I’m going crazy with pumpkins this year. If you could see the HUGE pile of pumpkins we harvested from the garden, you would know why. Plus I LOVE anything with pumpkin in it. Today I had a craving for something a little sweet, so this is what I came up with: No Bake Mini Pumpkin Bites.
It’s no secret that I love tiny little treats. They are so cute and fun to eat. Plus, I get to eat more of them. Somehow that is more satisfying to me. A while back, I made Melt in Your Mouth Lemon Cups. My family goes crazy for those. This is my attempt at yet another tiny little delight. Did I mention that they are dairy, refined sugar, and grain free? And loaded with antioxidant and nutrient-dense pumpkin? Don’t you just love treats that are good for you? Another reason to eat a few more.
I hope that you are all having a beautiful fall. Change of season can be hard on the body, so remember to slow down a bit and take good care of yourself. Read more HERE about some tips for staying healthy this fall. Here’s a little peak into what we have been up to his fall:
No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Bites (grain and dairy free)
- Yield: 24 mini cups 1x
Ingredients
FOR CRUST:
- 1 cup hazelnuts (preferably soaked and dehydrated for better digestion)
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (preferably soaked and dehydrated for better digestion)
- 8 dates (like these), pitted
- 1 TBS coconut oil (like this)
- 1 TBS REAL maple syrup or RAW honey (like this)
- 2 pinches of celtic sea salt (I use THIS ONE)
FOR FILLING:
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup coconut butter (like this)
- 2 TBS coconut oil
- 3 TBS REAL maple syrup or raw honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1/8 tsp allspice (like this)
- 1/8 tsp clove powder
FOR CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
Instructions
To Make the crust
- Line mini muffin tins with unbleached mini paper liners (like these). Process all crust ingredients in a food processor until well combined and resembles a coarse flour. Spoon 1 and 1/2 tsp of mixture into each of the 24 mini cups. Use your thumb to press down mixture firmly to create a solid bottom layer for these cute little yummies. Place in freezer to harden.
To make filling
- Melt coconut butter and coconut oil in a double boiler. Remove from heat and add rest of filling ingredients. Go ahead and mix it up real good here until creamy smooth. Remove crusts from freezer and spoon about 3/4 TBS of filling over your prepared crusts. Return to freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.
To make chocolate drizzle
- Once mini bites have hardened, gently melt coconut butter and coconut oil in a double boiler. Remove from heat and add rest of drizzle ingredients. Allow to cool slightly to thicken. Pour into small plastic bag, cut a TINY hole in the corner, and drizzle over treats in any fashion that you want.
- Now it’s time to enjoy these amazing delights. Store leftovers in freezer as they are best cold. (That is, if there are any leftovers. Ours got dusted off in one day.)
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mm that looks yummy…i’m gonna have to try that!!! 🙂
These look GREAT!
Can I do cashews instead if hazelnuts?
Yes, any nuts will do. Cashews would be delicious!
If you haven’t linked up yet, I’d love to have you come share this on Teach Me Tuesday! http://www.somedayilllearn.com/2013/10/28/teach-tuesday-39/
They’re so cute! They look like they taste incredible..and the ingredients are natural and unprocessed. A huge plus for my family. Thank you for sharing.
These look fabulous! I’m making them for Halloween tomorrow and cannot wait!
Jen
Hope that you enjoy them! Thanks for stopping by.
Wondering if you have tried to make the filling without cooking the pumpkin. I strive to have all the ingredients raw in our desserts. Possibly you could micro-cube it, and dehydrate at 105 for several hours to soften the tissues? Anyone else tried this?
I haven’t tried making anything with RAW pumpkin. Please report back if you try it! 🙂
These were so good! Perfect little bites of creamy yumminess for dairy-free people like me and my daughter. Win!
Hi! Having a hard time finding pumpkin puree here in Sweden – can you just put a pumpkin in the oven and then blend it? Also wonder if ut would work with butternut squash instead of regular pumpkin?
Yes, you can totally make your own – from either pumpkin or any winter squash. Sometimes fresh baked squash has a bit more liquid in it. You can let it sit in a colander and strain for a bit to drain out excess water. Hope that helps. 🙂
Hi, I was wondering if you can make these pumpkin bites ahead of time and freeze them?
Thank you, Denise
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I bet you can. Just be sure to wrap them tightly so them don’t absorb too much moisture. 🙂