Each Mini Fruit Tart offers a crunchy sugar cookie base filled with smooth, rich cheesecake filling, topped with fresh fruit, and lightly brushed with a sweet apricot glaze for a touch of shine.
1package (17.5 ounces)Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix,+ ingredients called for (1/2 cup butter and 1 large egg)
Orange Cream Cheese Filling
8ounces (226g)full-fat cream cheese,softened
1/2cup (113g)full-fat sour cream
1largeorange(2 tablespoons orange juice (32g) and 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest)
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
1/4teaspoonorange extract,optional
1cup (125g)powdered sugar
Topping
Fresh fruit and berries,for topping (such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mandarin oranges, kiwi, etc.)
1/3cupapricot or orange jam
3/4tablespoonwater
Instructions
COOKIE CUPS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a miniature muffin tin. Prepare the sugar cookie dough according to package directions. Roll balls of dough that will fill the miniature muffin tin 1/2 full (I use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon filled most of the way full to measure out the dough, then roll it into a ball and put the ball in the muffin tin cavity). Press into the dough with a finger to slightly indent the center.
COOKIE CUPS BAKE: Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the tops are very lightly browned or no longer glossy at the edges. (This time will vary based on how much dough you have in the muffin tin so watch carefully). We don't want the cookies over-baked at all or they make for hard/unpleasant fruit tarts. Remove from the oven and immediately press down the centers with the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon. Let cool for a couple minutes and then begin gently coaxing them out. Use a butter knife to trace around the edges and a fork to help gently coax out the cookie cup. Or pinch the edges and slowly twist the cookie up and out. Once they are out, you can further press down the center if desired. Let cookies cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.
FILLING: Add softened cream cheese to a large bowl along with the 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon orange extract, and 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat with hand mixers until smooth, creamy, and well combined. We love the consistency of this filling, but if you'd like it slightly thicker, you can add a bit more powdered sugar. Place filling in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up and allow flavors to intensify,
ASSEMBLY: Spoon the filling into the completely cooled sugar cookie cups. Add chopped fruit or berries to the top as desired.
GLAZE: Combine the 1/3 cup jam and 3/4 tablespoon water in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Whisk with a fork. With a pastry brush, brush the jam over the top of the fruit on each tart.
STORAGE: Mini tarts are best enjoyed within a few hours after making to ensure the sugar cookies don't get soggy. :) If you'd like to store these, keep the components separate -- the filling in an airtight container in the fridge and the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Read the tips in the last paragraph for best results! I tried to scatter them throughout the instructions, but they are in greater depth there.