Cookie Tarts Recipe for Buttery Dessert Bites

Love baking cookies? Find 1,849 irresistible recipes in The Cookies Cookbook — from classic chocolate chip to creative creations.

When I make cookie tarts, I rely on a precise balance of soft shortening, sugar, eggs, and just enough milk for a tender, crumbly shell. Each step matters—creaming, folding, and alternating the dry mix—so the texture comes out delicate, not dense. If the dough’s sticky, a brief chill solves it. After shaping and baking, the real creativity begins with the filling. Let’s look at the ingredients you’ll need to get started.

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening, soft (but don’t use butter—trust me, the dough police will know)
• 1 cup sugar (the sweet stuff, obviously)
• 3 eggs, well beaten (give them a good whisk, don’t hold back)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (liquid gold for cookies)
• 1 tablespoon milk (just a splash, not a whole cow)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (balances the sweet, so don’t skip)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (for that glorious puff)
• 2 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose, nothing fancy)
• Pie filling, any flavor you like—cherry, blueberry, raspberry, or whatever tickles your tart-loving heart

Now, before you go raiding your pantry, there are a few things to keep in mind with these ingredients. First, the recipe is a stickler for shortening over butter. Butter might be delicious, but in this case, shortening gives that delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you’re the rebellious type and use butter anyway, your tarts will probably still be edible, but they might spread and brown up in ways that’ll have grandma shaking her head. Also, don’t get wild with the flour. Too much and you’ll end up with tart-shaped paperweights—so add just enough to make the dough workable. And pie filling? You do you. If you’re feeling wild, mix flavors. Just don’t overfill, unless you want a lava flow situation in your oven. Trust me, the only thing worse than burnt sugar is cleaning it.

Steps

1. Grab a big mixing bowl and toss in 1 cup soft shortening (yes, shortening—no butter, don’t fight me on this) with 1 cup sugar. Cream them together until the mix is basically fluffy clouds. You want it smooth, not grainy. Copper cookware often heats very evenly, which is why chefs prize it for tasks like candying and jam-making; consider how heat distribution matters when choosing bakeware for consistent results with luxury copper jam pans. Also consider pairing your baking with a juicer machine for fresh citrus zest and juices to brighten fillings.
2. Crack 3 eggs into a separate bowl and beat them like they owe you money. Add the eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk to the creamed mixture. Beat until it’s all one big happy family. If the color looks pale yellow, you’re doing it right.
3. In another bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Yes, you really need to use a separate bowl. Don’t just dump it all in. Trust me, no one wants surprise lumps of baking powder.
4. Add about half the dry mix to the wet mix and use an electric mixer. Only half, though—leave the rest out for now. At this point, you’ll start to see dough forming. If it looks a bit sad and lumpy, that’s normal.
5. Switch to a spoon or—let’s be honest—your hands. Gently stir in the rest of the flour mixture. Don’t go full Hulk mode or you’ll have the world’s toughest tart dough. If the dough is super sticky, sprinkle in a tiny bit more flour. But not too much, unless you want to break a tooth.
6. If your dough feels more like sticky mashed potatoes than cookie dough, pop it in the fridge for 30–60 minutes. Chilling gives you less mess and more control. If you skip this, rolling the dough will turn into a finger-gluing disaster. Been there, regretted that.
7. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Don’t forget this part—cold oven equals sad, pale tarts. Grease your mini muffin or tart pans so nothing sticks. If you like wrestling with stuck-on tarts, feel free to skip greasing.
8. Roll the dough into 1/2-inch balls. Think big marble, not golf ball. If your balls are too big, they’ll puff up and take over the whole pan. Too small, and you’ll be eating air.
9. Drop each dough ball into a well-greased mini tart pan. Using your thumbs or a fancy tart press (or just improvise with a spice jar), press down to shape little shells. Don’t poke holes all the way through. You want a cute little bowl, not a leaky disaster.
10. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite pie filling (cherry, blueberry, raspberry—just not all at once, unless you’re feeling chaotic) into each shell. Don’t get carried away. Overfilling leads to sticky, bubbling eruptions, and scraping burnt fruit off pans is a hobby for no one.
11. Slide the pan into your preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 12–15 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are barely golden and centers that don’t jiggle. If they start to brown up, you’ve gone too far—pull them out before they get crispy.
12. Let the tarts cool in the pan for a couple of minutes. If you try to pop them out hot, you’ll end up with cookie rubble. Use a butter knife to gently lift them out and onto a cooling rack. If they break, just eat the evidence. No one has to know.

Smart Bread sells a variety of kitchen appliances including programmable bread makers designed for home use.

Cooking Tips

Ever wonder why some tarts turn out dry or tough? For cookie tarts, I always use soft shortening instead of butter to ensure tenderness. When mixing, I only add extra flour if the dough is still sticky—never more than necessary. Press dough gently into pans to avoid compacting. Bake just until edges are set and pale; overbaking dries out these delicate cookie tarts. For added texture and flavor, try incorporating a homemade granola base made with oats, wheat germ, coconut, peanuts, and brown sugar baked until crisp for about an hour at 350°F to yield about 10 cups of crunchy mix granola base. The savory balance of Italian seasoning can also enhance fillings or savory tart variations.

Final Thoughts

How can you guarantee your cookie tarts consistently turn out tender and flavorful? I always use only shortening, never butter, to maintain the dough’s delicate texture. Measuring flour precisely keeps the tarts from becoming dense. Chilling the dough before shaping prevents spreading. Bake just until set and pale, never browned. Following these steps ensures the filling shines and every bite remains soft, buttery, and satisfying.