Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Tart

2021-10-05

This creamy vegan pumpkin caramel tart gives pumpkin pie a serious run for its money. Made with a simple granola crust and a smooth cashew based pumpkin-filling this dessert recipe will quickly become a winter favorite!

I will never forget when Jess brought this pumpkin caramel tart over to taste test. C and I were instantly obsessed and could not stop raving about it. Sure, this tart is vegan but don’t let that fool you! It’s insanely delicious and gives traditional pumpkin pie a run for its money. I have a feeling this will be a “dessert to remember” at Thanksgiving this year!

While this recipe can look intimidating, I promise it’s not. Half of the ingredient list are spices and the instructions (while lengthy!) are really straightforward. Think of the recipe as four simple parts. As one part is cooking or cooling, you’ll get started on the next part. I promise the effort is 100% worth it!

4 Delicious Layers

Yep, you read that correctly… four layers of goodness in this vegan tart! Let’s break down what you need for each.

Crust – granola of choice and coconut oil. Any granola will do here. Great for that leftover granola that’s been sitting in your cupboard for a few weeks.

Chocolate layer – dark chocolate bar or any dark chocolate you have laying around.

Pumpkin filling – raw cashews, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, unsweetened almond milk, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt and ground cloves.

Caramel – full fat coconut milk, coconut sugar, arrowroot starch, sea salt and pumpkin seeds.

How to Make this Vegan Pumpkin Tart

STEP 1: Line the bottom of an 8” springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with coconut oil.

STEP 2: Place the granola and coconut oil in a food processor process until you have an even mixture with texture like wet sand. Press the granola mixture into the pan tightly and bake for 20 minutes at 350ºF until the crust is golden brown. Let the crust cool completely.

STEP 3: Melt the dark chocolate and pour over the cooled crust. Place in the fridge and let it set for about 20 minutes. It doesn’t need to be solid all the way through, but the top has to be firm.

STEP 4: While the chocolate is setting, make the pumpkin cashew filling. Place the filling ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the filling into the pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top as best you can. Tap the pan a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the fridge or freezer to chill.

STEP 5: To make the caramel, combine the ingredients in a small nonstick pot and place over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce will be a light brown, golden color. The sauce thickens as it cooks. Remove from the heat to cool after it is cooked and thickened.

STEP 6: While the caramel sauce cooks, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over low heat. Remove from the heat once they become fragrant and start to make a popping sound.

STEP 7: Once the caramel is cool, pour it over the pumpkin layer and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds and flaked sea salt. Chill the whole tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight or several hours in the freezer.

How to Store

This vegan pumpkin caramel tart will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month. I recommend letting it thaw for about 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Tart

Scale

Ingredients

Crust

Chocolate Layer

3 oz dark chocolate, about 1 bar (I used 85% but feel free to use something slightly lower if you’re new to dark chocolate)

Pumpkin Filling

2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours or overnight
½ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
⅓ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
A nub of ginger, peeled (about the size of your thumb will give you nice spicy flavor)
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp sea salt
Pinch of ground cloves

Caramel Layer

Tools

Set the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with coconut oil.
Place the crust ingredients in a food processor and process until you have an even mixture with a texture like wet sand.
Press the granola into the pan tightly and bake for 20 minutes until the crust is golden. Let the crust cool completely.
Melt the chocolate and pour over the cooled crust. Place in the fridge and let it set for about 20 minutes. The chocolate layer doesn’t need to be solid all the way through, just enough that the top is firm.
While the chocolate is setting in the fridge, make the pumpkin cashew filling. Place the filling ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Pour the filling into the pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top as best you can. Tap the pan a few times to release any air bubbles.
Place in the fridge or freezer to chill while you make the caramel.
To make the caramel, combine the ingredients in a small non stick pot and place over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring about every few minutes. The sauce will be a light brown, golden color. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
While the caramel cook, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over low heat. Remove from the heat once they become fragrant and start to make a popping sound.
Once the caramel has cooked and thickened, remove from heat and let it cool.
Once it is cool, pour it over the pumpkin layer and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds and flaked sea salt.
Chill the whole tart in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight or several hours in the freexer. The pie will keep for about 5 days in the fridge. This dessert can also be frozen, allowing it to thaw for about 10 minutes before serving.