Peach and Cream Cheese Mini Tarts
These no-bake peach and cream cheese mini tarts come together in 20 minutes using a genius puff pastry shortcut. Creamy, tangy filling meets sweet bourbon-soaked peaches in a buttery shell — the perfect summer dessert that looks like you spent all day.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Muffin tin (optional)
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Sharp paring knife
- Microplane or fine zester
- Piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped
Ingredients
For the Tarts
- 1 package frozen puff pastry shells (10–12), thawed
For the Filling
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
For the Peaches
- 2 large ripe but firm peaches, sliced
- 1 tablespoon bourbon or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For Garnish
- fresh mint or basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place frozen puff pastry shells on a baking sheet (optional: set each shell into upside-down muffin tin cups to prevent excessive puffing).
- Bake shells for 12–15 minutes until puffed and deep golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack — at least 10 minutes. If centers rose too much, gently press down with the back of a spoon.
- In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and beat 30 seconds more until light and fluffy (holds a soft peak).
- Slice peaches into 1/4-inch wedges. Toss with granulated sugar and bourbon (or vanilla). Let sit 5 minutes to release juices.
- Spoon or pipe cream cheese filling into cooled shells, filling almost to the top. Arrange 2–3 peach slices on top in a fan. Drizzle a little maceration juice over peaches.
- Refrigerate assembled tarts at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours) to set the filling. For a quick chill, freeze 15 minutes.
- Just before serving, garnish each tart with a mint or basil leaf placed deliberately. Serve cold or at cool room temperature.
Notes
The shells must cool completely to avoid melting the cream cheese. Use ripe but firm peaches — mealy ones won't hold up. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute vanilla extract with a pinch of cinnamon. These are best eaten within 6 hours of assembly; leftovers keep in the fridge for a day but the shells soften.