Enjoy this delicious chocolate salami with its rich combination of dark chocolate, vegan cookies, and nuts. Not only is this dessert perfect for impressing family and guests, but they’d never guess that it’s 100% dairy-free, egg-free, and can be made gluten-free.
Having spent practically the whole of December so far whipping up traditional German Christmas cookies from my past – like these Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars) and Hazelnut Cookies, I’ve become a little sentimental. Now, I can’t wait to make other favorite treats from my childhood, like this chocolate salami.
This chocolate rich dessert is perfect for slicing up and sharing with friends and family (or hogging to yourself…) and enjoying alone or with a cup of coffee/tea. It’s also a wonderful Christmas treat, perfect for sharing as an edible Christmas gift!
P.s. If you want to share this as a gift, then wrap it up in parchment paper and secure it with some string and ribbons. It’s simple but effective!
What Is Chocolate Sausage (Salami)?
Chocolate salami (also called chocolate salame) is traditionally made with a combination of cocoa, biscuits, butter, eggs, and sometimes alcohol. It is named after its log shape that looks similar to salami and the fact that the sliced pieces resemble salami with bits of fat (the biscuits). Don’t worry, there’s no meat in this recipe, though!
If this isn’t something you’ve grown up eating, then you may not be aware it even exists. And yet it has widespread global enjoyment and is known by many names.
This chocolate sausage dessert originated in Italy (called “Salame di cioccolato”) and Portugal (“Salame de chocolate”).
It is now popular across Eastern European countries. In Romania as “salam de biscuiti,”. It’s also popular in Russia. As a child, my Czech grandmother and mother made it so often; I loved digging into the treat whenever possible. At the time, though, I wasn’t vegan, and the traditional recipe (called “Čokoládový salám” there) was made with a combination of eggs, tea biscuits, cocoa, coconut oil (or butter), sugar, and milk.
Luckily, my chocolate salami recipe is not only egg-free, but it’s also dairy-free and 100% vegan!
There is a similar dessert in Germany called “Kalter Hund” with layers of chocolate and either biscuits or rice puffs. A similar version exists in the Netherlands as ”Arretjescake”.
There are several names for this dessert in Greece, including “Doukissa” or “Kormos Sokolatas” – meaning tree log. Also, “mosaiko” referring to its mosaic-like looks.
Please comment below if this sweet treat is also popular in your country and how it is called there. 🙂
What does it taste like?
If you can’t tell from the list of ingredients, this dessert is similar in flavor to rocky road. Only without marshmallows.
It’s a soft, sliceable chocolate slab filled with the biscuit and nut goodies. It can be further tweaked with the addition of alcohol/rum extract/orange zest, etc.
Here are the ingredients that you will need:
The Step-By-Step Instructions
Not only does this recipe contain a list of simple ingredients, but it’s also comprised of just three simple steps!
Step One: Crumble the cookies
Break up the vegan cookies/tea biscuits by hand or bashed lightly with a rolling pin within a freezer bag.
Step Two: Prepare the chocolate salami filling
Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate combined with the coconut oil and milk.
Once melted and combined, sift in the cocoa powder, then add the vanilla extract and rum extract and stir.
Finally, add the crushed cookies and pistachios and give it a final mix.
Step Three: Shape the chocolate sausage
Top Tip: Coconut oil is solid below 23 °C and liquid above 25 °C, which can affect the chocolate sausage’s texture when you’re trying to shape it. If you’re in a cool climate, and it becomes hard/crumbly then reheat the mixture for a few seconds in the double boiler/microwave. In a very warm climate (like me), you may need to chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture onto a large piece of cling film or parchment paper. Then wrap it up like a candy wrapper, twisting both ends (check the images/video!). Finally, secure the ends with elastic bands or clothespins/pegs.
Chill it in the fridge for 2-3 hours, until firm, and then dust with powdered sugar. It’s ready to slice and serve!
For the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
Storing Instructions
Store this chocolate salami in the fridge for up to a week, covered tightly, or in an airtight container. Make sure to wrap it tightly, or else it can absorb the flavors/scents of other food around it.
Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to three months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before eating.
Top Tip: It may be easier to slice if you remove it from the fridge 10-20 minutes before slicing. Depending on the climate, 10 minutes for warmer, 20 minutes for cooler.
Recipe Notes & Variations
- The salami might break/crumble when slicing it, especially if you happen to hit a large nut, if there’s an air pocket, or if it’s too hard. It’s best to use a sharp knife to avoid this. Also, avoid cutting slices that are too thin.
- Nuts: Instead of pistachio, you can use your favorite nut of choice. I like chopped hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts.
- For a nut-free version: Feel free to omit the nuts entirely or use seeds like sunflower seeds in this chocolate sausage.
- Cookies: Rich tea biscuits or shortbread work best in this recipe. However, you can experiment with other vegan cookies like these Vegan Vanilla Wafers or graham crackers, etc. For a fun twist, you could use a thin gingerbread or Biscoff cookies.
- Instead of the rum extract, you could also use 1 tbsp of any vegan rum, brandy, amaretto. Use orange juice or brewed coffee for an alcohol-free version. If you do, then reduce the milk content by the same amount.
- Optional add-ins: You could try dried fruits like cherries or cranberries, mini vegan marshmallows (like rocky road), shredded coconut for texture and flavor (like my mom and Oma always did), candied ginger, etc.
- You can use a microwave to melt the chocolate. Make sure to heat in increments of 10-15 seconds so that the chocolate doesn’t burn and/or seize.
Related Vegan Chocolate Desserts:
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- Marbled Banana Bread With Chocolate Swirl
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Muffins
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Pie
- Vegan Lava Cake (Molten Chocolate Cake)
- Caramel Chocolate Brownies (No-Bake)
If you try this simple chocolate salami recipe, I’d love a comment and recipe ★★★★★ rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan/ #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.

Chocolate Salami
Ingredients
- 1 bar (100 g) dark chocolate
- 3 tbsp (40 g) coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp (20 g) coconut milk or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- A few drops of rum extract (optional but recommended)
- 1 oz (30 g) pistachios or nuts/seeds of choice
- 3.5 oz (100 g) vegan cookies or tea biscuits, crushed
- Powdered sugar for coating (or powdered Erythritol)
Instructions
Crumble the cookies and melt the chocolate:
- Break up the vegan cookies/tea biscuits by hand or bashed lightly with a rolling pin within a freezer bag.
- Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate along with the coconut oil and milk.
Prepare the filling:
- Once melted, stir with a spoon, then sift in the cocoa powder. Also, add the vanilla extract and a few drops of rum extracts.
- Finally, stir in pistachios and crushed vegan cookies/biscuits.Note: Coconut oil is solid under 23 °C and will melt above 25 °C. Depending on your room temperature, the mixture might firm up and become dry. In this case, reheat it (in a double boiler or in the microwave for a couple of seconds). If you live in a warm climate like I do (over 25 °C) your mixture might be too runny, so you can place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up which will help to shape the salami.
Shape the mixture
- Transfer the mixture onto a large piece of cling film (or parchment paper) and shape it into a sausage, then wrap it up like a candy wrapper, twisting both ends (check the video and step-by-step photos in the blog post). Secure the ends with elastics or clothespins/pegs.
- Place the salami into your fridge for about 2-3 hours to firm up. Dust with powdered sugar and slice it with a sharp knife.Tip: It may be easier to slice if you remove it from the fridge 10-20 minutes before slicing. Depending on the climate, 10 minutes for warmer, 20 minutes for cooler.Store it in the fridge for about 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Video Of The Recipe
- The salami might break/crumble when slicing it, especially if you happen to hit a large nut, if there's an air pocket, or if it's too hard. It's best to use a sharp knife to avoid this. Also, avoid cutting slices that are too thin.
- Nuts: Instead of pistachio, you can use your favorite nuts (e.g. hazelnuts, crushed walnuts, almonds, or seeds like sunflower seeds, etc.
- Cookies: Rich tea biscuits or shortbread work best in this recipe. However, you can experiment with other vegan cookies like homemade Vegan Vanilla Wafers (that's what I used because I can't get vegan, gluten-free cookies/biscuits where I live) or graham crackers, etc.
- The total time doesn't include chill time.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Disappointed you’d take a much loved old recipe and veganize it to your personal taste. It’s basically an insult to the many mothers, grandmothers, great grand mothers, daughters, bakers of all countries who’s been making or teaching young people or trainees about Mossaiko/chocolate salami for generations.
My spouse and I try to eat a vegan meal once a week, vegetarian for 3 days a week then our regular meals for the rest of the week with our plates consisting of 3/4 veggies and 1/4 of our plate with a small lean piece of protein, We do not buy vegan “cheeses” vegan fake butter, no any fake meat such as beyond meat because beyond meat “burger” and “hot dogs” contain over 22
chemical additives. We also do not consume coconut oil in any form as it was a fad food that was unfortunately promoted as a healthy food that the average joe and jane sucked up like a sponge.
My cardiologist has a chart on his wall of foods to avoid if you don’t want to be the next to have a heart attack or stroke, especially if you’re a woman.. Coconut oil is at the top of that chart as one of the most dangerous foods to consume as doctors are too quick to dismiss women who go to hospital with severe chest pain, as being anxiety, too stressed or depressed so they give them a prescription for anxiety pills or mild sedatives and send them home, only to see those same woman rushed back to cardiac emergency dept. within a couple of days after suffering a massive heart attack.
As for you seeming to claim Mosaikio/ chocolate salami or chocolate biscuit cake is Greek in origin when it’s been made for generations in many other countries, Italy, Portugal etc., not to mention it’s a favorite of the Royal Family albeit the Queen always requested it to be made in cake form, I don’t quite understand why you’d say that.
I don’t expect to see my comment posted with the others because I know most food bloggers only want to see positive comments so will delete any that they find are either too critical or too long. But, I’m okay with that as I’m assuming you at least read the comments you receive before deleting or approving.
Joycelyn, first, you are wrong in your assumption that I will delete your comment.
Second, I definitely do NOT insult any mothers, grandmothers, etc. just because I share my own “veganized” version for all people out there, who are interested in plant-based desserts. Those people are thankful as they are either vegan for ethical reasons, environmental reasons, health reasons, or because they suffer from allergies (dairy, eggs, etc.). My own mom and grandma used to make this chocolate salami (not vegan) in the past, and they are definitely not insulted at all…
Third, I never “claimed” that this dessert is Greek in origin!! It seems you didn’t even read my post, otherwise, you would have noticed that I wrote this:
It’s also popular in other countries, like Greece, which I mentioned in the post. So please stop accusing me of writing wrong things.
Lastly, if you are not happy with my post/recipe, you are more than welcome to move on and search for an original recipe made with butter, eggs, and sugar-laden biscuits. I don’t judge you!
Hi Ela! I must be doing something wrong… I always have to double everything if I want to use the 100g of biscuits. Otherwise I can only use half (50g) as there’s not enough misture for them! What could it be?
Thank you!
Hi Soph, was the chocolate melted? And did it maybe harden quickly? If so, you need to reheat it in a double boiler or microwave. 🙂
Hi, no it was very liquid still. It was just the ratio of biscuits that seemed off… I used rich tea biscuits and measured everything in a scale (except the cocoa powder, in which I used a measuring spoon. I didn’t even use the pistachios and it was still too many biscuits?
Hi Soph, maybe those tea biscuits are just very absorbent, I am not sure. You can try different biscuits next time or simply reduce the amount. 🙂
I made this recipe last night for my family and it was an incredible success! Highly recommended 🙂
That’s awesome, Valentina! I am so glad you loved it. Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
In New Zealand we call it Lolly Cake.
Made with Malt biscuits & fruit puffs
Rolled in coconut
Sounds great, Lesley! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
It is called “Mosaic Cake” in Turkey.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
In the USA we call this “Church Windows” due to how it looks like stained glass when cut
That’s so interesting, Jenna, I love that name. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
It’s called “Lazy Cake” in Middle East.
Thanks for sharing, Enas. 🙂
In Portugal is called “Salame de Chocolate”
One of my favourites growing up, and so easy to make!
Happy to hear it’s one of your favorites. 🙂
It’s called “Tinginys” in Lithuania
I like this name, Paulina, and I am excited that it’s such a popular dessert in your country. 🙂
In Greece, it’s called “kormos” or “mossaiko”. The only differences between your recipe and the greek one is that we use plant based butter instead of coconut oil and we put some liquor, too. I usually use pomegranate liquor. One of my favorite recipe! Easy and so yummy!!!!!
Hi Georgia! Pomegranate liquor sounds like such a nice addition. I have to try that! Thanks! 🙂
In lithuanian it is Tinginys – means lazy man 🙂
Thanks for sharing Gintarė, I didn’t know it’s so popular in Lithuania as well. 🙂
In Lithuania we called it „tinginys“, which means a „lazy bone“, due to it’s simplicity of preparation ☺️
Thanks for reviving this so simple and delicious sweet that always brings back to the childhood
That’s amazing, Luiza! Love the translation “lazy bone”. 😀
I is called “salame.de chocolate” in Portugal.
I will make it for christmas. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You are very welcome, Amara! Enjoy it and Merry Christmas. 🙂
In Latvia we call it- Sweet sausage or Chocolate sausage ????????
Its my favorite dessert from childhood ????
That’s lovely! I am glad it’s also your favorite dessert from childhood. 🙂
In Italy is called “salame di cioccolato”, pretty understandable! 🙂 I love it!
Hey, Muriel! Yes, I mentioned that in my blog post, I know it’s super popular in Italy. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
In Croatia we call it “čokoladna salama” ????????(chocolate salami)
Very similar to Czech. Thanks for sharing, Suzana. 🙂
In Romania we call it “Salam de Biscuiti”
Yes, Iona, I mentioned that in my post. It’s such a great dessert. 🙂
We usually make it vegan in Romania, for our orthodox lent and we would use walnuts in stead of pistachios and we also add small cubes of turkish delight. Romanian cuisine has a ton of vegan dishes because our lent is vegan and we have about half of the days in a year falling into a lent.
I had no idea, that’s so interesting! Thanks a lot for sharing, Gabriela. 🙂
In Greece is called “μωσαϊκό” which means “mosaic”.
🙂
In Greece we call it “Mosaic”! One of the most favourite desserts of our chldhood too!
Yes, I mentioned that in my blog post. 🙂 I am so glad you love it as much as I do, Eugenia. 🙂
It’s called keksztekercs in Hungary
That sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Levi. 🙂
In France,I’ve usually seen it called : saucisson au chocolat (chocolate salami).
That’s interesting, Carole! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Love that one from childhood and was thinking of healthier version! I’ve been following my grandma’s recipe, but would love to try your vegan version of “salám” as it’s called in our family 🙂
Awesome, I hope you’ll like it. 🙂