Harry Potter’s Mini Vegan Treacle Tarts with a Gluten-Free Option

I can’t lie to you, today’s recipe for these Mini Vegan Treacle Tarts really isn’t that healthy. 

However, if you have non-vegans over for a Halloween or Harry Potter pastry these once in a while treats will open their hearts to try other vegan goodies.

But I Want A Healthy Fall Dessert Recipe!

If you are just here looking for a healthy fall dessert, I’d recommend trying a pecan pumpkin shake.

The shake can use the sweetener of your choice and it has no added oil.

My pumpkin gingerbread muffins or air fryer mug carrot cake are also perfect treats with no added oil.

Why Call These Harry Potter’s Vegan Treacle Tarts?

If you are new here you might not know how obsessed with Harry Potter I am.

Be sure to check out my Pumpkin Juice Recipe and my Pumpkin Burger Recipe for photos from our visit to the wizarding world. 

I had a Harry Potter dinner party where these delectable little tarts were featured as dessert.

You have here treacle tarts mentioned all through the Harry Potter books, and they are even better than I expected.

I made these for my Harry Potter Halloween dinner and my friend made the vegan treacle tart ice cream above to go with it!

What is the difference between molasses and treacle?

Treacle and molasses may both be by-products of the sugar refining process. The two syrups have different properties which make it easy to choose which to use where.

Molasses is usually darker than treacle, known for having a strong, bittersweet flavor, while treacle comes in a variety of shades from light to dark brown and is sweeter.

Though there is black treacle that is more similar to molasses, while golden syrup is lighter and is more concentrated for sweetening.

What the Heck is Golden Syrup?

It’s a sticky sweetener made with cane sugar that’s used mostly in UK recipes.

You could try using light agave nectar, but honestly, it’s the special golden syrup that makes this dessert so wonderful. I recommend trying to find it, even if you buy it online.

You can use coconut nectar or maple syrup as a refined sugar-free option, but you may have to play with the amount.

The texture and weight are similar to corn syrup that Americans use in pecan pie.

How is treacle different from lyele’s golden syrup?

Golden syrup is actually the lightest colored treacle and is much sweeter than black treacle.

Treacle is the English name for any syrup made during the refining of sugar cane.

That means that treacle, black treacle, molasses, and golden syrup are treacles.

Can you use maple syrup instead of treacle?

You sure can! If you’d rather use a less refined sweetener, pure maple syrup is a winner.

But if you are out of maple syrup and have some golden syrup – you can swap them too. Try golden syrup on pancakes – yum!

What Do Treacle Tarts Taste Like?

They are very sweet, in a pecan pie sort of way, but the lemon lifts them up to a fancier and more sophisticated bite.

I plan to keep making them mini-sized to help me not eat too much in one sitting.

The shortbread crust makes a snap when you bite it and is a perfect compliment.

What Is the Crust Made Out of?

The shortcrust pastry for the tarts is made with unbleached flour and vegan butter, though you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour and coconut oil if you’d prefer.

How do you make gluten-free pastry?

Just substitute your favorite gluten-free vegan baking mix or gluten-free pie crust mix.

If you use the crust mix, just follow the instructions on the packet and use the filling recipe in this post.

Can I Make Treacle Tarts Oil-Free?

You’d be hard-pressed to make these oil-free, but you could make a date nut crust and then add the filling.

It won’t be exactly the same, but if you are avoiding oil it will still be worth it!

What ingredients do you need?

For the crust, you need some flour and I recommend unbleached flour. But you could sub whole wheat pastry flour to make this a little healthier, gluten-free baking mix or other gluten free flours to make this gluten-free.

You’ll also need some vegan powdered sugar, salt, some vegan butter or coconut oil, and possibly a little water.

To make this filling you’ll need golden syrup or maple syrup, a lemon for both juice and lemon zest, and some rolled oats.

I use ground rolled oats in place of the traditional British treacle tart fine breadcrumbs.

Note: If you are making the gluten-free treacle tart option make sure that the oats are clearly marked gluten-free.

How do I make vegan treacle tarts?

Oil mini springform, mini tart pan, tart tin, or line mini muffin tins with baking liners.

Add the dry crust ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Then add the vegan butter and cut in using 2 knives or a pastry cutter.

Mix in 3 tablespoons of the water. If the dough isn’t sticky enough to hold together add more water a tablespoon at a time until it is.

Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Once cold, cut into quarters and leave all but the one you are working in the fridge, wrapped in plastic until you are ready to work with it.

Roll one-quarter of the dough out on a floured cutting board, and use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut even shapes that are a fit for the mini-pans you are using. Press in prepared pans. Repeat until all dough is used.

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and set aside until the crusts are golden brown.

Once the pastry bases are cool, add a heaping tablespoon (more or less depending on the size of your pans) to the bottom of the crust. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is set. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is set.

More vegan fall recipes to make

• Recipe Roundup: Vegan Thanksgiving Pies
• Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Pie in a Mashed Potato Crust
• Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu
• Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream
• Creepy Bats and Cats Chocolate Graham Crackers from The Ghoulish Gourmet
• Spooky Skull Vegan Pot Pies for a Haunted Halloween Dinner
• Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Juice Recipe
• Swamp Monster Slow Cooker Jackfruit Gumbo

Harry Potter Mini Trecale Tarts – with Gluten-Free Option

Kathy Hester

This is my version of a traditional English dessert. It usually has white breadcrumbs as part of the filling, but I used rolled oats minced in my food processor instead. It makes it a little healthier. Golden syrup can be found in the import section of a large grocery store, World Market, or online.

4.64 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine English, vegan

Servings 24 mini pies

Calories 119 kcal

Ingredients

  

.5x1x1.5x2x3x

Crust Ingredients

• 1½ cups unbleached flour ,can sub gluten-free baking blend or pie crust blend
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ cup vegan butter or sub coconut oil
• 4 to 5 tablespoons water

Filling Ingredients

• 1 cup golden syrup
• the zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup rolled oats pulsed until small in your food processor

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and oil mini springform pans or line mini muffin tins with baking liners.
• Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl and mix well. Then add the vegan butter and cut in using 2 knives or a pastry cutter.
• Mix in 3 tablespoons of the water. If the dough isn’t sticky enough to hold together add more water a tablespoon at a time until it is.
• Form a ball with the dough and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Once cold, cut into quarters and leave all but the one you are working with, in the fridge until you are ready to work with it.
• Roll one-quarter of the dough out on a floured cutting board, and use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut even shapes that are a fit for the mini-pans you are using. Press in prepared pans. Repeat until all dough is used.
• Lightly poke holes in the bottom of each crust and bake for 10 minutes without the filling. This will set up the crust for the second baking.
• Mix all the filling ingredients together well and set aside until the crusts are ready and cool to the touch.
• Once the crusts are cool, add a heaping tablespoon (more or less depending on the size of your pans) into each crust. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is set.

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSodium: 32mgPotassium: 21mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 1.1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.2mg

Keyword gluten-free trecale tart, Harry Potter recipes, treacle tart, vegan tart, vegan trecale tart

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!