No Bake Pumpkin Bites

February 12, 2013 by ellepottsie 2 Comments

I am really sharing this recipe at an odd time of the year. Pumpkin season has long passed, but I just couldn’t resist bringing it back to make these tiny, tasty treats. Luckily, pumpkin puree is quite easy to find year round at most natural food stores so you can make these no bake pumpkin bites too! Oh and they are healthy – not that you could tell by tasting them.

No Bake Pumpkin Bites

Recipe from: Cara’s Cravings

Ingredients

Crust:
1 lightly packed cup cooking dates
2/3 cup raw pecan (or walnut) halves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Filling:

2 tbsp coconut butter (not oil) at room temperature
1/2 cup 100% cooked pumpkin puree at room temperature
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine nuts, dates and cinnamon. You may want to put the dates in first and pulse a bit to chop them. Process until mixture becomes crumbly which should take about a minute. Remove from food processor.
2. In a bowl, combine coconut butter and pumpkin puree. Make sure that both are at room temperature – if not the coconut butter will become too solid and will not mix well. If this happens, microwave the mixture for no more than 20 seconds.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pumpkin and coconut butter mixture and stir until it is very smooth.
4. Divide the crust evenly among 12 cups of a mini muffin tin.
5. Using a wet finger press the crust into the tin and make an indentation in each.
6. Fill each indentation with the pumpkin filling.
7. Place the muffin tin in the fridge for at least two hours or until firm.

Just a warning. These little bites are extremely stubborn to remove from the muffin tin. I found the best method to coerce them out was to use a toothpick to loosen them around the outer edge, then pop them out. As long as they are firm they will not fall apart.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Happy [no] baking!

xo Lauren