Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets Recipe | Easy Classic Cherry Almond Dessert

Meet your new go-to teatime treat: mini cherry Bakewell tartlets. Buttery shortcrust pastry, a layer of bright cherry jam, soft almond frangipane, and a snowy glaze with a cherry on top—each bite tastes like a classic bakery favorite, shrunk into perfect hand-held form.

I love these because they look fancy without the fuss. You can make everything from scratch or use shortcuts, and they bake up evenly in a standard muffin tin. They’re great for parties, gifting, or stashing in the freezer for future cravings. Let’s make a batch you’ll be proud to share.

Why These Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets Turn Out So Good

• Balanced textures: crisp pastry, tender almond center, and a silky icing cap.
• Cherry + almond magic: sweet-tart cherry jam brightens the rich frangipane.
• Reliable method: chilling the dough and blind-baking keep crusts crisp.
• Make-ahead friendly: pastry shells and icing both hold well for easy assembly.
• Small and shareable: mini size bakes quickly and looks impressive on a tray.

Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1–2 tbsp ice water, as needed

For the Cherry Layer

• 1/2 cup (160 g) cherry jam or conserve (use a good, fruity brand)

For the Almond Frangipane

• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup (100 g) almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

For the Icing and Topping

• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or water, to thin
• 12 glacé cherries (or maraschino cherries), halved
• Optional: sliced almonds for extra crunch

How to Make Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets

1) Make and Chill the Pastry

1. Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and blitz until sandy with pea-sized bits. Mix in egg yolk, then drizzle ice water until the dough just clumps when pinched.
2. Turn onto a sheet of plastic, press into a disk, wrap, and chill for 45–60 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.

2) Line the Muffin Tin

1. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 3 1/2–4 inch rounds (a large biscuit cutter works). Gently press circles into the wells to form neat shells. Chill the lined tin for 15 minutes.

3) Blind-Bake the Shells

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Dock the bases with a fork. Line each with a small square of parchment and fill with baking beans or rice.
3. Bake 8 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake another 3–4 minutes until the bottoms look dry but still pale. Cool slightly while you make the filling. Drop the oven to 350°F (175°C).

4) Mix the Frangipane

1. Cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light, about 2 minutes.
2. Beat in the egg and almond extract until smooth.
3. Fold in almond flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. You want a soft, spreadable paste.

5) Assemble and Bake

1. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons cherry jam into each pastry shell. Do not overfill.
2. Top with 1 tablespoon frangipane, spreading to cover the jam and reach the edges. The filling will puff slightly.
3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 16–20 minutes, until golden at the edges and just set in the center. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
4. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out to a rack and let cool completely.

6) Glaze and Finish

1. Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice or water to a thick, spoonable icing. It should ribbon slowly off the whisk.
2. Spoon a small dome over each tartlet. Set a half glacé cherry on top (or a few almond slices). Let the icing firm for 20–30 minutes.

How to Store Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets

• Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Store up to 5 days. Bring to room temp for best texture.
• Freeze: Freeze un-iced tartlets for up to 2 months. Thaw, then ice and top with cherries.
• Prevent soggy crusts: Cool shells fully before adding jam and filling. If freezing, wrap individually to avoid moisture.

Benefits of Making Mini Bakewell Tartlets at Home

• Fresh flavor: Real butter pastry and vibrant cherry jam taste brighter than store-bought.
• Perfect portion control: One tartlet satisfies without committing to a whole slice.
• Customizable: Adjust almond extract, sweetness, and jam thickness to your taste.
• Budget-friendly: Pantry ingredients make a bakery-quality treat for less.
• Make-ahead ease: Bake shells and prep filling ahead for stress-free entertaining.

What to Avoid for Best Results

• Don’t skip chilling: Warm pastry shrinks and loses flake.
• Don’t overfill with jam: Extra jam seeps and burns at the edges.
• Don’t underbake the base: Pale, doughy bottoms go soggy under the jam.
• Don’t make runny icing: Thin glaze slides off. Add sugar to thicken.
• Don’t overbake frangipane: It should stay moist and tender, not dry.

Fun Variations to Try

• Classic raspberry: Swap cherry jam for raspberry and top with fresh raspberries.
• Chocolate-cherry: Brush pastry with melted dark chocolate before the jam for a Black Forest vibe.
• Lemon almond: Use lemon curd in place of jam and add zest to the icing.
• Pistachio twist: Replace 1/4 cup almond flour with pistachio flour and finish with crushed pistachios.
• Gluten-free: Use a reliable gluten-free all-purpose blend for pastry and keep almond flour as-is.
• Bakewell bars: Press pastry into an 8-inch pan, spread jam, top with frangipane, bake, then ice and cut.

FAQ

Can I use store-bought pastry?

Yes. Use ready-rolled shortcrust or pie dough. Cut, press into the tin, chill, and blind-bake as directed.

What jam works best?

Choose a thick, high-fruit cherry jam. If your jam looks loose, simmer it for 3–4 minutes to reduce, then cool before using.

Do I need almond extract?

It defines the Bakewell flavor. Use 1/2–1 tsp based on preference. Too much tastes artificial, so measure carefully.

How do I prevent sticking?

Lightly grease the muffin tin and let tartlets cool for 10 minutes before lifting out with a small offset spatula.

Can I make them the day before?

Absolutely. Bake and cool, then store airtight. Glaze the day of serving for the neatest finish.

Why did my pastry shrink?

You likely skipped a chill or worked in too much water. Chill the lined tin and avoid stretching the dough as you press it in.

How thick should the icing be?

Think yogurt-thick. It should sit in a soft dome and slowly smooth itself without running over the edges.

Conclusion

These mini cherry Bakewell tartlets bring buttery pastry, juicy cherry, and almond-scented softness together in one elegant bite. Follow the chill-blind-bake-assemble steps and you’ll get crisp shells, plush centers, and a glossy finish every time. Bake a dozen today—you’ll watch them disappear faster than you can brew the next pot of tea.

Mini Cherry Bakewell Tartlets Recipe | Easy Classic Cherry Almond Dessert

Mini cherry Bakewell tartlets with buttery shortcrust, cherry jam, almond frangipane, and a simple glaze topped with a cherry. They’re elegant, small, and bake easily in a muffin tin.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 2 minutes mins

Servings 12 tartlets

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1–2 tbsp ice water, as needed
• 1/2 cup (160 g) cherry jam or conserve
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup (100 g) almond flour
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or water
• 12 glacé cherries (or maraschino cherries), halved
• Optional: sliced almonds

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut in the cold butter to a sandy texture with pea-sized bits.
• Mix in the egg yolk, adding ice water just until the dough clumps, then wrap and chill for 45–60 minutes.
• Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, cut 3 1/2–4 inch rounds, and press into the wells; chill for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), dock the pastry bases, line with parchment and weights, bake 8 minutes, remove weights, and bake 3–4 minutes more until dry but pale; reduce oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light, beat in the egg and almond extract, then fold in almond flour, all-purpose flour, and salt to make a soft paste.
• Spoon 1–2 teaspoons cherry jam into each shell, top with about 1 tablespoon frangipane, and spread to the edges.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 16–20 minutes until golden at the edges and just set in the center; cool 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice or water to a thick, spoonable icing, spoon over each tartlet, top with a cherry half or sliced almonds, and let set for 20–30 minutes.

Notes

Use thick, high-fruit cherry jam; simmer briefly to reduce if runny. Chill dough and lined tin to prevent shrinkage and keep crusts crisp. Do not overfill with jam. Pastry shells can be made ahead and frozen un-iced for up to 2 months. Store finished tartlets airtight: 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days refrigerated. Icing should be yogurt-thick so it domes without running.