Today we are making a Butter Pecan Raw Vegan Tart Recipe! For the last week, I’ve had more toasted pecans than I knew what to do with. So I decided to put a spin on a beloved butter pecan dessert – an easy recipe for tarts! Before I could crumble these and throw them into a butter pecan ice cream recipe, they were already in my stomach!
I have vivid memories of butter raisin and butter pecan tarts being eaten at home, Costco-style, crumbly shortbread base, rich and gooey corn syrup filling, and toasted buttery pecans. Butter raisin tarts are a treat too, but since I was on a pecan rampage, butter pecan is what came out of it. This time, a raw, vegan pie crust and filling, ready to give your tastebuds a salsa (while making you feel ten times better about yourself for eating some superfoods)! So I’m super excited to share this RAW version of a baker’s favorite – enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Butter Pecan Vegan Tart Recipe
Fully Raw Holiday Dessert: Butter pecan tarts were one of my favorite holiday desserts growing up! I couldn’t get enough (and still can’t) of the gooey filling with plump raisins and a buttery tart crust. Every time I eat one, it brings back memories of spending time with family, or very special occasions. This recipe is one that I made when I was craving these tarts, but didn’t want to spend time having a whole tart shell and filling situation.
Plus, it was warm outside when I made this recipe. I didn’t want to turn the oven on, whip out my trusty pastry brush and rolling pin, roll out homemade pastry crust into a tart pan and wait for hours to finally have a tart. This was the solution! Using all raw, simple ingredients, I was able to get a texture and flavor that I was satisfied with (as far as I could, being all raw and not using all purpose flour, brown sugar or vegan butter). This is no bake, summer version for all the butter pecan tart lovers!
Substitutions
Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are a very soft, caramel-like date. This makes for an easy to work with, soft crust dough. If your dates are not very soft, leave them in warm water for thirty minutes before using. Make sure to drain out the water before adding them to the blender (as little water as possible should be left in the dates after draining. Pat them try with a towel to get the excess out)!
I do not recommend substituting liquid sweeteners here, such as maple syrup.
Cashews: Use almond flour or blanched almonds instead.
Cashew Milk: Use another plant-based milk, such as oat milk, almond milk or soy milk. For a richer flavor, use cashew cream. Cashew cream is not as accessible in grocery stores, but might be found online or made at home. However, due to easy accessibility, cashew milk or oat milk work great.
Coconut milk or coconut cream also give a good amount of fat to recipes, giving that creamy taste and texture. However, I do not recommend them as they will lend a coconut flavor and it can throw off the rest of the recipe here.
Cacao Butter: This can be found in some major grocery stores, or online. I like Organic Traditions brand. This is what chocolate is made of, but it looks similar to white chocolate.
Make sure to get food-grade cacao butter. You can also use melted, low-sugar vegan white chocolate (since white chocolate is just cacao butter and sugar).
Coconut Oil: Use refined coconut oil. This is not virgin or extra-virgin. It should not smell like coconuts!
Raw Vegan Tart Recipe Recipe Notes
- For best results, use cupcake or tart trays with a removable base. Alternatively, use cupcake liners.
- For a vegan fruit tart, top the tart with fresh fruit (such as fresh berries) instead of pecans. You can even add some lemon zest into the crust ingredients. This is a quick way to transform this basic recipe into a fruity dessert!
More Vegan Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Vegan Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
If you make this Vegan Tart Recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Raw Vegan Tart Recipe (Butter Pecan)
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
- Tart or Cupcake Tray
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Base
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp melted cacao butter
- 8 medium, pitted Medjool dates
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pink salt as desired, per taste
For the Filling
- ½ cup pitted Medjool dates
- 4-6 tbsp cashew milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pink salt as desired, per taste
For the Topping
- ½ tbsp refined coconut oil not virgin or extra-virgin
- 20 whole raw pecans
Instructions
For the Base
- Blend all crust ingredients until a dough forms.
- Pat the sticky mixture into cupcake or brownie trays lined with cupcake liners. I recommend to rub coconut oil on your hands before doing this.
For the Filling
- Blend all tart filling ingredients until smooth.
- Pour into the cupcake trays lined with the base.
For the Topping
- Heat the small saucepan over the stove on low – medium heat.
- Add the coconut oil to the pan, and sautee the full pecans until they are toasted.
- Arrange them on top of the filling, as shown in the picture above.
- Enjoy! See below for storage notes.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
