Berry Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart

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Here is my favorite sugar cookie fruit tart recipe, with a soft, chewy sugar cookie base that’s easy to make, and a creamy filling topped with fresh seasonal fruit.

This sugar cookie fruit tart is always a hit at family gatherings and potluck dinners. I love how you can use whatever fruit looks good at the store, and the kids always get excited to help arrange the colorful toppings. Plus, it’s way easier than making a regular pie crust!

What Kind of Berries Should I Use?

Fresh berries are definitely the way to go for this sugar cookie fruit tart since they’ll hold their shape and look beautiful on top. You can stick with the classic trio of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, or feel free to mix in strawberries, boysenberries, or whatever looks good at the market. When selecting your berries, look for ones that are firm and plump without any soft spots or wrinkled skin. If fresh berries aren’t available, frozen can work in a pinch, but make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels to avoid any excess moisture on your tart.

Options for Substitutions

This beautiful fruit tart has some room for swaps, though a few ingredients are pretty important to keep:

• Whole milk: You can use 2% milk if that’s what you have, but avoid skim milk as it won’t give you that creamy custard texture. Heavy cream works too if you want an extra rich filling.
• Mixed berries: Feel free to mix and match with whatever berries are in season or on sale – strawberries, kiwi slices, or even mandarin orange segments work great. Just keep the total amount of fruit about the same.
• Corn starch: This is pretty important for thickening the custard, but you can substitute with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour if needed. Just whisk it really well to avoid lumps.
• Corn syrup: Honey or maple syrup can work in place of corn syrup, though the glaze might have a slightly different flavor and consistency.
• Clear sanding sugar: Regular granulated sugar works fine if you don’t have sanding sugar – it just won’t have that same sparkly effect.
• Egg yolks: These are really needed for the custard base, so try not to skip them. If you only have whole eggs, use 1 whole egg instead of 2 yolks.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pastry cream is rushing the process and cranking up the heat, which will leave you with scrambled eggs instead of smooth custard – keep the heat on medium-low and stir constantly to avoid this disaster. Make sure to whisk a small amount of the hot milk into your egg yolk mixture first to temper the eggs before adding them back to the pot, or you’ll end up with lumpy, curdled cream. Don’t skip straining the finished pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve, as this removes any small lumps and gives you that silky texture you’re after. For the best presentation, wait until just before serving to arrange your fresh berries on top, since they can release juices and make your beautiful tart soggy if assembled too far in advance.

What to Serve With Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart?

This beautiful fruit tart is pretty much a showstopper on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon treat. I love serving it alongside some vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream, especially if you want to make it feel extra special for guests. Since it’s already loaded with fresh berries and that creamy custard filling, you really don’t need much else – maybe just some extra fresh mint for garnish if you’re feeling fancy. It’s perfect for summer gatherings, brunch parties, or any time you want a dessert that looks impressive but isn’t too heavy.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This beautiful fruit tart needs to stay chilled to keep the pastry cream safe and the berries fresh. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sugar coating on the fruit might lose some sparkle over time, but it’ll still taste amazing.

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep parts of this tart ahead of time! The sugar cookie base can be baked and stored at room temperature for 2 days, and the pastry cream can be made up to 2 days early and kept covered in the fridge. Just assemble everything on the day you plan to serve it for the best look.

Serve: This tart is best enjoyed chilled and within a day or two of assembling. The fresh berries will start to release their juices after a while, which can make the cookie base a bit soft. If you notice the sanding sugar has dissolved, you can always sprinkle a bit more on top before serving.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	12-15 minutes
Total Time	42-60 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 40-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the vanilla pudding:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

For the sugared berries:

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating berries)
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• Wilton clear sanding sugar

For garnish:

• Fresh mint leaves
• Small edible flowers

Step 1: Prepare and Bake Cookie Tart Shells

• sugar cookie dough (prepare using your preferred recipe)
• flour (for dusting the surface)

Prepare your favorite sugar cookie dough and roll it out on a generously floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Use a tart pan to cut out rounds of dough, then use your fingers to press each dough round into the tart pans, molding the dough to the sides and bottom.

Dock the base of each tart shell with a fork to help them bake evenly.

Arrange the formed shells on a cookie sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12-13 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Allow them to cool completely on the cookie sheet, about 30-40 minutes.

Step 2: Cook Vanilla Pudding Filling

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

In a saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.

Gradually stir in 2 cups whole milk.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil.

Boil and stir for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, lightly beat 2 egg yolks.

Gradually whisk at least half of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them, then stir this mixture back into the saucepan.

Return to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp unsalted butter and 2 tbsp vanilla extract.

Cover and store in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Step 3: Sugar the Berries

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating berries)
• wilton clear sanding sugar

While the pudding cools, prepare the berries.

Rinse and gently pat dry the raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

Place them in a medium bowl.

Drizzle with 1/4 cup corn syrup and gently stir to coat the fruit.

Sprinkle in 1/2 cup granulated sugar and enough clear sanding sugar to coat the berries, then toss gently until they are sparkling with sugar crystals.

I like to leave some berries plain and sugar only half of them—this gives the tarts a beautiful texture and look.

Step 4: Assemble the Cookie Tarts

• baked cookie tart shells (from Step 1)
• vanilla pudding filling (from Step 2)

Once the cookie tart shells and pudding (from Steps 1 and 2) are fully cooled, use a cookie scoop or spoon to fill each tart shell with chilled vanilla pudding.

Smooth the tops with a small spatula for an even layer.

Step 5: Decorate the Tarts with Fruit and Flowers

• sugared and unsugared berries (from Step 3)
• fresh mint leaves
• small edible flowers

Decorate each tart by arranging the sugared berries (from Step 3) on top of the pudding layer, starting with the larger berries and clustering them to one side of the tart for a modern look.

Fill in the gaps with smaller, unsugared berries for added color and contrast.

Garnish with small edible flowers and tuck in fresh mint leaves for a fresh finish.

I find that adding a few fresh mint leaves not only looks pretty but gives a subtle, refreshing aroma that really elevates these tarts.

Step 6: Chill and Serve

Place the decorated tarts in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Chilling the tarts helps the flavors meld and keeps the pudding set for easy slicing and serving.