These raw walnut and pecan tartlets are filled with an almond butter or chocolate filling for an easy, no bake guiltless treat!
Tartlet. Funny word, isn’t it? I just want to keep saying it over and over and over…
Ok, we’ll get to those. Story time first.
Saturday we went out to dinner with my parents. No special occasion, just a much needed night out of the house for me with an equally as much needed bottle of wine. And guess where the conversation somehow headed about 15 minutes into the night?
Kids.
This is nothing new. I hear it from every angle in my life and my parents (read: my mom) are one of the more frequent sources. Apparently, whatever biological clock I was supposed to have in this area of life skipped me but more than made up for it in my mom’s desire for grandchildren.
“Oh, but you don’t realize how much you’ll love them until they’re here.”
“The not-sleeping thing is only temporary.”
“You’re going to be so lonely when you’re older.’
“It’s the biggest joy you can ever imagine.”
I could probably fill a book with the reasons people state for having kids.
And you know what, I believe them all. I bet it is the best damn joy in your life. Really, I do. I feel that way about my freakin’ dog so I can only imagine how a kid would make me feel. And I do realize the sleep thing is probably at most a year. And yes, I think your kids are cute and sometimes I get a fleeting moment of “aw” when I’m holding them.
But you want to know what else?
I can find plenty of other joys that aren’t going to plague me with constant worry for the rest of my life, cost me hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars or eat up every last second of my time and attention for the best years of my life. I’m not too keen on waiting until 60 when the kids are finally grown up and out of the house to do those bucket list things. Also, you should see me after one night of interrupted sleep from my dog let alone months on end of midnight feedings. I’m quite confident I’d be institutionalized by week 2.
The kid convo dragged along until the food came and then we all shut up as coconut curry mussels, coq au vin and burgers made their way into our mouths.
Fast forward to yesterday and there I am about 15 minutes into carefully running a knife around these mini-muffin cups trying to pop out these tartlets while keeping them intact and I get a text from my mom.
“Sorry about the baby talk last night.”
I put the knife down and respond, “It doesn’t bother me. It’s not like it remotely changes my mind.”
Because when it comes down to it, I’d rather spend an inordinate amount of my Sunday afternoon tending to tartlets than to children. Especially almond and coconut butter and chocolate filled ones.
Raw Walnut Pecan Tartlets: 2 Ways
Ingredients
For the Tartlet Shell
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 2-3 medjool dates, start with 2, see directions for explanation
Almond & Coconut Butter Filling
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut butter
For the Chocolate Filling
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Place tartlet shell ingredients in a food processor starting with 2 dates and process until a fine crumble results. If you can pinch together the mixture and it holds then transfer to a bowl. If not, add another 1/2-1 date and process again until the mixture is sticky enough to form a crust.
- Grease a mini-muffin pan with coconut oil.
- Place a spoonful of the nut mixture into the muffin tin and press down with your fingers and up along the sides of the tin. You want the sides to be pretty thick so that they don't crumble when you remove the tarts.
- Fill remaining tins the same way.
- Place pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes until the shells harden.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and carefully remove tartlets using a knife to loosen around the edges. You may have to reinforce with your fingers once they're out if portions collapsed. They won't come out easily, but I did it with some patience and caution.
- In a small bowl combine your filling ingredients and microwave until softened. Use a spoon to combine and then fill the tartlet shells.
- You can eat them as is or return to the freezer to harden.
- Keep refrigerated or frozen.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Well, THESE look amazing!!
YAY!! I was so eager to find out if they worked or not after your instagram post, and they look soooo pretty and delicious!
Do you think these tartlets would work as bars like your https://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2012/11/no-bake-chocolate-coco-pumpkin-bars/ ?
I’m just thinking it might be cool to ‘swirl’ the chocolate and the pb on top of a single bar… looks like the filling is a little runny so you’d have to freeze I guess, though I would think the coconut butter/oil would help it firm up even in the fridge?
Great idea! I think it would work perfectly! The filling will definitely harden once refrigerated which is how you need to store these anyway, I just snapped pics before doing that.
As an update, I pressed to create a square base of the nut/date mixture on a plate, with the sides raised about 1/4 inch so the filling wouldn’t fall out. Froze it for 45 minutes or so, filled first with the almond butter filling, then used the chocolate filling to create three large lines one way, then used a knife to cut across the mixture, making a ‘swirl.’ Froze it for a half hour longer, then cut into 16 squares to make little candies! :) Worked great
yay! so glad it worked out. It sounds awesome in bar form :)
You know what’s awesome? These tartlets.
You know what else is awesome? Making the right decision for you and for your husband.
I am also at the crossroads of decision-making time and can, absolutely, see both the pros and the cons in pretty much equal measure. Glad to hear that you aren’t giving into peer pressure, but, rather, going with what is going to make you happiest.
you’re such a tart =)
I know its hard to believe someone could hate coconut the way I do but I HATE it. Can you substitute the coconut oil for anything else?
Thanks,
Reba
haha, the coconut oil is just to make the chocolate a little more pourable so you could actually just leave it out!
So nice when I stumble across proof that I’m not the only one who feels that way about having kids! And thanks so much for this great recipe. I’m oven-less right now, so this really makes my day!
I totally agree. I was into maybe having kids when I was younger but the older I got the more I thought it would never happen. When I finally got married, I was already so used to the idea of never having kids that it seemed (and still does) unappealing to me to have kids. Since my hubby already has kids, I kind of get somewhat the best (or worst depending on how you look at it) of both worlds. I get to experience some aspects of motherhood without dealing with babies or the brunt of the responsibility as a “real” parent. I just don’t have a lot of interest in starting the kid cycle at this point in my life. The more dogs the better I say!!
And these tartlets look dreamy btw… ;-)
I am in my mid-forties and have spent the last twenty years listening to people (friends, family, co-workers, etc.) tell me why I MUST have children. I like kids (love my nieces and nephews) but I am and have always been very sure that I don’t want my own — isn’t it a good thing that I know this and trust this about myself? Seriously, I pat myself on the back for making the decision, knowing it wasn’t right for me. It’s not a world in which we are applauded for making this decision and people can (and will) try to make you feel very, very bad about it. Otherwise kind people have said some very unkind things to me — which I have to assume was meant in the “best way” — about my selfishness, my foolishness, my narcisissm. Often this is followed by “who will take care of you when you’re old?” which, in the ultimate irony, seems to ME to be the very worst and most selfish reason to have children. Anyway, I am comfortable and happy and peaceful in my decision. I have many friends and family with children and I am the coolest aunt. My life is full and interesting and meaningful and I have never once regretted the choices I’ve made. To thine ownself be true.
I could not agree more with every single thing you said. I constantly think the same thing about knowing it isn’t a good thing for me and therefore not bringing a child into this world. Isn’t that something to be applauded rather than criticized?! How many people bring children into this world that shouldn’t or don’t want them? I think making a conscious decision and recognizing it is not for me is a way better approach than just having them because you’re “supposed” to. And the selfishness of the “who will take care of you when you’re old” thing…absolutely spot on. If that doesn’t sound like the worst reason to have a kid, I’m not sure what does. Ok, maybe the tax deduction one that I’ve seriously heard people use. Yeah, greaaaat idea on that one.
You are awesome. I have a daughter, have always wanted kids and can’t wait to have more but I will never understand how anyone can see reproducing as anything but selfish, honestly. People have kids for themselves and their egos. I like to think I’m honest enough to admit this. I have always maintained not having them is the truly self-less act. I am so glad you posted this. I would be irate if I dealt with those comments and attitudes.
These look awesome, and I can’t wait to try them.
While anyone is entitled to their own reasons to not have children, I find it important to share that for some of us it is possible to have kids and not spend you life worrying, your attention monopolized and bucket list on hold. I can not argue the costs…. But with proper planning and hard work, we can afford them AND all the other things we want in life :)