Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts
Delicious mini tarts with buttery shortcrust pastry, a soft almond frangipane, and a bright hit of cherry jam, perfect for afternoon tea or gatherings.
I still remember the first time I baked these Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts — the kitchen smelled like almonds and jam, and everyone reached for seconds before they’d even cooled. They’re a perfect petite treat for afternoon tea, a picnic, or a holiday platter when you want something elegant but simple to make. If you love little handheld bakes, you might also enjoy this savory take on cheeseburger mini meatloaves, which shows how satisfying small-format recipes can be.
Why you’ll love this dish
These mini tartlets strike a great balance: buttery shortcrust pastry, a soft almond frangipane, and a bright hit of cherry jam. They’re visually charming, portion-controlled, and ideal for gatherings because you can make a batch ahead and serve them warm or at room temperature. They’re also forgiving — the pastry tolerates a little overworking, and the frangipane keeps the filling moist so small mistakes won’t ruin the end result.
What makes them especially handy:
- Great for entertaining: easy to plate and serve.
- Make-ahead friendly: pastry and frangipane can be prepared in advance.
- Kid-friendly: sweet and familiar flavors that most kids enjoy.
- Scalable: double or halve the batch without changing technique.
The cooking process explained
Quick overview before you bake: you’ll make a classic sweet shortcrust pastry, blind-bake small tart shells, prepare a simple frangipane (almond filling), spoon a little cherry jam into each shell, top with frangipane, and bake until golden. Once cooled, a light icing and a glace cherry half finish them neatly. Total hands-on time is moderate, but much of the process is passive (chill, blind-bake, bake), so you can tidy up between steps.
What you’ll need
- 250 g (1½ cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour — for the pastry (substitute 50 g with wholemeal for a nuttier base)
- 60 g (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar — pastry
- 125 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cubed — pastry; use a dairy-free block if avoiding dairy
- 2 large eggs, yolks only — pastry (reserve whites for another use)
- 2–4 tbsp ice-cold water — to bring pastry together
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature — frangipane
- 60 g (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar — frangipane (superfine sugar; granulated is acceptable)
- 60 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) ground almonds — frangipane (or substitute equal weight hazelnut for a different nut profile)
- 1 large egg — frangipane
- 0.5 tsp almond extract — frangipane (use vanilla if almond extract is unavailable)
- Cherry jam or conserve — a spoonful per tart (seedless preserves work best)
- 100 g (½ cup + 3 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar — for icing
- 3–5 tsp milk — to thin icing (use plant milk if needed)
- 12 glacé cherries, halved — to top (fresh cherries are fine as an alternative)
Note: If you have a nut allergy, see the Variations section for nut-free options.
Directions to follow
Below are clear, practical steps divided into pastry, frangipane, and finishing so you can tackle each component confidently.
For the pastry
- Pulse flour and icing sugar with cold cubed butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If doing by hand, rub butter into flour and sugar with fingertips.
- Add the two egg yolks and 2 tbsp ice-cold water. Pulse or mix until the dough just comes together. Add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed; the dough should hold when pressed.
- Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick and line mini tart tins (12 x 7–8 cm tartlets or a 12-hole muffin tin) pressing gently. Trim excess.
- Chill the lined tins for 15 minutes, then blind-bake: prick bases with a fork, line with parchment, fill with baking beans, and bake at 190°C/375°F for 12–15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake another 5 minutes until dry but not browned. Reduce oven to 180°C/350°F for the frangipane step.
For the frangipane
- Beat 60 g softened butter with caster sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the egg and almond extract and beat until combined.
- Fold in ground almonds to make a thick paste. If the mix seems too loose, chill briefly — you want a pipeable yet stable filling.
To bring it together
- Spoon about 1 tsp cherry jam into each partially baked tart shell.
- Top with roughly 1–1½ tbsp frangipane, smoothing or piping to an even layer. Leave a little space as frangipane will rise slightly.
- Bake at 180°C/350°F for 15–18 minutes or until the frangipane is puffed and lightly golden.
- Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Mix 100 g icing sugar with 3–5 tsp milk to a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled tarts and top each with a glacé cherry half.
Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts
- Prep
- 1 HR
- Cook
- 30 MIN
- Total
- 1 HR 30 MIN
- Serves
- 12
01Ingredients
For the pastry
For the frangipane
For assembly and icing
02Method
- For the pastry
- For the frangipane
- To bring it together
Tap a step when it's done. The next one lights up.
0 OF 13 DONE03Recipe notes
- 01Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or clotted cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze un-iced tartlets for up to 2 months.
How did it turn out?
No ratings yet. Tap a star to be the first.
Snap a photo and tag @recipe_smoke1 so I can see how yours came out.
How to serve Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts
Best ways to enjoy them:
- Serve warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or clotted cream for an indulgent treat.
- Present on a tiered cake stand for afternoon tea or a buffet.
- Pair with black tea, espresso, or a fruity herbal infusion.
- For a brunch spread, place them alongside mini quiches and fresh fruit for variety.
How to store & freeze
Storage and reheating tips:
Room temp: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving to revive the texture.
Freezing: Freeze un-iced tartlets in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add icing just before serving.
Reheating: Warm gently in a 160°C/320°F oven for 5–8 minutes to refresh the pastry. Don’t microwave for long — it softens the crust.
Food safety: Because the frangipane contains eggs, keep the tarts refrigerated if not eaten within a few hours and always reheat to appropriate temperatures if serving warm.
Flavor swaps
Creative twists:
- Lemon Bakewell: add 1 tsp lemon zest to the frangipane and use lemon curd instead of cherry jam.
- Raspberry or apricot jam: these fruit swaps offer a tangier profile.
- Chocolate-dipped: half-dip cooled tarts in tempered chocolate for a decadent finish.
- Nut-free: replace ground almonds with a mix of oat flour and extra icing sugar; omit almond extract and add a drop of vanilla.
- Mini tartlets with jam and custard: omit frangipane and fill with pastry cream for a different classic feel.
Your questions answered
How long does it take from start to finish?
A: Active hands-on time is about 45–60 minutes. Allow for chilling and baking, so total elapsed time is around 2 to 2.5 hours.
Can I make these ahead for an event?
A: Yes. The pastry and frangipane can be made a day ahead. Assemble and bake on the day for best texture, or fully bake and freeze, adding icing when thawed.
I have a nut allergy. Can I still enjoy something similar?
A: Yes. Use an oat-and-icing-sugar mix to mimic frangipane texture and replace almond extract with vanilla. Label clearly if serving to others with allergies.
Why did my pastry shrink?
A: Common causes are not chilling the dough long enough, stretching the pastry when lining tins, or the butter being too soft. Chill the lined tins before blind-baking and avoid stretching the pastry into the edges.
Can I make larger tarts with this recipe?
A: Absolutely. Increase baking time slightly and watch for a golden frangipane top; larger tarts may need 25–30 minutes to bake through.
Conclusion
These Mini Cherry Bakewell Tarts are a brilliant blend of buttery pastry, almond richness, and fruity jam — perfect for parties, teatime, or gifting. For more ideas, check out Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets | Movers and Bakers and my Cherry Float.
Dessert
Dessert
Dessert
