This no bake Healthy Chocolate Tart is my most requested recipe because it’s so decadent with deep chocolate flavor. It’s also super easy to make and naturally gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and paleo! This simple dessert is easily made ahead which makes it perfect for dinner parties, birthdays, and holidays.
Envision a sticky, chocolate cookie dough crust with a satin smooth chocolate filling.ย This no-bake wonder of a tart has been a long-time favorite in our house and one of our oldest recipes ever published.
It’s back again with new photos and all the tips and tricks I’ve learned in 10 years of making this recipe. So if you haven’t made this one yet, add it to your ‘must-make’ list right away.
And I mean… just look at that filling. It looks amazingly fudge-y, and it’s everything you might think. Ultra smooth mousse-like deliciousness. The word luscious comes to mind.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pecans – I use pecans specifically because they’re a great flavor pairing with chocolate. But you can use cashews in place of this or try unsweetened coconut flakes instead. I’ve also had readers write in to say they’ve had success with sunflower seeds as well. I’ve tried this recipe with walnuts, but they tend to be too oily.
- Cocoa Powder – this is what brings all the deep chocolate flavor! I’ve been using Nativas and Dagoba which both have great flavor.
- Maple Syrup – I love using Grade A amber pure maple syrup because it has a lighter maple syrup flavor which is perfect in this chocolate tart.
- Avocado – This is what makes up the base of the chocolate tart filling. And don’t worry about ‘avocado flavor’ in the final product. I’ve fed this tart to avocado haters and they’ve never known there was avocado in this!
- Vanilla Extract – I add vanilla to the crust and the filling because it enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Coconut Oil – This is essential to the silky texture of the filling, and it adds to the flavor of the filling perfectly.
How to make this Healthy Chocolate Tart recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by adding all the ingredients for the chocolate filling to a food processor and blend until completely smooth.
Scrape the filling out into a medium-sized bowl and return the food processor bowl to the base to make the crust. (No need to wash the food processor in between the filling and the crust.)
Tip: for an extra chocolatey filling, melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips and add it to the food processor with the filling.
Step 2: refit the bowl back on the base and process the nuts and cocoa for the crust.ย Check out the above photo for the texture you want to see before adding maple syrup to the crust.
Step 3: Lin the tart pan with plastic wrap and pat the chocolate crust mixture evenly into the 9-inch tart pan.
Step 4: Finally, spread the filling over the crust, and voila, chocolate decadence.ย Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 4-6 hours or overnight.
Tip: This tart really is better after it’s been refrigerated, it needs the time to chill to bring out the chocolate flavors.
Ways to serve this
- Topped with Homemade Whipped Cream or Coconut Whipped Cream.
- Add berries when they’re in season. Fresh raspberries are our favorite, but strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are really good as well as pitted fresh cherries.
- When berries aren’t in season, try my Berry Sauce recipe instead which is made from frozen berries.
FAQ’s
One main difference is a tart is shorter in depth than a pie at around 1 – 1.5 inches deep where most pies are 2.5 – 3 inches. Also, a tart only has a bottom crust which is much thicker than a pie crust.
This chocolate tart will last 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
I recommend using dates in place of maple syrup only in the crust because they’re not smooth enough for the filling. 10-12 Medjool dates are usually enough to sweeten the crust.
Tips & Tricks
- If you want to cut down the sweetener in this tart, cut back in the crust. If the crust isn’t coming together with less sweetener, add just a touch of water until it is like cookie dough.
- You can sub in dates for the syrup in the crust. I’ve used Medjool dates for the crust sweetener with great results. And dates really are a great variation because they add a caramel-like flavor to the crust.
- I wouldn’t cut back the sweetener in the filling because you really don’t want to taste the avocado – just the sweet chocolatey-ness!
- Flavor Tip: for an extra chocolatey filling, melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and add it to the food processor with the filling.
I really hope you enjoy this Healthy Chocolate Tart. It’s become a family classic over the last 10 years, and I know it will be a hit for you too! If you do make this tart, I hope youโll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here.
Healthy Chocolate Tart
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Filling:
- 2 avocados - not over-ripe, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil - room temperature
Tart Crust:
- 4 cups pecans - unsalted, not toasted
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Toppings:
- fresh berries
- Whipped Cream or Coconut Whipped Cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line a 9โ removable bottom tart pan with plastic wrap.
- Place the ingredients for chocolate filling in a food processor fitted with chopping blade and process until smooth. Scrape the filling into a bowl and set it aside.
- Fit the bowl and blade back onto the food processor (no need to clean the bowl in between). Place all ingredients for tart crust except maple syrup into food processor.
- Process until fine textured with small bits of pecans. Measure out a 1/4 cup of the crumbs and sprinkle them across the bottom of the tart pan.
- Add the maple syrup to the remaining crumbs and process 1-2 minutes until the tart crust becomes as thick as cookie dough. Pat crust into tart pan.
- Spread the chocolate filling over the crust. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve with your choice of fresh berries and whipped cream.
NOTES
For dessert recipes I use Grade A amber maple syrup, it has a much lighter maple flavor. Regular pancake kind of syrup is Grade B and is darker and richer in maple flavor.
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2013 but has been updated with new photos, tips, and information in 2023.
Hi,
I really wanted to try this but I wanted to make it in tartlet cases. For two tartlets, how much would you recommend to cut the recipe?
Thanks,
Rita
I’m not quite sure what you mean by ‘tartlet cases’ but I’d need to know the dimensions of your tartlet pans to try and help you downsize the recipe. Tartlet pans come in several sizes so let me know which ones you have, and we’ll try and get this figured out! ๐
Hi,
I made this desert yesterday for a dinner party I was having as one of my friends has started the paleo diet. I thought I would be nice and attempt a 3 course meal which would cater for her, but was a bit stumped at what to make for dessert. I found your website and made the above chocolate tart and it was amazing! It was so easy to make and tasted fabulous. What was even better was the fact that it is so light- exactly what is needed after 2 courses; some desserts are so heavy and make you feel a bit sick after, not the case here. The 3 men were a bit concerned when I said it had avocado in the filling but they were totally won over after the first bite! Thank you for this recipe, now to try something else on your website……..
Thanks so much for writing in with your experience, it always makes my day when you can convince someone to eat dessert with avocado in it! If you’re looking for dessert recommendations, I’d try the Chocolate Skillet Cake, Death By Chocolate, or the Chocolate Mousse Brownies, they’re always a hit with anyone I make them for! My husband really love the Coconut Lime Ice Cream and it has avocado in it too! I have too many favorites to decide on one, but a couple of my recents are the Paleo Pineapple Fried Rice and the Sweet Potato Pizza Bites! Hope you continue to enjoy the recipes, and be sure to let me know how the next one goes!
I meant quantity?
When you substituted maple syrup for dates. What quality of dates did you use to make the paste?
Somewhere around 15 medjool dates should be about right for the crust. Since they really vary in size you may need to add more or less – after you pulse the dates and nuts together in the food processor, take a pinch of the crust and taste it to see if it’s sweet enough. From there you can add more dates or continue on with the recipe. It’s way faster and easier to make the crust with maple syrup (and slightly better) but maple syrup can get a bit pricey so dates are a nice way to keep the cost down a bit! Hope you enjoy the recipe, and let me know if you have anymore questions!
Hi, this recipe is awesome! Hope it is okay that I post it on my blog with a few small edits.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, it’s still my husband’s all-time favorite and he asked for it at every occasion! ๐
I’m making this beautiful tart for our son-in-law’s birthday dinner tonight. It’s going to be absolutely wonderful. Couple of observations: the avocados definitely flavored the filling so I melted about ยผ cup dark chocolate and added to the filling. That took away the avocado taste. And, the crust! It’s amazing!!! You could make cookie balls with just the crust and keep in the freezer. I saved some out for the birthday boy and our daughter ๐
Thank you for your tip about the melted chocolate!!! I’ve noticed the ‘taste’ from the avocado is only there when my avocados are a bit overripe because they have a stronger flavor. So glad you enjoyed it! ๐
This sounds so yummy!! Can’t wait to try it. On another note, I lived in central Montana for 30 years, and the Flathead Valley is beautiful. Now I live in So. Cal.
I love it here in Montana, it’s such a great place to live! Hope you enjoy the chocolate tart. ๐
This looks so amazing! I can’t believe how smooth and creamy it looks. I am definitely going to be making this soon!
It’s definitely silky smooth and almost buttery in texture!
Made this with tiny changes! awesome. Thanks for posting
Glad you liked it! It’s a go-to recipe for any kind of celebration around here!
OMG! I just finished making this tart and I can’t wait to share it with my family. Tastes and looks yummy! Thank you so much.
Glad to hear all went well! It’s still our #1 favorite dessert around here!