Back when I wrote for a website called Paper Palate, a blogger named Brilynn Ferguson of Jumbo Empanadas shared this recipe for tart cherry tartlets with us. And today we are giving it a big update!
Brilynn liked the recipe as is, but she also thought it was fun to tinker with. For a more indulgent single-serve dessert, she says to use a chocolate pie crust. And we think a drizzle of dairy-free chocolate sauce would be delicious. She also liked these tartlets with a sprinkling of sliced almonds, but we have a nut-free option, too.
Beyond tea time, these tart cherry tartlets make a wonderful spring dessert. Serve them with dairy-free vanilla ice cream (store-bought or our favorite allergy-friendly recipe in Go Dairy Free) at Easter, and watch everyone smile as they savor the sweet-tart flavors.
Photo by indigolotos – in prepared crusts and without the icing. But we recommend the icing if you have time!
Special Diet Notes: Tart Cherry Tartlets
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, optionally nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
- 1 (15-ounce) package dairy-free refrigerated pie crusts (or homemade vegan pie crust; use gluten-free, if needed))
- 1 (14-ounce) can red tart cherries
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cherry flavored brandy
- 1 cup powdered confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (can sub vanilla extract)
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the crusts.
- Use a 2-1/2 inch round cutter to cut 12 circles from each pie crust.
- Line each cup of a 24-cup miniature muffin pan with the prepared crusts. Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cherries, reserving ½ cup of the juice.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add the reserved cherry juice and brandy, whisking until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is clear and thickened. Remove it from heat and stir in the cherries.
- Evenly divide the cherry mixture between the par-baked crusts.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tartlets to a wire rack and cool completely.
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk beverage and extract, whisking until smooth.
- Drizzle the icing on top of each tartlet.
Key Pantry Ingredients: Tart Cherry Tartlets
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