When you think of homemade pie, what do you imagine? Pies or berries enclosed in pie crust and then baked? A frozen, dairy-filled no-bake dessert more akin to ice cream cake? A cookie crust filled with a fruity, creamy custard? If it’s the latter, let us introduce you to the tart. While technically still in the pie family, tarts are better described as a filled pastry shell in the shape of a pie. They also refer to pastries where (usually savory) ingredients are baked atop puff pastry—think pizza, but flaky and extra fancy. Both varieties are impressive, delicious, and best of all, super easy thanks to a few kitchen shortcuts. Check out our 30 tart recipes that’ll take you from breakfast to dessert for ideas, then grab yourself a tart pan, and get to baking.
The best part about tarts? They’re usually WAY easier to make than the average pie, thanks to shortcuts, hacks, and the natural decorative beauty of fresh produce. Even the most difficult of the bunch (maybe our apple tart, but just because of slicing all those apples!) doesn’t involve making pie dough, chilling pie dough, rolling out pie dough… you know, all those steps putting you off making pie? Instead you make a simple dough (just flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and butter), then press it into your tart pan. Top with fruit and bake—really, that's it! Our lemon tart, chocolate tart, fruit tart, strawberry tart, and more all have one of these press-in crusts, but you could also try swapping in your favorite cookies or snacks for the crusts too (our lemon coconut tart with coconut in the graham cracker crust or our strawberry pretzel tart with pretzels for the base are both incredible).
Another great shortcut to homemade tarts? Using store-bought puff pastry or crescent rolls. Once you’ve got one or the other, the options for toppings are really endless, and our recipes are infinitely adaptable. This is also where the savory toppings really shine. Simply unfold or unroll your store-bought option, top with your favorite ingredients (fruit, veggies, and cheese are all great), and bake! Check out our tarte tatin, our crescent breakfast tart, our caramel apple tart, or our tomato tart for ideas, then get creative with your toppings. Serve them for an upscale summer appetizer or a side for a romantic outdoor picnic.
Want more easy dessert inspiration? Try our icebox cakes, no-bake desserts, and our quick and easy fruit desserts too.
Crescent Breakfast Tart
This tart is endlessly adaptable, and easier than it looks thanks to refrigerated crescent dough. We topped ours with eggs and bacon, but feel free to use your favorite breakfast ingredients.
Get the Crescent Breakfast Tart recipe.
Blueberry Tart
The tart is absolutely bursting with summery flavor thanks to a double-dose of blueberries. Brown butter adds a nutty depth of flavor to the crust. It doesn't take much time to make, but if you don’t feel like browning butter, just use plain melted butter for a crust that tastes just like a sugar cookie.
Get the Blueberry Tart recipe.
Easy Strawberry Tart
Nothing says warm weather quite like this easy strawberry tart. The crust is a simple no-chill version of a pie crust (like the one from our apple tart). The filling is a sweet cream cheese with a hint of lemon that makes the strawberries pop. We'll be making this all spring and summer long!
Get the Easy Strawberry Tart recipe.
Fruit Tart
The mascarpone filling is light, slightly tart, and just sweet enough to pair well with the apricot preserve-glazed fruit of your choice. Bonus: the shortbread-like crust here gets pressed in rather than rolled out, which makes it no-fuss and stress-free.
Get the Fruit Tart recipe.
Lemon Tart
This impressive lemon dessert is surprisingly easy to make—we love serving it with a big dollop of homemade whipped cream, but a dusting of powdered sugar or candied citrus would be nice too!
Get the Lemon Tart recipe.
Tomato Tart
Put those perfect summer tomatoes to good use in this stunning tomato and feta tart. It requires just few simple ingredients (and almost no effort). Store-bought puff pastry gives you a buttery, flaky crust without the fuss of making your own crust.
Get the Tomato Tart recipe.
Chocolate Tart
Big chocolate fan? Us too! That's why we created a tart with an easy chocolate crust and rich chocolate ganache filling. A little sour cream gives it an extra smooth and slightly tangy flavor. Top it with a little fresh whipped cream to balance it all out, and please don't forget the flaky sea salt—it helps pull all the flavors together.
Get the Chocolate Tart recipe.
Butter Tarts
Sweet, miniature butter tarts are one of Canada's best desserts. They remind us of a pecan pie, just without the pecans! You may find that they often have raisins in them, and some recipes even call for adding pecans. Ours are kept classic with a soft, gooey center in a flaky pie crust you're going to love.
Get the Butter Tarts recipe.
Lemon Coconut Tart
This revamped lemon tart has a few major upgrades. 1) The buttery graham cracker crust is loaded with toasted shredded coconut. 2) Coconut milk makes the lemon curd filling extra creamy and flavorful. 3) Thanks to Meyer lemons, it is just the right balance between tart and sweet. (But if you prefer citrus desserts with a little more pucker, swap in regular lemons.)
Get the Lemon Coconut Tart recipe.
Tarte Tatin
This classic tart construction relies on fruit being laid over caramel then topped with puff pastry. The caramel might be a little tricky, but we promise going low and slow and resisting the urge to stir is the way to make sure that you have the perfect caramelized bottom.
Get the Tarte Tatin recipe.
Mini S'mores Tarts
The only thing better than an ooey gooey campfire s'more is an ooey gooey s'more-inspired dessert—complete with crunchy graham crackers, rich chocolate, and LOTS of toasted marshmallow.
Get the Mini S'mores Tarts recipe.
Caramel Apple Tart
No one needs to know how ridiculously simple this four-ingredient dessert really is—all you need is puff pastry, cinnamon, caramel sauce, and apples to make this impressive and delicious stunner.
Get the Caramel Apple Tart recipe.
Strawberry Pretzel Tart
Graham cracker crusts are great, but have you tried using pretzels? The pretzel crust perfectly compliments the sweet strawberries suspended in Jell-O here. Even better is the rich cream cheese layer in the middle. It really is a perfect dessert, trust us!
Get the Strawberry Pretzel Tart recipe.
Strawberry Kiwi Mini Tarts
These mini tarts make the best summer dessert. Little graham cracker crusts are filled with a kiwi curd then topped with strawberries—the classic flavor combo will remind you of a tropical vacation.
Get the Strawberry Kiwi Mini Tarts recipe.
Caramelized Onion Tart with Goat Cheese and Thyme
Caramelized onions and goat cheese meld perfectly together for this upscale take on a pizza that makes for a great appetizer or dinner. Because this can be served warm or cold, it's the perfect treat for next day lunches too.
Get the Caramelized Onion Tart with Goat Cheese and Thyme recipe.
Apple Tart
In a classic French recipe, you're supposed to cook down an apple compote to go on top of the crust and under the spiral of apples. Not here. We skipped the sauce completely and macerated the slices in brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla to make sure they got nice and jammy in the oven.
Get the Apple Tart recipe.
Watermelon Cookie Tart
This is the MOST adorable (and delicious) watermelon you'll every eat. Slice up fruit ahead of time, and then let small kids help decorate these for a fun summer activity.
Get the Watermelon Cookie Tart recipe.
Blooming Vegetable Tart
This hypnotizing tart is surprisingly easy to make, thanks to store-bought crescent roll dough. Who knew veggies could be so beautiful?
Get the Blooming Vegetable Tart recipe.
Asparagus and Chive Tart
This stunning spring dish that showcases fresh asparagus in a buttery crust is surprisingly easy to make, thanks to store-bought puff pastry.
Get the Asparagus and Chive Tart recipe.
