Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart
This salted caramel chocolate tart is a no-bake-friendly, fully vegan dessert built in three layers: a crushed Oreo crust, a homemade coconut-milk salted caramel, and a silky dark chocolate ganache. If you love salted caramel as much as I do, then trust me on this and try it, because it really is the ultimate combo. It sets in the fridge in about two hours and slices into clean, rich squares that taste far more decadent than the short ingredient list suggests.
Why I keep coming back to this tart
I’ve had my fair share of healthy desserts on this channel, but let’s face it: every once in a while, it’s good to have a treat. A real treat. And if you came to know me just a little bit from this blog, then you must know I’m a huge chocolate fan. I love chocolate to the point where I can’t really wrap my mind around how there are some people who don’t really like this flavor.
Another thing I’m a huge fan of, besides chocolate? Salted caramel. Chocolate and salted caramel together, layered over a crisp Oreo base, is Heaven, my friends. This recipe is inspired by Prajiturela’s salted caramel tart, only I’ve turned it vegan (the original recipe is in Romanian only, sorry!). I like to think of this dessert as appealing to kids and adults alike, while still maintaining that elegance and subtleness only an ‘adult dessert’ can have.
What goes into the three layers
Everything here is plant-based, and the ingredient list stays short because each layer does a lot of work. Here is what each part needs and why it matters.
- Oreos, filling removed: ground into crumbs, they become the crust. Scraping out the cream keeps the base from turning greasy and lets it crisp up in the oven. Standard Oreos are already vegan, so no swap is needed.
- Melted vegan butter: binds the crumbs so the crust holds its shape when you press it up the sides and slice it later.
- Coconut milk (full-fat, from a can): used in both the caramel and the ganache. Its fat is what lets the caramel thicken and the ganache set firm, so reach for full-fat, not the light version.
- Brown sugar and vanilla: the backbone of the caramel. Brown sugar brings that deep, molasses-tinged color and flavor.
- Sea salt: stirred in at the very end. This is what turns plain caramel into salted caramel, so don’t skip it.
- Vegan dark chocolate: chopped and melted into the ganache. Use a bar you actually like the taste of, since the chocolate flavor is front and center in the top layer.
How to build it, layer by layer
Start with the crust: grind the filling-free Oreos to crumbs, stir in the melted vegan butter, then press an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of a parchment-lined rectangular dish. Bake it for 5 to 7 minutes at 180 C so it firms up. Next comes the caramel: simmer the coconut milk, brown sugar, and vanilla, stirring for about 20 minutes until it thickens and darkens, then pull it off the heat and stir in the sea salt. Pour it over the crust and let it cool into the first layer.
For the top layer, make a quick ganache: heat coconut milk until it’s just about to boil, pour it over the chopped chocolate, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes before whisking smooth and adding the vanilla. That resting time lets the heat melt the chocolate gently so the ganache stays glossy instead of splitting. Pour it over the cooled caramel, then refrigerate the whole tart for 1.5 to 2 hours until set. However, I highly suggest you make the crust at home rather than buying one, because it’s a pleasurable experience and you might be surprised at what you can do with so little.
The caramel is the part to watch
The caramel, I believe, is the trickiest part when it comes to this recipe. It needs the full simmering time to reduce and deepen in color, and the visual cue matters more than the clock: it’s ready when it has thickened noticeably and turned a rich amber-brown. Keep the heat at a steady simmer and stir often so the sugars reduce evenly without scorching on the bottom of the pan. Add the sea salt only after you take it off the heat, taste it, and adjust: caramel keeps concentrating in flavor as it cools, so a little salt goes a long way.
For the ganache, resist the urge to stir the moment the hot coconut milk hits the chocolate. Letting it stand for those 5 minutes first means the chocolate melts through before you whisk, which gives you a smooth, pourable layer. If your kitchen is warm, give the finished tart the full 2 hours in the fridge so both layers set cleanly and you get sharp slices.
Storing and making it ahead
This tart is a great make-ahead dessert, since it needs chilling time anyway. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days; the flavors actually settle nicely after a day. For neat squares, slice it straight from the fridge with a knife warmed under hot water and wiped between cuts. It also freezes well: wrap portions tightly and freeze for up to a month, then let them thaw in the fridge before serving.
If you find yourself with leftover chocolate cravings after this, I have plenty more to keep you busy: a fudgy easy chocolate mousse, a smooth vegan chocolate tart, or, for something a little different, raw almond chocolate truffles. And if you want to see the full lineup, browse my roundup of the most decadent chocolate desserts.
What to serve it with
A slice this rich pairs best with something cold and simple. A scoop of banana nice cream alongside the warm caramel-and-chocolate contrast is lovely, or lean fully into the chocolate theme with a vegan chocolate milkshake. A plain espresso or an unsweetened coffee also cuts through the sweetness nicely and lets the salted caramel shine.
If you make this salted caramel chocolate tart, I’d love to know how your caramel layer turned out, since that’s the step everyone wonders about. Leave a rating and drop a comment below with any tweaks you tried. Enjoy!
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Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups Oreos remove the filling
- 4-5 Tbsp vegan butter melted
For the caramel
- ½ can coconut milk
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
For the ganache
- 8 ounces vegan dark chocolate
- ½ can coconut milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Add the Oreos to a food processor (remove the filling) and grind into crumbs.
- Combine the Oreo crumbs with the melted butter.
- Line a rectangular baking dish with parchment paper.
- Pour the Oreo mixture on the bottom and up the sides. Press an even layer.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes at 180 C.
- Meanwhile place the coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla in a pan. Bring to a boil and stir for 20 min.
- The sauce will thicken and darken in the cooking process. Take it off the heat and add the sea salt.
- Pour the caramel over the Oreo crust. Let it cool. It is gonna be the first layer.
- For the second layer make the chocolate ganache.
- Chop the chocolate. In a saucepan, over medium heat, heat the coconut milk.
- When it is just about to boil, pour it over the chocolate. Let it stand without stirring for 5 min.
- After 5 minutes, whisk to combine until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Pour the ganache over the caramel layer.
- Refrigerate for 1,5-2h.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It uses vegan butter, full-fat coconut milk, brown sugar, and vegan dark chocolate, with standard Oreos (which are plant-based) for the crust. Every layer is dairy-free and egg-free, so the whole tart is vegan.
The recipe grinds only the cookie halves into crumbs for the crust. Removing the cream keeps the base from turning greasy and helps it crisp up when baked, so you get a firmer crust that holds its shape when sliced.
Simmer the coconut milk, brown sugar, and vanilla together and keep stirring for about 20 minutes. The sauce thickens and darkens as it reduces, so watch for a rich amber-brown color rather than just timing it. Stir in the sea salt only after taking it off the heat.
After pouring the hot coconut milk over the chopped chocolate, let it stand undisturbed for 5 minutes first. This lets the heat melt the chocolate gently and evenly, so when you whisk it stays smooth and glossy instead of splitting.
Refrigerate the assembled tart for about 1.5 to 2 hours. If your kitchen is warm, give it the full 2 hours so both the caramel and ganache layers firm up and you get clean slices.
It is a great make-ahead dessert since it needs chilling anyway. Keep it covered in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, and the flavors settle nicely after a day. It also freezes well for up to a month; thaw in the fridge before serving.
I love chocolate, I love salted caramel and I couldn’t be more in love with this amazing tart! Will definitely try it again very soon!