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These Lemon Berry Cookie Fruit Tartlets are a delightful, bite-sized dessert with a buttery cookie base, creamy lemon filling, and fresh fruit on top—ready in just 30 minutes!
I love desserts that look fancy but are secretly super simple—and these little tartlets totally deliver. Between the buttery tart crust, smooth cream cheese filling, and colorful fruit on top, they feel like something you’d find at a bakery, but you can whip them up in your own kitchen in under 30 minutes.
They’re one of my go-to mini desserts for special occasions like Mother’s Day or bridal showers, but I’m also planning to make them for our Memorial Day gathering this year using red and blue berries to match the theme. These sugar cookie cups are super easy to tweak for any holiday or party—just switch up the fruit to match the colors or theme! Whether you’re serving them for afternoon tea or a holiday gathering, these fresh berry tartlets are always a hit.
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Berry Cookie Fruit Tartlets
- Perfectly portioned: Mini desserts make them easy to serve and enjoy—no slicing required!
- Easy to customize: Swap seasonal fruit based on your favorite fruit for endless variations.
- Quick and easy: Only about 30 minutes from start to finish, making them great for last-minute gatherings.
- Great for special occasions: These mini fruit tartlets elevate any event, from afternoon tea to baby showers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure for the sugar cookie cups.
- Unsalted butter: Makes the cookie cups deliciously rich and creates a buttery tart shell.
- Lemon zest: Brightens the cookie dough and cream cheese filling, adding refreshing citrus flavor.
- Cream cheese: Creates a creamy filling similar to delicious vanilla cream or crème pâtissière that pairs beautifully with tart berries.
- Fresh berries: I love using a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries for vibrant flavor and colorful fruit topping.
How to Make Fruit Tartlets
They might look fancy, but these tartlets are surprisingly easy to throw together. From the buttery cookie crust to the smooth lemon filling and colorful fruit on top, here’s how to make them step-by-step for your next party or weekend treat.
Making the Cookie Cups
- Prep: Heat oven to 350°F and generously spray a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour mixture of flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; mix until just combined.
- Combine dough: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Shape the cups: Using a measuring cup or cookie scoop, evenly divide dough into muffin cups. Press gently into the bottom of the pan and halfway up the sides, forming small cups.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Immediately after removing from the oven, press the center of each cookie gently with the back of a spoon or pastry cutter to reinforce the cup shape. Allow cups to cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Lemon Filling
- Cream filling: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at room temperature until smooth.
- Add flavor: Incorporate sugar, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice; mix until silky and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).
- Fill and garnish: Using a piping bag or spoon, fill cookie cups with the cream cheese filling. Top generously with fresh berries and brush lightly with warmed apricot preserves or apricot glaze for extra shine. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Different fruit: Use seasonal fruit like mandarin oranges, passion fruit, or larger fruits sliced thinly.
- Make ahead: Bake the sugar cookie cups a day in advance, store in an airtight container, and fill just before serving.
- Flavor variations: Enhance filling with vanilla bean paste or heavy cream for a smoother texture.
Storing and Making Ahead Tartlets
- Cookie cups: Store baked cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Filled tartlets: Refrigerate filled tartlets up to 24 hours.
- Freezing: Freeze unfilled tart shells in an airtight container for up to 2 months; thaw and fill as needed.
FAQs
Can I use pre-made tart dough instead of cookie cups?
Yes! Mini tarts or puff pastry shells make a great shortcut.
What’s the best way to prevent soggy bottoms?
Ensure cookie cups are cooled completely before adding the creamy filling.
How can I neatly fill the cups?
A piping bag is the best way to achieve a professional look for your tartlets.
More Sweet Treats for Celebrations
Love a dessert that’s just the right size for sharing? These fun and festive recipes are made for celebrations and gatherings!
- Chocolate Macarons
- Mini Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- No Bake Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake Parfait
- Lemon Pound Cake
- No Bake Strawberry Pie Bites
Did you try this Lemon Berry Cookie Fruit Tartlets recipe? Leave a recipe rating and review below.
Lemon Berry Cookie Fruit Tartlets
Ingredients
For the cookie cups:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the lemon filling:
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups mixed berries
Instructions
Making the Cookie Cups
- Prep: Heat oven to 350°F and generously spray a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour mixture of flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; mix until just combined.
- Combine dough: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Shape the cups: Using a measuring cup or cookie scoop, evenly divide dough into muffin cups. Press gently into the bottom of the pan and halfway up the sides, forming small cups.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Immediately after removing from the oven, press the center of each cookie gently with the back of a spoon or pastry cutter to reinforce the cup shape. Allow cups to cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Lemon Filling
- Cream filling: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at room temperature until smooth.
- Add flavor: Incorporate sugar, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice; mix until silky and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).
- Fill and garnish: Using a piping bag or spoon, fill cookie cups with the cream cheese filling. Top generously with fresh berries and brush lightly with warmed apricot preserves or apricot glaze for extra shine. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store cookie cups separately at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Fill tartlets just before serving for the best texture.
- Great with any fresh seasonal fruit!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
