.
That’s what my gluten-free vlaflip recipe gives you. Originally dairy-based (what else did you expect from a Dutch treat?), this plant based custard dessert is just as good, but without the belly-ache.
The vlaflip was invented in 1963, the year I was born, and even just hearing the name brings back all the nostalgia of bygone times. The milkman that came to our door every morning with glass bottles of milk, yoghurt, and vla—a specific kind of custard with the same pourable consistency as yoghurt. My sisters and I begging Mum if we could please have a vlaflip for pudding.
Why You’ll Love My Vlaflip Recipe
This is one of my most Spoonie-friendly recipes. One of the quickest and easiest too.
Unless you decide to make your own custard, there’s zero cooking. No babysitting a hot pot on the hob. Nothing like that.
It’s also very child-friendly. I personally never met a child that didn’t love a good vlaflip. But even better, your children will derive great satisfaction from making their own vlaflip.
Child-friendliness aside, it’s a real show stopper. I could go on and on about how lovely it looks, and all the ways you can dress it up…
Spoonie Tips For This Easy Layered Dessert
Yes, you can make your own custard. Theoretically. But honestly, why would you? Save some spoons, get a carton. You can use a soy-based custard (e.g. Alpro) or an oat-based custard (e.g. Oatly), depending on allergies and gluten tolerance.
If you have children, let them make their own vlaflip. They’ll love it, and it saves you some more spoons.
And always remember: standing is optional. (Because sometimes, even two minutes spent on your feet can be entirely too much.)
Dutch Vlaflip Ingredients
The original Dutch vlaflip uses dairy yoghurt and dairy vla–available at every Dutch supermarket. But that won’t help you if you live abroad, or when you’re a vegan.
Luckily there are some great alternatives: You can use any dairy-free yoghurt you like, and for a dairy-free vla replacement Alpro Dessert Vanilla or Oatly Vanilla Custard or good choices. Alpro is gluten-free, Oatly may or may not be gluten-free depending on where you live.
How To Make Vlaflip Dessert
Easy Vlaflip – Vegan & Gluten-Free Dutch Dessert
Equipment
- 1 glass for serving
Ingredients
- Non-dairy yoghurt
- Pourable vegan vanilla custard closer to a sauce than a set pudding
- Squash undiluted
Instructions
- Layer yoghurt, squash, and custard in a nice glass.
- Decorate with crumbled biscuit, or a handful of berries (optional).
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in a high glass, topped with berries and squirty cream
- Top with crumbled amaretti or another crisp biscuit for a little crunch.
- Serve as a quick pudding, afternoon snack, or even breakfast.
- Let children layer their own vlaflip for an easy, Spoonie-friendly kitchen activity.
- Orange squash is the traditional choice, but any squash will work.
How To Store Your Dairy-Free Custard And Yoghurt Dessert
Vlaflip is best eaten immediately, as the layers will only remain clearly separate for a short period of time. Soon after preparation they’ll start bleeding into each other, and your vlaflip will lose its visual appeal.
That said, it remains perfectly safe to eat for up to four days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I just won’t look as nice any more.
Do not freeze. The yoghurt will be grainy and unappetising once thawed.
Allergy Information
Free from: Dairy, Gluten, Eggs, Nuts, Soy, Sesame
Important: Always check labels for allergens and cross-contamination risks
Disclaimer
I’m not a dietitian; this recipe and any nutritional or allergy-related notes are based on personal experience and should not replace professional advice.
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy my Dutch Stoofperen recipe, my Child-Friendly Apple Crumble, or this ultra decadent ABC Pudding With a Boozy Twist
Frequently Asked Questions
A vlaflip is a retro Dutch dessert made by layering vla (a pourable custard), yoghurt, and squash in a glass.
Vla is a type of custard with a standardised, pourable consistency: smooth and about as thick as yoghurt. Custard, on the other hand, is a broad category that can range from thin sauces to firmly set desserts, depending on how it’s made.
Use a pourable custard that’s closer to a sauce than a set pudding. Thick dessert pots will not layer properly.
Orange squash is the classic choice, but berry, tropical, or other fruit squashes work too.
Usually because one component is much thicker or thinner than the others. For the cleanest layers, use yoghurt and custard with a similar pourable consistency.
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I’m in the US… What is “squash” in this recipe? I can tell from context clues that you don’t mean e.g. acorn, butternut, et al… but I don’t know what you do mean!
Squash is basically a dilute-with-water juice concentrate. It’s a shelf-stable staple in most British households.
The closest in US English might be fruit concentrate.