Our Best Tart Recipes

By Southern Living

A tart is a fantastic choice for dessert. Traditionally a baked dessert, these tart recipes show you how to take these tantalizing treats from the oven to the table. Try something truly Southern, like our Muscadine Pudding Tarts—they use the fruit’s juice to give it an amazing color and flavor. For another regional flavor, enjoy the Sweet Tea Icebox Tart because nothing is more Southern than sweet tea. For more traditional tart recipes you’ll love our mouthwatering Rich Chocolate Tart and the Strawberry Tart. If you want to set the tart pan aside, bake the Peach-Nectarine Tart: You just fold the pastry around the fruit before you put it in the oven. However you plan to enjoy them, these tart recipes are as sweet as they are tart.

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Mini Strawberry Tarts

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Mini Strawberry Tarts

These sweet treats start with a pistachio crust. A dreamy mixture of cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and whipped cream are folded together before filling the individual tarts. Toss the fresh strawberries in sugar, just before topping the tarts, to give them just a hint of added sweetness.

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Dolester Miles' Lemon Meringue Tart

Robbie Caponetto

Of all the sweets Dolester Miles makes, this lemon dessert is her favorite. The marriage of a classic French tart and a Southern icebox pie, it showcases sweet and tangy lemon curd atop a cookie-like crust, all piled high with Swiss meringue.

Recipe: Lemon Meringue Tart

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Chocolate-Pecan Mousse Tart

Photo: Helen Norman

Recipe: Chocolate-Pecan Mousse Tart

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

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Nectarine Tarts with Honey

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Nectarine Tarts with Honey

A drizzle of honey gives these 15-minute tarts the look of fine pâtisserie.

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Fudge Truffle-Pecan Tart

Forget the fruit. This one's for chocolate lovers! The rich chocolate center is encased in a delicious homemade chocolate shell.

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Tipsy Spiced Fruit Tart with Buttermilk Whipped Cream

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tipsy Spiced Fruit Tart with Buttermilk Whipped Cream

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.

Step-by-Step: How To Make a Fabulous Fruit Tart

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Nectarine Tart

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Nectarine Tart

This tart recipe is about as easy as they come. Refrigerated piecrusts make assembly a snap, and honey-glazed apricots make for a tasty and impressive finish.

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Double Citrus Tart

Recipe: Double Citrus Tart

This orange and lemon tart combines the bright citrus flavor of lemon and orange in a crisp gingersnap crust. You can make the orange and lemon tart up to 1 month ahead, so it’s perfect for a party. Just omit the whipped cream and garnish, and chill as directed. Remove the metal rim of the tart pan; cover with plastic wrap, and freeze in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and add the whipped cream and garnish up to 4 hours before serving.

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Lemon Velvet Tart

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Lemon Velvet Tart

Dazzle your taste buds with the vibrant flavor of lemon. Drizzle Raspberry Sauce over your slice, if you wish.

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Raspberry-Almond Pear Tart

Recipe: Raspberry-Almond Pear Tart

Vanilla wafer crumbs and almonds add flavor and texture to this raspberry and pear tart.

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Elegant Citrus Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Prop Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell, Food Styling: Angela Sellers

Recipe: Elegant Citrus Tart

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. You can make the dessert in either a rectangular or round tart pan.

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Upside-Down Apple Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Upside-Down Apple Tart

Slow-cooked sweetened apples combine with a shortbread base for an irresistible buttery tart. For a special adult treat, serve with a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream drizzled with premium bourbon and sprinkled with fresh coffee grounds.

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Lemon-Almond Tarts

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon-Almond Tarts

Vanilla wafers make a simple crumb crust for the lemon-almond custard filling of these refreshing tarts. Sweet, fresh raspberries top the custard and complete the flavor combination.

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Strawberry Tart

A flaky homemade crust, silky-smooth custard, and fresh strawberries make for a refreshing dessert.

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Caramel-Pecan Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Tart

Surprisingly easy to make, our Caramel-Pecan Tart pairs the cookie-like crispness of shortbread with a buttery-rich brown sugar-and-honey topping.

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Lemon Mousse Tart

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Lemon Mousse Tart

Mounds of creamy lemon filling will delight all who taste this tart. The filling is a luscious mixture of white chocolate, cream cheese, lemon curd, and whipped cream. Plus, refrigerated piecrust makes for a super-easy tart shell. Drizzle Raspberry Sauce over the top, if you like.

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Lime-and-Macadamia Nut Tart

Reminiscent of Key lime pie, this creamy citrus filling complements its nutty macadamia nut-graham cracker crust. Garnish with toasted macadamia nuts, lime slices, and whipped cream.

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Grapefruit Tart

Tart yet sweet grapefruit create a colorful dessert. You’ll love how it showcases the citrus flavors atop homemade custard and a shortbread crumb crust.

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Peach-Nectarine Tart

Photo: Charles Walton IV

You won't even need a tart pan for this double-fruit dessert. Simply fold the crust around the peaches and nectarines before baking.

 

 

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Creamy Citrus Tartlets

Recipe: Creamy Citrus Tartlets

These party-perfect bite-size treats are easy to put together with frozen pastry shells and a four-ingredient cream filling. Mix and match flavors using lemon, orange, and strawberry curds. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

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Muscadine Pudding Tarts

Photo: Tina Cornett

Recipe: Muscadine Pudding Tarts

The juice of muscadine grapes gives this tart its vibrant color and wonderful flavor. Top with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and thinly sliced muscadines.

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Apricot-Nut Tart

Photo: William Dickey

Recipe: Apricot-Nut Tart

A sweet and gooey concoction of brown sugar fills this delicious tart. Almonds, pecans, and walnuts add great texture, while dried apricots add even more flavor.

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Rich Chocolate Tart

Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Rich Chocolate Tart

A gingersnap crust holds the rich, creamy chocolate filling of this tart. Garnish it with sweetened whipped cream and dried fig halves.

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Sweet Tea Icebox Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sweet Tea Icebox Tart

A cool citrus-flavored tart with a hint of sweet tea is the perfect dessert. Serve in a Gingersnap Crust, or use your favorite prepared crust for an easy shortcut.

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Plum Shortbread Tart

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Plum Shortbread Tart

Reader and recipe developer Kelly Sterling dreamed up this tangy-sweet recipe. "I like to use fresh organic fruit for optimal sweetness," she says. "You can use plums, peaches, or nectarines."

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