If you are looking for a healthier desert recipe, I found you the perfect one. This has the perfect combination of sweet and salty.
If you are like me, you love nuts. I mean, I really, really love nuts. They are high in healthy, beneficial fats, protein and tons of vitamins and minerals. So you can imagine how excited I was when Diamond Nuts asked me to create a recipe using their chopped pecans. My mind went crazy with delicious ideas, but I knew I had to make something with salted caramel. Just because. The truth is that I LOVE salted caramel (I mean, who doesn't??) but I rarely eat it these days. I wanted to make a treat that contained salted caramel and pecans, but make it healthier than others out there. And why not throw in some chocolate in there to make it even more amazing?
The best part is that they sound fancy, but they are simple to make. Sign me up!
Ingredients
- TARTS:
- ¾ cup pecans- I used Diamond chopped pecans
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon gluten-free baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil or cold butter
- 3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water OR 1 egg
- CARAMEL SAUCE:
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream
- 3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin tin with organic cooking spray.
- Place the pecans in a food processor and process until you have a coarse flour. Add the almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup, flax egg or egg, and vanilla and pulse until a ball of dough forms.
- Press the dough into the mini muffin tin. Press down to make sure it was in an even layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes until middle is set.
- While these are baking, prepare caramel sauce. Place coconut sugar and coconut cream in a small saucepan.
- Continue to stir until melted and completely smooth and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and add salt. Stir again. Set aside.
- Prepare chocolate sauce by placing coconut cream in small saucepan.
- Continue to stir until melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until completely smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Once tarts are finished baking, take a spoon and press down the center to form an indent.
- Gently spoon caramel sauce into center of each tart, then spoon chocolate sauce onto of carmel sauce.
- Top with a tiny bit of extra sea salt and finely chopped pecans.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour until set.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Diamond of California. The wonderful people at Diamond of California compensated me for the time spent developing and photographing this recipe. However, like always, the opinions are entirely my own. Promise 🙂 My sponsors help make this blog possible.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 tart
Amount Per Serving
Calories 170
Total Fat 11.9g
Saturated Fat 6.2g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 71mg
Potassium 86mg
Total Carbohydrates 11.0g
Dietary Fiber 2.0g
Sugars 8.3g
Protein 1.9g
Don't be scared of the fat content. All of the fat in this recipe comes from heart-healthy pecans and coconuts.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. These are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. And also super duper delicious.
Thanks for stopping by!
Renee's Kitchen Adventures
These sound delicious. They look great too. I'm afraid I would be popping them in my mouth continuously! haha Love that they are gluten free!
lauren.kelly
Thank you Renee!
[email protected]
Love these! Sharing today on my FB page!
lauren.kelly
Thanks so much Brenda!
grace at leangirlsclub
These look an amazing for those days where I need just a bite of something sweet. Love it and can't wait to try them.
lauren.kelly
Thanks Grace! 🙂
anon
For the diabetics out there, I made this with splenda instead of the sugar and it came out fine. I don't know how many carbs that shaved off, but almond flour is lower in carbs than regular flour so that helps, too. Walden Farms does make zero calorie/carb faux maple syrup and I might try that in the next batch I make.
lauren
So glad you liked it! These make the perfect bite size treat. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Kara
These are gorgeous! And I bet they taste even better than they look! I definitely need to try these out.
lauren
Thank you Kara! I hope you like them! 🙂
Suzi
I am in love with salted caramel too. In moderation. I love this vegan recipe. A wuestion for you. Is coconut cream the top part in the can or something else all together? I really want to make this. Thanks, Suzi
lauren
Hi Suzi! yes, you can use the top part of an unshaken can of coconut milk, or you can just buy a can of coconut creme like me! 😉 I really hope you like it!