These Mini Berry Tarts are the perfect small bite dessert to serve at brunches or baby showers. They are easy to make, and everyone loves them so much. Everyone always wants the recipe, and I’m happy to pass it along.
This recipe has a major shortcut, and I am not ashamed… it’s refrigerated cookie dough. One tube makes quite a few tart shells (about 40), so I usually use a whole tube, and freeze any shells I don’t need to use right away. Then when I need a quick dessert, I pull out the shells from the freezer, whip up the filling and top with the berries.
While these Mini Berry Tarts can be made ahead of time, the shell will soften up a bit once it’s filled after 24 hours in the refrigerator, so serving them the same day you fill them is best.
They looks so pretty with sliced berries, or you can make them into fruit tarts by adding other summer fruits like grapes, mandarin oranges, or kiwi. A sprig of mint here or there makes them look extra fancy!
To make the tart shells all uniform, I use a cookie dough scoop to place the dough in the well of a mini muffin tin. When they come out of the oven, I make the indent in the center (where the filling goes) deeper by pressing them down with the blunt end of the handle of my pizza slicer.
To ensure that the tart shells come out of the pan easily, make sure you spray them with nonstick spray, and then let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before taking the out. I find it works best to “twist” them out of the pan rather than using a knife to loosen the edges and then pull them out that way.
Next time you have a get together and want to really impress your guests and make your celebration extra special, make these Mini Berry Tarts! Once you get the hang of them, you’ll find that they are easy to make and well worth the effort.
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Mini Berry Tarts
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Mini Berry Tarts are always a favorite! Made with refrigerated sugar cookie dough, a sweetened cream cheese filling and fresh berries on top!
Ingredients
- 1 16.5 ounce tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I used Pillsbury)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 quart of strawberries chopped into small pieces, or whole raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a greased mini muffin pan, fill each section with a 1 inch ball of sugar cookie dough. I use a leveled off small scoop from Pampered Chef, which is 1 tablespoon.
- Bake the tarts for about 10-12 minute. When they come out of the oven, gently press down the center of the tart to make space for the cream cheese filling. I use the blunt end of my pizza slicer. There is an actual tool designed for this called a mini tart shaper, but even the end of wooden spoon would do the job.
- Allow the tarts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then gently twist to loosen the edges and remove from the pan to a cooling rack. The tart shells are much easier to remove from the muffin tin if they do not go over the edge of the pan when they bake. If yours are difficult to remove, try filling them with less dough, greasing more thoroughly, or allowing them to cool longer.
For the filling
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and heavy cream with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a little at a time until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with the filling mixture and pipe into each tart.
- Top with small pieces of strawberry, or a whole raspberry.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Trudy says
I enjoy making desserts. I will definitely try this one!
Julie says
Let me know how you like them! Thanks for catching that mac and cheese error.
Cat says
I made these and my cookie shell fell apart not long after i put in filling!! Why did that happen?
Julie says
Not sure, Cat, so sorry that happened! What kind of dough did you use?
Lauren Nolan says
You were supposed to let the cookies get a little hard in the oven but not burned the let them cool, the put the filling in them and then leave them in the fridge for a few hours so they’ll soften up a little bit they won’t fall apart
Dina says
these sound yummy!
Julie says
Thanks Dina, they are definitely a favorite around here!
Yrina says
These look awesome. Definitely my next project!
Tiffany Vasquez says
About how many does one one batch make? These look awesome!
Julie says
Thanks Tiffany, it will make about 40 tarts.
Tiffany Vasquez says
Thanks so much for the quick reply! I’m going to be making some of these for Thanksgiving! And maybe a banana cream pie version too!
Linda says
These are lovely; made them for a “tart” tea and they were gone in no time! I did use regular piecrust pastry ( from scratch) and they were great. I am making them for a Christmas dessert..THANK YOU
Zee says
Hi Julie,
Could you please suggest a recipe for the sugar cookie dough as the refrigerated dough is not available where I am.
Thanks.
Looking forward to making these!
Julie says
Hi Zee, I have not tried this sugar cookie recipe before to make the Mini Berry Tarts, but I think it would be a good substitution for the refrigerated cookie dough. It’s called Bakery Style Sugar Cookies and you can click on this link to go to the recipe: https://lovelylittlekitchen.com/bakery-style-sugar-cookies/
Hope you enjoy!
Zee says
Thanks for the substitution…will let you know how it goes.
Judy says
Do you think these could be made a day ahead?
Julie says
You can make them ahead, but the shell does soften up a bit the next day. I usually like to bake the shells and prepare the filling ahead of time, and then just assemble the day of. Hope you enjoy!
Anthea says
Hi can I use other fruits like pineapples, I would love this for my baby shower but my colors are gender neutral…yellow and gray
Julie says
You could do pineapple and kiwi! Super cute baby shower idea!
Sunshine says
These were so delicious and a hit with everyone!! Great recipe!
Julie says
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by!
Barbara Harding says
I am going to make your recipe tomorrow. Do you press the sugar cookie dough into the tart shell or do you just place the ball in the tart shell and bake it. Thanks so much.
Julie says
You don’t have to press it until you take it out of the oven. Hope this helps!
PC says
Hi, looks great! Can you share how to make the dough into such perfect round shapes using the muffin tin? TIA
Julie says
I use a little cookie dough scoop that has a spring loaded release. I believe I got it from Pampered Chef.
Sav says
I only got 24 shells from the package. I used my 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and leveled it off and everything! So strange. But otherwise this recipe is wonderful! I just need two packages of dough! 🙂
Julie says
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you like them!
Carol says
I by powered sugar do you mean ( what we call ) icing sugar ????? This term was used in a few recipes I was looking at and I m just not sure ?
Julie says
Yes, I believe they are the same thing. Enjoy!
Carrie says
Hi! I’ve made these, and they were wonderfully easy and so delicious!
If I’m short on time, do you think it would work to use this same recipe to make a large tart in a pie plate?
Julie says
I think that might work out just fine. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Kristy says
I use one package of cookie dough on a round pizza pan and it works perfecctly!
Melody says
I am going to try making a Gluten free sugar cookie dough, pressing the dough into the mini tin cups then bake. After cooling and filling is added with sliced strawberry on top, I will melt semi sweet chocolate chips then drizzle over the tops for added decor and flavor.
Julie says
Hope you enjoy Melody!
Kristy says
Hi Julie,
Is the filling meant to be runny or stiff? It seems quite runny. How do I change that if piping them into the shell? Thanks!
Julie says
Should be like a soft set pudding. Maybe try chilling it in the freezer for 15 min to help it firm up? Hope this helps Kristy!
Kristen B says
I just made these and had to sub half the sugar recipe with brown sugar and my girls ate them up! They were yummy!
Julie says
So glad Kristen, thanks!
Noreen says
Aloha! I am thinking of making these for a retirement party where we are expecting 250 guests. If I make & freeze the cookie shells ahead of time, what is the best way to defrost them? I am having a dessert bar and would like to have several different bite-size desserts. These look delicious and I like the red & white combo as it would go great with my theme – my husband is retiring from the fire dept.
Noreen says
Can I also use a silicone mini muffin pan.
Julie says
I don’t have a pan like that, so I’m not sure, but I don’t see why not – unless they don’t get very crisp and the filling makes them soggy.
Julie says
Hi there Noreen! Sounds like it will be a wonderful celebration. The cookie shells defrost fairly quickly. If you just leave them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, they will be good to go.
Noreen says
Thank you! 😄
Liberty says
How long will they stay fresh in the refrigerator?
Julie says
I would say the shells start to soften after the first day. But they are still delicious!
Liberty says
Thank you so much!
Linda says
Just finished assembling these tasty treats for a neighborhood BBQ in a few hours. They are so cute and taste great.
Julie says
So glad Linda! Thank you!