(Note: this post was originally published on June 22, 2021. The date above reflects migration to the new platform.)
Imagine your ideal dessert. Does it involve chocolate chip cookies? What about a creamy, dreamy mousse? And maybe some colorful summer berries? Now imagine that it's also made with nourishing ingredients like oat flour and avocado. If this is sounding pretty darn perfect, then you've come to the right place!
Simply put, this cookie tart is all of my dessert dreams realized. It's crunchy yet creamy; chocolatey yet still light; fresh, colorful, and festive. I can guarantee you that we'll be making this for every special occasion all summer long, but especially July 4th!
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge sucker for a good chocolate chip cookie. They're simply the best. That's why I was thrilled when Meli's Cookies asked to partner with me on a recipe using their wonderful cookie mixes. I'll choose a cookie over a cake or tart 100% of the time, but in this dessert you can have BOTH (!!!) because the tart crust is made out of a chocolate chip cookie crumble. Swoon.
You'll just bake up the cookies, crush them up, and bind them together with some peanut butter (double swoon!) and coconut oil. Easy! Because Meli's Cookies are made with whole foods like oat flour and oats (with no other flour substitutes), this crust is delightfully delicious but also made with wholesome ingredients. Their cookie mixes are certified gluten free, kosher, and preservative free, and the resulting cookies are surprisingly protein-rich. You can find these great mixes at thousands of retailers nationwide!
Next up is the filling. Because I wanted to create a dessert that would be good for the body as well as the soul, the chocolate mousse filling gets its wonderful richness from avocados! If you've never tried an avocado dessert before, please keep an open mind! The chocolate covers up the avocado flavor completely, and the texture is creamier than any traditional pudding or mousse out there. I promise you'll be smitten.
Because the filling is just avocados (make sure they're ripe!!), cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, vanilla, and a bit of maple syrup, it comes together quickly using a food processor. Like the crust, it's made with real food ingredients. (Hint: bookmark this recipe and make the avocado mousse any time you want a rich, chocolatey treat. It's dynamite just piped into cute serving dishes with berries on top.)
And finally the fruit! I used dragonfruit and strawberries cut into stars as well as blueberries, since I really wanted a red, white, and blue July 4th vibe. The end result is really unique and festive! But you can easily use whatever berries you love, or any fruit that pairs well with chocolate. I bet a raspberry version of this for Valentine's Day would be a masterpiece.
Even though this tart looks fancy, there's absolutely nothing tricky about this recipe. If you can make cookies from a box, then you can make this tart!
Even though there's nothing hard about this tart, it does require a number of different steps and some waiting time. Fortunately, it's make-ahead friendly and quite flexible! I even tested it a few different ways to give you as many options as possible. Because it's so make-ahead friendly, this is a great dessert for entertaining.
For the crust, you can make the cookies in advance and freeze them. Or, make the whole crust, carefully slide it into a big freezer bag, and freeze the whole thing. Either works great, but the latter will make your life even easier. The crust can stay in the freezer for as long as a couple weeks, so make it whenever you have some free time and it will be ready to go.
For the mousse, you can make it up to a day ahead of time. Then you can either fill the tart right before serving, or fill the tart and then chill it overnight. I recommend the overnight chill for easier cutting and minimal effort. Or, you can fill the tart crust and freeze the whole thing! The make-ahead options really are endless here.
You can even cut the fruit in advance! Just store it in a sealed container for up to a day. The only time-sensitive piece is that you'll want to add the fruit to the tart right before serving; otherwise, any extra fruit juice could make the mousse look messy.
Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
Isn't this tart dreamy? The combination of crunchy cookies and creamy mousse is absolute heaven, and I love that it seems so fancy but is secretly easy. Everything about this dessert is begging to be invited to your next summer party.
I'm so excited about this recipe. Summer is definitely the time for celebrations and festive desserts, and this one is so perfect for July 4th. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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Disclosure: This recipe has been developed through a paid partnership with Meli's Cookies. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
This summery tart pairs creamy dreamy avocado mousse with a crunchy chocolate chip cookie crust. It's perfect for all your summer gatherings, and especially July 4th!
For the Crust
For the Mousse
For the Topping
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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