Don’t let a name like “Mini Acorn Squash Tarts” scare you away! This is hands down the most delicious way I’ve ever incorporated vegetables into a desert. Acorn squash is subtly sweet while also packing in some serious Vitamin C & fiber. Adding a small puree into a perfectly nutty crust just works. Oh, there’s orange zest in here too… hello holiday’s!

I’ve always wanted to “healthify” a dessert for Thanksgiving, but pumpkin and apple pie just didn’t seem right this year. My mom’s apple pie is not something I want to mess with! Sometimes you just crave the way mom makes it. I went off the beaten path for these mini acorn squash tarts, and I’m so glad I did. Mom will be proud, I hope! 😊

I steer clear of gluten and dairy most of the time, but let me just say, you don’t miss gluten OR dairy in these acorn squash tarts. The way oat and almond flour blend with walnuts is incredible. (Love baking with oat flour? Check out this recipe too.) I recommend a food processor for the crust to get a consistency that binds. You can play around with consistency easily here, make it your own! I’d even encourage you to add additional flavors to the crust if you’re feeling it! Cinnamon or nutmeg could make these even cozier.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Acorn Squash
• Maple Syrup
• Orange Zest
• Oat Flour
• Almond Flour
• Walnuts

First thing you need to do before you go crazy with the food processor is bake your acorn squash. I roasted mine at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. The squash is done when it’s fork tender. Once cooled, scoop out the squash and set aside. (I use an ice cream scoop to get the squash out). Now you can get to the fun part, crust making!

I used a silicone cupcake/muffin mold to shape my mini tarts. You can get this one from Amazon. I prefer to use silicone since it’s easy to pop them out once baked!

Once your tarts are baked they should look a little something like this. The mini tarts should have a bowl like shape ready to fill with acorn squash puree!

Adding your filling! You’re in charge here, add as much or as little as you’d like! You might be surprised, the squash packs a surprisingly strong punch of flavor. I enjoyed adding a dollop to each tart and decorating with pomegranate seeds. Although pomegranate seeds are a labor of love, it’s worth it! Add more fruit for additional color and flavor! I suggest clementines & blueberries if you can find them.

This recipe makes ~12 mini acorn squash tarts. Double it up for a your next holiday party. These really flew in my office.

AuthorAlyssa Keyte