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Patriotic Cheesecake Mini Tarts

These Mini Tarts are filled with a creamy no-bake cheesecake filling and topped with fresh summer berries. A delicious way to celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July. These easy cheesecake tarts can be made with a homemade pastry or your favorite store bought, they will surely be a hit with everyone!

Patriotic tarts on a black board.


 

I have always loved the festivities of Canada Day when I was home, and I always tried to show it to my kids here in Italy also. For dessert I would usually make a Strawberry Shortcake, with loads of whipped cream and strawberries.

But then they discovered Cheesecake and there was no going back. So why not try some mini tarts or even make it into a single Pie?

Recipe Ingredients

You can make a homemade pie dough or use your favorite store bought pastry

  • Flour – all purpose
  • Salt
  • Sugar – just a pinch
  • Butter – cold
  • Water – cold

For the cheesecake filling

  • Cream cheese – whole fat
  • Cream – whole, heavy or whipping cream, with at least 30% fat
  • Powdered sugar – also known as icing or confectioners sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Milk – 2% or whole milk
  • Gelatine – powdered or 4 leaves

Extras

  • Jam – strawberry, cherry and or blueberry
  • Fresh fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) sliced
  • Cake – such as pound cake, sponge cake or your favorite vanilla cake
  • Limoncello or pineapple juice to soak the cake
A cheesecake tart on a pink cake stand.

How to make Cheesecake Mini Tarts

Making the dough

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl, add the butter and mix using a pastry blender or even your clean fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (the size of peas).

The dry ingredients and butter in a food processor before and after mixed.

Add the water (one tablespoon at a time) and combine just until dough starts to come together. Then move it to a lightly floured flat surface and knead lightly into a round ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

The dough kneaded and ready for chilling.

Roll the pastry to 1/8 inch thickness, cut out with medium or large round cookie cutters (depending on the size of your tart pans, fit into the lightly greased and floured tart pans, prick the dough well with a fork.

The dough rolled and place in tart pans and pricked with a fork.

Cover with a square of parchment paper add some dry beans, rice or even sugar. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes, remove the beans and paper and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

The tart shells filled with parchment paper and beans before and after baking.

If making a single pie, then roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick fit in the lightly greased and floured pie pan, prick the dough with a fork, cover with parchment paper and dry beans, rice or sugar and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, remove the parchment paper and beans and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Making the Cheesecake filling

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy, set aside. In a large bowl beat the cold cream until stiff peaks appear, set aside.

Beating the cream cheese mixture and the cream until stiff peaks form.

In a small pot add the milk and sprinkle the gelatine on top, let stand one minute, then place the pot on low heat and heat just until the gelatine has dissolved, stirring often (1-2 minutes), do not boil, then immediately remove from heat.

Making the gelatin in a small pot.

Fold the gelatine into the cream cheese mixture, then gently fold it into the whipped cream, mix until combined.

Folding the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.

Putting it altogether

Spread the cooled tarts on the pie on the inside with strawberry or blueberry jam, evenly top the jam with the cheesecake filling, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-5 hours or overnight. Decorate with red or red and blue berries before serving.

Spreading jam on the tart shells and topping with the cheese cake filling.

How to blind bake pastry

  1. Roll half the dough on a lightly floured flat surface to approximately 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness.
  2. With a round cookie cutter cut out 6-8 circles.
  3. Place a circle in a each muffin cup (flatten into place with the bottom of a small glass lightly floured)
  4. Trim the excess dough with a sharp knife.
  5. Prick the bottoms of each shell with a fork.
  6. Place a square of parchment paper or a cupcake casing in each shell.
  7. Fill with some dried beans, rice or sugar.
  8. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, then remove the paper and dried beans and bake again for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Tarts on a black tray.

Can the dough be made in a food processor?

Yes it can, I usually make my dough using a food processor, so fast and easy. Whisk the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of the processor, add the butter and pulse a few time to form coarse crumbs.

Add the water a tablespoon at a time (I only need 2 tablespoons) just until the dough comes together, then move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a few time to form a compact dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Cheesecake tarts on a pink and blue tart stand.

How long does pie dough last in the fridge

Wrap the raw pie dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate, it will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen. Wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and place in an airtight freezer bag, it will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.

The dough can be thawed on the counter, ready in 60 minutes or in the fridge. You can also freeze the unbaked tart shells. Bake the shells from frozen, do not thaw first.

Do I need to use gelatine?

If you are making mini tarts then you can leave out the gelatine, it will make a creamier filling. I like a firmer filling so I use it. If you are making a single pie then gelatine is required, because you are making slices and you want the filling to hold up and not spill all over the plate.

How many tarts does it make

I made 10 mini tarts (2 inch/5 cm) and 2 medium tarts (4 inch/10cm). You will notice a tart has a pink filling. I was trying to get a red color without adding coloring, so i stirred in some jam, it didn’t come out as red as I was hoping so I didn’t continue.

How to store the Mini Tarts

The filled tarts should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they will keep for up to 3-4 days.

So thanks to you all of you wonderful readers I wish you an amazing Canada Day or 4th of July, lots of good food shared with family and friends. Enjoy!

Mini tarts on a black plate.

More Tart recipes to try

Mini tarts on a black plate.

Patriotic Cheesecake Mini Tarts

Rosemary Molloy
These Mini Tarts are filled with a creamy no-bake cheesecake filling and topped with fresh summer berries. A delicious way to celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July. 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 tarts
Calories 171 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

PASTRY DOUGH ** for 1 pie crust

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (140 grams total)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons cold butter (cubed) (84 grams total)
  • 2-2½ tablespoons cold water

CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar (45 grams total)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup cream (whole/heavy or whipping cream – at least 30% fat)
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ tablespoon gelatin

EXTRAS

  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, blueberries and or raspberries
  • 3-4 tablespoons strawberry, cherry or blueberry jam

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 375° (190 celcius)

PASTRY DOUGH

  • This can be made either by hand or food processor. Whisk the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl or processor bowl, add the butter and combine (using a pastry blender or even your clean fingers) or pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (the size of peas).
  • Sprinkle the water (one tablespoon at a time)on top and combine just until the dough starts to come together.  Then move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead lightly into a round ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. 
  • Remove from fridge and knead the dough a couple of times to soften it up again on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8" thickness. Place cut out dough into lightly greased and floured tart pans. Prick the bottom of the dough and place a piece of parchment paper on each shell and fill with dried beans, rice or sugar bake for approximately 15 minutes, remove paper and beans and bake for another 5 -10 minutes more or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely before filling.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy, set aside. If not using gelatin then fold this mixture into the whipped cream.
  • In a large bowl beat the cold cream until stiff peaks appear, set aside.
  • If using the gelatin, in a small pot add the milk and sprinkle the gelatine on top, let stand one minute, then place the pot on low heat and heat just until the gelatine has dissolved, stirring often (1-2 minutes), do not boil, then immediately remove from heat. Fold the gelatine into the cream cheese mixture, then gently fold it into the whipped cream, mix until combined.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

  • Spread a little jam on the bottom of each tart. Top and spread evenly some cheesecake filling. Place the tarts on a plate, cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight.
  • Top the chilled tarts with fresh fruit before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

The dough can be made a head of time, wrap the raw pie dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate, it will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen. Wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and place in an airtight freezer bag, it will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.
I made 10 mini tarts (2 inch/5 cm) and 2 medium tarts (4 inch/10cm). You will notice a tart has a pink filling. I was trying to get a red color without adding coloring, so i stirred in some jam, it didn’t come out as red as I was hoping so I didn’t continue.
The filled tarts should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they will keep for up to 3-4 days.
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from June 17, 2016.

19 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Yum – those look amazing. Pinning to try! Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty

  2. Dying your dough to be festive is brilliant! You could even try blending up some strawberries or something if you don’t like food coloring! 🙂 Love love this idea!

  3. These are so super cute and they look delicious! Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday this week!

  4. Cute, delicious, and just in time for the 4th! Great post!

    Come over to my link party and share this with everyone:
    http://www.twentysomethinginthe2010s.com/peace-love-link-up-013/
    Hope to see you there!

      1. Congrats! You have been chosen as a feature on the next Peace, Love, Linkup! Grab an “I was Featured” button and stop by tomorrow at 6 to share more great content! Hope to see you again!

  5. Your crust sounds fantastic and of course the simple filling with fruit makes my mouth water. Will definitely try it for Fourth of July this year. #BestIdeaEver.

  6. Looks delicious Rosemary! I love the red, white and blue — very patriotic and your store experience just goes to show that sometimes we find what we’re looking for in the least likely place. That’s happened to us before 🙂 Your dessert looks “almost” too pretty to eat. I don’t think I’d be able to leave it alone. Buon fine settimana!

    1. Hi Marisa, thanks and I know I love those small stuff them to overflowing stores. Have a great week. 🙂

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