Here it is, the first of, I am sure, many, many pumpkin recipes for the season. If you haven’t noticed in years past, or if I haven’t made it clear enough, I am an absolute autumn junkie! I love just everything about it. Well everything except the part about summer being over. Living on the East Coast the fall is by far the most beautiful season of them all, the colors are incredible, the air has a crisp, cool breeze that feels like a dream, I get excited to pull out the fall boots, scarfs and other various layers and I plan lots of fun autumn activities for us. Fall is definitely the reminder that we are all getting ready to hunker down and get all cozy for the long winter ahead and somehow no one around here really minds, in fact in some ways it is welcomed with open arms and even celebrated. We haven’t even sold our house yet but I am sure of the fact that I am going to miss Autumn almost as much as my family, once we officially make the move to California.
For me, nothing celebrates all of the lovely things about Autumn better than a spiced pumpkin treat, so when Danielle of Against All Grain contacted me to share a recipe with her readers, and she gave me the list of dates, I had to choose today, September 22, the Autumnal Equinox. The perfect day to celebrate all things pumpkin!
I am sure most of you are, but if you aren’t familiar with Danielle’s incredible blog, Against All Grain, you MUST get yourself acquainted. Against All Grain celebrates and shares wonderful recipes that are entirely grain-free (and therefore consequently gluten-free), free of refined sugars, and low to minimal dairy. Danielle’s site is great for those that follow the Paleo, Primal, SCD, GAPS, and Gluten-Free lifestyles. Danielle wrote to ask me to share a post with her readers while she is off working on her Against All Grain cookbook that will be on shelves in Fall 2013 and I am so excited for her, I definitely plan to have that book in my collection!
These pumpkin pie tarts are quite simple to make (although it may seem like a lot of steps when you read the recipe) and they will knock the socks off any pumpkin lover. The crust is entirely grain-free made with almond flour and it has a hint of spices that make the house smell so lovely when they are baking. The pie filling is creamy and rich but without any dairy, which is amazingly unbelievable. Of course, I had to top these treats off with a little whipped coconut cream to round out the flavors perfectly.
This post was originally shared on Against All Grain. If you are looking for my quick and easy recipe for making your own pumpkin puree at home see my post here.
[print_this]Grain-free Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts (Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free)
(Makes 12 mini-tarts)
Tart Shells:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup*
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash of ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
- 1/4 cup maple syrup*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree (see my post on how to make your own, canned will also do)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- a pinch of ground cloves
- a dash of sea salt
Whipped Coconut Cream:
- 1 can organic full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (use more or less or none at all, or whatever your favorite sweetener is)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
*Maple can be substituted 1:1 for honey if you follow SCD
Directions
Shells
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12 cups in a muffin tin with paper liners (you could also use greased mini tart pans).
In a large bowl, add all of the crust ingredients and mix very well. Really get your hands in there to get it all together and work it into a nice dough.
Add the crust mixture to the muffin cups and press down firmly into the cup using your knuckles, going up the sides a tad bit.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then place the pan in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the tarts and serve. (Many times I make the tart shells the night before and keep them in the fridge until I am ready to serve)
Filling
Drain the cashews and add them to your food processor and give them a whirl by themselves for a bit, to break them up and start turning them into a paste of sorts.
Once the cashews are broken up add in the maple syrup, vanilla and coconut oil, process that a bit more until it is a smooth and creamy paste.
Add in the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.
Whipped Coconut Cream:
Make sure that your can of coconut milk is well chilled. I recommend leaving it in the fridge overnight. Open the can of coconut milk carefully, keeping it level. There will be a firm, waxy layer of coconut cream that solidified on top. Carefully scoop this off into a chilled glass bowl. Keep the leftover coconut water, it is great for smoothies.
Using a mixer, whip the coconut cream for 3 to 5 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy, with soft peaks. Mix in your maple syrup and vanilla, if you are using. Place the whipped coconut cream back into the fridge until you are ready to use. This may be more than what you need for all 12 tarts, depending on how much you put on top, but that’s ok, it keeps for several days, covered in the fridge.
ASSEMBLING THE TARTS:
Remove the paper liner off of the tart shells. Top each of the tart shells with a spoonful of the pumpkin filling and a dollop of whipped coconut cream, sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.
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40 Responses
Ahhh it looks so amazing! I am in love with fall, too, and I can’t wait to check out this recipe!!!
Thanks Alex, I am really quite proud of this recipe, I can see that I will be making these a lot this fall! Hope you are well.
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Making these right now…so far, tasted the filling and it’s DEEELICIOUS! Only thing is, my “shells” don’t look near as perfect as the picture…I couldn’t get it to be a full-size cupcake size…oh well, I’m sure it will taste amazing no matter what it looks like! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!!!
Cheryl, wow you are fast! Don’t worry about getting perfect shells, mine aren’t that perfect either and they definitely don’t go all the way up in the cupcake tin. Just go up as far as you can, they will fill up a bit as they bake and the filling will hide the imperfect edges, well kinda.
Once they cool and you take the papers off, they will look just fine. I hope they turned out ok for you. Please let me know what you think of the final product. Thanks so much for the comment!
They came out great! I took a pic. so you could see my final product (using a cell phone and NO photography skills..lol). http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/CherylPM/258059_10151050272252015_284978170_o_zpsb787c939.jpg
These were amazing! My husband loved them so much, I think I’ll be making these for Thanksgiving this year 🙂
Wow, these look amazing. I’m headed over there RIGHT this moment
Thanks Leanne, I am super proud of how they turned out, I have been savoring the last few left, I don’t want them to be gone 🙂
Fall is the absolute best. This weekend I did 108 Sun Salutations to welcome to Fall Equinox!
These look absolutely amazing! You’ve done it again! : )
I am with you, Fall is absolutely the BEST!! I just read about your 108 sun salutations. Sounded so wonderful. I did that at the start of summer and it was quite peaceful and amazing.
My yoga studio did a wonderful celebration of the autumnal equinox with a vinyasa flow class set to live music. So nice! Happy Fall Raechel!
I don’t see the recipe!!? These look amazing by the way
Ashley, there is a link above in the post to get the recipe. This was a guest post on my friend Danielle’s website Against All Grain. Hope you enjoy 😉
[…] 13. Grain-Free Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts […]
how do you keep your coconut oil a liquid when baking? I have a hard time not getting oil “clumps” 🙁
I pre-melt it before and try to make sure all of the ingredients that I add to it, are room temperature. The best way to melt is in a bowl of super hot water, put the jar in and let it soak a while. Of course if you use the microwave, you can also heat it up in there quickly, too. The main thing is to make sure you aren’t adding chilled items to the melted coconut oil or it will solidify it almost immediately. Hope that helps.
Hi!
This recipe looks delicious! I am wondering if I could make this into one big pie, do you think it would work?
I have been browsing this site and have tried a few recipes. I am so glad to have found it. I am alergic to alot of foods. This sites fits perfectly for me.
Hi
Could I sub the almond flour with oat or whole wheat flour (I don’t have a gluten allergies or sensitivity)?
Thank you!
Sariana, no, probably not. Almond flour is it’s own type of flour that doesn’t necessarily act the same as other regular flours. If you don’t want to use almond flour or another nut or seed flour, I would suggest finding a tart shell recipe that has the ingredients listed that you wish to you, modify it for using in the muffin tins and then use this filling.
Beth,
I’m a client of Sherrie’s from With Food + Love, and she has referred me to your blog for inspiration. I made these pumpkin tarts last night, and they are insane! My Husband loved them and all of my co-workers were raving about them today! Thanks so much for all of your amazing recipes!
-Maggie 🙂
Hi Maggie! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I am so happy to hear that Sherrie sent you here and that you enjoyed the recipe so much, as did everyone else. This really is one of my absolute favorite recipes. Thank you thank you!
xo Beth
We are paleo but can’t do almond (which is really difficult btw). Would you recommend perhaps Walnut or Pecan flour?
Jennifer, yes either of those should work. I have never tried them myself, but from what I understand they react very similarly in recipes like this. Please let me know how it works out if you make them. Thanks so much. Oh and bless you having issues and being paleo, I cannot even imagine how difficult that must be.
Hi,
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. I just wanted to check the muffin pan size. are they regular or mini?
The recipe makes 12 regular-sized muffin tin tarts or if you use a mini muffin tin, it will make 24.
Would it be possible to make a classic pumpkin pie with this recipe?
Thanks
You should be able to, but I haven’t tried it myself, so I don’t know if the measurements will be right for the pumpkin filling. It would be very close, I imagine.
[…] 1 / Cranberry Lemon Loaf 2 / Grain-free Cranberry-Orange Mini Tarts 3 / Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread 4 / Grain Free Apple Pie 5 / Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Filling and Cacao Nibs 6 / Grain-free Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts […]
[…] Grain-Free Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Paleo) and Grain-Free Cranberry Orange Spice Mini Tarts (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Paleo) from Tasty Yummies “I love serving mini-tarts as dessert for holiday get-togethers. They have become somewhat of signature sweet for me. I can change my fillings to create a seasonal treat specific to the occasion. Plus, I love that they are no-fuss, I can just make them ahead and set them out when dessert comes around and my guests can just help themselves.” […]
These are awesome! Made them last night and took one to my husband and he said “I already brushed my teeth”. Boy did he miss out! I’m just filling the shells as I serve them, let’s see how many days they will last. Not many I’m sure! Yummy even without the cream on top. These would be great as little mini bite size tarts too, as they are sturdy enough for eating with your hands.
I don’t have mini tart pans, but I have a large one. Can I use that instead?
Thanks!
Do you think Almond meal will work or does it need to be blanched almond flour? Thanks!
Shana – yes in this particular instance almond meal does work, it doesn’t get as “puffy” for lack of a better word. It stays more as a tart crust made from nuts vs a baked good. But I have used it and it works. hope that helps.
Hi Beth, Could you use a different nut than cashews? I don’t care for them and sometimes they flare my asthma. I love all other nuts. Thank you.
Cashews are quite unique in their ability to create a thick creamy consistency when soaked and blended. Maybe macadamia nuts might work? I am actually not too sure, I usually use cashews for these types of recipes.
Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious and healthy recipe! Can’t wait to try this :). God bless!
I see this is 2 years old but I hope you gain some popularity with it again because I loved it! I’m hoping the kids enjoy it as much as I did (they will be home shortly lol) and I just shared your recipe on FB. Thanks for a yummy treat. I’m a new vegan/gluten free girl so this makes it easier lol
I’d like to make these for work since we have some co-workers with celiac (and I cook/bake gluten- free for them). Could you suggest a substitute for the cashews? We have a person allergic to just cashews (fine with other nuts). Thanks!
Kristy, hmmm a substitute for the cashews will be tough, they literally provide a creaminess that most other nuts cannot. You could try macadamia nuts, but I myself have never attempted that.
Is there anything you could swap to add creaminess in place of cashews ( I have no macadamia nuts either) doesn’t have to be vegan, gf, or paleo. Would love to try these!!!!!