Buttery, crispy, crumbly tart crust that’s simple to make and goes well with any filling!
Making homemade tart crust may seem scary to many people, and whenever I try to explain to someone how it’s done, I usually lose them at the ‘blind baking’ or ‘pie weights’ part. But as with anything, the process becomes simpler and quicker after a few tries, and the results are well worth the preparation and practice.
This recipe is great for any tart you’re making. It’s crumbly and sweet with a firm cookie-like texture. Tart dough is a bit different than pie dough, which is more flaky and tender.
Granulated sugar vs powdered sugar
Powdered sugar is my preference since it yields a more tender crust with an unbeatable melt-in-your-mouth texture, while using granulated sugar can make it more crumbly. Different recipes use different amounts of sugar, but I find this one to be just perfect for a sweet crust. If you prefer a less sweet tart, use less sugar.
Eggs
Classic tart dough is usually enriched with eggs or egg yolks. In this recipe, I find that using 1 whole egg is pretty foolproof. If you like to experiment, try substituting the whole egg with 1 egg yolk plus 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream. The latter is actually my preferred version, but if you’re a beginner, stick to the whole egg.
If you don’t weigh your ingredients with a food scale, you might end up with a dough that’s a bit too dry or wet, but don’t worry. If it’s dry, add a bit of water, and if it’s wet, add a bit of flour.
What is blind baking?
Blind baking refers to baking the crust in a tart pan before adding the filling to it. Since the pastry puffs up during baking, you’ll need to bake it with pie weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice. Once the crust is set, you can remove the weights and let it finish cooking. Blind baking would prevent your crust from becoming soggy.
Partially baked crusts require a shorter baking time and are used for pies that call for baked fillings.
Fully baked crusts take longer to bake and are used for pies or tarts without a baked filling. In either case, you’ll need to bake the crust with pie weights, and then a few minutes longer without pie weights. Here’s a good visual guide on how to use weights when baking a crust.
For step-by-step photos on how to make the crust, check out my pie dough recipe. The ingredients are different, but the method is similar.
- 1 1/4 cups (180 g/6.3 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (55 g/2 oz) powdered sugar (or 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick/115 g) cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract , optional
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Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor for a few seconds until combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can do this by using a pastry cutter. Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses. Add egg and vanilla extract and keep pulsing until the dough is no longer dry and starts to clump together, about 10-15 seconds. Do not process to the point that a large ball of dough is formed; rather the dough should be quite crumbly with large clumps. Another way to check if it’s done is to take a piece of dough and press it between your thumbs – the dough should stick without feeling dry or crumbly.
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Turn dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. It should come together easily without being sticky. Flatten ball slightly with your hands to form a thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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If you don’t want to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to a month and then thaw overnight in the fridge.
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To roll out the dough:
Take dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly for easy rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin into an 11-inch circle, then place gently into a tart pan
(preferably with a removable bottom); you can do this by flouring a rolling pan and rolling the dough loosely around it, then unrolling it into the pan. Brush away any excess flour on the surface. With a sharp knife, trim the edges of the pastry to fit the tart pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Frozen dough is less prone to shrinking while baking.
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To bake the crust: Preheat oven to 375F/190C and place rack in the center.
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Press parchment paper or aluminum foil tightly against the crust, covering the edges to prevent them from burning. Fill with pie weights/dried beans/uncooked rice, making sure they’re fully distributed over the entire surface.
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Bake crust for 20 minutes, until foil no longer sticks to the dough. Transfer crust to a wire rack and remove weights and foil.
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To partially bake the crust: Bake for 5 minutes longer. You’ll now need to proceed with your tart recipe, add the filling, and finish baking. According to your recipe, the crust should be used either while warm or after it’s been left to cool on a wire rack.
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To fully bake the crust: Bake for about 10 minutes longer until golden brown and dry. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
172 Comments
Cheryl Patterson
December 14, 2015 at 9:19 amI have to say I’m not much of a pastry baker, but I am determined to give it a go. Your recipe seems less complicated than some that I have seen in the past and after trying your ‘classic pizza’ last week – yummy by the way – I thought I’d give this a try.
Shiran
December 14, 2015 at 10:44 amI’m so glad you like my pizza recipe! Thank you 🙂 You should definitely give it a try, and don’t give up even if it doesn’t turn out perfect the first time you make it!
Ahmad Ahsen
February 22, 2019 at 9:55 pmHey Shiran,
I’m using your recipe now. I just made the curd. It’s delicious. I am not a picky eater but I tried something different. Using other people’s ideas, I made lemon curd in blender instead of Bain Marie . Then I put it through sieve and microwave. It came out faster. For the crust I poked holes in crust instead of using pie weights. I am certainly no cooking expert but these are suggestions. Once again, thank you for the recipe!
Alexis
December 5, 2021 at 5:53 amPoking holes is magic, an old-school trick that never fails.
Josie
May 11, 2022 at 12:09 pmUsed this recipe for a lemon meringue tart and my family loved it! They said it was their favorite part of the pie! Would recommend using foil for the blind bake. I used parchment paper and my edges browned too quickly since it didn’t stick as well as foil! Wonderful recipe!
Patricia VanAntwerp
October 18, 2019 at 2:40 pmI made this crust today and made cream cheese base layer with Pindo palm fruit curd swirled in it, then topped with fruit with an apricot glaze. It was the perfect tart crust! Yummy
Irmina
November 23, 2019 at 6:18 pmThis recipe is amazing, I love making milk tart with it.
Do you think I could split it to mini tarts? Using the same recipe? It would perfect for Christmas
Shiran
November 24, 2019 at 2:59 amYes! But for mini tarts I will double the recipe to make sure I have enough dough, just in case 🙂
Keshia
August 17, 2020 at 8:28 pmYears ago I tried to make my own tart crust from scratch and it was nothing like the tarts I enjoyed while studying abroad in Paris. Discouraged, I vowed to not make that mistake again and got store bought pie crusts (still not the same) but without the heartbreak of a failed recipe. Now years later I have finally gotten it right thanks to you! This recipe is perfect and I look forward to using it again and again to make one of my favorite desserts. Thank you!
Shiran
August 20, 2020 at 5:26 amI’m so glad 🙂 Thank you, Keshia!
Trish M
May 1, 2018 at 9:18 pmJust made this tart cust today for my Son’s Birthday, it came out fantastic! Great flavor very crisp buttery taste. I filled it with , homemade Cream Patissiere, topped it with mixed berries.
This will surely br a go to crust !!
Thank you , wonderful recipe!
Trish M
tijana
December 17, 2015 at 11:02 ami made this today for the lemon tart and the curd ended up pretty good, but the crust shrunk a little bit, even though i followed the recipe and put it in the freezer for 30 min, so the sides weren’t really upright. BUT it all tasted really good so it doesn’t really matter if it didn’t look the best. thank you for your recipes, i think i made at least 5 different things and all of them turned out very delicious.
Shiran
December 17, 2015 at 3:56 pmI’m so glad to hear that Tijana! Thank you so much for your comment 🙂 The crust does shrink a bit anyway, but if you follow all the rules it should shrink less, so it’s ok. After you make it a few times, it would look better. It’s just a matter of practice.
Ella
May 16, 2018 at 12:24 pmHey! I always find that for the first 20 minutes of the blind bake leaving at least an inch hanging off the ends and trimming before putting back in for the last 5 to 10 minutes
Krishna
June 15, 2020 at 3:01 amHey,
I just tried out the crust yesterday. It was fantabulous. I topped it with lemon curd later on and some delicious fruits.
May_angel55
January 18, 2016 at 2:19 amDo you have youtube channel coz you deserve to watch ?? i will try your crust coz it seems fancy perfect
Shiran
January 18, 2016 at 1:16 pmI don’t have one just yet 🙂 I’m thinking of it though! Maybe one day… But thank you so much for your sweet words! 🙂
robyn
March 3, 2016 at 10:14 amhi! wondering if you could make these individual tarts in cupcake tins? would you still need to weigh them down or would piercing the dough be ok? thanks! robyn
Shiran
March 3, 2016 at 10:30 amHi Robyn, yes, you can use a muffin pan for that. Pie weights are always recommended to use and yield the best result, but piercing only should be fine if you don’t mind it puffing up a bit (you can try one first and see if you like the result).
Amanda
May 22, 2019 at 8:18 pmI did this and just poked them because they were too small for the paper and weights to stay in. They came out pretty poofy, so while they were still hot, I used a small round measuring cup to press down and give me back that bowl shape. They shrank a lot too, so next time I’ll make them much bigger.
Zamboozle
July 7, 2019 at 2:30 pmHey Robyn, That’s what I did! I made mini-tarts for my family and they all said it was the best crust they ever tasted! The crusts turned out great! They did puff a little but after I filled them you couldn’t even notice. I baked them for 17 minutes without filling inside and they turned out fabulous! Here’s a trick; use cupcake wrappers for the “tart” texture kinda look.
najla
June 9, 2016 at 7:23 pmhey shiran! the recipe is actually brilliant! gonna make it for the family tmw! My question is, if I want to make apple tart, can I bake it right away with the filling? thank you in advance xx
Shiran
June 10, 2016 at 7:11 amWhat kind of tart are you making? I usually prefer using a different dough for my apple pie as explained here, and bake it right away with the filling. For most of my tarts, I prefer blind baking for the tart before adding the filling, so it won’t become soggy. It really depends on the filling.
Farzana Rasool
September 12, 2021 at 4:49 pmHi Shiran!
I love this recipe, thank you so much for sharing. I use it to make milk tarts and when I do a big tart it turns out perfectly. I pour the hot filling into the baked tart shell and even after refrigeration it stays crisp. But for some reason when I make minis they go really soft after adding the filling and refrigerating. Any idea why that may be?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
September 16, 2021 at 7:30 amHi Farzana, I am honestly not sure why this would occur, perhaps because the area of the crust is much smaller for mini tarts. A helpful trick I like to use it to brush your cooked tart shells with a thin layer of melted white, milk or dark chocolate (whichever goes best with your filling) and let it cool completely. The chocolate acts as a barrier between the filling and the shell, keeping it crunchy longer.
phoebe
November 16, 2016 at 4:51 amgorgeous recipe! Just wanting to know if it would be okay to bake this tart crust a day in advance?
thankyou!!
Shiran
November 20, 2016 at 10:55 amYes, it should be ok, just cover it well so it won’t dry out.
Diana Mackie
December 26, 2022 at 9:30 amI brushed my cooled crust with melted chocolate and I loved the way it turned out. The curst, on it’s own was perfect!
Hay Magic
December 29, 2016 at 2:28 pmCan you use a blender instead of a food processor? I don’t have one.
Shiran
January 9, 2017 at 6:23 amHi, unfortunately you can’t make dough in a blender, but you can use a pastry cutter if you have one.
Barbara Shannon
February 27, 2017 at 5:52 pmcan i put the dough in a 91/2 glass pie pan? i dont have a tart pan.. i like to try making this dough,,,,,, looks good
Shiran
March 5, 2017 at 10:15 amHi Barbara, I use this recipe to make an 8 or 9-inch tart. Maybe you should increase the ingredients a bit, just in case.
Monica
March 1, 2017 at 5:08 amHi, Shiran 🙂 after 6 terribly bad tart crusts, your recipe rocked! And not the tart. I used the pastry blender as my food processor works well only for big quantities and it worked so well. Thank you so much for all the explanations.
Monica
Cali
March 25, 2017 at 7:24 pmHi,
I followed recipe but when I pulled it out of the oven after baking the tart crust with dried beans, the dough was very soggy and the beans stuck to the dough. Complete wash. What happened?!
Shiran
March 29, 2017 at 6:24 amDid you place parchment paper or aluminum foil before adding the beans as mentioned in the recipe? It’s necessary so it wouldn’t stick. If the dough is soft, you probably just need to cook it for longer.
Armaghan
May 17, 2017 at 8:40 amHi Shiran,
How should I store my tart crust to keep fresh and fill it later? in room temperature or in the fridge?
Shiran
May 19, 2017 at 9:11 amYou can keep it in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to 1-2 days.
Teresa Barella
May 24, 2017 at 6:19 pmHello, can I make this crust in a silicone tart pan ? I’m trying to do little tarts, like 9cm diameter, but I only have silicone tart pans.
Thanks in advanced from Portugal 🙂
Shiran
May 29, 2017 at 4:42 amI’m planning on visiting Portugal soon! and yes, you can use your silicone pans.
Joanne
June 27, 2017 at 2:16 amHi! What difference would it make if I use just the yolk instead of a whole egg?
Shiran
June 28, 2017 at 6:58 amHi Joanne, You mean the egg yolk with a bit of heavy cream? It makes the dough richer and with better texture (in my opinion).
Brooke
September 7, 2017 at 3:21 amSpent ages searching for a lemon tart recipe and finally decided to try this one as your method seems less complicated than many of the other recipes I looked at and doesn’t use custard powder. I haven’t finished making it yet (the tart crust is in the freezer chilling and the lemon curd is on the bench cooling to room temperature) Making the curd was easy peasy but I did have a hard time getting the crust dough into the bottomless tart flan with a rolling pin the way you suggested (I’ve never made anything in a tart flan before and I’m no pastry chef) the butter in the dough was melting everywhere and I had to keep putting it back in the fridge for an hour at a time so I could start over ( rolling the dough) I did this 3 times and wound up pressing the dough into the flan with my fingers. I’m thinking pastry beginners like me might want to avoid using icing sugar for this tart crust & go for the granulated sugar instead. See how it turns out!
Shiran
September 11, 2017 at 4:02 amHi Brooke! Making dough is a bit complicated for beginners. The great news is that once you get it, it’s so easy, you can do it with your eyes closed, so the practice is worth it. When I started making dough, I made mini tarts and pies, which was easier, and sometimes pressed the dough with my fingers, too. I hope it turns out great anyway!
Ankita Dutta Dubey
September 19, 2017 at 12:27 pmI would give this tart recipe a 100/10 if I could! Just perfect. Golden brown crust and no soggy bottom. ?
Irène Sneddon
December 29, 2017 at 1:28 amHi Shiran, Hello from Canada!!! I’ve tried it a couples times and YESSSSSSS; just beautiful and tasty.Thank you! If I want to make a “salty tart”…? Do you have a recipe for it?Thanks again !
Shiran
December 31, 2017 at 10:32 amHi Irene! I use this pie dough recipe for my savory pies and quiches. It’s a bit different but goes very well with the savory ones!
sammy
February 8, 2018 at 10:45 amhi, can I blind bake the crust in full and then freeze till I fill it the day of ?
also any good firm meringue recipe that I can add on top to torch ?
Shiran
February 13, 2018 at 7:15 amYes, you can freeze it, just make sure it’s tightly wrapped. Thaw it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. I don’t have a recipe for lemon meringue pie on the blog yet, sorry!
Tish
April 10, 2018 at 2:00 pmHi Shiran, this is a great recipe. Did you get it from the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook? I’m excited to try it out and make my first tart!
Shiran
April 11, 2018 at 7:04 amHi Tish, I didn’t get the recipe from a book, it’s a classic recipe my family has been using for years.
Pati
April 29, 2018 at 12:00 amI’m in love with this crust. I made it today and it was simple and easy. For now on this is my official sweet pie crust! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Ruth
June 3, 2018 at 2:17 amAdore this recipe…came out so well…flaky, buttery, sweet…the perfect texture…thank you Shiran!!!
Valerie
July 7, 2018 at 11:10 amThe crust did not work for me. I might have pulsed it *slightly* too much so it would not hold together. Literally two pulses extra and it was ruined.☹️ Going back to a shortbread dough.
Shiran
July 7, 2018 at 12:17 pmI’m sorry to hear that, Valerie! Don’t give up, it took me a while until I learned to make a perfect dough. It takes practice 🙂 Next time, if your dough feels dry you can add some water, or if it’s too wet, add some flour, just a bit at a time.
Nikki
July 12, 2018 at 4:21 amIt would be good to have some additional step by step pictures, it makes it more interesting.
Donna Farner
July 13, 2018 at 3:39 pmIf you”re making individual tarts that will be filled after baking, will docking the dough be sufficient instead of
using pie weights?
Shiran
July 16, 2018 at 1:01 pmHi Donna, from my experience the crust puffs up in the center if you don’t use pie weights. If you don’t mind it being perfect or have a few cracks after baking, then it’s ok to dock the crust with a fork instead.
Damian
August 18, 2018 at 9:11 pmFirst time making pate sucree crust. I usually make brisee but needed to branch out. The dough looks great and easy to work with, but the full bake cook time was too long for me. It burned. I should have kept an eye on it.
Doris
August 19, 2018 at 7:57 pmI used the tart crust receipe to make poptarts. They were lighter than a normal pie crust. My teenage son said they were amazing.
Lyn
August 28, 2018 at 3:26 amGreat recipe! I’ve made is several times and it always comes out perfectly. The tart shell keeps surprisingly well overnight too and doesn’t go soft even with a runny filling. Thank you!!
Shahira Patni-Tejpar
August 30, 2018 at 4:48 pmdo you use salted butter or unsalted for the crust and the filling?
Shiran
September 1, 2018 at 12:13 pmI always use unsalted butter unless otherwise noted.
Shawn
September 5, 2018 at 2:51 pmHello! I have 4 inch tartlet pans – I assume I can use those just the same as a full size tart pan? What would you say is the appropriate thickness to roll the dough out to? THanks!
Shiran
September 8, 2018 at 11:38 amHi Shawn, you should roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness, or a bit less.
Rachel
September 8, 2018 at 5:40 amHi do you know how I can convert this recipe to a gluten free one? Thank you!
Shiran
September 8, 2018 at 11:05 amHi Rachel, I have no experience baking with gluten-free flour, sorry!
Kate
September 9, 2018 at 9:00 pmHi! I just wanted to thank you for a phenomenal recipe!
My latest obsession are fruit tarts but I wasn’t confident I could replicate the crust. Thankfully I stumbled across your recipe and it really brought together the whole thing. This recipe is so easy (I decided to go with adding an egg yolk & 1 1/2 T of heavy cream) and it was just perfect!!
Unfortunately I don’t own any tart pans, so I used my regular 9” pan and lined it with foil before adding the dough so it would be easy to lift and remove from the pan. I formed my outer crust by hand just by slightly raising the dough around the edges, and it worked out just fine!
Thank you for explaining everything thoroughly, I can’t wait to use this recipe again!
David W. Fitts, Sr.
November 18, 2018 at 3:33 amI have a 10″ tart pan so I increased the ingredients by the proper ratio but still used only 1 egg. I expected the dough to be a little dry because of this but it was not dry but instead silky smooth. But trying to roll it out after the refrigerator time the dough just kept tearing. I tried adding more flour but it just wouldn’t get to where it had any kind of strength to hold together to get it on the rolling pin. It was nice having the video for your lemon curd. A video for the shell would have been equally nice to see what the texture of the dough should have been like. Anyway, tonight I’ll be eating lemon curd sans crust.
Shiran
November 27, 2018 at 6:33 amHi David, it sounds like the dough was too cold, because you mentioned that the texture was good before you put it in the fridge. I mention in the instructions that if the dough is cold, it’s best to let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly for easy rolling. I hope this helps!
Ann Wiens
November 20, 2018 at 3:29 amI want to ty this crust for pumpkin pie. How long should I bake the tart crust before adding the pumpkin pie filing? Thanks so much. I can’t wait to try this!!
Shiran
November 20, 2018 at 11:48 amHi Ann, just follow the instructions on how to partially bake the crust (it’s written in the recipe).
Emily
November 21, 2018 at 5:14 pmHi Shiran,
I don’t have a food processor but I have a stand mixer, will that still work? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks!
anita joseph
December 13, 2018 at 4:54 amHi, I donot have a food processor or a pastry cutter. I do it with hand will that help or do you have any tips for that.
Shiran
December 15, 2018 at 5:48 amHi Anita, it would be best if you google it or watch a video on how to make a crust by hand.
Becky
December 16, 2018 at 7:20 pmThis looks like a great recipe! I have a tart pan that is almost 11inches and does NOT have a removable bottom. Would it be best to line it with foil? It IS non-stick. I will need to increase the recipe to accomodate the larger pan. By how much, do you think? I could always double it and if I have anything left over, use it for a small tart. I’d really like to use this larger pan rather than my smaller cheesecake pan that does have a removeable bottom.
Shiran
December 18, 2018 at 8:22 amHi Becky, you can multiply the recipe by 1.5, or double it if it’s easier for you. There’s no need to line the bottom of the pan with foil.
Deanna
December 19, 2018 at 10:09 pmI’m super excited to try your recipe! I’m going to attempt little lemon tarts (using a mini cupcake tin) this weekend, but am wondering how long to blind bake. Would it be the same time as the tart pan? Thanks in advance!
Shiran
December 22, 2018 at 10:27 amHi Deanna, they would take a little less time to bake, but I don’t know exactly how long without knowing the size of the pans or testing it myself.
Jessie
December 22, 2018 at 11:29 amWould the recipe work in a 14in x 4.5in rectangular tart pan?
Crystal
December 22, 2018 at 12:33 pmHello, I want to know if you can use this as a cookie recipe?
CJ
December 24, 2018 at 12:15 pmThe tart crust came out great! Thanks
Dawn
December 30, 2018 at 6:13 pmPerfect. Great crust, wonderful with your lemon filling.
Deb
January 13, 2019 at 12:59 pmHappy New Year 2019!!
Just found you by fluke!! What a beautiful site you have. Everything is so well done!! Amazing photography!!
I have a question that I hope you can help me with.
As a rookie I went out and bought an 11” tart pan!!
Could you or do you have recipe ingredients to fit this pan.
And what in your opinion is the best size pan to buy. Mine has been sitting here unused for so long. Brand spanking new!!
I’m intimidated and clueless as of what to do with her!!
Carolina
January 22, 2019 at 11:45 amI made this recipe as a fruit tart for my daughter in her Birthday and turns out beautifully and perfect sweet and buttery flavor! This recipe is a must have in your kitchen. I made it with your suggestion 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp of heavy cream. Is wonderfull! If your are looking for the best sweet and buttery tart crust for you and guests… don’t look more, you found it! Shiran, I would love to share a picture with you!
Amina
January 30, 2019 at 6:30 pmHi. When using this recipe, could I use a muffin pan to make mini tart shells. I tried so many ways to make mini tart shells, but it keeps on sticking to the muffin baking tray.
Shiran
February 6, 2019 at 5:21 amYes, it should work well.
FABIOLA BASILIO CASSEMIRO REZENDE
April 4, 2019 at 9:24 amHi, can i freeze it?
Shiran
April 11, 2019 at 4:28 amYes!
Katie
April 6, 2019 at 7:50 pmI made this crust with your lemon curd recipe (which is delicious by the way; I had to stop myself from taking too many samples before I filled the tart shell). I chilled the crust before baking but I still got quite a bit of shrinking on the sides. Any suggestions?
Shiran
April 11, 2019 at 4:23 amIt should shrink a bit, so that’s ok!
Barbara
April 17, 2019 at 5:19 amHi, I made the lemon tart, mainly to give a try to the crud (omg! it’s sooo delicious! ), using the tart sable dough from the market (lazy me!) This time I want to try with your crust – will it make a big difference if I make it with hands (quickly, as not to warm it too much)?… I do not have the food processor big enough…
Thanks for your advice 😉
Hareem Adeel
April 19, 2019 at 4:59 amHey, I’m Hareem,
Quick question, could I use a cake pan instead of a tart/pie pan?
Thank You!
Tiffany
April 19, 2019 at 8:03 pmCan I use a 11 in tart pan for this recipe
David Adamovich
July 6, 2019 at 9:14 amI made the lemon tart as recommended and then made another with half lemon and half orange, the results were quite different yet quite delicious. Had to do so because some grumpy friends don’t like lemon. I like them anyway. David
Monique
July 7, 2019 at 11:44 amHi Shiran,
Can I use this recipe to make mini tart shells?
Jessica Pang
July 11, 2019 at 4:13 amHi Shiran, I am so glad I stumbled into your beautiful site. I was looking for the ultimate lemon tart as those recipes I had tried had included heavy cream to be whisked to be added into filling. Though they are good too however a bit too light and can be runny while left outside or while eating it, especially when you stayed in a hot country in South East Asia, where weather is hot and humid. I made your lemon curd according to your exact recipe and added one small egg yolk as I like it creamy and it turned out excellent. The curd was sooooo delicious even on its own.! Took a few spoonfuls onto a bowl after whisking with butter and was enjoying every mouthful and licking it from the spoon! Texture was amazing.
I made your cookie tart crust the day before I made the curd filling. I added a bit of ground almonds, about 25 gym. Turned out great too! However, a bit too crumbly on the sides and tart breaks easily, possibly because of the additional ground almonds, but tasted very good. Perhaps if I had added a little bit more butter to balance with the additional ground almonds, the dough would had been perfect ? Thank you so much Shiran for a lovely, lovely recipe!
kezya
July 30, 2019 at 11:06 pmHi I want to ask. what’s the use for partially bake and fully bake the crust?? What should I do?
Shiran
July 31, 2019 at 5:16 amYou can find all this info in the post above the recipe.
Nikki
August 10, 2019 at 12:31 pmThis is the FIRST time I have successfully made a tart crust – one that didn’t shrink!! I have made soooooo many tart crusts in my life, but your instructions proved to be the key to tart crust success. THANK YOU!!!!!
Monica
August 10, 2019 at 6:46 pmI baked this last week. It wasn’t perfect, but the taste was amazing. I impressed my hubby who now wants me to bake it again but for a different pie filling. Thanks for providing the recipe!
Rachel
August 11, 2019 at 4:15 pmHi, in the recipe you mention to use a large egg.
Here in Holland a large egg weighs about 65 gr. Is that the same weight for the egg you used? Thank you so much for this nice recipe.
Rachel
Laura
September 17, 2019 at 2:49 amHi! I was just wondering when you freeze the dough would it be best to do it in the disc form or could you shape it first? And what would be the best way to keep it from freezer burn?
Shiran
September 18, 2019 at 7:43 amYou can freeze it as a disc or shape it before freezing. It would be fine 🙂
Rebecca
November 9, 2019 at 12:48 pmI have a 7” and a 10” tart pan. Which one would you recommend I use for this recipe? If using the 10”, how much should I increase the recipe?
Shiran
November 11, 2019 at 5:32 amHi Rebecca. I recommend checking out my article on how to convert pan sizes to alter the recipe 🙂
Rebecca
November 16, 2019 at 2:32 pmThank you very much! That was super helpful!
Kay Pea
January 6, 2020 at 10:45 amThe first time I made this, I used vegan butter because I was making a tart for a dairy-free friend. It was super easy to work with, and my tart came out great. The second time around, I used real butter because I was making it for myself. The dough kept sticking to everything, and it took 3 attempts to get it into the tart pan without breaking. My tart still turned out great, and I’m sure that I’ll get better with more practice.
anabella
January 12, 2020 at 6:28 pmThe recipe is awesome, but when I roll the dough, it cracks, so its hard to get to the size of an 9in tart pan. After I take it out of the fridge I let in rest for 10 min as you said, but it still cracks. Maybe is not hydrated enough)?? what do you think? please help.
It still taste sooo good
jullie
March 31, 2020 at 4:59 pmNice recipe . Today I have tried at my home for my family its amazing. I am become your fan keep posting like this Thanks.
Jasmine
March 31, 2020 at 5:23 pmPerfect recipe!! My tart crust was amazingly tasty!! I made a courgette tart!! Thanks!
Tanu Chandigarh
April 7, 2020 at 2:51 amYesterday I tried this recipe. its taste fabulous and my family members like it your recipe.
Colton West
May 4, 2020 at 3:07 pmThis is my favorite pastry crust. I’ve used it for all kinds of tarts.
I’m planning to make a buttermilk pie and have a question. The pie has to bake for 30-40 minutes. Should I blind bake at all or let it bake with the custard filling? I would think 40 minutes would burn the crust if I did the full 20 minute blond bake. Thanks for your help!
Shiran
May 11, 2020 at 4:43 amIt depends on the recipe you’re using so I can’t say for sure. If the recipe doesn’t require prebaking then you don’t have to. but I usually recommend it, even just for a little bit.
Margaret Breen
May 10, 2020 at 12:15 pmDo you butter your tart pan? Thanks!
Shiran
May 11, 2020 at 4:28 amI don’t. It won’t stick to the pan because of the amount of butter in the recipe 🙂
Suus
May 13, 2020 at 2:11 amJust wondering if I could replace the all purpose flour for GF flour or spelt flour?
Shiran
May 14, 2020 at 1:36 amI have no experience baking it with another flour, sorry, but as long as google says yes you probably can 🙂
noa
May 22, 2020 at 3:13 pmhi shiran,
about how many mini tarts being made in a muffin tin would this recipe make?
thank you
Shiran
May 24, 2020 at 12:50 pmHi Noa, I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it!
Jani
July 14, 2020 at 12:04 pmHello Shiran,
Wow this is a recipe with most busy engagement I’ve ever seen! it shows that it really is that good 😀
Anyway I’m about to start making those tart crust and wondering can I use a stand mixer with dough hooks as a substitute for food processor? Because I dont have food processor 🙁 Thank you so much and bless you
Shiran
July 16, 2020 at 5:21 amHi Jani, if you want to use a stand mixer, I recommend doing things a bit different, and mixing the dough similar to cookie dough. Bring the butter to room temperature and mix it with the sugar and salt using the paddle attachment. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, and lastly add in the flour just until a dough starts to form (and don’t overmix :)).
siyamathur
August 11, 2020 at 5:56 am5 STARS
Rachael
August 15, 2020 at 9:17 amDoes the tart turn out fall apart tender? I kinda want it to have a little crunch to it.
nino
August 24, 2020 at 7:06 amHello, is it possible to freeze the baked shell for later use?
Shiran
August 30, 2020 at 5:24 amYes!
Higglesby P. Panaxeu
September 1, 2020 at 5:22 amGreat recipe, I’ve found just using boxed vanilla pudding cooked with half & half for the tart filling topped with fruit makes a classic tart!
Kim Cruickshanks
September 15, 2020 at 4:55 pmLove the calming earthy tones of your photography and website. Girl, you are so talented!
Shiran
September 16, 2020 at 9:54 amThank you so much, Kim 🙂
Erica
September 24, 2020 at 5:28 pmHi Shiran, I just made this tart shell and 2 questions:
1. Alot of butter seemed to leak out of the tart pan when in the oven so i had to put a sheet tray underneath to catch it so it would stop smoking — is this normal for the butter to leak out?
2. Mine shrunk to where its probably an 8 in shell at this point 🙁 Your pic of it looks so firm and perfect!! Thoughts?
Tried many of your recipes btw – love your blog! 🙂
Shiran
October 4, 2020 at 3:12 amHi Erica. Try mixing the dough a bit more next time. It sounds like there are large pockets of butter that melted, so it’s important that the dough is mixed well enough. The more the tart is refrigerated, the better it would hold during baking. But even if it shrinks, it’s ok 🙂
Zen
October 15, 2020 at 7:58 pmHi
May i check if i could use tart rings for this crust recipe? Do I still need to use pie weights?
I’ve tried this recipe on tart pan using pie weights and it’s amazing. Wanted to try tart rings to make nicer and neater crust.
Shiran
October 20, 2020 at 9:08 amIt would work well with the rings, but you’ll still need to use pie weights 🙂
Tamanna
October 18, 2020 at 6:41 amHi! I recently made this sweet tart crust following your lemon tart recipe. The tart tasted amazing and had a great colour, but I had a few questions. First, the tart shrinked a bit in the pan, which meant that the top of the edges of the tart were a little uneven and not as crisp and level as your tart. I think this may have been a result of me stretching the dough a little to fit the pan? I was worried it would be too thin if I rolled it out too big but I’ll definitely roll it bigger next time so I don’t stretch the dough. I think it could also be me overworking the dough a little, I had to roll it out 3 times before it worked haha!
Also, I used dried kidney beans as my pie weights which weren’t very heavy, so the tart was a little shallow and the sides of the bottom of the tart not as level and uniform. Would using proper, heavy pie weights help with this?
Also, the tart shell was a little hard from sitting in the fridge all day (I was making sure the lemon curd set). Would leaving it out for a bit help, or putting the tart in just long enough so the curd was set? Just so the crust could be a little softer 🙂 Finally I was wondering why you didn’t prick the bottom of the tart with a fork? I’m just curious because I’ve seen it done on lots of other recipes and I’m not sure why not on this one.
Sorry about all the questions, I really want to perfect this tart recipe because it just tastes so good! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe, will definitely make it again with some different unique fillings!
Shiran
November 4, 2020 at 1:34 amHi Tamanna 🙂 Using beans, rice, or pie weights is fine. The shape of that tart or how shallow it is is usually a result of how thick or evenly you rolled out the dough. Some shrinking is definitely normal, and can happen. Again – if you roll out the dough evenly, the tops should appear pretty even, even after shrinking. The dough shouldn’t be too hard when cold. This is usually a result of overworking the dough. The less you work with it, the softer it would be. And lastly, because we use pie weights, there’s no need to prick holes in the dough. Good luck 🙂
Arielle
October 22, 2020 at 5:24 pmI want to make this crust today for my chocolate raspberry tartelettes but the blind baking times are confusing to me. It says to blind bake for 20 minutes but it also says to add 5 minutes for partial and 10 for a full bake. So would I blind bake for 30 minutes before adding my no-bake-required filling? My pans are 5” wide, if that helps!
Shiran
November 3, 2020 at 9:53 amHi Arielle. If you use a no-bake filling then you need to fully bake the crust. That means baking 20 minutes with the pie weights, then 10 minutes without. Just in keep in mind that for small tartlets you’ll need to use less baking time.
John
November 22, 2020 at 6:46 amThis recipe was really good my daughter used it quite easily and it turned out really well. It was a massive help, one because it means that some of her homework was done, and two it was a great desert. I would for sure recommend.
Sam
November 25, 2020 at 1:13 pmHi can you freeze this recipe?
Sam
November 25, 2020 at 1:14 pmHi, I was wondering if you can freeze this recipe?
Shiran
November 30, 2020 at 3:33 amYes, you can! To thaw, place in in the fridge overnight/for several hours.
Alexa
December 6, 2020 at 3:06 pmHi, I just made this and the dough came together in the food processor as I used a mini one so had to add the flour in parts. Will the dough still work? Curious to know what happens if the dough comes together in the food processor!
Sam
December 29, 2020 at 7:51 amHi Shiran this is Sam, I have tried it not bad went perfect!! just a question can we add some cold water if we have too?
Shiran
January 5, 2021 at 3:13 amHi Sam 🙂 if the dough comes together easily there’s no need to add water. If the dough is dry you can add a bit of water.
Vicki
January 26, 2021 at 1:51 pmLOVE, LOVE, LOVE your amazing recipe! Thank you for a tart crust that turns our PERFECT and delicious!
I’m making a Coconut Cream Tart with your crust recipe today.
Tina
January 30, 2021 at 11:33 pmHi Shiran – do you ever brush your shell with melted cocoa butter/white chocolate after it’s baked, to create a sort of a barrier between it and the filling (and prevent sogginess)? I’ve heard of this method before but I’m wondering just how important it is. Thanks!
Shiran
February 2, 2021 at 9:28 amHi Tina! It depends on the recipe, but usually I don’t 🙂 I like to make things simple so I skip it but it does help with everything you’ve mentioned.
KATE CONNOLLY
February 3, 2021 at 11:23 pmMy partner loves this recipe and I make it for him often. I haven’t managed to nail the crust yet though, as it always seems to shrink a lot during the cooking even though I follow your recipe to the T. How do I avoid a shrinking crust?
Rem
March 26, 2021 at 5:15 amMy lord, I just made this crust. Amazing taste. I could eat this on its own as a cookie. The crust did shrink and seemed to let out a pool of oil (from the butter melting I guess). I didn’t have the chance to let it be in the fridge for very long as I just wanted to get my tart done, so that could be related to the butter pooling I got. Regardless, this crust is great.
Van
May 7, 2021 at 2:01 amHello! Can i ask if I were to bake smaller tart shell sizes, would the time for blind baking be the same? (aka 20 mins).
Shiran
May 25, 2021 at 1:57 pmHi Van, the baking time would be reduced based on the size of the tart pan.
Melanie Lunny
May 9, 2021 at 7:06 amHi Shiran
I haven’t eaten the crust yet as I would like to know if you add your lemons curd whilst the curt and or whilst the base is warm?
I found the recipe easy to follow overall.
Shiran
May 25, 2021 at 2:06 pmHi Melanie, the crust should be completely cooled before adding the lemon curd.
Susann Codish
May 21, 2021 at 5:34 amCan I use oil instead of butter? I need the tart to be dairy-free.
Thanks!
Shiran
May 25, 2021 at 2:36 pmHi Susann, unfortunately this recipe relies heavily on butter so oil is not a great substitute in this case.
Wendy
June 28, 2021 at 8:50 pmMy question seems to have disappeared so I thought I would try asking again: could this be frozen if there are leftovers?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
July 7, 2021 at 2:26 pmHi Wendy, yes, absolutely! Tart dough freezes great. Just be sure to double wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from becoming freezer burned.
Marsha ShortWebb
August 23, 2021 at 1:12 pmHi Shiran, I make this recipe now for all my tarts at the diner where I am a baker. It always turns out beautifully. I fill it with my favorite Frangipane recipe and then top with seasonal fresh fruit. The customers love it. Thank you for sharing. PS. This is a not-for-profit diner run by Meals On Wheels People to support the elderly.
Elena
January 6, 2022 at 3:12 pmHi
How many mini tarts will this make and what are other adjustments should I make? I made this the other day but not as mini tarts and they came out fantastic!
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
January 7, 2022 at 4:44 pmHi Elena, this depends on how big your mini tart pans are. Can I ask the size?
Lori
June 8, 2022 at 2:44 pmI want to try this recipe for making butter tarts, would I blind bake first or can it be cooked all at once?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
June 12, 2022 at 2:11 pmHi Lori! Because butter tarts are baked, you can line the tart pan with the dough and chill it. Once it is very cold, fill it with your filling and bake. No need to par bake 🙂
hazel
September 9, 2022 at 10:58 amfor the crust, should I use unsalted or salted? thanks!
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
September 11, 2022 at 1:58 amHi Hazel, I always recommend using unsalted butter because salted butter will make the dough too salty 🙂
Olivia
October 13, 2022 at 4:04 amThank you so much! I always struggle with tart bases and crusts but this was perfect and so easy! I will use more of your recipes in the future 🙂
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
October 20, 2022 at 2:54 amThank you, Olivia! So happy you enjoyed this recipe. There’s nothing like a perfect tart crust!:)
Gabi
November 4, 2022 at 9:00 pmTo what thickness do you recommend rolling it out?
I made the dough into tartlets as a part of Christmas treat box last year, and they were so yummy. (Wanna repeat again this year) But even after following all the steps the dough shrank when baked. I thought I maybe rolled it out too thick.
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
November 6, 2022 at 3:23 amHi Gabi, I recommend rolling out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. To prevent shrinking, be sure not to overwork the dough when mixing the ingredients and chill it for at least an hour before rolling it out and lining your tart pans. I also recommend putting the dough-lined tart pans in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes before baking. Colder dough will shrink less 🙂
rupika
March 31, 2023 at 1:40 pmI like Sweet Tart soo much
xcotpage
April 21, 2023 at 3:02 amI love So Much
HEMMA
May 11, 2023 at 12:08 pmI Love so Much
Lisha Bhatt
May 20, 2023 at 6:02 amI like it so much
RIMPI
May 20, 2023 at 1:28 pmI Like So Much