Mini Bakewell Tarts
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These Mini Bakewell Tarts are a charming and delicious treat, perfect for afternoon tea or a simple teatime dessert. With crisp, buttery pastry, sweet raspberry jam, and rich almond frangipane filling, they're everything you love about the traditional British dessert-baked into delightful, individual tartlets.
If you love tea cakes, you’ll also love our almond tea cakes for a traditional treat, or lavender tea cakes with Earl Grey.
Surprisingly easy to make, they're just as lovely for hosting a teatime gathering as they are for sharing on a dessert tray. And the best part? They can be made ahead and freeze beautifully.
Why I Love These Mini Tarts
These sweet little tarts are one of my favorite teatime recipes. They look beautiful on a tray, are utterly delicious, and easy to serve for tea parties, regardless of the season. They're simple to make, easy to store, and scrumptious. Whether you're hosting afternoon tea or want a bite-sized homemade treat with your favorite cup, these are always a perfect treat.
What Are Bakewell Tarts?
Bakewell Tarts are a beloved British dessert originating in the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire. They're traditionally made with layers of jam and almond frangipane baked into a sweet shortcrust pastry and often topped with sliced almonds or a thin glaze. While they're commonly served as a single large tart, this mini version is ideal for tea tables and sharing.
They’re especially popular at afternoon teas, where small, dainty sweets are what make tea time so special, along with fragrant cups of tea shared with friends. The tarts, with their combination of textures-crisp pastry, tart jam, soft frangipane-make them truly irresistible.
Key Ingredients
Here's a quick look at the ingredients that make these mini tarts so delicious:
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the sweet shortcrust pastry-tender yet sturdy enough to hold the filling.
- Unsalted Butter: Used in both the pastry and filling, it adds richness and flakiness.
- Almond Flour (or Ground Almonds): The key to traditional frangipane-nutty, moist, and flavorful.
- Raspberry Jam: Sweet and slightly tart, it balances the richness of the almond filling. Seedless is traditional.
- Eggs: Essential for binding and creating that soft, custardy frangipane texture.
- Almond Extract: A little goes a long way-this gives Bakewell Tarts their signature aroma.
- Flaked Almonds (Optional): Sprinkled on top for a traditional look and added texture.
Tip: You'll find full ingredient quantities in the recipe card below-plus a metric toggle for those who prefer weighing ingredients.
How to Make Mini Bakewell Tarts
These tarts may look intricate, but the steps are straightforward and forgiving. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just beginning, you’ll find the process enjoyable and rewarding.
Make the Crust
- Combine dry ingredients: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined.
- Add butter: Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.
- Add egg yolk: Pulse in the egg yolk.
- Add water: With the machine running, drizzle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough begins to come together.
- Chill: Turn the dough out, gently press into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Frangipane Filling
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Add almonds and extract: Gently fold in almond flour and almond extract. Do not overmix.
Form and Bake the Tarts
- Preheat oven: Set to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
- Form the crusts:
- No-Roll Method: Divide chilled dough into 12 pieces and press each into a muffin liner.
- Rolling Method: Roll the dough to ⅛” thick, cut 3-3.5" rounds, and press them into the liners.
- Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork.
- Blind bake: Bake crusts for 10-12 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool slightly.
- Add jam: Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of raspberry jam into the base of each tart.
- Add filling: Spoon or pipe frangipane over the jam, filling each ¾ full.
- Top: Optionally sprinkle flaked almonds on top.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and set. Let cool completely in the tin before removing.
Tips for Success
- Chill your pastry: Cold dough = crisp crust.
- Use good-quality jam: It's the flavor base for every bite.
- Blind bake: A short pre-bake keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Let cool completely before removing: This helps them set beautifully.
What to Serve with Bakewell Tarts
These mini tarts are perfect with a cup of tea. Try serving them with:
- English Breakfast or Earl Grey for a traditional pairing
- Darjeeling or white tea for something light and summery
- A fresh fruit platter, individual fruit salad cups, or whipped cream to round out your tea table
Planning a full spread? These pair beautifully with scones, cucumber sandwiches, and lemon curd tartlets.
Variations
- Make them gluten-free: Substitute a trusted gluten-free shortcrust pastry and use almond flour as directed.
- Swap the jam: Try apricot, cherry, or orange marmalade for a different flavor.
- Add a glaze: Drizzle cooled tarts with a simple icing sugar glaze for a sweet finish.
More Afternoon Tea Recipes to Try Next
If you love these, you might also enjoy:
- Easy Strawberry Macarons
- Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes
- Victoria Sponge Cake
- Tea Time Scones
- Easy Quiche Recipes
Love afternoon tea recipes?
Be sure to explore more teatime favorites-like easy tea sandwiches, afternoon tea savory recipes, scones, tea party desserts, and more-in our Afternoon Tea Collection »
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Mini Bakewell Tarts Recipe
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée – Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1-2 tablespoons ice water as needed
Bakewell Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup almond flour or ground almonds
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 tablespoons raspberry jam good quality, seedless if possible
- Flaked almonds for topping, optional but traditional
Instructions
For the Crust
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined.
- Add Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Don't overmix.
- Add Egg Yolk: Add the egg yolk and pulse a few times.
- Add Water: With the processor running, gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just starts to come together. Stop as soon as it forms a ball.
- Chill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently bring it together into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days). This is crucial for easy handling and preventing shrinkage.
For the Filling (Frangipane)
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next.
- Fold in Almonds and Extract: Gently fold in the ground almonds and almond extract until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Place paper or silicone liners in all 12 cups of your muffin tin and preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Form the Crusts:
- No-Roll Method: Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal pieces. Press each piece directly into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin liner, forming an even crust. Aim for a thickness of about ⅛ inch. Prick the bottom of each crust several times with a fork.
- Rolling Method (Alternative): On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ⅛ inch thick. Use a round cutter (slightly larger than your muffin cup opening, about 3-3.5 inches) to cut out 12 circles. Gently press each circle into a muffin liner, fitting it snugly. Prick the bottom of each crust several times with a fork.
- Blind Baking: Bake the empty crusts for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. This prevents a soggy bottom. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Add Jam: Once the crusts are partially baked and slightly cooled, spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of raspberry jam into the bottom of each crust, spreading it evenly.
- Add Frangipane: Spoon or pipe (using a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped) the frangipane filling over the jam, filling each tartlet about ¾ full. Optional Topping: Sprinkle a few flaked almonds on top of each frangipane filling for traditional decoration.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the frangipane is golden brown, puffed, and feels set to the touch. A skewer inserted into the frangipane should come out clean. Let the mini tarts cool completely in the muffin tin. This is crucial for easy removal and firming up.
Notes
- Measurements: If you prefer to weigh your ingredients (which is the most accurate method for baking), click on the “metric” link located at the top of the ingredient list.
- Pastry: If you’re short on time or don’t love making pastry crusts, you can substitute ready-made or refrigerated pie crusts and proceed with the recipe. Cut them into circles and blind bake for 10 minutes.
- Jam: While raspberry is traditional, any preserves you prefer, like strawberry, can be substituted.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can these be made ahead of time – do they keep nicely?
While they are, of course, always best when freshly baked, they can definitely be made ahead of time. They will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. I have quite a few in the freezer now!
I used Christmas Jam and they came out perfect! Delicious!
Thank you for trying them, Jackie! I’d love to know about your Christmas Jam! Already thinking ahead to the holidays ❤️❤️.
These teacakes are sweet, delicious, and easy to make! A classic teatime or afternoon tea party treat. But equally perfect for snacking or brunch. I love raspberry filling but any seasonal preserve is delicious too!