“Hooray, pomegranates are back in season!” said my 4 year-old son when he saw the juicy seeds on his breakfast plate. I feel the same way, Buddy. Good things come in small packages. I love stirring pomegranate seeds into my morning yogurt, sprinkled on a spinach salad or as part of a dessert like these Wonderful No Bake Pistachio, Pomegranate & Chocolate Squares. Before, I rant and rave about the nutritional benefits of pomegranates, let me be clear, this is a chocolate-forward dessert. It’s not light, it’s rich, but it does have a nutritional kick. The crust includes dates and nuts, and the filling has flavonoid-rich unsweetened cocoa powder.
Pomegranate Power: No Bake Chocolate Pomegranate Squares
Like grapes, pomegranates’ deep garnet color is a sign that the fruits are loaded with polyphenols like resveratrol and anthocyanins. These powerful antioxidant compounds can help your heart, but that’s not all: Research suggests that they might also boast cancer-fighting properties.
Pomegranate seeds, or arils as they are also called, can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. To seed a whole pomegranate, quarter and then submerge it in a large bowl of water. Under the water, use your fingers to pry out the individual arils, leaving behind the pith. Watch out for errant sprays of red juice!
Watch Jennifer make her dessert on Show Me St. Louis!
Holiday Hacks!
And, if you’re looking for a good holiday hack, I was able to shave off 20 minutes of prep time by using pre-seeded Wonderful Pom Poms pomegranate arils & Wonderful No Shells Lightly Roasted Pistachios.
This holiday hack is especially valuable for those of you who manage to keep beautiful holiday hands (not me)! These pre-prepped ingredients keep your hands from getting stained pink and chipped-free polish from pistachio shelling.
Easy, Low-Maintenance + Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free
In addition to these no bake chocolate pomegranate squares being a super easy recipe, they’re also a great option for a holiday party. More often than not, we need to be aware of guests with allergies/intolerances, and these no bake chocolate pomegranate squares are gluten, dairy and egg-free. I can guarantee you will receive many generous thank you’s for bringing this delicious dessert that many can enjoy.
Happy holidays to you, our dear friends!
No Bake Chocolate, Pomegranate & Pistachio Squares
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Ingredients
- 1 c. pitted dates
- 1 c. Wonderful no shells pistachios lightly salted (plus 1–2 T. to crush for topping)
- pinch of salt
- 1½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 c. maple syrup or honey
- 3/4 c. coconut oil
- 1 t. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 t. cayenne pepper
- 1 c. pomegranate seeds (~1 pomegranate) or 1 container Wonderful PomPoms
Instructions
- Place pitted dates, pistachios and salt into food processor. Blend until mixture is ground finely and holds together when pressed.
- Pour mixture out into a 9 x 13 greased baking pan
- Firmly press crust mixture evenly up the sides and bottom of the pan. Place into the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cocoa powder, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together until well blended and smooth. Fold in pomegranate arils.
- Pour filling into chilled crust and smooth the top with spatula. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, crushed walnuts and pistachios over the top of the filling. Place tart into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, or until filling and crust is firm.
- Cut cooled dessert into squares. Serve right away or return to the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated and let stand 5–10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 188
- Sugar: 17.3 g
- Sodium: 129.3 mg
- Fat: 11.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg