Easy Mini Fruit Tart Recipe (Gluten Free, Sugar Free)
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Time to read: 14 min
Finished easy mini fruit tart baked with Detox Desserts ingredient swaps
Easy Mini Fruit Tart Recipe - Sugar-free, Gluten-free & Vegan
20 min
25-50 min (depends on size)
8 servings
Cake
Table of contents
The best, sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan and easy mini fruit tarts you’ll ever find Recommended products for the best easy mini fruit tart recipe Our healthy mini fruit tarts are so much healthier compared to regular ones How I crafted this healthy easy mini fruit tart recipe The best ingredient substitutes for gluten-free & sugar-free easy mini fruit tart recipe Try Our Gluten-free, Vegan, Paleo AND Keto Baking System Step-by-step: How to make healthy mini fruit tarts How to store your mini fruit tarts for maximum shelf-life Tips for making the best healthy mini fruit tarts Recipe Card: Easy mini fruit tart recipe Nutritional information Explore more recipes
The best, sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan and easy mini fruit tarts you’ll ever find
Fruit tarts look as amazing as they taste, but don’t let the fruit fool you; when made with traditional ingredients, this fancy french dessert is loaded with gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, and cholesterol. Thankfully, you won’t miss anything in this healthy version and I assure you it’s on par with all other fruit tarts I’ve tried. This ‘detoxed’ superfood tart has a smooth and creamy vanilla custard on top of a crumbly, buttery shortbread crust and is loaded with fresh, organic fruit. Plus, this easy mini fruit tart recipe contains less calories, 9x the fiber, more protein, zero cholesterol and only 8g net carbs (even with fruit on top!)
My favorite part of making fruit tarts is the final decoration, it’s what makes this dessert look like it was crafted by a professional! Make sure to use the freshest seasonal fruit to create beautiful, vibrant color contrast and patterns. If you follow a keto or diabetic diet, berries are the best choice of fruit to minimize blood sugar elevations.
Recommended products for the best easy mini fruit tart recipe
Our healthy mini fruit tarts are so much healthier compared to regular ones
Not only does using the DD Flour Swap make it easy to make this vegan recipe for mini fruit tarts gluten free, but it also helps promote healthy digestion. The psyllium husk contained in the Flour Swap and inulin contained in the Egg and Sugar Swaps both feed and increase the number of healthy gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines can promote a healthy immune system along with the added digestive benefits we all love with a healthy dose of fiber. Don’t forget that the whole psyllium husk binds waste and toxins in your intestines and helps clear them from the body. This easy recipe for gluten free mini fruit tarts is not only free from all the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional dessert but they’re actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!
The plant soluble fiber from the psyllium husk and the digestive resistant fiber in the inulin work together to slow down digestion of this healthy fruit tart. The slowed digestion helps provide more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels constant without the normal sugar crashes one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded fruit tart.
I’ve tested this eggless fruit tart recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap a few times. They are equally delish and both allow you to make your fruit tart recipe gluten free and healthy! The Whole-Grain Swap tarts have a few extra slowly digesting healthy carbs, but I love the hearty, earthy flavor they have. The Grain-Free Flour will provide the lowest carb (keto/paleo) version. The Grain-Free tarts bake amazingly well, with a perfect crumbly shortbread and mildly nutty flavor. I tested this recipe using both flours in equal parts (½ cup Whole-Grain plus ½ cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 1 cup of Flour Swap the recipe calls for), which is my taste/texture preference. Plus, mixing the flours is a great way to create a lower carb version of a vegan fruit tart and still allows for a small dose of healthy grains.
For most of my patients, I’m a big advocate for balanced macronutrient meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is an easy way to know what type of Flour Swap to choose to create a balanced macro meal. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating a Whole-Grain Swap fruit tart for dessert to serve as your healthy carb for that meal. Conversely, if you already had a healthy carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend the Grain-Free Swap fruit tart for dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?! Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap.
How I crafted this healthy easy mini fruit tart recipe
Since this isn’t a traditional pastry cream filling, we eliminate the laborious task of heating your milk to the perfect temperature or worrying about your eggs curdling. You’ll simply blend your filling ingredients together, pour onto your crust and bake. This egg-free, zero cholesterol, vegan fruit tart recipe is fuss free and full of rich, creamy flavor. These gluten free mini fruit tarts are quick and simple to make, yet stunning when plated and served.
This recipe is not a simple 1:1 swap, it really takes one knowing the Sweet Swap ingredients well. I’ve been playing with these ingredients for years and can recreate pretty much any dessert using the products. Regular baked desserts like cakes, cookies, sweet breads, scones and muffins are straight forward and turn out great using the simple 1:1 swap method, but not all desserts can be made that way. The Sweet Swaps are AMAZING but they aren’t magic, LOL.
Fruit tarts are many people’s favorite dessert. Unfortunately, they are too intimidating for most people to make at home, so I went out of my way to make this healthy recipe for mini fruit tarts easy. I took a fairly traditional approach to the buttery shortbread crust. I referenced a few 5-star recipes online as inspiration and made the 1:1 ingredient Swaps. The pastry cream filling needed a different approach. I wanted to eliminate unnecessary cholesterol and calories while still providing a creamy, rich texture we expect out of a french dessert. My solution, 1 can of organic full fat coconut milk and an Egg Swap. Although the Egg Swap contains 50% more protein than an egg, it doesn’t bake like regular eggs. One-fourth cup of Flour Swap is needed to set the filling, plus it adds an extra dose of healthy fiber to this vegan and gluten-free fruit tart recipe. I promise, you won’t even know the Flour Swap is there, but it’s required to create the perfect filling consistency.
Detox Desserts’ healthy ingredient Swaps not only create the most deliciously clean, low-carb and gluten free desserts; they’re also free from animal products making them safe for your vegan friends and family members with cardiovascular disease. Remember, Detox Desserts is the only gluten-free, vegan, paleo AND keto baking system out there. Baking with the Sweet Swaps not only turns your favorite dessert healthy, but it makes it easy to accommodate pretty much every dietary restriction imaginable.
The best ingredient substitutes for gluten-free & sugar-free easy mini fruit tart recipe
Key ingredients of a traditional fruit tart:
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Eggs
- Egg Yolks
- Whole Milk
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Fresh Fruit
Key ingredients of a Detox Desserts* fruit tart:
- Whole Grain Flour Swap: (use Grain-Free Swap for Paleo/Keto version of this dessert): Our gluten-free, high fiber, low-carb healthy flour substitute.
- Butter Swap: Our whole food, plant-based butter substitute that bakes and tastes like butter with added health benefits
- Egg Swap: Our vegan egg substitute that contains 50% more protein than an egg, added prebiotics for digestive support and NO cholesterol.
- Coconut Milk
- Sugar Swap: Our zero-calorie, zero-carb, naturally sweetened sugar substitute formulated with prebiotics to support healthy digestion.
- Lemon Juice: adds a little tang to the pastry cream
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Fresh Fruit
Try Our Gluten-free, Vegan, Paleo AND Keto Baking System
Step-by-step: How to make healthy mini fruit tarts
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup Whole Grain Flour Swap (use Grain-Free for paleo/keto version)
- ½ cup Granular Sugar Swap
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Butter Swap
- 1 Tablespoon hot water (only if needed for crumbly dough consistency)
Custard Filling Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut milk (I used organic Thai Kitchen brand)
- 1 Egg Swap
- 2/3 cup Granular Sugar Swap
- ¼ cup Flour Swap
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 2-3 cups fresh fruit
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9.5” tart pan well. (Use a parchment lined 9” pie dish or springform pan if you don’t have a traditional tart pan. Your crust will only come half-way up the sides of a standard pie or springform pan). Multiple mini 4” tart pans work great if you have them.
2. Use a small mixing bowl to combine the dry crust ingredients (Flour Swap, Sugar Swap, salt).
3. Add Butter Swap and use a spoon or fork to incorporate the Butter Swap until a crumbly dough texture is achieved. Add hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed for proper consistency. The dough should be crumbly but stick together when pressed.
4. Press the dough evenly into the well-greased tart pan and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until barely golden in color. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.
5. Add all the custard ingredients to a high speed blender and blend for about 20 seconds until smooth. Place your parbaked tart shell on a cookie sheet to make the transfer back into the oven easy. Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake.
6. Baking times range from 25-50 minutes depending on the size of your tart pan. My mini 4” tarts baked for about 25 minutes. My 9.5” tart baked for about 50 minutes (Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour baked the same time on all tart sizes). Loosely place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of your large tart after about 35 minutes so the crust doesn’t burn while the filling continues to bake.
7. Remove your tart from the oven when the filling is bubbly and the middle is jiggly (not soupy).
8. Cool the tart on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. It will completely set once chilled.
9. Use a dull knife to loosen the edges of the crust to make removing the tart from the pan easy.
10. Top your chilled tart with fresh fruit before slicing and serving...enjoy!
11. Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
*For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging. The overnight chill also slows down carbohydrate absorption making them tastier and healthier…weird, but it works!
How to store your mini fruit tarts for maximum shelf-life
Store your healthy vegan fruit tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Although not tested, it’s probably fine to store your baked tart in the freezer wrapped tightly. Then, thaw in the fridge and top with fresh fruit just before serving.
Tips for making the best healthy mini fruit tarts
- Grease your tart pans liberally to make releasing the finished tart easy. Alternatively, you can use parchment paper to line your pan to ensure the crust doesn’t stick.
- Make sure your Butter Swap is well stirred and at room temperature before making your shortbread crust, oil separation is normal in the Butter Swap. If you’re having trouble stirring your Butter Swap, pour the entire jar into a high speed blender. Your Butter Swap will stay smooth for a couple months after a minute in the blender!
- Add water slowly to your buttery shortbread crust until it’s crumbly but sticks together well. Too much water will prevent the crust from baking properly, rendering it more soft than crumbly…boo!
- Press the shortbread evenly into your tart pan, take your time here because you want the crust to bake evenly and hold together when cooled.
- Watch your crust during the last couple minutes of the parbake. Remove it when it barely starts to turn golden in color. If you’re not watching, it can easily go from under to over baked.
- If you’re baking a large tart, place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the tart after about 35 minutes, this will prevent the crust from getting too brown while the filling properly bakes.
- Don’t be tempted to dig into these tarts before they’ve sat in the fridge overnight. They need the overnight chill to completely set. The overnight refrigeration also slows down carbohydrate absorption making them tastier and healthier…weird, but it works!
FAQ
How do you keep fruit tarts from getting soggy?
Bake your tart the day before you plan to serve it because it’s virtually impossible to prevent your fruit tart from getting soggy after a few days. It will be fine for 3-5 days in the refrigerator, but mine started to get a little soggy around day 4, although still tasted great into the 5th day. Make sure you use fresh fruits that won’t leak into your tart. Berries hold up the best for a few days. If you plan on consuming the entire tart within 2-3 days, my advice is to use whatever fruit sounds good to you. If you want your healthy fruit tart to last longer, stick to firm, fresh berries.
What is fruit tart filling made of?
A traditional fruit tart filling is a basic vanilla flavored pastry cream. It’s made from eggs, whole milk, sugar, butter, cornstarch and vanilla extract. It’s cooked on the stovetop and requires a lot of precision on temperature and timing of ingredients. It can easily curdle, requires hours of refrigeration and contains a hefty dose of cholesterol, along with common food allergens. I find coconut milk to be a perfect base for this rich and creamy filling. When the Sugar, Egg and Flour Swaps are blended and baked, surprisingly, not much coconut flavor comes through. This healthy custard filling only takes 5 minutes to whip up, and sets into a perfect vanilla infused cream after an overnight chill.
Why are fruit tarts brushed with a glaze?
Traditional fruit tarts are brushed with warm apricot preserves (cooked down sugar and apricots). It’s neutral in color and flavor but adds a shine to the fresh fruit topping which makes the tart look even more attractive. This is completely optional. If you really want the shine and don’t have apricot preserves, put about 2 tablespoons of honey into a microwave safe bowl and heat until the honey is bubbly and runny. Brush your fruit with the warmed honey.
Recipe Card: Easy mini fruit tart recipe
| Prep Time | Bake Time | Total Time |
| 20 minutes | 25-50 minutes | 45-70 minutes |
Servings: 8
Calories per serving: 330 cal
Although not guaranteed, we have gone above and beyond to provide you with the most accurate nutritional information for this recipe.
Crust Ingredients
- 1 cup Flour Swap (Whole-Grain or use Grain-Free for paleo/keto version)
- ½ cup Granular Sugar Swap
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Butter Swap
- 1 Tablespoon hot water (only if needed for crumbly dough consistency)
Custard Filling Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut milk (I used organic Thai Kitchen brand)
- 1 Egg Swap
- 2/3 cup Granular Sugar Swap
- ¼ cup Whole-Grain or Grain-Free Flour Swap
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 2-3 cups fresh cut fruit
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9.5” tart pan well. (Use a parchment lined 9” pie dish or springform pan if you don’t have a traditional tart pan. Your crust will only come half-way up the sides of a standard pie or springform pan). Multiple mini 4” tart pans work great if you have them.
2. Use a small mixing bowl to combine the dry crust ingredients (Flour Swap, Sugar Swap, salt).
3. Add Butter Swap and use a spoon or fork to incorporate the Butter Swap until a crumbly dough texture is achieved. Add hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed for proper consistency. The dough should be crumbly but stick together when pressed.
4. Press the dough evenly into the well-greased tart pan and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until barely golden in color. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.
5. Add all the custard ingredients to a high speed blender and blend for about 20 seconds until smooth. Place your parbaked tart shell on a cookie sheet to make the transfer back into the oven easy. Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake.
6. Baking times range from 25-50 minutes depending on the size of your tart pan. My mini 4” tarts baked for about 25 minutes. My 9.5” tart baked for about 50 minutes (Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour baked the same time on all tart sizes). Loosely place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of your large tart after about 35 minutes so the crust doesn’t burn while the filling continues to bake.
7. Remove your tart from the oven when the filling is bubbly and the middle is jiggly (not soupy).
8. Cool the tart on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. It will completely set once chilled.
9. Use a dull knife to loosen the edges of the crust to make removing the tart from the pan easy.
10. Top your chilled tart with fresh fruit before slicing and serving...enjoy!
11. Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
*For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging. The overnight chill also slows down carbohydrate absorption making them tastier and healthier…weird, but it works!
For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging.
Recommended Products
Nutritional information
*An important note on carbs:
Net carbohydrates are the sum total of carbohydrates that convert into glucose (therefore raise blood sugar) in the body. Anyone following a keto or diabetic diet should count net carbs NOT total carbs. To determine net carbs, simply subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates on the nutrition label. If you count macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) you should always count net carbs, not total carbs.
We love your feedback, please make sure to comment and share your experience with this easy mini truit tart recipe with the healthy baking community!
Cheers to your delicious health,
-Dr. Alexis
