By Kaleigh McMordie - April 10, 2020, Updated February 23, 2021

Mini Lemon Tarts with Shortbread Crust

Sweet and tangy mini lemon tarts with buttery shortbread crusts and simple lemon curd filling are delicious and adorable spring and summer desserts!

mini lemon tart with shortbread crust with whipped cream and a lemon slice on top, with lemon tarts in the background.

This post was originally published June 2017 and has been updated.

When life gives you lemons... don't make lemonade?

That's right. Make dessert. Because there's nothing better in the springtime than a bright and cheery lemon dessert! But unfortunately, life does not give me lemons. So I go to my sister's house, because life has blessed her with a whole tree full of gorgeous lemons right in her backyard! And her backyard lemons are just perfect for making mini lemon tarts!

Why You'll Love These Mini Lemon Tarts

These lemon tarts are simply delicious! With a crisp, buttery shortbread crust with just a hint of vanilla and a smooth, creamy, tart lemon curd filling, they're so cheerful for spring!
The tiny size is adorable! Bring these perfectly portioned treats to Easter brunch, showers, or make them just because.
They're a great use for lemon curd. I use homemade lemon curd in this recipe, but if you have a spare jar sitting around, these would be the perfect recipe for using it!
They're made with just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have - butter, eggs, flour, sugar, lemons. That's just about all you need!

How To Make Mini Lemon Tarts With Shortbread Crust

collage image showing steps to making shortbread tart crust with a stand mixer.

First, make the crusts.

Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer). Add the vanilla and mix. Then, mix in the flour and salt.
Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. This will make it easier to press into the pans.
Press the dough into mini tart pans. I use 3.5 inch pans like these.
Bake the crusts for 10-15 minutes at 300°F until they are golden.

spoon dipping lemon curd out of a glass jar.

Make the lemon curd.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs very well. They should be fully combined and fluffy.
Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and salt in a non-reactive saucepan or pot. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, then turn off the heat.
Temper the eggs by pouring about ½ cup of the warmed lemon mixture into the bowl of eggs, whisking as you pour.
Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the lemon juice, whisking the entire time to prevent curdling.
Turn the heat back on to low and cook, stirring the entire time, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter.
If you want your lemon curd super smooth, you can strain it by pushing it through a fine mesh strainer, or just leave it as is. Let the lemon curd cool before spreading into the tart crusts.

hand using a gold spoon to spoon lemon curd onto mini tart crust.

Assemble the mini tarts.

Once tart crusts are completely cooled, carefully pop them out of the pans.
Spoon lemon curd evenly into the crusts and spread it with the back of a spoon to fill each crust.
Top mini tarts however you'd like!

Tips For Making The Best Mini Lemon Tarts

I like homemade lemon curd best (the flavor is out of this world!), but you can absolutely use premade lemon curd if that's what you have.
Some commenters have experienced a metallic taste due to using a metal saucepan. I've never had this occur with stainless steel, but it may be best to use a non-reactive pan, such as an enameled pot to avoid leaching.
When making the lemon curd, make sure the eggs are fully whisked to prevent lumpy curd. You'll also want to make sure you don't skip them tempering step, and then keep the heat as low as possible in the final cooking and thickening step.
Make sure crusts are completely cool before taking them out of the pans and adding the lemon curd to them. If you don't have pans with removable edges, you can gently slide a toothpick between the edge of the crust and the pan to help you pop it out.
If you have Meyer lemons, you can make Meyer lemon curd. It's a little sweeter and so delicious!
If you like your lemon curd a little sweeter, increase the sugar to ¾ cup.

How To Decorate Mini Lemon Tarts

For a more rustic, understated dessert, top with a dollop of whipped cream and call it good. For something a little more elegant and fun, you can pipe whipped cream onto the tarts and/or top with berries or lemon slices.

How To Store Mini Lemon Tarts

Store leftover mini lemon tarts in the refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing them and the crust will get soggy as they thaw.

I also don't recommend assembling your mini tarts too far ahead of time, as the crust will get soft, but you can make the crust and lemon curd up to 2 days in advance and leave them separate until just before serving (or a couple of hours before). Store the crust at room temperature in an airtight container, and the lemon curd in the fridge in an airtight container.

More Spring Desserts You'll Love

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