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Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan)

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Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

A vegan dark chocolate shell envelops a creamy pumpkin and cashew butter filling and crunchy salted pepita brittle. These vegan dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons are the perfect treat for Halloween or any autumnal get-together.

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Originally this post was going to be a savory dish with the sweet potatoes I grew in my garden. But I really wanted to get in one more autumnal treat before Halloween thus these dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons were born! They’re an updated and refined version of a pumpkin truffle I posted on my blog wayyyyy back in 2015. And, they’re a pretty good representation of everything I’m looking for in a Halloween treat: a little dark chocolate, some creamy pumpkin, subtle spices, and a crunchy and salty element.

A bonbon might sound like something incredibly fancy but it’s essentially a confection whose filling is coated in chocolate. While they’re often made in fancy molds, they can also be as simple as a peanut butter cup in a paper wrapper. I don’t own any candy molds so I made mine with some silicone ice cube molds! Each bonbon has a dark chocolate coating, a sweetened pumpkin and cashew butter filling, and a layer of salted pepita brittle.

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

How to Make These Pumpkin Bonbons

  1. First things first, you’ll melt your dark chocolate over a double boiler. You can do this by filling a small pot with an inch of water, nesting a metal or glass mixing bowl on top, then placing the chocolate into the bowl. You’ll bring the water to a simmer and the rising steam will gradually melt the chocolate. This ensures it doesn’t burn!
  2. Coat your candy mold with the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip out. Place the mold in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to harden.
  3. While the chocolate hardens, you’ll make your filling components. For the pumpkin portion, you’ll simply whisk together pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Set this aside, then make the salted pepita brittle. You’ll toast the pepitas in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, you’ll add the maple syrup. Once it thickens and the pepitas clump together, spread them out onto a sheet of parchment and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  4. Time to fill the candy molds! Whisk the pumpkin filling once more before your put it into a piping bag (or a sandwich bag with the tip cut off). Cut the brittle into small pieces (they have to fit into your mold). Fill each chocolate shell with some of the pumpkin filling and top with a few pieces of the brittle. Then, park your filled mold back in the freezer to allow the filling to solidify.
  5. Re-melt your chocolate in the double boiler. Then, carefully pour enough into each mold to cover the filling. Level the chocolate out with a palette knife, then place the mold back in the freezer one last time to let the final layer of chocolate set.
  6. Un-mold your chocolates! Since we didn’t temper the chocolate, it’s best to keep these in the fridge or freezer until you’d like to enjoy one.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Ingredients and Equipment You’ll Need

  • A mold for making your bonbons. I used a silicone ice cube mold but you could also use a mini muffin tin lined with mini muffin cups! Or, if you’re feeling fancy, you can use a traditional bonbon or candy mold like this one.
  • Some basic kitchen equipment you most likely have: a small stock pot, a few metal or glass mixing bowls, a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag, a skillet, a spatula or wooden spoon, parchment paper, a palette knife or butter knife, and a smaller measuring cup with a spout.
  • A couple of vegan dark chocolate bars for the outer shell.
  • Pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a tiny pinch of finely ground sea salt for the creamy filling.
  • Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), maple syrup, and flaky sea salt for the crunchy salted pepita brittle.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Looking for more Halloween-y treats?

Pumpkin is always a great option for Halloween! How about these maple glazed pumpkin scones or these pumpkin cookies with whiskey vanilla glaze? Or if you’re not a pumpkin fan, try these almond shortbread sandwiches with dark chocolate ganache.

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog
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Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bonbons

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  • Author: Courtney West
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

A vegan dark chocolate shell envelops a creamy pumpkin and cashew butter filling and crunchy salted pepita brittle. These vegan dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons are the perfect treat for Halloween or any autumnal get-together. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 ounces vegan dark chocolate
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter
  • 1 pinch finely ground sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 pinches flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Instructions

Set up a double boiler. You can do this by filling a small pot with an inch of water and nesting a metal or glass mixing bowl on top. You don’t want the bowl to touch the surface of the water. Set the double boiler over medium heat. Roughly chop your chocolate, then add it to the bowl. Watch the chocolate and once it starts to melt, stir it every few seconds. Once the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat. 

Pour some of the chocolate into each individual mold, turn it with your hands to help coat each candy mold with the melted chocolate. Invert the candy mold over your bowl of melted chocolate to let the excess drip out. Place the mold in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to harden while you make the filling components.

For the pumpkin filling, whisk together the pumpkin puree, cashew butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of sea salt in a bowl until smooth. Set this aside for now.

Next, you’ll make the salted pepita brittle. Toast the pepitas in a large skillet over medium heat. Make sure to swirl the pepitas around in the pan as they toast so that they don’t burn. Once they’re beginning to turn golden and pop, add the maple syrup. Stir constantly in order to coat all of the pepitas in the syrup. Cook for only 1-2 minutes or until the syrup has thickened and the pepitas are clumping together. Turn the brittle out onto a piece of parchment paper and flatten them into an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the flaky sea salt. Set the brittle aside to fully cool and harden. You can leave it on your counter or place it in the fridge to speed up the process!

Once the brittle has hardened, it’s time to fill your candy molds. Remove your mold from the fridge. Cut the brittle into small pieces (they have to fit into your mold). Then, whisk the pumpkin filling once more before putting it into a piping bag. You can do this with a sandwich bag with the tip cut off. Fill each chocolate shell with some of the pumpkin filling and top with a few pieces of the brittle. Make sure not to overfill the mold with the fillings as you’ll still need room for the final layer of chocolate. Park your filled mold back in the freezer to allow the filling to solidify. It will take about 15-20 minutes for the filling to sufficiently harden before you add the final layer of chocolate.

While the filling hardens, re-melt your chocolate in the double boiler. To finish your bonbons, carefully pour enough chocolate over each mold to cover the filling. Level the chocolate out with a palette knife or the back of a butter knife, then place the mold back in the freezer one last time to let the final layer of chocolate set. 

When you’re ready to enjoy your bonbons, simply un-mold them. Since we didn’t temper the chocolate, it’s best to keep these in the fridge or freezer until you’d like to enjoy one! 

With my mold, I had enough for about 16 large bonbons but this will vary depending on the size of your candy mold. 

Notes

  • I used two and a half 3.2-ounce vegan dark chocolate bars and this was plenty. Feel free to use your favorite vegan dark chocolate bar! I used this one. 
  • If you don’t have a candy mold or silicone ice cube tray, you can do this with a mini muffin tin lined with mini paper liners just like you would if you were making peanut butter cups.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Chilling Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: dessert

Did you make the recipe?

I love to see what you’re making so feel free to tag me on Instagram @courtweststudio!

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (gluten free and vegan)

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Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

These vegan and gluten free pumpkin scones are topped with a maple glaze for a sweet and decadent fall treat. Pumpkin pie spice lends that familiar fall flavor while a sprinkle of toasted and crushed pecans adds nuttiness and crunch.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Remember how I mentioned in this post that I was going to share several new pumpkin and winter squash recipes this season? So far I’ve shared these roasted honeynut squashes with apple fennel slaw and this acorn squash tomato soup with thyme and rosemary. Now it’s time for a little something sweet: maple glazed pumpkin scones!

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

These scones have a healthy dose of pumpkin puree to give them that characteristic earthy pumpkin flavor along with pumpkin pie spice because ’tis the season. To make the scones a little more sweet and decadent, they’re topped with a thick maple syrup glaze. If you want to balance the sweetness of the glaze and add a crunchy texture, you can sprinkle the tops with some crushed toasted pecans before the glaze sets. Overall, these scones are the perfect fall treat, especially with a mug of coffee or tea.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Tips for Making the Best Scones

Similar to biscuits, scones are all about the temperature of your butter as it goes into the oven. You want the butter as cold as possible so that as it hits the hot oven, it releases steam. This steam is what puffs up the scones and creates flaky layers! Make sure that you don’t skip the part of the recipe that ask you to chill the dough. This helps with the overall texture of the scone and keeps the butter from melting out and creating a flat and unappetizing baked good.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

What You’ll Need to Make These Pumpkin Scones

These scones are vegan and gluten free but you wouldn’t really know it upon taking a bite! Here’s what you need to make these delicious maple glazed pumpkin scones:

  • A gluten free baking flour mix – you want one that is meant to be subbed for all-purpose flour in a 1 to 1 ration. These types of mixes create the best texture in gluten free baked goods and are easier than having to buy multiple types of flour. This one is my favorite.
  • Fine grain sea salt – balances and enhances the flavors.
  • Baking powder – helps to add lift which is especially helpful in gluten free and vegan baked goods.
  • Granulated sugar – adds just a hint of sweetness to the scones.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – lends that delicious and familiar fall flavor to the scones. If you’d like to make your own, I have a recipe for you here! If you can’t find it, you can sub a teaspoon of cinnamon in its place.
  • Cold vegan butter – the cold fat in the butter hitting the hot oven is what creates lift and a nice, flaky crumb. This is the one I use for baking.
  • Pumpkin puree – you can’t have a pumpkin baked good without earthy and sweet pumpkin puree!
  • Non-dairy milk – adds just enough moisture to the scones to keep them from being too dry. I typically use oat or cashew but you can use any non-dairy option that you like.
  • Powdered sugar – forms the base of the smooth and thick maple glaze.
  • Maple syrup – adds its characteristic smoky sweetness to the glaze.
  • Crushed toasted pecans – these add crunch and nuttiness to the scones and a bit of visual interest to the glaze. These are optional but highly recommended!
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Why are the measurements mostly in grams?

When I develop gluten free and vegan baked goods from scratch, the easiest and most accurate way to do this is by using weight measurements (grams or ounces) over volume (cups). 100g of say flour will always be exactly the same amount whereas 1 cup of flour could vary depending on how the flour is measured (i.e. is it scooped or spooned and leveled?). If you like to bake and haven’t done so already, I highly recommend investing in an inexpensive kitchen scale. They’re typically around $20 or $30.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Why You Should Make This Recipe

  • These scones taste like fall: earthy pumpkin, warm spices, and smoky-sweet maple syrup.
  • They’re vegan and gluten free and only require 11 ingredients.
  • They’re better than what you can get at a coffee shop plus you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own home.
  • They’re perfect for a fall breakfast or brunch spread.
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog
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Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (gluten free and vegan)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Courtney West
  • Total Time: 30-32 minutes
  • Yield: 8 scones 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These vegan and gluten free pumpkin scones are topped with a maple glaze for a sweet and decadent fall treat. Pumpkin pie spice lends that familiar fall flavor while a sprinkle of toasted and crushed pecans adds nuttiness and crunch. 

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 240g gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour such as this one
  • 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 90g cold vegan butter, diced
  • 100g pumpkin puree
  • 80g non-dairy milk plus more as needed
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp toasted and crushed or finely chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder, granulated sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the cold diced butter and cut it into the flour until it is roughly the size of peas or a bit smaller. You can do this with a fork or a pastry blender (my personal favorite method).

Mix together the pumpkin puree and non-dairy milk in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and begin to mix with a wooden spoon to bring the dough together. I often bring the last of it together by hand to make sure I incorporate all of the flour. Form the dough into two one-inch thick rounds. They will be roughly four inches in diameter. Place these rounds on your parchment lined baking sheet then place the baking sheet in your freezer for 10-15 minutes. You want the dough to be fully chilled but not frozen solid. 

After the dough has chilled, remove the pan from the freezer. Using a knife dusted in flour or a pastry cutter, cut each round into four equal pieces. Space the scones out onto your baking sheet so that there’s at least an inch between each one. Immediately get the scones into the oven. Bake the scones in your preheated 425 degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until they have puffed and are just barely beginning to turn golden around the edges. Cool the scones completely before glazing.

To make the glaze, add the powdered sugar to a bowl along with the maple syrup and a splash of non-dairy milk. Begin to whisk these two together vigorously. The goal is to get a thick yet pourable consistency. If the glaze seems too thick, add a splash more milk. Drizzle the glaze over the top of each scone and sprinkle with the crushed pecans.

These scones are best the day they are made but can be kept in an airtight container and enjoyed within 2 days. 

Notes

  • Try to use a vegan baking butter if you can (typically sold in sticks or blocks) rather than a vegan butter spread.
  • If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, use an equal amount of ground cinnamon instead.
  • If your baking pan won’t fit in your freezer, you can wrap the dough in parchment or cling film before placing it in the freezer without the pan. 
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
  • Category: baked good

Did you make the recipe?

I love to see what you’re making so feel free to tag me on Instagram @courtweststudio!

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes from The Sweet Miscellany Blog