I have a soft spot for anything lemon flavored. From lemon yogurt to lemon pasta to lemon tarts, I can’t resist.

If I’m at a restaurant and there’s a lemon dessert on the menu it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that’s what I’ll be getting. And if it involves lemon curd? It’s not even a question.

If you love lemons too, you need to try these mini lemon tarts! They’re perfect for brunches and bridal showers, potluck cookouts, or simply as a sweet way to end your night.

These tartlets are bite-sized for built-in portion control and they’re cute as can be!

What you’ll love about this mini lemon tart recipe:

• Easy to make with just five ingredients
• Full of bright lemon flavor on a buttery pastry crust
• Bite-sized perfection for portion control!

Mini lemon tart ingredients

These lemon curd tartlets are made with a tender and flaky pastry dough that comes together easily into a delicious crust. You’ll love how delicious they are!

• Unsalted Butter. Whenever you’re baking, you’ll want to be sure to grab unsalted butter unless the recipe specifically calls for something else. Nothing is worse than an accidentally salty dessert!
• Flour. Whole grain flour can have an overpowering flavor, so use all-purpose flour for these delicate lemon tarts. You can use a gluten-free flour blend if you want though!
• Vanilla. I like to add a splash of vanilla to the dough. It really enhances the flavor and gives it a touch of sweetness.
• Lemon Curd. I filled these mini tarts with homemade lemon curd. It’s delicious, plus I love that it allows me to control the ingredients and the amount of sugar. If you don’t want to make your own, store-bought lemon curd definitely works as a filling, too! I like Dickinson’s, which is relatively easy to find at most grocery stores.

Tips for making mini tartlet shells

If you have a food processor, it’s worth it to pull it out for this recipe. It makes the crust come together so quickly! If you don’t have a food processor, you can make it by hand by cutting the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or two knives. Note that if making this dough by hand, you may need an extra tablespoon or two of water, depending on the humidity. Add more if needed, but go slowly and add just enough to help the dough come together.

Refrigerate the crusts before cooking. This will help them hold their shape as they bake and will make them easier to roll out.

Make sure you “dock” the crust by using a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of each one. You’ll also fill the dough with pie weights, dried beans, or lentils. This prevents the crust from puffing up while it bakes so the tart shells keep their round, cupped shape.

If you have individual tartlet molds, it’s helpful to place them on a baking sheet. This makes them easier to transport and ensures they sit evenly on the oven rack while they bake.

To prep these lemon tartlets ahead of time: These mini tarts will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, but the crust can begin to soften over time. For the best presentation, add the filling the same day you plan to serve them. The prepared lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week and the unfilled crusts will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature after they’ve been baked.

Pro Tip: These tarts are absolutely adorable when you make them in tiny tart pans, but if you don’t have any, you can make these shells by pressing the dough into a mini muffin tin.

Substitutions and Variations

For gluten-free tartlets: To make this recipe gluten-free, swap the flour for your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free blend. I like the flour blends from Trader Joe’s and King Arthur. DO NOT attempt to use all almond flour — the dough won’t come together the way it should.

For extra lemon flavor: For extra puckery lemon flavor, whisk 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon zest into the lemon curd before filling the tarts.

Switch up the filling: I absolutely love the bright, tangy flavor of lemon curd or grapefruit curd but you can also fill these mini tart shells with preserves for a pie-like flavor, chocolate ganache for a super-rich treat, or your favorite pudding or mousse.

Play with garnishes: Fresh berries look so cute on these tartlets. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries all pair nicely with the lemon flavor. You could also top these with candied lemon peel, shortbread cookie crumbs, or a dollop of meringue or toasted marshmallow. You could also do torched sugar, like a mini creme brulee!

More sweet bites

Here are some more bite-sized dessert recipes that you’ll enjoy!

• Small Batch Almond Thumbprint Cookies
• Chocolate Cannoli Cookies
• Raspberry Homemade Marshmallows
• Pistachio Aquafaba Meringues

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Mini Lemon Curd Tarts

Delightfully tangy lemon tarts on a crisp, all-butter pastry crust.

I love using my homemade lemon curd in this recipe! If you plan to make your own curd, you'll need egg yolks, whole eggs, fresh lemons, butter, and sugar.

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 150kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Bonne Maman Curd Lemon
• Wilton Non-Stick Mini Tart Pan

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 Tablespoons cold water
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg yolk
• ¾ cup lemon curd preferably homemade
• Fresh berries for garnish, if desired

Instructions

• Add the flour, butter, and salt to a food processor. Pour in the cold water and pulse 3-5 times, to form a crumbly dough that you can easily mold with your hands.
• Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it into a ball. If the dough is too dry to come together, add more water 1 Tablespoon at a time.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for one hour.
• Once the dough is chilled, heat your oven to 350°F.
• Working on a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Place your tart shell tins underneath the dough and press down on the crust (or roll over it with your rolling pin) to get a perfect cut for the shell.
• Use a fork to dock the crusts by poking them 2-3 times. Line the inside of the shells with dried beans or pie weights.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon water; set aside.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes then, remove the weights and foil and brush the crusts with the egg wash. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the shells are golden brown and cooked through.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Spoon 1 Tablespoon of lemon curd into each tart shell. Garnish with fresh berries, if desired.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Campfire desserts are the best. You can never go wrong with s’mores or grilled pound cake topped with fresh berries, but what about those nights that call for a lighter option? I gotchu.

Today we’re making grain-free apple crisp foil packets!

They taste just like your favorite apple crisp, but without the mess or the hassle of turning the oven on.

And they’re made with simple, real food ingredients to keep things paleo-friendly!

I used the original granola from Steve’s Paleo Goods because it was the most affordable option at Whole Foods, but any grain free granola should work. If you’re up for it, you can even make your own slow cooker granola or try this homemade protein granola.

The granola is really crunchy straight from the bag, but it softens slightly as it cooks and creates the perfect crumble topping.

The paleo apple crisp is delicious on its own straight from the foil pack, but if you’re feeling more indulgent top it with a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream (here’s a paleo ice cream recipe) – the combination of warm apples, crisp topping, and creamy ice cream is to die for.

Looking for more flavorful gluten-free dessert ideas? Try these gluten-free cinnamon rolls!

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Grain Free Apple Crisp Foil Packs

Serve these apple crisp foil packs as is, with vanilla ice cream, over yogurt, or over pancakes – the options are endless!

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Additional Time 1 minute minute

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 apples sliced
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil
• Scant 1/2 cup grain-free granola

Instructions

• Arrange two squares of heavy duty aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Arrange one sliced apple on each sheet; sprinkle each with half of the coconut sugar and cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Add 1 teaspoon ghee and half the granola to each packet, then fold over the sides of the foil to seal the apples inside. 
• Grill on high, seam-side up, for 12-15 minutes, or until the apples are tender. 
• Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. 

I considered making an apple pie cheesecake, but decided to make apple cheesecake empanadas instead. We could pretend that decision had something to do with celebrating New York diversity but, honestly, it was because I’ve had a package of empanada dough in my freezer for a while and I’ve been looking for an excuse to use it.

How to make apple empanadas

Apple empanadas are surprisingly easy to make!

1. Start by making a quick batch of easy apple pie filling. Caramelize some sugar and apple pie spices in a hot pan. Then add diced apples and cook them until they’re soft. Ruby Frost apples have a firm texture so they retain their shape even after they cook down. This means the apple pie filling is nice and chunky with big pieces of tart apples.
2. Instead of adding more sugar to sweeten the cream cheese, mix in some of the sticky liquid from the apples. Resist any urge you might have to taste the cream cheese filling or you might end up taking so many tastes that you don’t have enough left for the empanadas.
3. I used frozen empanada dough. If you want to make your own, I bet this version made with sweet potatoes would be incredible! Whichever you choose, make sure to seal the edges tightly by pressing down on them with the tines of a fork – you don’t want that delicious filling to ooze out.
4. Once they’re tightly sealed, brush the empanadas with a little milk and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar. Bake them until they’re puffed and golden brown. Make sure to let them cool slightly before digging in – the filling gets really hot and molten and will firm back up when the empanadas cool.

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Baked Apple Cheesecake Empanadas

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10

Calories 309kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup water
• 4 Ruby Frost apples peeled and cut into a 1/4" dice
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 package 10 discs frozen empanada dough, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• cinnamon-sugar for dusting optional

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the sugars, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the water and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and lava-like. Stir in the apples and cook 8-10 minutes, or until softened. Let cool completely.
• Pour off about 1/4 cup of the liquid from the apples and stir it into the cream cheese.
• Heat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
• Use a rolling pin to gently stretch each disc of empanada dough slightly, then spoon 1 tablespoon of cream cheese and 1 heaping tablespoon of apples onto the center of each disc. Bring the edges together over the dough and use the tines of a fork to seal (press firmly). Arrange on the baking sheet. Brush each empanada with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, if desired.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the empanadas are puffed and golden brown.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 2g

Pear and Almond Crumble, seasoned with a pinch a cardamom, is a unique and delicious alternative to apple crisp. With a dollop of yogurt, it’s perfect for breakfast; with vanilla bean ice cream, it makes a wonderful dessert.

It’s been years and years since I’ve had a crumble or crisp, but once I got the idea of pear crumble into my head well… you can see what happened. (I don’t know why, but I’m all about pears this fall. Anyone else?) I actually forgot how easy crumbles are to make: it takes less than 10 minutes to mix together the streusel-like topping and pop the whole thing into the oven. Let it cook while you eat dinner and it will be ready and waiting for you just in time for dessert.

That was the plan anyway. It turns out that unlike apple crumble – which is amazing when eaten warm and bubbling straight from the oven – warm pears aren’t so great. Eaten warm, this crumble was kind of meh. Not bad, but I almost threw the rest of it out. I’m glad I didn’t though! I took one last nibble (just to check) after it had cooled off for a few hours and the next thing I knew I had eaten about a quarter of it straight from the pan. It was even better the next morning after it has been refrigerated all night.

This pear and almond crumble has a much more delicate than traditional apple crumble, so instead of cinnamon I used cardamom, which is less assertive and has a slightly floral flavor that pairs nicely with almonds. Don’t be tempted to use whole wheat (or even white whole wheat) flour in this recipe – although you can get away with it in an apple crumble, the flavor is too overpowering with the pears.

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Pear and Almond Crumble

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all purpose flour divided
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 Bartlett pears peeled and cut into thin wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

• Heat oven to 450ºF.
• In a small bowl (or right in your measuring cup) combine 1/2 cup flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, cardamom, and salt. Mix well.
• Melt the butter and coconut oil in a 9-inch skillet set over medium heat. Swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan, then pour into the dry ingredients. Mix until the topping is moistened ad crumbly.
• Return the skillet to the stove and add the pears, 1 tablespoon sugar and almond extract. Cook over low heat until the pears soften and begin to release liquid, 5-7 minutes. Stir in reserved 2 tablespoons of flour.
• Spread the crumb topping evenly over the pears. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the topping is crisp.
• Let cool. Serve with vanilla yogurt for breakfast or vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.