Gluten-Free Mini Cranberry-Walnut Tarts

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We all love cranberry sauce—even the canned stuff! A staple for pairing with savory dishes during the holidays, you probably have one or two left in your pantry.

Use the extra can to make delicious, ready-to-use filling for your next homemade dessert! Try this recipe, which combines oats and toasted walnuts to make press-in tart crusts, using mini muffin pans. You can bake the crusts ahead of time and spoon in a dollop of cranberry sauce before serving. Dress it up with whipped cream, a sprinkle of chopped crystalized ginger or a drizzle of melted chocolate. Serve with a cup of hot cocoa or your favorite cozy warm beverage. 

Homemade Gluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Tart | Vitacost.com/Blog

Makes 12

Ingredients
1 cup Vitacost Organic Walnut Halves
1/4 cup Vitacost Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
1/4 cup Vitacost Brown Rice Flour
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
4 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, room temperature, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 Tbsp. crystalized ginger, chopped into small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat mini muffin tin wells with coconut oil spray.

2. Warm small, heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat (can be cast iron). Add walnuts and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until lightly browned and fragrant.

3. In food processor, pulse walnuts, oats, brown rice flour, salt and cinnamon until coarsely ground. Add butter and maple syrup. Pulse until mixture is slightly sticky.

4. Divide dough into 12 golf-ball-sized pieces. Place 1 ball of dough into each muffin well. Using fingers, press dough into tart shape, leaving a large indent in the middle.

5. Chill tart crusts in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

6. Bake tart crusts for 15-20 minutes until firm and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

7. Gently remove crusts and set aside until ready to fill. Fill each crust with cranberry sauce and top with a sprinkle of chopped crystalized ginger. Arrange on platter and garnish with fresh seasonal fruit if desired.