How to Make Vegan Viennese Fingers: Dairy-Free Melting Biscuits

Struggling to pipe vegan biscuit dough that won’t sag? Make dairy-free Viennese fingers that really melt in the mouth

If you love the delicate, buttery crumb and chocolate-dipped ends of classic Viennese fingers but find vegan dough too soft to pipe or too greasy to hold shape — you’re not alone. Plant-based butter tech has come a long way in 2026, and with a few precise techniques you can recreate Benjamina Ebuehi’s much-loved version using plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate. This guide covers the recipe, piping tips, troubleshooting for dough consistency, and finishing techniques for glossy chocolate-dipped ends.

The final picture — what to expect

Follow this recipe and you’ll get pale, melt-in-the-mouth fingers with a fine crumb, piped ridges from an open-star nozzle, and neatly dipped chocolate ends that set glossy. The dough will be soft enough to pipe cleanly but stable enough to hold its shape in the oven. If you’re short on time, there are quick-fix troubleshooting steps to rescue a too-soft or too-dry batch.

Why this vegan approach matters in 2026

By late 2025 and into 2026, plant-based butters and vegan chocolate options have improved dramatically. Manufacturers increasingly use cultured flavorings, high-oleic oils, and cocoa butter blends that mimic dairy butter’s mouthfeel while giving stronger structure for baking. That means the classic Viennese texture — a soft, short crumb that almost dissolves on the tongue — is achievable without dairy. This recipe intentionally leans on those advances and on practical kitchen techniques to give reliable results for home bakers.

Quick overview (inverted pyramid: recipe, piping fix, troubleshooting)

• Makes: 10–12 fingers
• Prep: 10 min active, 15 min chilling
• Bake: 12–15 minutes at 170°C / 150°C fan (340°F / 300°F fan)

Ingredients — vegan Viennese fingers

Use weights for best results. All ingredients are easily found in 2026 supermarkets or online.

• 130 g very soft plant-based butter (block-style, not the spreadable tub)
• 50 g icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract or seeds from ¼ vanilla pod
• 170 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
• 20 g cornflour (cornstarch) — optional, for extra melt-in-the-mouth texture
• Pinch fine sea salt (omit if using salted plant butter)
• 1–2 tbsp unsweetened plant milk (oat, almond) — add only if dough feels too stiff
• 110–130 g dairy-free chocolate for dipping (choose a vegan dark or compound chocolate)
• 1 tsp neutral oil or coconut oil (optional, to glossy the chocolate)

Method — step-by-step

1. Prep and tactile check

Line two baking trays with parchment or a silicone mat. Fit a large open-star piping nozzle into a pastry bag (see piping notes below). Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan). Weigh everything — accuracy matters for texture. If you’re outfitting a small teaching kitchen or prepping for market sales, consider modular worktop and prep solutions (see Related Reading) to speed setup.

2. Cream the butter and sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the very soft plant-based butter and icing sugar together until light and pale — about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium. Add the vanilla and beat briefly to combine. The goal is air and lightness, not melting the butter.

3. Fold in dry ingredients

Sift together the plain flour and cornflour (if using) with the pinch of salt. Fold the dry mix into the creamed butter in two additions using a flexible spatula. Bring the dough together gently — it should be soft and smooth but not greasy. If it’s crumbly, add 1 tbsp plant milk; if it’s too soft to hold shape at the piping stage, chill for 10–15 minutes.

4. Piping

Transfer the dough to the prepared piping bag fitted with a large open-star nozzle. Pipe 7–8 cm (about 3 inches) long fingers on the prepared trays, leaving 2–3 cm between each. Press gently and move the bag in one continuous motion to create even ridges. If your dough resists piping, see the troubleshooting section below. If you’re demoing at a farmers’ market or pop-up, pair piping practice with a short demo video or photo share (see Related Reading on portable capture kits).

5. Chill briefly, then bake

Chill the piped fingers in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm the fat (this helps them maintain definition). Bake at 170°C / 340°F (150°C fan) for 12–15 minutes — they should be pale with tiny, barely-golden edges. Over-browning will compromise the delicate crumb.

6. Cool, then dip in chocolate

Let the baked fingers cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool. Melt the dairy-free chocolate in a bain-marie or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring. For a glossy finish, add 1 tsp neutral oil or coconut oil to the molten chocolate. Dip each finger’s end about one-third into the chocolate, set chocolate-side up on parchment, and allow to set (or chill 5–10 minutes).

Piping tips — get those signature ridges

• Nozzle choice: Use a large open-star nozzle roughly 10–15 mm in diameter (a Wilton 1M is a good consumer-standard option). Wider tines create the classic ridged look and reduce backpressure on the bag.
• Bag handling: Don’t overfill the bag — fill it to two-thirds volume. Hold the bag with your dominant hand at the top and steady with the other; apply even, gentle pressure.
• Angle & motion: Hold the nozzle at a 45° angle, press, and pull in a smooth motion. Stop piping by lifting the nozzle quickly and pulling away to avoid a thick tail.
• Temperature & chill: If the room is warm or the butter is too soft, chill the piped tray for 10–15 minutes before baking. If it’s too firm to pipe, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes.
• Practice on parchment: Before piping onto the final tray, practice a few fingers on spare parchment to get a feel for pressure and speed.

"I find that the addition of a little milk helps make it more pipeable, as does using a large, open-star nozzle to avoid cramped hands and burst piping bags." — Benjamina Ebuehi (The Guardian)

Troubleshooting — quick fixes for common vegan dough problems

Issue: Dough too soft and sags when piped

• Try chilling the piping bag in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm the butter slightly.
• Return the tray to the fridge for 10–15 minutes after piping and before baking.
• If you consistently see sagging, next time use a slightly firmer block-style plant butter (lower water content) or reduce the plant milk by ½ tbsp.

Issue: Dough too crumbly or falling apart

• Add 1 tbsp plant milk and mix gently to bring the dough together.
• Check your flour measurement — scooping can pack flour. Use a scale or spoon-and-level method. For small commercial batches, look into modular worktop inserts and accurate scales for consistency (see kitchen kit).
• If overworked, refrigerate the dough briefly to hydrate and let fats regroup.

Issue: No ridges after baking — smooth tops

• Use a larger open-star nozzle (wider tines). Small or closed star nozzles can collapse the pattern.
• Pipe with steady pressure and avoid dragging the nozzle sideways.
• Chill piped fingers before baking so the ridges set in the oven.

Issue: Biscuits spread too much in the oven

• Reduce oven temperature by 10–15°C, and ensure the tray is chilled before baking.
• Check that your plant butter is not too soft or melting; try a block-style type next time.
• Make sure you’re not over-adding liquid; the dough should hold pipe shape without pooling.

Why butter type matters — selecting plant-based butter in 2026

Not all plant-based butters behave the same. By 2026, you’ll find three typical categories in the supermarket:

• Block-style, high-fat butters: Often coconut or blended oils, these behave most like dairy butter in baking — firm when chilled, pipeable when soft.
• Spreadable tubs: Higher water content and softer — convenient for spreading, but variable for piping unless you chill them first.
• Cultured/fermented plant butters: Many new products use cultured cultures to mimic butter flavor; some have excellent mouthfeel and are formulated for baking.

For consistent Viennese fingers, choose a block-style plant butter labeled for baking, or a cultured plant butter with higher fat content. If you only have a tub, refrigerate until firm and then allow to soften briefly on the counter before creaming.

Chocolate dip: glaze, temper, or simple melt?

For home bakers, a simple melt-and-shine works wonderfully. In 2026 there are more vegan chocolate options, both compound chocolates (stable, often with vegetable fats) and cocoa-butter-based vegan chocolates that temper well.

• Simple glossy dip: Melt chocolate and stir in 1 tsp neutral oil or coconut oil for a shiny finish. Dip and set.
• Tempered finish (optional): If you want a professional snap and long shelf stability, temper cocoa-butter-based vegan chocolate using the seeding method — melt to 45°C, cool to 27–28°C, then rewarm to 31–32°C and dip.
• Shortcut: Use a compound vegan chocolate if you don’t want to temper — it melts and sets shiny without tempering but may have different mouthfeel.

Variations & upgrades

• Almond Viennese fingers: Replace 30 g of flour with 30 g finely ground blanched almonds for extra richness and protein.
• Matcha fingers: Add 1 tsp matcha powder to the dry mix and adjust sugar to taste.
• Orange-chocolate: Add ½ tsp finely grated orange zest to the dough and dip in orangey dark chocolate.
• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and 20 g extra cornflour to mimic the tender crumb; watch hydration closely.

Storage and make-ahead

• Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 4 days (keep out of direct heat).
• For longer storage, freeze piped unbaked fingers on a tray until firm, then transfer to a sealed bag; bake from frozen adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
• Chocolate-dipped fingers keep best refrigerated for up to 7 days — bring to room temperature before serving for best mouthfeel.

Nutrition & serving suggestions

Viennese fingers are indulgent, best enjoyed as a tea-time treat rather than a protein source. To balance a snack plate, serve with a small bowl of roasted nuts or a dairy-free yogurt dip. Adding ground almonds increases protein and gives a slightly more substantial biscuit.

Advanced strategies — what pro bakers are doing in 2026

Professional vegan and bakery labs are blending fats to achieve both flavor and structure: a small proportion of high-melting coconut stearin or cocoa butter can stabilise piped shapes while cultured plant butter provides the buttery flavor. If you’re experimenting at home, a tiny addition (5–10 g) of cocoa butter or coconut oil fraction can firm the dough slightly — but keep quantities small to avoid a waxy mouthfeel. For market sellers and indie bakers, consider portable point-of-sale and fulfillment tools to scale sales at pop-ups (see Related Reading).

Final checks before you bake

• Dough should hold shape on the spatula and pipe without pooling.
• Piped fingers should look slightly glossy and defined — chill for 10–15 minutes if not.
• Oven temperature should be accurate — use an oven thermometer to avoid over-browning.

Common questions

Can I use margarine or spreadable plant butter?

You can, but results vary. Spreadable tubs have more water and will need chilling and possibly a little extra flour or cornflour to get the same short, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Block-style or baking-specific plant butters are more reliable.

Why are my fingers dense and not melt-in-the-mouth?

Overworking the dough or using too much flour will give a heavier crumb. Keep mixing to a minimum when adding the flour and consider adding cornflour (20 g) next time to lighten the texture.

How do I get the chocolate to set shiny without tempering?

Stir 1 tsp neutral oil (or coconut oil if you prefer the hint of coconut) into your melted dairy-free chocolate. Dip, then cool quickly on parchment. For long-term sheen and snap, temper cocoa-butter-based vegan chocolate.

Actionable takeaways

• Choose a block-style plant butter for reliable piping and structure.
• Use a large open-star nozzle (10–15 mm) and practice one continuous motion per finger.
• Chill piped cookies before baking to lock in ridges and prevent spreading.
• Add 20 g cornflour if you want an extra melt-in-the-mouth texture.
• Melt chocolate with a touch of oil for glossy, fast-setting dips; temper if you want professional snap.

Parting notes

Recreating Benjamina Ebuehi’s Viennese fingers in a vegan version is about balancing fat, flour, and temperature. Use the recipe as your baseline, then tweak butter type, nozzle size, or a touch of cornflour to suit your kitchen conditions. By 2026 the shelf and indie bakery landscape gives us excellent plant butters and dairy-free chocolates — use them, experiment responsibly, and you’ll have melt-in-the-mouth vegan biscuits that impress at tea or on a dessert plate.

Try it and tell us

Make a batch this weekend: pick your plant butter, practice your piping on spare parchment, and share a photo. Tag us or leave a comment below with your troubleshooting wins (or questions). Want more variations and a printable card? Sign up for our weekly vegan baking updates and get tested recipes, seasonal tweaks, and troubleshooting videos delivered to your inbox.

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