New Year’s Eve was really, really easy this year.
We made no major plans.
The week before we decided to stay in for the night, just chill and munch the night away on tiny bites. Hubby requested cheesecake and the girls only requested silly string, sparklers and groovy hats. Too easy. I decided to try out a new crust from my “try” files, you know the file that just keeps getting bigger and bigger each month. A easy crust to pull together, easy to work with and loaded with great flavor. Easy really easy, following the pattern of my post yet? A warm thanks to Stella from Witchy Kitchen and her Cauldron Boy.
This crust is gluten free, loaded with oatmeal, pecans, dates and peanut butter. The recipe is for a one 9 inch pie crust. Stella featured her crust with her Vegan Sweet Potato Pie. Enjoy! Sweet Life!
Gluten Free Pecan and Oat Crust
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans
6 dates
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp cold water
Place pecans in food processor and break down to a very coarse meal.
Add oats and pulse a few time until they become part of the meal.
Then add the dates, oil and peanut butter.
Pulse until combined (the mix will be dry).
Add water and pulse once or twice.
Pour mixture into a pie pan and press until even and going up the sides of the pan (start from the middle and move out).
Place in fridge until ready to fill.
I used mini tart shells and made about 12, fill with quick cheesecake mix and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, allow to come to room temp and place in fridge, top with topping of your choice.
Quick cheesecake mix
1 – 8oz pkg of cream cheese at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
combine cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
Add egg and lemon juice and mix well.
Add to your crust.
Yummy and cute! I love the gluten free crust… the cheese cake filling sounds like the perfect match 🙂
I’ve been using a lot of almond flour to bake gluten-free lately, but it’s getting pricy, diluting it with oats might be a good way to save a little dough.
Your New Year’s Eve sounds like MY New Year’s Eve! Super chill, low stress, delicious dessert. What more could a girl want?
These mini pastries look so beautiful and the crust sounds fabulous! Of course I cannot resist pecans; I could eat pecans every single day!
Happy Thursday!
The crust sounds so incredibly delicious! Oats gives such a nice flavor to baked goods… and peanut butter? You said the magic word for me!
Petit Fours. Bite-sized. Delicious……………welcome to 2011, may it be full of delectable bites, lots of learning, food culture revealed and love….lots of it. Take care
Oooh…I love that crust. The crust is different and I’m sure it’s more delicious…healthier, too. I’m bookmarking this to try. Thanks very much to you and Stella for sharing this lovely recipe.
The crust sounds excellent with pecans and dates, wonderful that it is gluten free!
This looks so wonderful! I have a good friend who can’t eat gluten, and I’m always on the hunt for some new recipes for her. This sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing this sweetness! I hope you have a wonderful end of your week.
Yup! I know THAT file – I have three of them, bursting at the seams 😛 LOL
This sounds yummers! Love pecans and oats, and though I’ve never intentionally done gluten free (lucky are we, to be able to eat most anything) I am not immune to the charms of these little beauties!
I like the way you do New Year’s 😉
Hope you’re having a great one Bonnie!!
i play with vegan and gluten-free a lot. Partyly because I can and partly to be able to cook for loved ones with allergies. I love the sweet, quick bites – perfect for the best New Year – at home with family. And it has dates in it – wow!
lately i try to use nuts in my cooking, your crust comes in handy. thanks for sharing.
hope you’ll have a wonderful day
Super yummy! Glad you made something from your “file”… I know that file…mine has its own shelf! Happy New Year and Happy Cooking in 2011!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe and Happy New Year.
No plan is a good plan! 🙂
These must have tasted heavenly! Love the oat crust!
great looking little tarts – bite size!!! nice crust with the pecans… that is the way I like to spend NY’s eve only this year, I had a house full…
Oh they look delightful!!!! Perfect size for a scrumptious bite!
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
sounds like a fun new year and lovely crusts
Happy New year
love Rebecca
This recipe looks great! I just have to find some tart shell forms. Were those disposable shells that turned inside out to release?
I know what you mean about the file for recipes to try. I think I’m up to three files now!
Kathleen
@Cooking in Mexico – Kathleen…the tart shells I used were stainless steel, I purchased them at a rest supply store…the crust releases easily..I “popped” the shells out with help of a toothpick,
bonnie
Adorable! Personal / individual desserts are fun, but mini desserts are even better. Love how easy that crust comes together, too.
Bonnie!!! I have been so curious about your name for so long, and you never use it! Bonnie!
Love the photos, and LOVE Stella and her wonderful recipes. This sounds and looks utterly divine. (We played scrabble and had SO much fun enjoying such a simple pleasure New Year’s Eve!)
🙂
valerie
Bonnie, these sweet little cheesecakes look fantastic! I usually do not have great luck with gluten free baking, so I’m glad to here Stella’s recipe was a success. She’s got way with healthy desserts! 🙂
My sister made little mini cheesecake tarts for Christmas! They were so good, but they would have been better with a nuttier crust like this!
This looks delicious and healthy bake! Would love to bake it soon with walnuts and oats.
Yummie, that a nice crust…I think I can have the plain crust…but I am sure that he cream cheese filling makes the little tarts even tastier 🙂 Happy New Year!
These look delightful…love Stella too 🙂
NOM NOM NOM – sweetlife – you gotta share some with me. after looking at the first picture – I’m craving for some. Looks delicious and wonderful.
Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
Hey Bonnie! I’m so glad you liked the crust. It’s my own made up recipe, so that makes me feel really happy. Plus, I always worry about posting super healthful recipes like this one. I usually like them a lot, but I wonder if my palate isn’t trained to accept flavors and textures that might be considered not so, well, wonderful by most. I grew up eating rabbit food, hence I sometimes doubt my judgement (smile). Anyway, I’m really happy to have your approval:-) Oh, and your little tarts look wonderful. Lemon cheesecake would really hit the spot right now actually.
p.s. my ‘try’ files are huge! I really need to make myself post twice a week using one of my recipes and one ‘try’ recipe. Yeah…
Bonnie…I’m always experimenting with gluten free recipes and it pleases me so much when other Foodies succeed at this type of recipe. It’s for sure that my next pie crust will have to be this one…how could it not ;O)
Here’s wishing you and your loved ones the very best this newest year has to offer.
Ciao for now and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Oh, this looks so yummy! Isn’t Stella the best? I want to try this too, but I don’t have those adorable little pie tins so I’d have to make a huge pie. Happy new year! 🙂
It must taste delicious! What a great flavor combo.
Cheers,
Rosa
I know many a folk who would LOVE these!!!!!!!!!!!!