Thursday, June 4, 2026
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Cherry Tart Recipe: Simple Bitter Cherry Tarts With Martha


Okay you guys, I’m SO excited to share this cherry tart recipe with you as we speak as a result of it comes straight from my expensive buddy Martha — and actually, it may be the very best factor I’ve made all summer time. 🍒 We’re speaking buttery, golden tart shells full of essentially the most beautiful, jammy bitter cherry filling, and I actually can’t even. In the event you’ve been searching for a approach to make use of up all that contemporary fruit from the farmers market or your yard cherry tree, buckle up, as a result of that is your signal!

Meet Martha — The Girl Behind This Cherry Tart Recipe

Let me introduce you to Martha, aka Sheila Thigpen — the creator of Simple Hen Cookbook and writer of Life, Love and Good Meals. She’s been within the publishing business for years, and her beautiful work in her personal inventive endeavors has impressed so many people dwelling bakers. Martha is the sort of one who makes baking really feel completely approachable, and her favourite recipes all the time use easy substances you in all probability have already got. She and I bonded over our love of fine meals, valuable grandchildren, and the gorgeous Smoky Mountains. She’s mainly my spirit animal. When she handed me this bitter cherry tart recipe, I knew it was one thing particular — and I knew I needed to share it with all of you instantly!

Sheila Thigpen smiling in a cozy kitchen surrounded by fresh cherries and baking supplies on a wooden countertopSheila Thigpen smiling in a cozy kitchen surrounded by fresh cherries and baking supplies on a wooden countertop

Why Bitter Cherries Are the Greatest A part of This Entire Factor

Can we discuss bitter cherries for a second?! Candy cherries are beautiful, certain, however bitter cherries have this brilliant acidity that makes a cherry filling completely sing. 😍 One of the best ways to search out them is at your native farmers market within the summertime — they go quick, so seize them once you see them! You can even discover contemporary cherries on the grocery retailer, although the bitter selection generally is a little more durable to trace down. A cherry pitter is your very best buddy right here — don’t even attempt to pit them by hand, I urge you. And in the event you can’t discover contemporary bitter cherries, an excellent cherry pie filling works in a pinch! This little tart recipe can be fabulous with a cherry chip cake vibe happening for a full cherry dessert unfold.

Learn how to Make the Good Tart Crust

Okay, the tart crust is the place the magic actually occurs, mates. Martha makes use of a buttery shortbread crust made with chilly butter, egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract — be nonetheless my coronary heart. You’ll minimize the chilly unsalted butter into your dough (chilly butter = flaky, crumbly, dreamy crust, all the time), then carry it collectively till it simply holds. No rolling pin required for the mini variations — you simply press it proper into your tart pan or muffin tins! Be sure to press evenly up the perimeters of the pan so that you get these stunning folded strains and a neat detachable backside state of affairs. Let it chill earlier than baking, then slide it right into a sizzling oven till it’s golden brown and smelling completely unimaginable. Selfmade crusts sound intimidating however I promise, this one is completely foolproof!

Close-up of golden brown shortbread tart crust being pressed into a mini tart pan on a floured wooden surfaceClose-up of golden brown shortbread tart crust being pressed into a mini tart pan on a floured wooden surface

Mini Cherry Tarts Are a Complete Recreation Changer

I’m OBSESSED with mini cherry tarts, you guys. They’re mainly the cutest little mini cherry pies you’ve ever seen in your life, they usually’re an ideal strategy to serve dessert at a celebration with none slicing drama. 🙌 You should utilize muffin tins to make particular person tart shells, or seize a set of mini tart pans — I’ve used my Hamilton Seaside instruments to make the method a lot simpler. Merely divide your dough into equal items, press into the underside of the pan, add your cherry filling, and bake on a lined baking sheet. These little tarts are severely a chic dessert that appears such as you spent hours — however shhh, we’re not telling anybody how simple it actually was. They pair SO effectively with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting proper on prime. 😭 Heaven!

Ideas for the Greatest Rustic Cherry Tart

If you wish to go the country cherry tart route as a substitute — completely legitimate, I like a freeform state of affairs — you possibly can completely use pie crusts and even puff pastry sheets for a shortcut. Roll out your dough on a baking sheet, pile that beautiful cherry filling within the heart, and fold up the sides. Let it get deeply golden brown and bubbly, then switch to a cooling rack earlier than slicing. Room temperature butter (for the filling elements!) helps the whole lot come collectively, and a cup of sugar balanced with lemon zest retains the tart fillings from being one-note. You can even bake cherry cheesecake-style tarts utilizing this identical base — try this dreamy cherry cheesecake fluff for inspo! In the event you love baking with contemporary fruit basically, additionally strive my mini fruit tart pies — SO good.

Rustic cherry tart with folded pastry edges and glossy sour cherry filling cooling on a wire rack on a white kitchen counterRustic cherry tart with folded pastry edges and glossy sour cherry filling cooling on a wire rack on a white kitchen counter

Make This Tasty Deal with and Thank Your self Later

This cherry tart recipe is actually a 5-ingredient contemporary sort of dessert that belongs in your common rotation, full time. Whether or not you’re prepping for a summer time gathering, searching for simple cookbook-worthy outcomes, or simply desire a tasty deal with for Tuesday night time (no judgment, identical), this one delivers each single time. It’s the right summer time addition alongside different seasonal faves — assume Memorial Day desserts and even pairing it with a enjoyable summer time drink. In the event you bake desserts usually, you NEED this in your life. Subsequent time you see bitter cherries on the market, seize them instantly and are available again right here. I simply know you’re going to like each single buttery, jammy, golden chew. Now go make it! 🍒❤️

Classic Cherry Tart RecipeClassic Cherry Tart Recipe

Traditional Cherry Tart Recipe

Yield:
8 Servings

Prep Time:
half-hour

Prepare dinner Time:
40 minutes

Chilling Time:
half-hour

Complete Time:
1 hour 40 minutes

This Traditional Cherry Tart contains a buttery pâte sucrée shell full of a wealthy, nutty almond cream and topped with a shiny, jewel-bright cherry compote. Elegant sufficient for a cocktail party but approachable sufficient for a weekend bake, it’s a showstopping dessert that works fantastically with contemporary summer time cherries or good-quality jarred ones year-round.

Elements

For the Tart Shell (Pâte Sucrée)

  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (115g) chilly unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 massive egg yolk
  • 2–3 tablespoons ice chilly water

For the Almond Cream Filling

  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 massive eggs
  • 1 cup (100g) almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

For the Cherry Topping

  • 2 cups (about 300g) contemporary or pitted jarred cherries
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (if utilizing contemporary cherries)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Optionally available Garnish

  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Recent mint leaves
  • Frivolously sweetened whipped cream

Directions

  1. In a meals processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the chilly cubed butter and pulse till the combination resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing simply till the dough comes collectively.
  2. Flip the dough out onto a flippantly floured floor, form right into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for no less than half-hour.
  3. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the chilled dough out to about ⅛ inch thickness and switch to a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable backside. Press gently into the sides, trim any extra, and prick the underside throughout with a fork.
  4. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for quarter-hour, then take away the weights and parchment and bake for one more 5 minutes till simply flippantly golden. Put aside to chill barely.
  5. Beat the softened butter and sugar collectively till gentle and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs separately, mixing effectively after every addition. Stir within the almond flour, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and almond extract till clean.
  6. Unfold the almond cream evenly into the par-baked tart shell. Scale back the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 20–25 minutes, or till the almond cream is ready and flippantly golden. Permit to chill fully on a wire rack.
  7. If utilizing contemporary cherries, toss them with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Prepare dinner over medium warmth for five–7 minutes, stirring usually, till barely thickened. If utilizing jarred cherries, drain effectively, toss with lemon juice and cornstarch, and warmth briefly till the liquid thickens. Let cool fully.
  8. As soon as each the tart base and cherry combination are totally cooled, spoon the cherries evenly excessive. Prepare neatly or maintain it rustic. Mud flippantly with powdered sugar and garnish with contemporary mint if desired.

Notes

Make forward: The tart shell will be blind baked a day prematurely and saved wrapped at room temperature. Cherry choices: Candy Bing cherries, bitter Morello cherries, or a mixture each work fantastically — bitter cherries give a extra dramatic distinction in opposition to the candy almond cream. Storage: Retailer the completed tart loosely lined within the fridge for as much as 3 days; carry to room temperature earlier than serving for the very best taste. No tart pan? A 9-inch pie dish works simply fantastic instead.

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