Description

These festive Christmas Mini Tarts are a delightful way to spread holiday joy with seven different flavor variations. Featuring a buttery, crumbly crust filled with sweet fruit preserves and topped with crunchy nuts, these bite-sized treats are perfect for holiday parties and gatherings. Easy to make and beautifully festive, they offer a delicious combination of textures and flavors that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling and Topping

1/2 cup fruit preserves
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the tarts once assembled.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, softened unsalted butter, and powdered sugar. Mix these ingredients together until the mixture becomes crumbly, which forms the base of the tart crust.
Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract and continue mixing until you achieve a cohesive dough that holds together when pressed.
Form Tart Crusts: Press the dough mixture evenly into mini tart pans, making sure to cover the bottom and sides to form a sturdy shell for the filling.
Add Filling: Spoon the fruit preserves into each tart shell, filling them generously but without overflowing.
Top with Nuts: Sprinkle chopped nuts over the fruit preserves to add a crunchy texture and festive appearance.
Brush Egg Wash: Lightly brush the edges of each tart with the beaten egg. This will help the crust develop a beautiful golden color during baking.
Bake: Place the mini tart pans in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crusts turn golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Cool and Serve: Allow the tarts to cool completely before removing them from the pans and serving. This helps the filling set and makes handling easier.

Notes

You can customize the fruit preserves to your favorite flavors such as raspberry, apricot, or cherry to vary the taste.
For extra festive flair, consider dusting the cooled tarts with powdered sugar before serving.
Chopped nuts can be substituted with almonds, walnuts, or pecans depending on your preference.
If mini tart pans are unavailable, you can use a standard muffin tin lined with paper cups as an alternative.
Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing and a crumbly texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas Mini Tarts, Holiday Desserts, Mini Fruit Tarts, Festive Baking, Holiday Treats, Tart Recipe, Easy Holiday Desserts