Wouldn’t you like to bite into a soft cookie filled with pineapple jam? Thanks to the amazing Indonesians, there is such a dreamy treat! It’s called Kue Nastar (Pineapple cake).
Below we will show you how to do it vegan kue nastar, completely sugar free. We make both the cookies and the pineapple jam from scratch. It will be fun!
The origin of these biscuits is not certain, but they are believed to have come from the Netherlands or Portugal[1]. What is certain is that they are damn tasty! They may not be vegan or allergy friendly, but that’s where we come in.
Traditional Kue Nastar recipes contain a mixture of butter, milk, eggs and sugar. These pineapple cookies were the perfect goal for us as our mission is to make recipes allergen free, diet friendly and optimally healthy.
To make the recipe vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free, we have Replaced butter with applesauce And swapped eggs with nut butter to tie. We also got rid of all the refined sugars by just using the naturally sweet pineapple. You have the option to top them with a drizzle of maple syrup and coconut flakes if you like!
The result is completely vegan and sugar-free Nastar Cookies half the calories, sugar and fats. Neat, right? You can now bite into these colorful pineapple biscuits without worrying. Enjoy it!
frequently asked Questions
Is Nana’s Tart the same as Kue Nastar?
Yes, nanas tart and kue nastar are interchangeable terms for “pineapple tart.”
nanas stands for “pineapple” in Indonesian, while Nastar is just a contracted form of “Nana’s Tart”.
The term here refers to bite-sized treats such as cookies, cakes, and tarts in Indonesian cuisine. Hence the term “kue nastar” would translate to pineapple tart biscuit.
Nanas cake is a very popular sweet treat in Indonesia, usually enjoyed during local festivities. It is also famous in Malaysia and Singapore.
Is the classic Kue Nastar vegan?
Kue Nastar is a classic Indonesian sweet that consists of a rich ball of cookie dough filled with pineapple jam.
The traditional recipe includes eggs and butter to create a rich, silky dough consistency, meaning these pineapple tarts are not suitable for those on a plant-based diet or allergic to dairy and eggs.
Here at Foodaciously, we strive to help everyone enjoy the food they love uncompromisingly, and we’ve turned these sweet cookies into a vegan-friendly, healthy treat. We made the Nanas tart dough with apple sauce and nut butter instead of butter and egg yolk.
How do you make kue nastar without butter?
Although butter is a key ingredient in nanas tart dough, you can substitute plant-based alternatives for it.
We used sugar-free applesauce in our recipe. You can use the store bought one or make your own using our quick recipe here.
Applesauce is a fantastic substitute for fats in baking. Just like butter, it binds the solids and makes a soft and chewy dough. It also adds moisture and a sweet flavor to baked goods.
We recommend using applesauce at a 1:1 ratio when substituting for butter. So if a recipe calls for 100 grams of butter, use 100 grams of applesauce instead.
Besides applesauce, you could try any of the following vegan butter alternatives:
Can I use canned pineapple for the jam filling?
The classic filling for nanas tart is prepared with fresh pineapple, pureed and reduced to jam over the stove.
If you can’t find fresh pineapple, you can still make the filling with the canned alternative. Make sure you buy sugar-free canned pineapple to keep the sugar down.
Also puree and cook the pureed pineapple in the canning liquid for extra flavor. Then simmer until the water is reduced. Finally, increase the amount of starch we use by 50% to get an evenly thick and shiny jam.