Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Tart

If you've been following this blog a while, you probably know how much I love pumpkin seed treats (there's even a whole section of the site dedicated to gluten-free and vegan pumpkin seed desserts!). Well, I've decided to add one more pumpkin seed-based creation to my ever expanding collection: this lovely chocolate pumpkin seed tart.

It's creamy, rich and chocolatey, and makes a lovely nut-free vegan dessert option. No cashews or almonds or peanuts here (the common vegan dessert staples). No added oils, and no, not even coconut! And of course as per usual, no gluten or refined sugar.

The pumpkin seed butter works its magic to create a wonderfully smooth and creamy tart.

I find that pumpkin seeds and chocolate pair really well together, and they work so well in this tart. And in general, the ingredients here are pretty wholesome and easy to work with. Win-win!

Quick note: If for any reason you'd like for this tart to be a lot firmer (so it can stay out at room temperature a bit longer for example, or if it's super hot where you are and things get melty easily...) you can always add 1-2 tablespoon melted cacao butter (or unscented coconut oil) to the filling and a hint of it to the crust. I didn't need to do that, but just giving you options :) The cacao butter will also give this an even richer chocolatey flavor.

Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Tart

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4.8 from 4 reviews

A rich and creamy nut-free vegan chocolate tart made with pumpkin seed butter. Gluten-free, oil-free, and no-bake recipe.

• Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 7" tart
• Category: Pies & Tarts
• Method: No-bake
• Cuisine: Dessert, Vegan

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) -- raw or lightly toasted
• 4 soft medjool dates, pitted
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp dark maple syrup
• 1 tbsp smooth natural pumpkin seed butter
• 1 tbsp water

Chocolate Filling

• ½ cup unsweetened light-tasting non-dairy milk*
• 7 tbsp smooth natural pumpkin seed butter
• 6 tbsp dark maple syrup
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ⅜ tsp salt

Optional Toppings

• a few handfuls cacao nibs
• a handful dark vegan chocolate chips
• a handful pumpkin seeds

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Instructions

1. Process all crust ingredients into a fine sticky crumble in a food processor. Transfer this mixture into a 7″ tart pan with a removable bottom. Press down into an even crust with your fingers along the base and walls of the pan. Set aside.

2. Next add all chocolate filling ingredients to the food processor and process to combine into a smooth and creamy mixture. Transfer this mixture into the prepared pie crust, flatten and even out the filling with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with desired toppings around the edges.

3. Freeze the pie for 6 hours to set. Keep the pie frozen until serving time. Thaw out lightly, then remove from the pan and cut into slices. Enjoy!**

Notes

*I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk (since I'm not nut-free myself), but another light milk can easily work for a nut-free alternative -- for example, rice milk, soy milk, or even pumpkin seed milk.

**Treat this type of dessert as you would ice cream. If left too long at room temperature or in hot weather, the pie will begin to melt. So keep frozen until ready to eat. Once you serve the pie, I recommend returning any unserved slices back to the freezer to keep them chilled.

P.S. For more gluten-free & vegan pumpkin seed-based desserts, check out this recipe collection.