This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
These are the prettiest mini cranberry tartlets! They have the most perfect silky cranberry curd filling ever! The curd is nestled in flaky, buttery tartlet cases that just melt in the mouth. I love serving these make-ahead tarts as an easy yet incredibly impressive dessert. Your friends and family will absolutely think they’re from a pastry shop! Decorate these mini cranberry curd tarts with festive garnishes to make them extra special. Tangy and sweet cranberry curd will be your new favorite holiday dessert!
Put homemade cranberry tartlets on your festive menu for the perfect slightly tart, sweet balance to end your meal with.
If you love cranberries, you’ve got to try my white chocolate and cranberry cupcakes, frosted cranberry cookies, or this tasty cranberry galette.
Why You’ll Love It
The perfect balance of sweet and tart: The tangy cranberry curd paired with the slightly sweet crust is incredible.
Elegant and impressive: These cranberry mini tarts look stunning and like they’ve been made in a pastry shop!
Make-ahead friendly: The tart crust and cranberry curd can be made beforehand, perfect for stress-free entertaining.
Cranberry Tartlet Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Flour: This serves as the base for the cranberry tartlet crust, providing structure. Use all-purpose flour for a delicate, flaky texture.
Butter: Cold, unsalted butter is key to creating a flaky, tender crust. It also adds creaminess and a luxurious texture to the cranberry curd.
Cranberries: Both frozen and fresh cranberries work well in this recipe. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw them – increase the cooking time slightly to ensure they break down properly.
Orange juice: Adds a hint of citrus that complements the cranberries.
Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent, ensuring the curd has a firm but creamy consistency without being runny.
How to Make Cranberry Tartlets
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the dough: Into a processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt. At low speed, slowly add the butter to the blend. Finally, add the egg. Pulse the ingredients to bring the dough together.
Chill the dough: Form it into a disc and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate it for about an hour or more.
Cook the cranberries: To a medium saucepan, add the orange juice, sugar and cranberries. Cook the ingredients over a medium heat.
Puree the cranberries: Transfer them to a food processor once they burst. Blend until smooth. Finally, strain the mixture and return to the pan.
Mix in butter and thicken: Add the vanilla, cornstarch, and butter to the pan and stir until melted.
Prepare the egg yolks: Whisk them in a medium bowl and add (cooled) ½ cup of the cranberry mixture to them. Mix together. Pour this back into the saucepan, whisking to combine.
Cool the cranberry sauce: Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Snip a small slit and release the steam. Cool completely to room temperature.
Roll out the dough: Roll the dough out. Cut circles with a cookie cutter. Use a large cookie cutter to cut circles a little bigger than the tart pans. Place the dough into the pans and trim.
Bake: Poke holes into the bottom of each tart. Bake with pie weights in a baking sheet.
Fill and chill: Fill the cooled shells with the cranberry filling and refrigerate your tasty tarts.
Substitutions and Variations
Flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend like this one. It will still give you a great texture to your mini cranberry tarts.
Butter: Swap out regular butter for plant-based butter if you need a dairy-free crust.
Egg: You can replace the egg in the dough with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water) for a vegan version.
Orange juice: Lemon juice or lime juice can be used instead of orange juice.
Zest it up: Add some orange or lemon zest to the crust.
Filling: Try mixing in some raspberries with the cranberries for a sweeter twist.
Crust: For a richer flavor, substitute half of the flour with almond flour or hazelnut flour.
Herbs and spices: Add a touch of cinnamon, ginger or cloves to the cranberry curd.
Chocolate layer: Melt a layer of white chocolate over the tart crust before adding the cranberry curd to create a chocolate-cranberry combo.
Nutty crunch: Sprinkle chopped pistachios or almonds over the cranberry curd before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Start with these deviled eggs or my antipasto board.
Main: Serve tender turkey breast, this glazed ham or my sheet pan ham.
Dessert: End with your cranberry tarts, and be creative with your garnish and decor – rosemary sprigs dusted with powdered sugar or candied orange zest perhaps.
How to Store Cranberry Mini Tarts
Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend you wrap them individually.
Thaw: Thaw for a day in the fridge before serving.
Top Tips
Alternative to pie weights: If you don’t have pie weights, use dried beans or uncooked rice to weigh down the tart crusts instead.
Curd consistency: The curd should be thick but smooth. Straining the cranberry puree is key to removing the skins and seeds, creating a silky texture. If the curd seems too runny after cooking, add a bit extra cornstarch dissolved in water.
Avoid scrambling the eggs: Add the warm cranberry mixture to the egg yolks gradually and whisk constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling and ensures a smooth, creamy curd.
Garnish the tarts to look extra pretty: Decorate the tartlets with whipped cream, fresh or sugared cranberries, orange zest, or rosemary for an elegant presentation.
Time saver: If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought tart shells and focus on making cranberry curd.
Cranberry Tartlets FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the tart dough up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight before rolling it out.
You can substitute lemon juice or cranberry juice with a more tart flavor. The orange juice adds a subtle sweetness and balances the tartness of the cranberries.
Yes! You can use this recipe to make a full-size tart by pressing the dough into a standard tart pan. The baking time for the crust may increase slightly. Aim for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. The cranberry curd amount will still work well for one large tart.
Mini Cranberry Curd Tarts Recipe
Cranberry Tartlets
Equipment
- Saucepan Medium
- Circle Cookie Cutter Large
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1½ Cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup butter, chilled
- 1 egg
For the Cranberry Curd:
- 2 Cups cranberries
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- ¼ Cup orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- In a food processor combine the flour, sugar and salt. On a low speed add the butter, a tablespoon at a time until combined.
- Add the egg and pulse until a dough forms.
- Remove the dough from the processor and form into a disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Make the Cranberry Curd:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the orange juice, sugar and cranberries to a boil and cook until the cranberries begin to pop.
- Remove from the heat and pour the contents of the saucepan into a food processor.
- Pulse until completely pureed and then pour through a sieve back into the saucepan.
- Over a very low heat, stir in the vanilla, cornstarch and butter until melted and well combined.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks. Add ½ cup of the cranberry mixture to the eggs and whisk well.
- Pour this mixture back into the cranberry saucepan, whisking vigorously until completely combined.
- Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cut a slit in the top to release the heat while it cools to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 6 mini tart dishes with cooking spray and set aside.
- Dust a flat, clean surface with flour then roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thick. With a small bowl or large cookie cutter, cut out circles that are slightly larger than the tart pans.
- Carefully fit the circles into the tart pans, pressing down on the edges and removing access dough.
- Use a fork to make air holes in the bottoms of each tart then cut a small piece of parchment paper to rest over the top.
Bake and Assemble the Tartlets:
- Fill each with pie weights then bake for 20 minutes in the oven.
- Allow to cool then remove the pie weights and parchment paper. When the cranberry curd has cooled and thickened, spoon into each tart crust.
- Refrigerate for at least another hour before serving.
Notes
Curd consistency: The curd should be thick but smooth. Straining the cranberry puree is key to removing the skins and seeds, creating a silky texture. If the curd seems too runny after cooking, add a bit extra cornstarch dissolved in water.
Avoid scrambling the eggs: Add the warm cranberry mixture to the egg yolks gradually and whisk constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling and ensures a smooth, creamy curd.
Garnish the tarts to look extra pretty: Decorate the tartlets with whipped cream, fresh or sugared cranberries, orange zest, or rosemary for an elegant presentation.
Time saver: If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought tart shells and focus on making cranberry curd.
Nutrition
These mini cranberry tartlets are absolutely stunning. They have a smooth, velvety cranberry curd that’s out of this world! The curd sits in delicate, melt-in-your-mouth tartlet shells that are rich and flaky. These tarts are perfect for preparing ahead of time. They are a simple yet show-stopping dessert that will leave everyone convinced they came from a bakery.
Other Festive Dessert Recipes to Try
- Indulge in this decadent chocolate hazelnut torrone, a deliciously rich and nutty treat that is perfect for the holiday season.
- This moist and flavorful rum bundt cake is a crowd-pleaser with a boozy kick that elevates every slice.
- This chocolate caramel tart is amazing.
- Don’t miss out on these perfect peppermint mocha cookies.
- Gingersnap icebox cookies are special too.
- This Pandoro Christmas tree cake is fun and easy to make.
- Get into the holiday spirit with this creamy eggnog cheesecake, blending festive flavors into a smooth and irresistible dessert cuisine.
- This gingerbread cheesecake dip is a sweet and spiced party favorite, perfect for dipping cookies or fruit.
- These adorable tiramisu cheesecake trifles are served in fun moose mugs and are the ultimate combination of creamy, coffee-flavored goodness.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I haven’t tried them yet, but was going to make them for thanksgiving. I do have a question thiugh, when making the curd- do I only add the cranberries into the food processor? Or do I also add the juices?
Yes, pour the contents of the pan (including the juices) into the food processor.
I can’t get over how beautiful and delicious these mini cranberry tartlets are! The silky curd and buttery crust are perfect. Definitely a new holiday favorite!