Vegan Butter Tarts with Coconut Bac’n

Quite some time ago, I was gifted a recipe and ingredients to bake butter tarts, a Canadian Dessert, quite similar to pecan pie. I have kept that recipe safe in a binder for years now, and while I no longer use the same recipe (it contained eggs and dairy),  I do still think of the woman who shared her recipe with me, every time I bake butter tarts. I have revised my recipe many times over, and while this recipe for vegan butter tarts contains some added coconut bac’n, the base of my vegan butter tarts is always the same: tart shells filled with vegan butter, brown sugar, cornstarch, maple syrup, walnuts, and raisins or dried currants. 

After deciding to make homemade coconut bacon today, I was inspired to make a dessert with coconut bacon, something super sweet that could use a hint of smoke and salt. My two contenders were: Maple Walnut Ice Cream with coconut bacon, or vegan butter tarts with coconut bacon… Butter tarts came out on top, as it was a  rainy morning that really inspired me to do some baking. 

Ingredients in Vegan Butter Tarts with Coconut Bacon

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 This recipe makes approximately one dozen butter tarts, so you can purchase dairy-free tart shells in the freezer section of your grocery store, or you can follow the recipe below to make your own tart shells. I prebake the shells for ten minutes to prevent the shells from being soggy or under baked by the time the filling is done.   

If you want to make this recipe soy-free, use a soy-free vegan butter for the crust and filling. I have used both Earth Balance butter and Miyokos butter in my butter tarts and both have turned out well.    

Smoky Maple Coconut Bac’n is a recipe that you can make on your own with large flaked coconut and a few other ingredients. You can find the recipe here. You can also purchase Coconut Bac’n in the vegan isle of some grocery stores. If you don’t have any coconut bacon, you can omit it from the recipe all together, but if you still want the extra smoky salty flavor, you can add a drop or two of liquid smoke to the filling, and sprinkle the top of each tart with sea salt.   

Yield: 12 Tarts

Vegan Butter Tarts with Coconut Bacon

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These Vegan Butter Tarts are made with homemade tart shells and filled with walnuts and vegan coconut bac'n flavored flakes.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Tart Shells

• 2 Cups Flour  
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
• 1/2 Cup Cold Water

Filling

• 3/4 Cup Vegan Butter
• 2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1/2 Cup Smoky Maple Coconut Bac'n
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1/2 Cup Raisins

Instructions

1. Prepare tart shells: Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut in the vegan butter until it becomes the size of small peas.
4. Stir in the cold water.
5. Knead approximately 10 - 15 times, just until the dough is smooth and uniform.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is approximately 1/8" thick (approximately 2 - 3mm)
7. Cut into large circles approximately 4" in diameter.
8. Press the dough circles in to the cups of a muffin tin.
9. Bake for 10 minutes.
10. Prepare Filling: Cream together the butter, brown sugar, cornstarch, and maple syrup.
11. Mix in the walnuts, coconut bac'n, and walnuts.
12. Fill each tart shell with the filling.
13. Bake the tarts at 350° F for 20 minutes, until the edges of the tart shells are golden brown.
14. Let cool.

Notes

If you don't have any coconut bac'n, you can omit it from the recipe all together, but if you still want the extra smoky salty flavor, you can add a drop of liquid smoke to the filling, and sprinkle the top of each tart with sea salt.   

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 216mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g

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