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Chocolate Raspberry Tarts (paleo & nut free)

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These Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are the perfect special dessert to treat your friends and loved ones. These adorable little tarts are wonderful for Valentine’s Day or as fun bite-sized dessert to top off a nice meal. Dark chocolate cookie cups are filled with a simple but luscious chocolate and raspberry filling. These Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are so easy to make and surprisingly healthier – made with better-for-you ingredients these tarts are paleo-friendly (gluten free, dairy free, grain free), refined sugar free, and nut-free!

What Do These Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tarts Taste Like?

These Healthier Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are the perfect chocolatey and fruity little bites. The tart cups have a crisp exterior with a super fudgy, almost brownie-like, interior, made with cocoa powder so they are wonderfully chocolatey. The chocolate cup is just perfectly sweet to balance the dark chocolate and raspberry filling. The chocolate raspberry filling is wonderfully luscious, rich, and creamy, but does not feel overindulgent. The filling is simply made from dark chocolate, dairy-free milk, and seedless raspberry jam so it can easily be made any time of year. These Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are the perfect balance of dark, sultry, bright, and sweet and sure to impress and delight all the chocolate lovers in your life.

What Ingredients Are Used to Make These Healthy Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tarts?

These Healthy Mini Chocolate and Raspberry Tarts are made with just 11 total real, simple ingredients. They are incredibly delicious while being better-for-you! These tarts are made with no refined sugars, flours, or oils. These Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are paleo-friendly meaning they are gluten, grain, and dairy free. They also happen to be nut-free!

Here’s a rundown of the ingredients and some variations/subs.

  • Coconut Oil – The base fat to make the tart cups dairy free and to give them the perfect fudgy but crispy texture. Use refined coconut oil for a no-coconut flavor.
  • Coconut Sugar – The best granulated sweetener for refined sugar free baking. I use and love Nutiva’s Coconut Sugar for the reasonable pricing and excellent quality.
  • Egg – Acts as the binder for the tarts. As there is only one egg in this recipe I feel confident that an egg replacer, such as a flax egg, would work instead to make these vegan. I have not tested this, so please let me know if you do!
  • Cocoa Powder – I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, but any unsweetened cocoa powder will do. Be sure to use cocoa powder, not cacao powder or cocoa mix as those with drastically affect the outcome of the cookies.
  • Cassava – An unprocessed flour that is gluten, grain, and nut free. I use and love Otto’s.
  • Tapioca Flour – To help thicken the dough without making it too floury.
  • Baking Powder – Leavens the tarts giving them just the right amount of rise.
  • Salt – To bring out the cocoa flavor and balance the sweetness.
  • Dark Chocolate – To make the filling we use dark chocolate chunks or chips. I highly recommend using a good quality chocolate as this is the main ingredient and will determine the quality of the filling. I used Guittard’s Dark Baking Chips. To keep this refined sugar free use your favorite coconut or maple sugar sweetened chips or bar chopped into chunks. Some good options are Hu Chocolate or Eating Evolved.
  • Seedless Raspberry Jam – To give the filling the perfect raspberry flavor, seedless raspberry jam is mixed with the chocolate. This is perfect if you’re making these in the wintertime when good quality raspberries are hard to come by. I used Santa Cruz Organic’s Seedless Raspberry Jam.
  • Dairy Free Milk – To create the creamy ganache-like filling use any dairy free milk you like! I used homemade almond milk. Coconut milk is another great option.

How Do You Make Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets?

These Chocolate and Raspberry Tartlets are adorable, have the perfect wow factor, but are surprisingly easy to make! The dough comes together in a flash and is incredibly easy to roll out. The filling is made with just 3 ingredients and so simple to make. The chocolate and raspberry filling does take a few hours to set completely so be sure to plan ahead! Check out the step-by-step photos below!

Here’s a look at the steps:

  1. Make the tart dough. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Beat together the wet ingredients in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the dry to wet and mix just until a dough forms.
  2. Roll out the dough to just shy of 1/4 inch thick.
  3. Cut out circles. I purchased this 3-piece biscuit cutter set for my Thin Mints recipe last year. For my muffin tin, the smallest 2 inch ring was the perfect size. If you don’t have a ring cutter, use the rim of a small glass or the lid of a small jar. Each mini muffin pan will be a  slightly different size, you want to cut out circles that are a bit larger than the diameter of the muffin tin cavity. Try fitting one dough circle into the mini muffin cup before cutting out all the circles.
  4. Fit the dough circle into the mini muffin tin. Gently fold in two sides of the dough circle and slide it into the mini muffin cavity. Gently press around the bottom and sides of the dough so it forms a cup in the muffin tin. Repeat with all remaining circles.
  5. Re-roll and cut circles until all dough is used. This recipe makes about 20 mini tarts. If you have a mini muffin tin with only 12 cavities, bake one batch, then repeat with remaining dough circles.
  6. Poke tart dough with several holes using a toothpick or small fork. The holes do not need to go all the way through, this step just prevents the tarts from puffing too much.
  7. Bake tartlets. These bake up quickly, in only 10 minutes!
  8. Let tart cups cool slightly.
  9. Make the filling by heating the dairy-free milk and raspberry jam together in a small pot, stirring often, until jam is fully incorporated and mixture is at a gently boil.
  10. Pour hot milk mixture over chocolate chips and mix until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is shiny and smooth.
  11. Fill tart cups with chocolate raspberry mixture. 
  12. Top with a raspberry if desired.
  13. Let chocolate filling set. This will take about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
  14. Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for 2-3 days. Afterwards, move to freezer for longer storage.

These Mini Chocolate and Raspberry Tarts are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day or spoil your loved ones with a delicious (and healthier) whimsical dessert any time of year! These delicious crispy but fudgy tart cups filled with a luscious and creamy raspberry spiked chocolate ganache are made with real, simple ingredients and sure to make you swoon.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut free

Looking for More Valentine’s Day Dessert Ideas? Try Some of These Recipes!

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Healthy Chocolate and Raspberry Tarts

These Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tarts are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day or spoil your loved ones with a delicious (and healthier) whimsical dessert. These tarts take a few hours to set, so be sure to plan ahead. See original post of step-by-step photos.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 20 mini tarts

Ingredients

Tartlet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (73 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (72 grams) cassava flour
  • 1/4 cup (30 grams) tapioca flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup (108 grams) coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup (92 grams) coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 1 egg flax egg or other vegan replacement

Chocolate & Raspberry Filling

  • 5 oz dark chocolate chips or chunks (about 1 cup)
  • 6 tbsp dairy free milk of choice
  • 2 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
  • 20 fresh raspberries optional

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, cassava, tapioca, baking powder, and salt together until no lumps remains and everything is evenly combined.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl if mixing by hand, beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, and egg together until light and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

  4. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry mixture to wet and stir on low just until a dough forms and no floury streaks remain. Scrape down the bowl once more and mix briefly to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed.

  5. Gather the dough into a ball, place on a sheet on parchment paper, and form into a squat rectangle. Place another sheet of parchment paper over the dough and roll the dough into a large rectangle just under 1/4 inch thick.

  6. Use a cookie cutter or rim of a small glass to cut out circles about 2 inches wide. Gently fold in two sides of the dough circle and slide it into a mini muffin cavity pressing the sides and bottom of the dough so it fits snuggly into the tin. If there is air at the bottom of the cup, gently pull one side of the dough off the cavity wall, press the bottom of the dough down to allow any air to release, then shape dough back into a cup.

  7. Re-roll scraps of dough and repeat until all dough is used. This recipe makes about 20 mini cups. If you have a mini muffin tin with only 12 cavities, bake one batch, then repeat with remaining dough circles.

  8. Using a toothpick or a small fork to pierce the tart dough on the sides and bottom of the cups with several small holes.

  9. Bake for 9-10 minutes. The tarts are done when the edges look a bit dark and the tarts have puffed slightly. Tarts will crisp more as they cool so do not worry if they feel a bit soft.

  10. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove tart cups from the tin and transfer to wire rack.

  11. While the tarts cool, make the filling. Place chocolate in a heat-safe bowl or a measuring cup with a spout. In a small pot over a medium flame, heat the dairy-free milk and raspberry jam together, stirring often, until jam is fully incorporated and mixture is gently boiling, about 1 minute. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is shiny and smooth.

  12. Fill tart cups with chocolate raspberry mixture. 

  13. Top with a fresh raspberry if desired.

  14. Let chocolate filling set. This will take about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

  15. Once chocolate is set, enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Storage: These will last up to 2 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Afterwards, move to freezer for longer storage.

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): 3 piece round cookie cutters, mini muffin tin, silicone spatula, kitchen scale, measuring cup with spout

Ingredient Subs/Variations:
To Make Strictly Paleo - Use your favorite maple or coconut sugar sweetened chocolate bar chopped into chunks. Some good options are Hu Chocolate or Eating Evolved.

Cocoa Powder – Use a good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder. Be sure to use cocoa powder, not cacao powder or cocoa mix.

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Healthier Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake (paleo, nut free)

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I have been dreaming up this Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake the second winter ended. Yep, at the first peak of spring, I’m already lusting after all the wonderful summer fruit soon to come and imagining the ways I can incorporate them into some sweet treats. And one of the earliest summer fruit to hit the shelves is the sweet but tart raspberry. I am a firm believer that chocolate and raspberries are as perfectly paired as chocolate and strawberries but gets so much less attention! Don’t get me wrong, chocolate and strawberry is great and will always be a classic. But chocolate and raspberry is so underrated! The deep dark chocolate is the perfect complement to the tart and juicy raspberry. And a light and airy coffee cake with a simple crumble top sounded like the perfect vessel for this combination.

These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cakes are super simple to make but feel so elegant. Like something you would be served at an overpriced brunch that comes with endless mimosas. They are sweet but but don’t feel overindulgent. The coffee cake is packed with fresh raspberries which gives these a distinct tartness that is counterbalanced with a healthy amount of dark chocolate chips. The coffee cake is just perfectly moist and light. Perfect for a breakfast on the go, brunch with friends, or a sweet accompaniment to go with your afternoon coffee or tea.

And if I haven’t convinced you enough, this recipe is a breeze to make! The simple crumble top comes together quickly and the batter is made in just one bowl! Then just stir in the chocolate chips and fresh raspberries, pour into the pan, top with the crumble and into the oven it goes. Fruity chocolately coffee cake goodness ready to to serve in under an hour! Made with just 12 total ingredients that are all paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), contains no refined sugars, and also happens to be nut free!

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut free

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Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cakes are super simple to make but feel so elegant. They are sweet but but don't feel overindulgent. Perfect for a breakfast on the go, brunch with friends, or a sweet accompaniment to go with your afternoon coffee or tea. 

paleo (gluten free/grain free/dairy free), nut free, dairy free

Ingredients

Crumble Top

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil chilled if liquid
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

Cake Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or melted and cooled coconut oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup cassava flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp nut/seed milk
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare square (8 or 9 inch) baking dish by lining with parchment paper and leaving a short overhang over the edges.

  2. Make the crumble by adding all crumble ingredients to a small bowl and mash together with a fork until a wet sand-like texture forms and the coconut oil chunks are no larger than small peas. The crumble should be clumpy and sticks together when pressed. Set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if mixing by hand), make the batter by mixing the coconut sugar, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla until thick and frothy

  4. Next add the cassava flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and sea salt until just fully incorporated.

  5. Add the nut/seed milk and slowly mix into the batter, making sure not to over mix.

  6. Next stir in the chocolate chips. Then, gently fold in the raspberries trying not to smash them.

  7. Turn the batter out into the prepared baking dish and, using a rubber spatula, gently spread into an even layer in the pan.

  8. Sprinkle the crumble all over the top of the batter. Add a few extra raspberries and chocolate chips if you like!

  9. Bake for 43-45 minutes or until top is firm and golden brown, checking for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to remove from the pan and cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Notes

These bars will keep stored in an airtight container for 1 day, 2-3 days if kept in the freezer. Afterwards, move to freezer for longer storage.

If you make this recipe, please feel free to leave a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Raspberry Sugar Cookies (sugar free, paleo)

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Continuing with this weeks theme of red and pink and chocolate, I present to you these Sugar Free Raspberry Sugar Cookies! A very delicious contradiction. 
I love having a good variety of sweet treats ready to go in my freezer because I’m a firm believer in dessert everyday. You better believe that after dinner, there’s SURE to be some kind of healthy treat going down in my house. I try to keep some sugar-free things in my sweet stores to keep my sugar levels in check and this sugarless cookie is probably my favorite one so far!

This is basically a sugar cookie studded with dried raspberries to give it a nice added (natural) sweetness and a bit of tartness too. The cookies are rolled in extra Lakanto to give it a nice little crisp to contrast the chewy center, but that’s totally optional if you want a quicker prep. And, as I’ve said many times (like here and here and here) I love spiking my sweets with some collagen because it adds a little protein and keeps me feeling fuller afterwards and this baked good is no different. I do, however, provide a substitute if you prefer to leave out the collagen. Feel free to swap Lakanto for any other granular sugar you like, when I’m not using Lakanto, I like coconut sugar.

paleo, gluten/grain free, keto, dairy free, low carb

If you make these I’d love to see! Share a pic or comment below or tag a photo on instagram @freshlydafna with #freshlydafna

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Sugar Free Raspberry Cookies

paleo, gluten/grain free, keto, dairy free, low carb

These cookies are the perfect sugar free sweet treat. These sugar cookies are studdend with dried raspberries to give an extra bit of sweetness and a hit of tartness. These are super easy to make and in just one bowl! Feel free to use your favorite granular sugar.

freshlydafna.com

Course Dessert

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Lakanto or coconut sugar, or other sugar free sweetener
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup collagen or sub with additional 4 tbsp almond flour
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup dried raspberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.

  2. In stand mixer or by hand, beat together all the wet ingredients except the vanilla. Once it's well combined and fluffy add the vanilla and mix again.

  3. Add all the dry ingredients (except raspberries) to wet and mix until just well combined.

  4. Stir in raspberries.

  5. Scoop balls of dough and roll in additional Lakanto (optional) and place onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

  6. Bake for 10 mins or until the edges just start to turn golden brown and remove from oven. Let cool on baking sheet 5 mins and then transfer to cooling rack. Cookies will firm up once cooled so be sure not to over bake.

Recipe Notes

Store these in airtight container. These will be stay soft and chewy for a few days. Afterwards move to freezer!

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Paleo Berry Blondie (refined sugar free)

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aka. Red, White, and BLUEBs Blondies

In the spirit of Memorial Day Weekend I created this berry packed blondie! It’s a light and moist blondie (that’s paleo friendly) and bursting with fresh berry flavor! It’s easy to make and SO good you’ll have the pickiest of eaters fooled that this is gluten/grain/dairy free AND has no refined sugars. I will definitely be making this all summer long because it’s just that good. Although I have yet to try it, I suspect that this would be amazing with a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream.  You can easily replace the fresh berries with frozen, just follow the notes in the recipe.

 

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free

If you make this, I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Paleo Berry Blondie

(aka Red, White, and Bluebs Blondies)

paleo (gluten/grain free), dairy free, no refined sugar

I made this recipe in the spirit of Memorial Day but it's SO easy and delicious I will definitely be making this a dessert staple over the summer when fresh berries abound. It's a light but moist blondie bursting with berry flavor. This can easily be made with frozen berries, as well, if you're feeling like some berry action out of season.

Course Dessert

Ingredients

Berries

  • 1/2 cup blueberries well rinsed & dried
  • 1/2 cup raspberries well rinsed & dried
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Wet

  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry

  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup collagen
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp coconut flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 360 (no, that is not a typo) and prepare 8x8 inch baking dish by lining with parchment paper

  2. Place the berries in a small bowl with the coconut sugar and set aside

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl if mixing by hand, beat together all the wet ingredients until it's well combined

  4. Add in the dry ingredients and mix again until everything is just well incorporated

  5. With your hands, or a tablespoon, place small chunks of the batter in the baking dish and add the berries in between the batter chunks pieces

  6. Once all the batter and berries are in the baking dish, take a rubber spatula and press everything into the dish so that everything is evenly distributed in the dish

  7. Bake for 30-33 minutes or until top is golden brown almost all over

  8. Let cool in baking dish for about 10 minutes then lift the blondie out using the parchment paper sides. Let cool a bit more on wire rack to allow for good slicing.

Recipe Notes

You can make this with frozen berries as well, just make sure to bake for at least another 5 minutes. No other alterations need to be made.

Although I have not tried this, I suspect this would be amazing with a healthy scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Any uneaten pieces can be kept in the fridge for a few days.