The combination of buttery pastry shells and tangy, tart jam is to-die-for in these jam tarts. Fair warning — these treats are almost too pretty to eat…almost!

Jam Tarts with powders sugar.

What Is A Tart?

A tart is a simple open pastry that has a savory or sweet filling (like these jam tarts or a fruit tart). They look like miniature versions of pies. Tarts are frequently associated with European cuisine, especially French or English, but are truly enjoyed world-wide.

Hot tip: There’s no need for a specialty tart pan to make these jam tarts. All you need is a mini muffin tin!

Jam Tarts Video

How To Make Crazy Easy Jam Tarts

Ready for a refreshing show stopper of a dessert? You’ve come to the right place. These tarts are crazy easy and guaranteed to please your palate.

  • Make the pastry dough: Combine the flour and sugar, then grate in the cold butter. Once combined, stir in the egg yolks and ice cold water. Knead and work the dough by hand until it’s well-combined. Then, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Make the tart shells: Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a well-floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough thinly, then cut out the tart shells with a cookie cutter. Place each cut out inside an empty mini cupcake mold. Add a spoonful of jam into the shell.
  • Bake the tarts: Bake the tarts in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown. Once done, place the tarts on a wire rack to fully cool.

Hot tip: If you don’t have the ingredients or time to make your own pastry dough, use store bought or homemade puff pastry! Remember to roll it out thinly before cutting.

Jam Tart Variations & Toppings

Do you love going off-the-recipe? We sometimes do too — so here are two ways to veer off the original jam tart recipe and make your own delicious version.

  • Switch up the jam or preserves: Easily change the flavor of the tarts with different jams. We love using strawberry, apricot, or raspberry jam, but feel free to swap in whatever you love. Aside from jam, orange marmalade, lemon curd, or canned cherries also taste great!
  • Top the tarts with streusel or nuts: Save a handful of dough to make a streusel topping. Place the reserved dough in the fridge to chill. Once the tarts are filled with jam, take the reserved dough and crumble it on top. Go one step further and top with chopped nuts or sliced almonds!
Natalya holding Jam Tarts on a cooling rack in hand.

A Few Tips For These Jam Tarts

This recipe is incredibly simple, but a few handy tips will help you knock these jam tarts way out of the park.

  • Refrigerate the tarts before serving: Before serving, allow the tarts to cool to room temperature, then stick them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This allows the tarts to keep their shape and intensify the flavors.
  • Make homemade pastry: When possible, make your own homemade pastry crust. Homemade tends to be more flakey and buttery than store-bought versions.
  • Use cold unsalted butter: When making the dough, use the coldest butter you can find. Grate it with this tool. The slivers of cold butter help create more flakiness.
  • Keep the dough cold: While mixing the dough, keep it as cold as possible. To do this, try to keep your hands cool (run them under cold water to make them colder). Or, work on the dough a bit at a time. If it gets too warm, it will get sticky and will not become as flaky.
  • Poke the dough before baking: Once the pastry dough is in the muffin mold, use a fork to pierce a few small holes in it. This keeps the middle of the pastry from rising too much while baking.

Storing Jam Tarts

Store your jam tarts for up to five days in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer. Layer them carefully in an airtight container with sheets of wax paper, aluminum foil, or parchment paper between the layers (to keep them from sticking to each other).

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About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.