These Mini Fruit Tarts are the perfect individual-sized dessert for spring and summer! Each tart is made with a homemade sugar cookie crust and filled with mascarpone cream, then topped with fresh fruit. They’re as pretty as they are delicious!

Mini fruit tarts topped with fresh fruit.

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    Before you get started / Kelley’s tips

    • Chill the dough. Don’t skip the chilling step! Cold dough is easier to work with and helps the tart shells hold their shape while baking.
    • Use a fluted cutter. A 3 ½-inch fluted cookie cutter gives your tart shells that pretty classic bakery-style edge.
    • Let tart shells cool completely. The mascarpone filling will melt if it’s added to warm shells. So be patient and let them cool fully before filling. It will be worth the wait!

    Ingredients

    Tart Crust:

    • Unsalted butter – This makes the crust buttery and tender. I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
    • Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
    • Egg yolk – Adds richness and helps bind the dough.
    • Vanilla extract – Adds a hint of vanilla to the sugar cookie crust.
    • All-purpose flour – The base of the tart dough, it gives the shells structure.

    Filling:

    • Heavy cream – It’s whipped to soft peaks to make the filling light and fluffy.
    • Mascarpone cheese – Adds a rich texture with a slightly tangy flavor. If you’ve never had mascarpone cheese before your in for a treat!
    • Sugar – Sweetens the mascarpone without overpowering the flavor. These tarts aren’t overly sweet that’s why I love them so much.
    • Fresh fruit – For topping the tarts! I like to use whatever’s in season—berries, kiwi, mango, or citrus slices all look beautiful and taste amazing.

    How to Make Mini Fruit Tarts

    Tart Shells:

    1. Mix the Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
    2. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add in egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Continue to mix for 1-2 minutes. Turn off mixer and add flour. Mix on low speed until combined.
    Butter and sugar mixed in a bowl.
    The remaining ingredients added to the mixing bowl.
    1. Refrigerate: Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
    Tart dough in a bowl.
    Tart dough wrapped in plastic wrap.
    1. Preheat and Roll: When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
    2. Cut and Bake: Using a 3 1/2 inch fluted cookie cutter cut out rounds. Place each round in a muffin tin cavity and push to form in the muffin tin. Bake the tart shells for 15-20 minutes or until they start to get golden brown.
    Tart dough rolled out and cut.
    1. Cool the Shells: Allow them to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. These have to be completely cool before you add in the mascarpone filling.
    Unbaked tart dough in a muffin tin.
    Baked tart dough in a muffin tin.

    Mascarpone Cheese Filling:

    1. Whip the Cream: Add heavy cream to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip until cream forms soft peaks. Take out of the bowl and set aside.
    2. Mix the Remaining Ingredients: In the same bowl add the mascarpone cheese, sugar and vanilla to the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until smooth and lump free.
    Heavy cream whipped in a mixing bowl.
    Remaining ingredients added to the mixing bowl.
    1. Fill and Decorate: Fold in the whipped cream by hand into the mascarpone cheese mixture. Carefully spoon or pipe the filling into the tarts. Decorate with fruit, then serve immediately!
    Spatula folding in whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
    Piping filling into the tart shells.

    Topping Ideas

    For the prettiest fruit tarts, use a variety of fruits with different textures and colors. I love to use whatever fruit is currently in season for topping the tarts. These are a few ideas! Just avoid anything that browns easily, like apples or bananas.

    • Strawberries
    • Blueberries
    • Blackberries
    • Raspberries
    • Kiwis
    • Mangos
    • Pineapple
    • Oranges
    • Peaches
    Mini fruit tarts topped with fresh fruit.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?

    You can, but the flavor and texture will be slightly different. Mascarpone is smoother and less tangy than cream cheese, so if you decide to substitute it, use full-fat cream cheese for the best results.

    How do I keep the fruit from making the filling watery?

    Make sure the fruit is dry before topping the tarts. After washing the fruit, thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. Also, avoid super juicy fruits like watermelon.

    How long will the assembled tarts last?

    The tarts are best eaten the day they’re assembled. If you need to store them, keep them in the fridge for up to 1 day—just note this will cause the crust to soften slightly.

    Mini fruit tart with a bite taken out of it.

    More fruit desserts to try!

    These Mini Fruit Tarts are the perfect individual-sized dessert for spring and summer! Each tart is made with a buttery crust and filled with mascarpone cream, then topped with fresh fruit. They’re as pretty as they are delicious!
    Recipe

    Mini Fruit Tarts

    These Mini Fruit Tarts are the perfect individual-sized dessert for spring and summer! Each tart is made with a buttery crust and filled with mascarpone cream, then topped with fresh fruit. They’re as pretty as they are delicious!
    Author: Kelley Simmons
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Chill Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Serves 12 tarts
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      Ingredients 

      Tart crust

      Filling

      Instructions

      For Tart Shells

      • In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
      • Add in egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Continue to mix for 1-2 minutes.
        Turn off mixer and add flour. Mix on low speed until combined.
      • Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
      • When you are ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.
        Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
      • Using a 3 1/2 inch fluted cookie cutter cut out rounds. Place each round in a muffin tin cavity and push to form in the muffin tin.
        Bake the tart shells for 15-20 minutes or until they start to get golden brown.
      • Allow them to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. These have to be completely cool before you add in the mascarpone filling.

      Mascarpone Cheese Filling

      • Add heavy cream to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip until cream forms soft peaks. Take out of the bowl and set aside.
      • In the same bowl add the mascarpone cheese, sugar and vanilla to the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until smooth and lump free.
      • Fold in the whipped cream by hand into the mascarpone cheese mixture.
        Carefully spoon or pipe the filling into the tarts.
        Decorate with fruit then serve immediately!

      Nutrition Information

      Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 976IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg
      These Mini Fruit Tarts are the perfect individual-sized dessert for spring and summer! Each tart is made with a buttery crust and filled with mascarpone cream, then topped with fresh fruit. They’re as pretty as they are delicious!

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