These Mini Vegan Lemon Tarts are a celebration of the fresh citrus flavours of Spring. A sweet lemon shortcrust pastry tart shell is filled with a tangy vegan lemon curd and is decorated with dairy-free whipped cream spring flowers. These adorable tarts are perfect for Spring & Summer, look amazing and everyone will enjoy!
Looking for more delicious fruity bakes, check out my Vegan Orange Cake, Vegan Strawberry Cream Danishes and Vegan Air Fryer Jam Doughnuts.
Mini Vegan Lemon Tarts
These Mini Lemon Tartlets are most definitely a crowd-pleasing treat. They are fresh, fruity, tangy, buttery, gooey, sweet and perfection in each bite! They’re great for any celebration, but perfect for Easter and Mothers Day for example. They are sure to impress with a super citrus flavour and a gorgeous fresh appearance!
It’s a very easy recipe to prepare and make. Both the lemon pastry and the curd can be made in advance and assembled on the day. You can enjoy them as they are, or add on some whipped cream and decorate as you like. Personally, I love this flower shape as its simple to create and reminds me of daisies. These tarts will be your go-to over Spring and summer, great for Mothers Day, Birthdays and baby showers!
Why you’ll love this recipe
There’s plenty of reasons why you’ll absolutely love this recipe, but I have listed a few of my top points below. If they don’t urge you to make this recipe, I don’t know what will- haha!
They’re vegan! : No animal derrived ingredients are used in this recipe!
Full of fresh lemon : It’s literally like eating sunshine. You will be smiling with every single bite!!
They look adorable : The cream flower on top with the lemon curd in the middle looks absolutely gorgeous!
Pastry melts in your mouth : If you’re wanting a shortcrust pastry which will have any one fooled, this is the one. It’s so buttery, you’ll be shocked it’s vegan! It melts in your mouth with a delicious, light lemon flavour!
Can be made gluten-free : If you wanted to make this recipe suitable for gluten-free diet, simply switch out the wheat flour for a gluten-free blend! My favourite gluten-free flour is Doves Farm.
Perfectly portioned : Enjoy a whole tart to yourself, or maybe go back for seconds! They fit perfectly on a side plate, great little dessert for events / parties!
Easy to make : Simple ingredients and a simple method, you will love this recipe!!
Fun to make : You know you have a winning recipe when you can’t help but smile when making it! This is that recipe. From crust to cream decoration you will have a blast making these little treats!
Baking time is short : Overall, you’ll only need 30 minutes of baking time!
Ingredients for vegan lemon tarts
- Plain flour : As there is no need for raising agents in the pastry, you will only need to use a plain flour. Alternatively, to make this recipe suitable for gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free plain flour.
- Lemons : Use fresh, unwaxed lemons.
- Sugar : A fine white caster sugar works best for this recipe.
- Dairy-free butter : Make sure to use vegan block butter! It’s important its a block butter. My favourites are Naturli Vegan Block and Flora Plant Butter.
- Coconut cream : Use the thick cream out of a can of coconut milk. Pour out the liquid and only use the cream.
- Cornflour : You can use cornflour / cornstarch. This will help the filling thicken.
- Turmeric : For a natural colour, use a dash of ground turmeric. Alternatively you can use a tiny drop of a vegan friendly yellow food gel.
- Dairy-free cream : Use a very thick vegan cream for this recipe to help keeps its shape. The best vegan cream I’ve found to use is The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream.
How to make Vegan Mini Lemon Tarts
This recipe has 3 steps, the pastry, lemon filling and decoration. It uses simple ‘easy to find ingredients’ and has a very easy method. Find the full written recipe and method in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Shortcrust pastry
Add the flour, sugar, lemon zest and vegan butter into a food processor, pulse until it comes together. Turn out onto a clean worktop and knead until it comes together. Grab some of the dough, press into the mini tartlet tins and trim off any excess dough. Bake until golden.
- Lemon filling
Add all of the ingredients into a saucepan and heat. Stir constantly with a heat proof spatula or whisk. The mixture will thicken, then simple pour into each tart shell. Bake for a further 10 minutes to set the filling. Allow to cool fully before adding on the cream.
- Cream decoration
Pour the cream into a bowl and whip, either with an electric hand whisk or stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle. Pipe on a flower shape and add some left over lemon filling to the middle to finish off the flower. Serve and enjoy!
Tips to make this recipe
- Make sure to cook the lemon curd over a low / medium heat to prevent any burning.
- Constantly whisk the lemon curd while its cooking to help prevent any lumps. Whisking will break up any lumps making it super smooth.
- Allow the lemon tarts to chill for at least 1-2 hours in the fridge so that the curd can set. Otherwise, the curd will be very liquid and ooze out of the shells when you bite into it!
- The shortcrust pastry can be made in advance. Simply make the dough, wrap it up in clingfilm and place into the fridge. It’s great for preparing the day ahead. Alternatively, make and bake the shells and store them in a sealed container in the fridge, ready for filling the next day.
- Make sure to use a good quality vegan whipping cream / double cream. My favourites are The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream and Elmlea Plant Based Cream Alternative. Both whip up amazingly!
- Don’t overcook the pastry. Keep an eye on the shells while they are in the oven. You want them to turn a light golden colour. This will keep them buttery, but slightly crisp!
Storing and freezing
Unfilled shells can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days in a sealed container. If filled with lemon curd, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Only add the cream on just before serving! The tart shells can be frozen, then allowed to come to room temperature before filling. Don’t freeze the filled tarts with the lemon filling or the lemon curd!
Looking for more Lemon desserts, check out:
The BEST Vegan Lemon Curd Cake
Gluten-free Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
Print
Vegan Mini Lemon Tarts
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mini Vegan Lemon Tarts are buttery, tangy and easy to make! Lemon pastry, lemon curd and a cream flower, perfect for Spring!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the crust
- 250g of plain flour (you can use gluten-free)
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 50g of caster sugar
- 200g of dairy-free block butter (softened)
Ingredients for the lemon filling
- 160g of lemon juice
- 250g of coconut milk (cream only)
- 250g of caster sugar
- 6 tablespoons of cornflour / cornstarch
- Pinch of turmeric (or yellow food gel)
Ingredients for the decoration
- 220ml of dairy-free whipping cream
Instructions
Method (crust)
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan and lightly grease a 8-10 mini tartlet tins with dairy-free butter. This recipe will make more or less tarts depending how much pastry and filling you use for each tart.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the flour, lemon zest and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the softened butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until a crumbly dough forms.
- Firmly press equal amounts of the dough into the tartlet cases / tins and use your fingers to press down the bottom and up the sides. Tip: As the dough is sticky, coat your fingers in some plain flour before pressing it into the tin to prevent sticking. Prick the bases with a fork.
- Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden in colour.
- Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the lemon filling.
Method (lemon filling)
- Drain the clear liquid from a can of coconut milk, as you only want to use the thick white cream. Add all of the lemon filling ingredients into a medium sized saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (this will take around 5 minutes). Stirring with a heat proof spatula or whisk will prevent any sticking and burning, and will remove any clumps.
- Once the mixture is thick and glossy, remove from the heat. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the lemon filling and place into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. This will be used for the decoration.
- Evenly distribute the filling over into the tart cases. You want to do this immediately while the filling is still warm, as when it cools down it will be harder to pour. Place back into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. This will help bake and set the filling.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the tarts to cool in the tins before removing. Transfer into the fridge for 6 hours to set. If you don’t allow them to set, the filling will be runny.
- To serve, remove from the tins. Serve as they are or decorate with some delicious whipped cream.
Method (cream decoration)
- Remove the clingfilm from the left over lemon curd and give it a whisk to remove any lumps. Transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
- Add the vegan whipping cream into a bowl and whip until soft peaks, either using a hand held electric whisk or in a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment.
- Transfer the thick cream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
- Pipe on some bulbs in a flower pattern, then pipe some of the left over lemon filling into the middle to finish off the flower.
- Serve with a dusting of icing sugar and enjoy.
Notes
To store: Store the tarts in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed second day of making (it helps to bring out all the flavours).
Pipe the cream on just before serving to prevent melting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: tarts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
They look so cute! Can I please ask what brand are you using for vegan whipped cream? I live in Ireland and I can find Elmlea plant based double cream which is impossible to whip (it never gets peak…) thank you!
Author
Hello, Oh thats weird, it whips up great for me. My current go-to vegan whipping cream is ‘The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream’ which whips to a peak and stays firm too, even if you leave the tarts at room temp! Its incredible!!! x
Hi. If I’d like to freeze leftover dough how long would that stay fresh for? Also if I’m using a can of coconut cream and not milk do I use the whole 250gs of cream?
Thank you
Hi, Allergic to coconut here, what would you recommend as an alternative? Live the recipe!
hey! do you have a link for the mini tart pans? I’d love to know the size!
Author
Hello, i do! xx Linked below:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/mini-tart-tins/s?k=mini+tart+tins
Oh my gosh! I made these last night and they are to die for!! I tried the filling when it was warm and was worried it wouldn’t be lemony enough but once it chills overnight, it’s perfect! Thank you for making this curd that everyone can eat and enjoy!!
Author
Hello, aw thank you so much! I am so happy you enjoyed!!! x
Oh no, made these and we are addicted. So lemony and delicious. Another batch in the oven right now 😊
Made them as a large version in one big tart and it turned out super cute delicious.
Author
OH AMAZING!!! So happy you enjoyed, i always come back to this recipe I LOVE IT!!!! Definitely making a large version xxxxxx
Delicious! Perfectly lemony and so cute for spring 🌼 will absolutely make again.
Do you think I could make orange flavored tartlets instead? Any tips to adjust?
i think orange sounds fantastic! have you experimented yet?
I’m wondering about using aquafaba instead of cream for the decoration? has anyone tried that?