These spicy dark chocolate vegan mini pies are the perfect no-bake and gluten-free dessert, easy to make with a creamy 3-ingredient fudgy filling and a crust that tastes like a chocolate cookie.
Spicy Dark Chocolate Vegan Mini Pies
These spicy dark chocolate vegan mini pies are the perfect make-ahead dessert or snack or even breakfast if you like dessert for breakfast! The filling here is remarkably simple — only 3 ingredients! Or you could leave off the spice, and make it 2-ingredients, but then you’d have to change the title.😂
The addition of exotic cardamom spice really does set this tart apart from other chocolate tart recipes: the sweet spice blends so nicely with the taste of quality dark chocolate. So I highly recommend making this tart at least once with the cardamom.
I know, I have been on a cardamom-chocolate roll this year – in my Chocolate Cardamom Cake, in my Cardamom Strawberry Ice Cream, in my Cardamom Smoothie
I wonder where I’ll put it next, haha.
Cardamom brings a wonderfully unusual dusty sort of minty flavor if you can imagine that..
But the truth is cardamom is also incredibly healthy. Everyone is talking about turmeric and while I fully embrace the health aspects of that wonderful spice, consider cardamom as well.
How is Cardamom Spice Good for You?
Ahh, let me count the ways.
Healthwise, traditional medicine has depended on it for centuries for its anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits, for its ability as a diuretic to support blood pressure, digestive benefits, and even clears bad breath and prevent cavities.
Want to learn more about the health benefits of cardamom spice? Read Healthline’s article here.
So now that you understand the reason I made this mini pie spicy, let’s talk more about this recipe.
How to Make a 3-ingredient Chocolate Pie Filling
I don’t know about you, but the prospect of making a pie always makes me feel stressed and daunted — thinking lists of ingredients and steps and equipment and cleaning.
Especially, cleaning! Big obstacle in a recipe when there are lots of tools to clean.
So a 3-ingredient pie filling is a breath of fresh air! And, like I said, even without the cardamom, it is delicious. As you know, if you know about my new 4-ingredient cookbook, I am always trying to get recipe ingredient numbers down.
So I was thrilled that this one worked out so well. The filling is merely melted chocolate and coconut cream. Quality coconut milk is a necessity with this recipe; I linked to my favorite coconut products in the recipe.
How Healthy are Coconut Milk & Coconut Oil
This recipe has both coconut cream, the solid portion of coconut milk, and coconut oil.
In general, coconuts are thought to be full of nutrients, and some say unique proteins that boost metabolism and weight-loss. Which is ironic really since it is a high-calorie food.
One reason it supports weight loss is there are MCT fats in coconut milk which experts say are less likely to be stored as fat. And MCTs are thought to reduce appetite.
Now that doesn’t mean you should go eat ten of these tarts. Moderation and variety is key with all foods. That’s my opinion (that nobody asked for, haha)
How to Make This Easy No-bake Pie Crust
The crust, while more than 3 ingredients, is an easy, throw-it-all-in-the-processor, kind of recipe. Or blender, if you prefer.
As with the filling, it is no-bake, and another bonus, date-free.
Now don’t send me DMs on Instagram in protest. I love dates, but I don’t always have them on hand. And I love recipes that can be made with more typical ingredients found at home.
The crust ingredients are all easily processed in a blender or mini food processor, and pressed into a tart pan or cupcake well, ready to accept the cream.
And the nutritional benefits are amazing – between the crust and filling, these pies are rich in fiber, nutrients, and of course bursting with dark chocolate antioxidants and magnesium (helps you sleep)!
Can These Chocolate Vegan Mini Pies Be Made Ahead?
Yes! I have made them three days ahead of an event and just kept them refrigerated. I haven’t tried to freeze them; not sure what the texture would be once thawed.
I hope you love my easy, make-ahead pies!
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Spicy Dark Chocolate Vegan Mini Pies
These spicy dark chocolate vegan mini pies are the perfect no-bake and gluten-free dessert, easy to make with a creamy 3-ingredient fudgy filling and a crust that tastes like a chocolate cookie.
Ingredients
Tart Crust
- 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
Chocolate Cardamom Filling
- 2/3 cup coconut cream (solid portion from a chilled can of full fat coconut milk - about 1 (13.5oz) can)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
Useful Equipment
- 4 Fluted Tart Shell Molds (I use these molds)
- 1 cup Pyrex Glass Cup (I use this pyrex cup)
Instructions
Prep
-
Chill cans of coconut milk in refrigerator overnight so the solid cream separates from the liquid.
On pie-making day, sit the jar of coconut oil in a pot of boiling water to loosen it to measure it out if it is hard as a rock.
Grease lightly the inside of the mini pie or tart tins.
Make tart crust
- Blend up crust ingredients in a mini food process or blender. You want a texture that will allow you to press into a tart pan or even the bottom of a cupcake well.
- Press into the pan or cupcake well, and freeze the crust for one or two hours - you want to freeze so that you can then pop the tart crust intact out of the molds and fill them. (After that they can be refrigerated).
- Once tarts are hard enough in the freezer to be popped out and not broken, pop them out, and put them on a rack in the refrigerator while you go make the filling.
Make filling
-
Open chilled coconut milk cans, drain milk and reserve in refrigerator for smoothies. Spoon solid coconut cream into a pyrex glass measuring cup sitting in a boiling water bath. Add in the chocolate bar broken in chunks, and keep stirring until all the chocolate is melted.
- You can fill the tart crusts, and watch the warm chocolate almost instantly set as the hot chocolate meets the frozen crust - but still the setting needs another 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator for the tarts to be slicable.
- Either eat right after they are set, or keep refrigerated, covered or sealed in airtight container, for up to 2-3 days. Enjoy!
Build tarts
Dee Dine is the recipe developer and writer behind Green Smoothie Gourmet. She shares her super healthy wholesome recipes on her blog and her Instagram that she feeds her family and friends. She gravitates toward recipes that are fast to create, plant-based, nutritious, easy, and use familiar ingredients. And chocolate is always a good idea! More about Dee.
kanye
Amazing and healthy too! the perfect treat for any one and making so easy and the best part that its made with Cardamom, i like cardamom in my food daily.
Dee Dine | Green Smoothie Gourmet
I love cardamom too Kanye, thank you! Dee xx
Jess @choosingchia
mmmm cardamom in anything is so delicious! These tarts look amazing and so healthy too!
Debbie
Many thanks Jess! I do love easy desserts! Thanks for stopping by, Dee xx
Andre Casey
Wow! This looks rich and chocolatey! I love the nutritional benefits and how simple this can be made. A perfect comfort treat, great for any day snacking.
Debbie
Thank you Andre, so happy you like my tarts. Yes, the perfect treat is easy to put together, that is my motto, haha ! Dee xx