65 of Our Favorite Tart Recipes

Chocolate Raspberry Tart Recipe

This sleek tart looks like it just came from a bakery case. Serve at the end of an elegant dinner.

Strawberry Tart with Quinoa-Almond Crust Recipe

Chef Khalil Hymore introduced us to the idea of a crunchy quinoa crust with a savory tart he developed for us; we take the notion to a sweet place here. The tart holds well overnight, so make it the day before, and serve chilled right from the refrigerator.

Chocolate-Pecan Mousse Tart Recipe

You can make and freeze crust ahead of time; thaw in fridge overnight before preparing the filling.

Cranberry-Orange Tart with Browned Butter Crust Recipe

For a pretty presentation, top the tart with sugared cranberries: Steep whole berries in simple syrup in the refrigerator 8 hours, then roll in sugar and let stand 1 hour to dry.

Pear-and-Pumpkin Tart Recipe

If you need help peeling and cutting your pumpkin, most supermarket produce sections offer this service for a small fee.

Plum Frangipane Tart Recipe

Frangipane, a lovely French invention of almond-flavored pastry cream, is classic with stone fruits. The extra-deep tart shell provides enough space for the right ratio of pastry cream to juicy plum.

Brown Sugar Peach and Thyme Tart Recipe

Even if your peaches are only so-so, don't pass up the chance to make this tart. A quick sizzle with butter and sugar transforms them into a tender, flavorful, juicy topping.

Cheesy Bacon-and-Two-Onion Tart Recipe

A perfect option for breakfast or brunch, this cheesy tart is brimming with delicious flavor to get your day started.

Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe

Rich, creamy, and decadent, this chocolate tart is the perfect solution to your next chocolate craving.

Grapefruit Tart Recipe

Sweet Summer Strawberry Tart Recipe

After finding a fly in her bottle of Mouton Cadet Rouge, chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir, then 24, had the gumption to mail the insect to the wine's maker, Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the top wineries in the world. In response to her complaint, she received an invitation to lunch at the château. She booked a flight immediately. This recipe is her re-creation of the day's finale--a tart "topped with a silky smooth kirsch pastry cream and crowned with perfectly glazed, ripe red strawberries."

Gingersnap-Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart Recipe

If Meyer lemons are unavailable, substitute equal amounts of regular lemon juice and orange juice.

Pomegranate-Orange Tart with Pistachio Shortbread Crust Recipe

A handful of blueberries boosts the color of the filling.

Cranberry-Walnut Tart Recipe

This tart has a great basic gluten-free crust. The white rice flour and tapioca flour have a neutral taste that allows the flavor of the butter to stand out, while the shortening ensures flakiness. Fresh cranberries and walnuts in the filling make this the perfect tart to serve around the holidays.

Upside-Down Fudge-Almond Tart Recipe

Decadent, rich, and intensely chocolaty, this recipe garnered our highest rating for flavor. It's a bit of a splurge, an indulgent way to cap off a Valentine's Day meal. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to five days.

Port-Glazed Pear Tart with Rosemary-Cornmeal Crust Recipe

The shortbread-like crust stands up well to a luscious ricotta filling that's topped with pretty port-stained pears. Larger pear wedges are stunning; you can also cut the pears into thin slices and arrange spokelike on top. Prepare the crust and pears up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Assemble just before serving.

Pear and Apricot Tart Recipe

In the late 19th century, the families of Sicily came to America bringing their most cherished Italian customs and cooking. Prominent among them were flavorful, fresh fruit desserts, such as this lovely tart. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or, even better, gelato.

Strawberry-Orange Tart Recipe

This berry and citrus combination makes for an intense burst of flavor that dances on the taste buds. It's as wonderful to look at as it is to serve and eat.

Crisp Apricot Fruit Tart Recipe

Some fruit tastes even better when cooked a bit. This tart transforms any apricot or other stone fruit into a flavor sensation.

Pumpkin Tart with Whipped Cream and Almond Toffee Recipe

Molasses and pumpkin pie spice give this elegant take on pumpkin pie its deep autumnal flavor. Buy one 29-oz. can of pumpkin for the recipe.

Cherry Tart with Almond Streusel Topping Recipe

Use fresh or frozen cherries to make the deep red-hued, sweet-tart filling for this gluten-free tart. The crunchy, crumbly almond streusel really sends it over the top.

Double Nut-Chocolate Tart Recipe

This dark, almondy, and rich-tasting tart requires much less sugar and butter than the standard fare. It's almost a flourless chocolate cake, but a little bit of brown rice flour is added to give it some structure and help it develop a nice crust.

Apple, Pear and Cranberry Tart Recipe

Topped with layers of delicious fruit, this gorgeous tart is almost too-pretty-to eat.

Candied Orange Truffle Tart Recipe

Buy a fresh jar of curry powder and premium chocolate for this fudgy dessert. You'll be pleasantly surprised that curry permeates the trufflelike filling, candied orange topping, and yummy syrup. A sharp knife will cut easily through the decorated tart.

Berry Cream Tart Recipe

Fill a tart crust with a sweet cream cheese mixture and top with fresh berries for an easy and impressive dessert that's perfect for summer entertaining.

Almond-Plum Tart Recipe

This colorful tart comes with a generous sprinkle of almond crunch.

Salted Chocolate Tart Recipe

We prefer Maldon sea salt for sprinkling onto this chocolate tart. Its large flakes look striking against the glossy chocolate surface, and its crunchy texture contrasts beautifully with the smooth, velvety filling.

Easy Berry Tart Recipe

This vibrant and impressive dessert literally couldn’t get any easier. Rather than making a stovetop custard from-scratch, we use boxed pudding mix combined with Cool Whip (trust us on this one) as a shortcut to the rich and luscious vanilla filling that makes this tart amazing. Once you pour this decadent filling into your simple almond and cookie crumb crust, all that’s left to do is let it chill, and then top it off with plenty of fresh fruit. We used various types of summer berries—strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries—for ours, but feel free to use your favorite fruits here… fresh, ripe peaches would make a great addition. To amp up the almond flavor, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to your filling. Or hey, if almonds really aren’t your thing, you can definitely substitute a different nut (like macadamias) or simply leave them out all together and increase the amount of cookie crumbs in your crust by about 1/3 cup.

Lime-and-Macadamia Nut Tart Recipe

Fans of lime, rejoice! This tart brings the tropical flair with lime and macadamia nuts.

Free-Form Apple Tart Recipe

Sam Mogannam's wife, Anne Walker, usually makes this dessert with Arkansas Black apples—an heirloom variety—from Mogannam's parents' orchard near Sacramento. The dense, tart apples are harvested late in the season, making them a good Thanksgiving choice. Granny Smiths are an easier-to-find alternative.

Rustic Tomato-Basil Tart Recipe

This tart is a great addition to the brunch or lunchtime spread. You can use all red tomatoes if you can't find yellow.

Brown Sugar-Cranberry Tart Recipe

Since one dessert is never enough at Thanksgiving, David Tanis bakes a buttery French-American tart to complement his classic apple pie. The sweet-and-tart berries in the creamy custard pop when you take a bite.

Honey-Pecan Tart with Bittersweet Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

Traditional pecan pie gets a delicious flavor update, with honey's sweet-tangy touch countered by bittersweet chocolate. If you'd like a more casual pie, you can make this in a 9-inch pie plate; you'll probably need to bake the filling an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Tipsy Spiced Fruit Tart with Buttermilk Whipped Cream Recipe

The bourbon-soaked fruits and bold flavors in this rustic pie make it an adults-only dessert. Splurge for a premium brandy or bourbon—it's worth it.

Elegant Citrus Tart Recipe

Topping our tart are Florida-grown Ruby Red grapefruit and navel oranges and the brightest red grapefruit you can buy—the Rio Star from Texas.

Rustic Apple Tart Recipe

Purchased piecrust dough is a convenient time-saver. We like the flavor combo of sweet Golden Delicious and tart Granny Smith apples, but you can use any apple (or combination of apples) you like. If you'd like to keep strictly kosher when making this dessert for our Hanukkah menu, use walnut oil in place of butter, and look for pie dough made with shortening (and containing no lard).

Lemon-Almond Tarts Recipe

If you don't have mini tart pans, make this dessert in a (9-inch) tart pan.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Coconut Tart  Recipe

After you take one bite of this deeply decadent “clean eating” dessert, you might not believe that it’s raw, vegan, gluten-free and paleo… but low and behold, you don’t need excessive sugar or other processed ingredients to make something magical. This show-stopping dark chocolate tart offers an incredibly rich chocolate flavor and silky pudding-like texture—but it’s so easy to whip up, even the most inexperienced baker/dessert-maker will look like a pastry pro bringing it to the table. Perfect for anyone following a special diet or simply trying to clean their eating habits up a bit, this dark and decadent tasting treat perfectly satisfies both the sweet tooth and chocolate indulgence cravings. And since there’s no need to crank up the oven, it’s especially ideal for summer. 

Onion-and-Olive Tart Recipe

Don't be put off by the anchovies; they provide subtle earthy-salty flavor, mild enough that only the most sensitive palate would notice.

Rustic Spiced Peach Tart with Almond Pastry Recipe

When peaches are ripe and juicy, this divine tart from Christy Rost, cookbook author and host of the public television series A Home for Christy Rost, goes together quickly and looks fabulous in a cast iron skillet—perfect for your next picnic or casual gathering.

Rustic Cranberry Tart Recipe

Full of cranberries, this tart is the perfect antidote for that sweet tooth craving.

Mascarpone Tart with Strawberries Recipe

Notes: Mascarpone is a soft Italian version of cream cheese. You can make this tart (through step 4) up to 1 day ahead. Prep and cook time: about 1 hour, plus at least 1 1/2 hours to cool and chill.

Berry Tartlets Recipe

These dainty little tarts have an unusual depth of character, thanks to their graham-cracker-like crusts.

Jam Tarts Recipe

If you have leftover dough, cut into decorative shapes and bake on fruit-filled tarts. Prep: 20 minutes; Chill: 1 hour; Bake: 16 minutes.

Tomato-Phyllo Tart Recipe

Topped with plenty of tomatoes, this tart would be wonderful for brunch or a lunchtime spread.

Spiced Apple Two-Bite Tarts Recipe

The nutty pastry is absolutely delicious, like pecan shortbread. You can make the tart shells and filling the day before and assemble just before serving: Place the shells in an airtight container and chill the filling, bringing it to room temperature before placing it in the shells so it's not ice-cold. The crème fraîche dollop is more than just a pretty garnish; its rich, tangy flavor makes these sublime.

Peach and Sour Cream Tart Recipe

Perfect as a summertime treat, use fresh peaches in this delicious tart.

Rich Chocolate Tart Recipe

Chocolatey and rich, this tart is a great solution to satisfy your inner chocoholic.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Tart Recipe

Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and this tart is sure to please.

Apricot-and-Blueberry Tart Recipe

For the boules potlucks, Michel Keller, owner and pastry chef of Restaurant du Village in Chester, Connecticut, makes a big fruit tart using an 18-inch antique pan he inherited from his grandfather. He adapted the recipe to produce the far simpler, 12-inch version here.

Vegan Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart with Fresh Berries  Recipe

Take one bite of this chocolatey, decadent “clean eating” dessert, you might not believe that it’s raw, vegan, gluten-free and paleo… but low and behold, you don’t need excessive sugar or other processed ingredients to make a next-level dessert. Easy to prep, and filled with rich chocolate-hazelnut flavor, this vegan dessert is perfect for anyone following a special diet or simply trying to clean their eating habits up a bit. Serve it for a special occasion, or just as a “treat yo-self” indulgence—since there’s no need to crank up the oven, it’s especially ideal to satisfy a summertime sweet tooth. 

Caramel Turtle Tart Recipe

If you love caramel turtle ice cream or cookies, this tart is for you.

Blackberry, Browned Butter, and Almond Tart Recipe

"It's like a cookie on the outside and a cake on the inside with pockets of juicy blackberries," says Steffan.

Vegan Coconut Cream Tart with White Peaches and Blueberries Recipe

This nutrient-rich twist on coconut cream pie is lusciously smooth and decadent… it’s also vegan, paleo, gluten-fee, and raw. In other words, you’re looking at a tart with a stacked resume. Perfect for a special occasion, especially if you’re looking to clean up your diet a bit, this show-stopping vegan dessert offers rich, toasty flavor and sweet tooth satisfaction—without adding refined sugar. And since there’s no need to crank up the oven to make it, this treat especially ideal for summer. Keep in mind, whipping coconut cream can sometimes be tricky. If you forget to refrigerate your cans overnight or if too much of the liquid gets mixed in, it will most likely separate. But not to worry—mixing in a bit of tapioca flour (arrowroot would also work) can bring the mixture back together in a snap. To save yourself time, go ahead and place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge to chill as soon as you are ready to start prepping your tart. 

Peppermint Brownie Tarts Recipe

This delicious brownie tart recipe makes two tarts, so plan to share one with a friend or neighbor this Christmas season.

Lemon Cream Tart Recipe

Less than 30 minutes to prep, costing about 77¢ per serving, this dreamy lemon tart is practically perfect. Grab a fork and enjoy.

Chocolate-Cherry Tart Recipe

Nectarine Tart Recipe

Black Tahini Tart with Black Cocoa Crust Recipe

When I found out about black cocoa, it was an instantaneous love affair. Same goes for black tahini. So naturally, it didn’t take long for me to come up with a way to make a dark dessert that combined these two beautiful flavors. Chocolate and nutty flavors are always best pals (looking at you, Reese’s), so while it sounds a bit exotic, this tart will land on your palate with a bit of nostalgic comfort, just amped up a little bit.

Pecan Crunch Tart Recipe

This Pecan Crunch Tart is our newest take on classic pecan pie, a Southern staple. The most essential difference is that this recipe is made with phyllo dough for a flaky, buttery, crunchy, and completely delicious crust. This tart would pair incredibly with a little whipped cream and a hot cup of coffee. When preparing the phyllo dough remember these three things: defrost overnight, work quickly, and use a light hand.

Caramel Tart with Brandy Whipped Cream Recipe

Grapefruit Tarts Recipe

I adore using pink grapefruit in breakfast and desserts. It delivers the same tart, acidic flavor as lemon or lime, but with the added benefit of a beautiful rosy hue and a touch of natural sweetness. One of my favorite recipes in the book, my Spicy Gingersnap Cookies, serves as the base of the tart crust. The crunch and peppery spice of the cookies play beautifully against the grapefruit’s refreshingly sweet-sour curd. Decorate the top with grapefruit segments for a juicy bite and pretty presentation.

Grapefruit Curd Tart with Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients

Directions

Excerpted from the book The Sprinkles Baking Book by Candace Nelson. Copyright © 2016 by Candace Nelson. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.