Make this vegan cherry pie with a no-bake coconut chocolate crust when you’re craving a nourishing summer treat. It’s gluten free and paleo ~ healthy enough to eat for breakfast, and delicious enough to eat for dessert!
Who wants a vegan cherry pie for breakfast?? These gluten-free, Paleo MINI Cherry Pies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast yet decadent enough to eat for dessert!
It’s Recipe ReDux time again, and in honor of this month’s theme, Pie Love, I thought it would be fun to showcase all those luscious cherries my family and I have been noshing on recently.
And, if you’re like me, what other ingredient pops to mind when you think of cherries??
Why, chocolate of course!
Right?
Like the infamous chocolate covered cherries that show up in almost every box of chocolates.
Personally, I’m not a fan, because they’re usually super sticky sweet, and kinda’ messy…
BUT, chocolate and cherries CAN be a match made in heaven, especially when paired together with macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, hemp seeds, a hint of maple syrup, and, a dollop of fresh coconut whipped cream, like in these vegan cherry pies. You in???
Are Cherries a Superfood? | The Health Benefits of Cherries
- Rich in anthocyanins & polyphenols, sweet cherries really are a superfood! New research suggests polyphenols might also contribute to a healthy gut microbiota~stay tuned for more!
- Sweet cherries are a good source of potassium which is important for blood pressure and heart health.
- Cherries are also rich in skin-loving antioxidants vitamins A & C, making this vegan cherry pie a delicious way to get your glow on!
And, these vegan cherry pies are good for you because they’re made with fresh, sweet cherries and some other good reasons to eat these cherry pies for breakfast…
Nutrition 101 | Why You Should Eat Vegan Cherry Pie for Breakfast
- You can enjoy 1 full serving of super healthy sweet cherries in each mini tart.
- 6 grams of microbiome friendly fiber in each serving-not bad for pie!
- Rich in heart-healthy MUFA’s from the macadamia nuts, plus you also get some omega-3’s from the hemp hearts.
- Cocoa/cacao powder is rich in antioxidants and may help promote healthy aging & improved cognitive function.
Quick Tip!
If you’ve got kids home for the summer, why not enroll them in “Cherry Pitting University” and let them do the messy work? P.S. I don’t want to scare you away from cherry pitting-it’s really not that messy! P.P.S. My kids are for hire!!
Or, you can buy your own, like this pretty red cherry pitter from Oxo. If you like cherries as much as I do, I’m sure you’ll put it to good use!
Are you ready to make some vegan cherry pie??? Let’s get started!
Vegan Cherry Pie w/ Coconut Chocolate Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Pie
- 4 cups raw sweet cherries, de-stemmed & pitted
- 14 ounces coconut milk, full-fat, well-chilled
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- cacao nibs, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Place macadamia nuts, cocoa powder, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and sea salt in a food processor bowl, and process until nuts are finely chopped and mixture is well combined. Divide mixture evenly, and press in to 4 individual mini pie/tart dishes. Chill in refrigerator until ready to be filled.
- Wash cherries, discard stems, and removed pits with a cherry pitter. Set aside while you whip the coconut cream.
- Separate coconut liquid from thick coconut cream, and place the thick cream in a chilled mixing bowl.* Using a hand mixer, whip coconut cream, ~5-8 minutes, until it is the consistency of whipped cream, then mix in vanilla extract and remaining 1 teaspoon of maple syrup.
- Remove mini pies/tart crusts from the refrigerator, divide cherries in to 4 equal servings, and place on top of crusts. Top each tart with 1-2 tablespoons whipped coconut cream, and sprinkle optional cacao nibs on top. Serve immediately, or chill in refrigerator until ready to eat.
Notes
- The amount of coconut whipped cream you end up with depends upon how much thick coconut cream is in your can. My can had very little, so I only ended up with ~ 6 tablespoons total. If you end up with more coconut whipped cream, save it in the fridge to enjoy on top of something else, or top your mini pies with a little bit more!
- If you’re on the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet feel free to substitute the fresh cherries for blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a combination of all 3, which would be equally delicious!
Nutrition
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