Easy Cranberry Tart Recipe
This super easy Cranberry Tart recipe is made with a buttery tart crust of only 4 ingredients, a tart cranberry filling and a crumbly top with walnuts.
It’s soft and sweet, with a flavorful and delicious filling. It’s the perfect balance between sweet and tart, the combination is simply amazing!
What can I do with a bag of fresh cranberries?
There are so many things that you can make with cranberries! you can either opt for an easy and original Cranberry Ice Cream, or a Simple cranberry Jam recipe with only 3 ingredients; you can also make a Crescent Roll Christmas Tree dessert, Sugared Cranberries to decorate any dessert of your choice, or you can opt for this easy Cranberry Tart recipe.
Either way, tart cranberries are a great addition to a dessert. Sugar makes the sour fruit very palatable and tasty, with the perfect balance between sweet and tart.
Ingredients you’ll need for this Cranberry tart
This festive dessert calls for simple ingredients, found in any big grocery store:
- Cranberry Jam. Either Homemade Cranberry Jam, or store bought. Truthfully, my Easy Cranberry Jam is made with only 3 ingredients and prepared in 15 minutes, so I highly suggest buying some fresh cranberries and making your own cranberry sauce filling.
- Butter. Unsalted and at room temperature. High quality butter makes a huge difference here, since the dough has so few ingredients.
- Sugar. Powdered sugar to sweeten your dough
- Salt. Enhances the flavors
- Vanilla extract. High quality vanilla extract goes a long way!
- Walnuts. In chunks, to add along the crumbly topping
Take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete information of this easy recipe.
How to make this Cranberry tart recipe
This is the perfect dessert for any holiday meal during the holiday season. It’s easy to make and will be a perfect addition for any holiday table.
These are the instructions to follow with how-to pictures, you’ll be done in little time!
Instructions
Grease with cooking spray the bottom and sides of a 10 inch Tart pan with removable bottom. Pre-heat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
Over a large bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix the unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar in medium speed until light and fluffy, for around 1.5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix. Scrape with a rubber spatula the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add the flour and start mixing in low speed; increase speed to medium and beat until everything is well incorporated and large crumbs start to form. Do not over mix.
Separate dough in half. Wrap one half of the tart dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan and sides of pan, covering thoroughly.
Optional: place on top of the tart crust a piece of parchment paper, then place pie weights on top. Alternatively, if you don’t have pie weights, as soon as the crust is out of the oven, push gently with the back of a spoon. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Scoop out 2 Tablespoons of jam and place them in a small container. Add the rest of the cranberry filling, smoothing it with the back of a spoon to form an even layer. Remove the remaining dough from the fridge and crumble half of it on top of the jam, then sprinkle with half of the walnut chunks. Crumble on top the rest of the dough and sprinkle with the rest of the walnuts. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely over a wire rack.
Remove the tart from the tart pan carefully. Add bits of your remaining cranberry mixture on top of creases and small holes of your tart for garnish. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy!
Expert tips for best results
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature before starting to cream with the powdered sugar. The butter will cream better and mix more evenly
- Measure the flour and powdered sugar using a spoon, scooping the flour or sugar into your measuring cup without compacting it, then using the back of a knife to level it.
- After the flour is added, do not over mix the dough. Mix until just combined and crumbs start to form. Your tart could end up cakey and hard instead of flaky and soft
- If you made your own jam, make sure to let it cool, and don’t add the hot cranberry mixture on top of your tart crust
- Do not start to bake until your oven temperature has reached 350 Fahrenheit. This could mess up with your entire baking process! your tart will start to bake at an inappropriate temperature, messing up the rising of the dough and baking time
- Make sure the tart is completely cooled before adding the finishing touches of jam and/or powdered sugar
How to remove a tart from a tart pan?
- Use a tart pan with a removable bottom
- Make sure your tart is completely cooled
- Place the tart on top of a tall can on your counter
- Slide the tart ring off carefully, pulling it downwards
- You can either leave the bottom of the pan or you can place the tart on a plate, then use a knife and carefully slide it between the tart and the removable bottom of your pan. Push gently the tart to the side and slide the bottom out.
Can you make a tart in a pie pan?
You certainly can! follow the instructions as directed in the recipe, but instead of a tart pan, use a pie pan.
You won’t be able to remove the pie pan as you would with a tart pan, so the presentation will look different.
How to store leftover Cranberry tart
You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Here’s a video of this Cranberry Tart recipe so you can see up-close the consistency of this delicious tart.
Take a look at the links below for more Tart and Pie recipes, or click here for more Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas Recipes.
Easy No bake Peanut Butter Tart
Simple Caramel Cream Pie (no bake)
If you make this recipe, please be sure to give it a star rating and leave a comment below!
Cranberry Tart Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10 inch tart pan with removable rim
Ingredients
- 1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup Cranberry Jam Homemade or store bought (link for a 3 ingredient cranberry jam in post)
- 1/3 Cup Walnuts in chunks
- 1/8 Cup Powdered sugar Optional
Instructions
- Grease with cooking spray the bottom and sides of a 10 inch Tart pan with removable bottom. Pre-heat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Over a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix the unsalted butter and cup sugar in medium speed until light and fluffy, for around 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix. Scrape with a rubber spatula the bottom and sides of the bowl.1 Cup unsalted butter, 1 Cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the flour and start mixing in low speed; increase speed to medium and beat until everything is well incorporated and large crumbs start to form. Do not over mix.2 Cups all-purpose flour
- Separate dough in half. Wrap one half of the tart dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan and sides of pan, covering thoroughly. Optional: place on top of the tart crust a piece of parchment paper, then place pie weights on top. Alternatively, if you don't have pie weights, as soon as the crust is out of the oven, push gently with the back of a spoon. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Scoop out 2 Tablespoons of jam and place them in a small container. Add the rest of the cranberry filling, smoothing it with the back of a spoon to form an even layer. Remove the remaining dough from the fridge and crumble half of it on top of the jam, then sprinkle with half of the walnut chunks. Crumble on top the rest of the dough and sprinkle with the rest of the walnuts.1/3 Cup Walnuts, 1 Cup Cranberry Jam
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely over a wire rack.
- Remove the tart from the tart pan carefully. Add bits of your remaining cranberry mixture on top of creases and small holes of your tart for garnish. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy!1/8 Cup Powdered sugar
Notes
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature before starting to cream with the powdered sugar. The butter will cream better and mix more evenly
- Measure the flour and powdered sugar using a spoon, scooping the flour or sugar into your measuring cup without compacting it, then using the back of a knife to level it.
- After the flour is added, do not over mix the dough. Mix until just combined and crumbs start to form. Your tart could end up cakey and hard instead of flaky and soft
- If you made your own jam, make sure to let it cool, and don’t add the hot cranberry mixture on top of your tart crust
- Do not start to bake until your oven temperature has reached 350 Fahrenheit. This could mess up with your entire baking process! your tart will start to bake at an inappropriate temperature, messing up the rising of the dough and baking time
- Make sure the tart is completely cooled before adding the finishing touches of jam and/or powdered sugar
This was so delicious and perfect for the holidays! I even had some leftover pieces for breakfast! This is a great way to use leftover cranberries.