These Mini Apricot and Almond Tarts are bursting with juicy fresh apricots and a sweet, rich almond filling. This recipe is perfect for a spring or summer party or cookout. Make them ahead of time and enjoy warm, room temperature or cold.
Apricots are my second (or third) favorite fruit, and while I love to snack on them whole, they are so delicious in baked goods. Perhaps the best way to enjoy an apricot is sliced thin and baked in a tart. This recipe is slightly inspired by my Mini Rustic Peach Custard Pies, except instead of a creamy filling, these apricot tarts have a chewy almond center.
Made with a simple homemade all butter pie dough, though you can also use store bought dough, these mini apricot tarts are everything I love in a dessert. They are rustic and simple with basic ingredients, yet full of flavor with a great texture. I hope you'll give these delicious little apricot desserts a try for yourself!
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe is all about basic ingredients, but you will need to find some good quality ripe fresh apricots. Here are the ingredients you'll need for to make these tarts.
- Apricots. Look for fresh, ripe apricots, preferably freestone so they are easier to slice. To check for ripeness, first smell them by the stem end. They should smell fragrant. And press just a bit around the edges of the stem. If the skin gives just a bit, they are ripe. You can leave hard apricots on the counter to soften.
- Almonds. You can use whole, slivered or sliced almonds. I typically use whole almonds because I keep a big bag in my freezer.
- Almond Extract. A small splash of almond extract really enhances the natural almond flavor in the filling.
- Egg. Add a single large egg to the ground almond mixture to create a slightly chewy filling.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter in both the pie dough and the almond filling. Just be sure it's cold.
- All-Purpose Flour. Use regular all-purpose flour in the pie dough with a bit in the almond filling.
- Sugar. Most of the sweetness of this dessert actually comes from the apricots, but a bit of granulated sugar is used in the pie dough and almond filling.
- Brown Sugar. A bit of brown sugar is dusted on the apricots to enhance their flavor and encourage them to break down a bit when cooked.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. A small splash of apple cider vinegar is added to the pie dough to make for a more tender crust.
- Table Salt. A pinch of table is salt is used throughout these tarts.
- Water. Use ice cold water in the pie dough.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Mini Apricot Tarts
This recipe is quite simple, but I included a lot of pictures and details to help ensure yours turn out great. Here is how to make these apricot tarts:
- Start by making the pie dough (if using store bought dough, skip ahead). Add the all-purpose flour, sugar and salt to the base of a food processor and pulse to combine. Then add the cold butter.
- Pulse until the mixture is crumbly then add the apple cider vinegar and water (add 1 tablespoon of water at a time). The dough should come together when squeezed between your fingers.
- Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Next, make the almond filling. There is no need to clean out the food processor! Simply add the almonds, sugar, flour and salt to the food processor.
- Pulse until finely ground then add the egg, butter and almond extract.
- Blend the mixture until it's well combined. It should be a sticky paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. If ready to assemble the tarts, leave the almond filling on the counter. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Thinly slice the apricots into about ¼ to ½-inch thick slices.
- When ready to assemble, remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and divide into 8 portions, about 50 grams each. Roll into small balls.
- To add the dough to the tart pan, either roll out using a rolling pin or simply press the dough into the pan. Note that the dough should only come up a bit around the edges of the tart pan. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- Divide the almond mixture among the 8 tart pans, about 2 tablespoons each. Press into a single layer, ensuring the filling doesn't poke out above the pie dough anywhere.
- Add the apricot slices on top of the almond filling. You can shingle the slices decoratively, or simply add them in a single layer. Now sprinkle the tops with brown sugar.
- Bake the tarts in a 375F oven until the edges of the pie dough are slightly golden and the apricots are tender and bubbly, about 30 minutes. You can finish the tarts by brushing with apricot jam, if desired.
Hint: For best results, allow the tarts to cool in the pans for about 5 minutes then remove with a small offset spatula and transfer to a wire rack. Cool until set but still slightly warm, about 10 more minutes. Or, cool until the tarts are room temperature, another 30 minutes or so.
Substitutions
There are a handful of small tweaks you can make to this recipe depending on your dietary restrictions and even flavor preferences. Consider the following substitutions:
- Apricots - If you can't find fresh apricots, you can swap in peaches, plums or even berries. You could also use frozen peaches, just be sure to thaw them and pat dry before cooking.
- Gluten-Free - You can make this recipe gluten free by swapping in a one to one gluten-free flour substitute for the all-purpose flour.
- Almond Extract - Feel free to use vanilla extract instead of almond extract, if preferred.
- Store Bought Pie Dough - Use a single layer of store bought pie dough in place of the homemade all butter pie dough.
All About Apricots
Apricots are a stone fruit similar to peaches or plums. In fact, they look like a small yellow peach but the inside texture is often closer to a plum. They are sold fresh, sometimes frozen and dried. For this recipe we are using fresh apricots.
These little stone fruit also have a good amount of fiber and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are high in antioxidants and potassium.
When shopping for apricots, give them a smell by their stem end. They should smell sweet and slightly fruity. They are ripe when the skin gives a bit when pressed, but avoid pressing too hard or you can bruise the fruit. Apricots may be peeled with a vegetable peeler or dunking briefly in boiling water then transferring to an ice bath. The skin will peel right off!
Equipment
For this recipe I recommend using a food processor. It'll make the pie dough and almond filling with ease. You'll also want to use mini tart pans like these 4-inch removable bottom tart pans. You could also use disposable mini pie pans.
Storage
Store leftover apricot tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe. If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can make the pie dough and almond filling up to 2 days in advance. You can even freeze the homemade pie dough for up to 1 month.
Or, to make ahead, assemble the tarts then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Note that the tarts may take a bit longer to cook straight out of the refrigerator.
Adam's Tip from the Test Kitchen
If you want your apricot tarts to be super jammy, try tossing the slices of apricots with the brown sugar and letting the mixture sit for 10 minutes. This is (essentially) macerating the apricots to help extract some of the moisture. The sugar will then combine with the liquid from the apricots and thicken as it cooks. Then, when the tarts come out of the oven, use a pastry brush to smear some of the juices from the cooked apricots over the top of the tarts. You can even brush the cooked tarts with a bit of apricot jam and they'll really shine.
FAQ
For most pie or tart recipes you can swap in frozen fruit. Be sure to thaw it first, drain off the water and dry well with paper towels before adding to the tart or pie.
Yes, you can make this entire recipe in a regular 9-inch pie dish. Roll out the pie dough to fit the pan then press in the almond filling. Chill well. Next, toss the apricot slices with brown sugar then add to the pie dish. Bake in a 375F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
More Desserts
Looking for other dessert recipes like this? Try these:
Summer Recipes
Try my favorite summer-inspired recipes:
Recipe
Mini Apricot and Almond Tarts
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 mini tarts 1x
Description
These Mini Apricot and Almond Tarts are bursting with juicy fresh apricots and a sweet, rich almond filling. This recipe is perfect for a spring or summer party or cookout as they can easily be made ahead of time and enjoyed warm, room temperature or cold.
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (7 ½ oz./210 g)
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1-tablespoon portions
- 1 ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 4-5 Tbsp. ice water
Pie Filling
- 1 cup whole almonds (5 oz./145 g)
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1-tablespoon portions
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. almond extract
- 1 lb. apricots (about 5 medium), pit removed and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- Apricot jam (optional)
Instructions
Pie Dough
- To make the pie dough, add the flour, sugar and salt to the base of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until well incorporated and crumbly. Add the apple cider vinegar and turn the processor on. Slowly drizzle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a ball when pressed together between your fingers.
- Form the ball into a dish then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Pie Filling
- To make the pie filling, add the almonds, sugar, flour and salt to the food processor (there's no need to clean the food processor after making the dough). Pulse until the almonds are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add the butter, egg and almond extract and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and forms a paste, another 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl and set on the counter for up to 30 minutes. Or, if making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days ahead of time.
- When ready to bake the tarts, preheat the oven to 375F. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and cut into 8 equal portions, about 50 grams each. Roll into balls then press into 4-inch pie or tart pans, ensure the dough comes up just above the lip of the pan. You could also roll out the balls into 5-inch circles, if desired.
- Divide the almond mixture among the 8 pie doughs and press into an even layer. Be sure the almond mixture doesn't come above the pie dough. Divide the slices of apricots among the pans and shingle them, if desired, or simply add them in an even layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar. (see note). You can either bake them immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
- Bake the tarts on a baking sheet until the edges of the crust are just golden brown, the apricots are tender and jammy and the almond mixture is setup, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the counter then remove with an offset spatula to a wire rack and cool at least 10 minutes. You can brush with a bit of apricot jam, if desired.
Notes
- You can skip the homemade all-butter pie dough and instead use store-bought pie dough. Use a single layer of pie dough.
- If your apricots are slightly firm, try tossing the slices with the brown sugar and setting them on the counter for 10 minutes. This will help release some of the juices from the fruit.
- You can swap out vanilla extract for the almond extract.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, swap in a one-to-one gluten free flour substitute.
- If you want to make this recipe as a tart or pie, simply roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch pie or tart pan then add the almond mixture and press into an even layer. Add the fruit and brown sugar and bake in a 375F oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- If you like this kind of recipe, try our Mini Rustic Peach Custard Pies.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: desserts
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
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