The warmer spring weather calls for easy desserts, highlighting the freshest fruit of the season. In this Sugar Cookie Fruit Tarts recipe, sugar cookies serve as the base for this easy, one-bite dessert.
Layered with a sweetened cream cheese filling and topped with fresh berries, these Sugar Cookie Fruit Tarts will be the hit of the backyard bbq!
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Easy Dessert Idea for Spring and Summer
When temperatures start warming up, we want easy to prepare desserts that don't have us in front of a hot oven all day. These mini fruit tarts are perfect because they require just a few minutes of prep time and baking time.
These are also one-bite desserts which require no utensils (or even plates!). The components include a "cup" made from the dough of my super easy Sugar Cookie Bars, a not-overly-sweet cream cheese filling, and fresh berries on top. That's all, folks!
The perfect Tart for Mother's Day and Father's Day
These tarts make for the perfect dessert for Mother's Day and/or Father's Day . Not to mention your Spring and Summer bbq and picnics and outdoor gatherings!
The nice thing about this dessert is that there are no utensils required. And, the components can be kept separate and assembled just prior to serving.
I would recommend keeping the cream cheese filling and berries chilled in the fridge or cooler if you are not serving these right away, especially in the warmer weather.
Ingredients Needed to Make Sugar Cookie Fruit Tarts
Here's what you'll need to make these fruit tarts:
- Butter: unsalted butter works best so you can control the level of salt in the sugar cookie cups. Be sure to remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking. This softens it a bit and helps the butter incorporate well into the other ingredients
- Granulated Sugar
- Whole Egg + Egg Yolk: I use US size large eggs which are approximately 57 grams each
- Vanilla extract: go for pure vanilla extract rather than imitation vanilla. Imitation is cheaper, but tends to taste artificial. This is my favorite vanilla
- Salt: I use kosher salt, but feel free to use whatever kind you have or prefer. Adjust the level of salt to your taste
- All-Purpose Flour
To make the easy Cream Cheese Filling, you'll need the following ingredients:
- Cream cheese: Go for the brick-style cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese, as this will result in the best texture. Be sure to bring the cream cheese to room temperature prior to using. This is important, as it'll help create a smooth texture. Cold cream cheese = lumpy cream cheese filling = no bueno
- Powdered Sugar: to help make the filling as smooth as possible, sift the powdered sugar before adding to the mixer. This is not necessary, but helps keep the consistency smooth
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla extract
- Berries: use whatever you have or prefer or is in season. I use strawberries, blueberries and raspberries for variety and color!
How to Make Sugar Cookie Cups for these Fruit Tarts
To make the sugar cookie cups for these mini tarts, start by preparing the sugar cookie dough. Scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized balls using a small cookie/ice cream scoop or by eyeballing it.
Roll the dough between your palms to create a small ball. Then place one ball into each cup of a mini muffin tin. (The cups should be sprayed ahead of time with nonstick spray.)
Bake the sugar cookies in the preheated oven. As soon as they start to brown on the edges, remove from the oven.
Using a flat-bottomed shot glass or the back of a spoon, press down into the center of each cookie to create a well (see the photo below). If the glass is sticking to the cookie, spray the bottom with nonstick spray.
Complete this step as soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, then allow them to cool before filling and topping.
The best way to remove the cooled cookie cups from the muffin pan is to stick a butter knife of offset spatula straight down between the cookie and side of the muffin pan. This will loosen the cookie cup from the pan so you can lift it out easily.
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Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Cups
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray the cups of two 12-cup mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. Set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stop the mixer, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
- Mix on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined. With the mixer off, add in salt and flour. Mix on low just until no dry spots of flour appear.
- Using a small cookie scoop, measure the dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls, roll between your palms into a smooth ball and place one ball in each cup of the prepared mini muffin tin.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are beginning to brown.
- After removing the baked cookies from the oven, use the bottom of a flat-bottomed shot glass or back of spoon to press down into the center of each cookie making a well in the center.
- Allow cookies to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese filling. To a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Remove the cooled cookie cups from the muffin tins by gently inserting a butter knife or offset spatula straight down between the edge of the cookie cup and the muffin tin to pop out each of the cups.
- Place on a cookie sheet or serving platter. Fill each cookie cup with ½ – 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling.
- Top with fruit and serve.
Notes
- If you are making these ahead, store components separately and assemble just prior to serving
- Cream cheese filling and fruit should be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator
- Baked and cooled cookie cups can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days
Nutrition
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Joy Panem
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kim
You're very welcome! Thanks for your comment.
Brittney
I was lazy and just used the pre-portioned Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and this turned out so so good! The cream cheese mix was perfectly flavored. It was not too sweet but not too cream cheesy either. Topped with strawberries, blueberries, and canned mandarin oranges. Thank you so much for sharing this! I would totally make this again. It looks beautiful but was so easy!
Kimberlee Ho
That filling is just as you describe - so happy you loved it! And there's absolutely no shame in your pre-made sugar cookie dough - I think that's genius!
Mary B
Hi Brittney. With the pre packed cookie dough, did you put it in as a ball as per the recipe or did you press it in the muffin tin?
Cassandra
Hi,
Could this be made as one big tart in a pie pan? Thank you!
Kimberlee Ho
I haven't tried that, but I don't see why it couldn't! You'll have to find a pie pan that fits it all without being too thick or too thin. I'm not sure what size that would be since I haven't tried it. But if you do, please let me know!