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    Home » Blog » Recipes » Healthy Filipino Recipes

    Published: Feb 13, 2025 by Rezel Kealoha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Pastillas Recipe That Happens To Be Vegan

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Vegan Pastillas Recipe is made with just 5 ingredients from pantry staples. They are the perfect treat for a little something sweet.

    Vegan Pastillas on a gold platter.

    Pastillas is a milk based candy from the Philippines.  Traditionally it is made with Karabao milk (Indigenous Water Buffalo), sugar and corn starch.  When traveling locally within the Philippines it is one of the treats that you get as a pasalubong.  A gift to bring home to your loved ones.

    The real authentic ones are from roadside stalls that you see on road trips.  It is still super rare to see them at a grocery store.  If you do, they are the massed produced ones that doesn't have the same type of love put in them as the handmade ones.

    This version is made vegan with a combination of coconut condensed milk and cashew butter. There is no dairy in it whatsoever.

    Ingredients

    Coconut Condensed Milk - You will need one whole can of coconut condensed milk.

    Cashew Butter - The cashew butter acts as a binder and helps neutralize the coconut taste of the coconut condensed milk.

    Vanilla Bean Paste - It adds an additional flavor dimension to the Pastillas.

    Orange Zest - I like adding orange zest or even calamansi zest if you can access it. It gives it a more citrus pop .

    Salt - Salt balances out all the flavors.

    Coconut condensed milk, vanilla bean paste, cashew butter, orange zest, salt.


    How To Make Vegan Pastillas

    Coconut condensed milk, vanilla bean paste, cashew butter, orange zest, salt in a sauce pan.

    Combine the coconut condensed milk, cashew butter, vanilla paste, orange zest and salt in a small sauce pan.

    Coconut condensed milk, vanilla bean paste, cashew butter, orange zest, salt all mixed together.

    Mix well until smooth.

    cooking pastillas.

    Cook the mixture over medium/low heat for 15 minutes letting it bubble, while stirring constantly. Don't stop stirring or the cashew butter will burn.

    Pastillas cooling in a bowl.

    After 15 minutes transfer it to a bowl and leave it to cool at room temperature. Once at room temperature leave it to chill in the refrigerator overnight.

    Rolling out balls

    The next day line a small plate with plastic wrap and sprinkle some sugar all over the plastic.

    Divide the mixture into 18 small Pastillas balls.

    Vegan Pastillas balls rolled in sugar.

    Place ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in the sugar to coat.

    Vegan Pastillas shaped into ovals.

    After rolling in sugar you can reshape the into a more oval shape like a Pastillas.

    How to Store These Vegan Pastillas

    I like to store them in the refrigerator in a closed container. You can leave them in there for up to a week, but I don't think they will last that long.

    Vegan Pastillas on a gold plate.

    How To Make Them Your Own

    The cashew butter can be replaced with other butters to make different flavored Vegan Pastillas.

    • Use Ube Cookie Butter to make Ube Pastillas
    • Use Pistachio Butter to make a Pistachio Version
    • For a peanut version use Peanut Butter
    • If you love chocnut you can make use Chocnut Butter.

    For more  Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.  And if you make this recipe.   I would love to see it.  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

    Pastillas Recipe

    This Vegan Pastillas Recipe is made with just 5 ingredients from pantry staples. They are the perfect treat for a little something sweet.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 1 day day
    Total Time: 1 day day 20 minutes minutes
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Dairy Free, Filipino
    Servings: 45 Pieces
    Author: Rezel Kealoha

    Equipment

    • Sauce Pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 Can Coconut Condensed Milk
    • 2 Tablespoons Cashew Butter
    • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
    • 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ Cup Sugar for rolling

    Instructions

    • Combine the coconut condensed milk, cashew butter, vanilla paste, orange zest and salt in a small sauce pan. Mix well.
    • Cook the mixture over medium/low heat for 15 minutes letting it bubble, while stirring constantly. Don't stop stirring or the cashew butter will burn
    • After 15 minutes transfer it to a bowl and leave it to cool at room temperature. Once at room temperature leave it to chill in the refrigerator overnight.
    • The next day line a small plate with plastic wrap and sprinkle some sugar all over the plastic. 
      Divide the mixture into 18 small Pastillas balls
    • Place ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in the sugar to coat.
    • After rolling in sugar you can reshape the into a more oval shape like a Pastillas.
    • Place on a platter and serve right away.

    Notes

    The cashew butter can be replaced with other butters to make different flavored Vegan Pastillas.
    • Use Ube Cookie Butter to make Ube Pastillas
    • Use Pistachio Butter to make a Pistachio Version
    • For a peanut version use Peanut Butter
    • If you love chocnut you can make use Chocnut Butter.
    Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!

    For more healthy Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.  And if you make this super easy Pastillas recipe  I would love to see it.  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

    More Healthy Filipino Recipes

    • Yes, You Can Cook Crispy Lumpia In The Oven!
    • Blueberry Bibingka Muffins
    • Strawberry Taho
    • Longganisa Embotido

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    Hi! I'm Rezel and I am here to guide you on how to use those Filipino ingredients you have in a fresh new way. As a fellow home cook, the focus is easy to make recipes with lots of Filipino flavor. You will find a mix of reimagined Filipino Recipes along side traditional recipes on our site.

    More about me →

    My Current Favorites

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    Wear Your Food!

    From Bangus to calamansi, wear our merch featuring your favorite Filipino ingredients! Hindi lang pampakain, pamporma rin!

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