Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyThese Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts are a delicious and easy dessert recipe idea everyone is going to love!
Lemon is one of my favorite flavors this time of year. Whether it’s added to salad dressing, water, a cocktail, or a dessert, I can’t seem to get enough of the bright, citrus taste. It could be because the light and clean feeling that comes with spring is mirrored in the flavor of lemons. (Or maybe I’m just weird.)
That’s why lemons are the inspiration for the recipe I’m sharing today: Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts. I thought about making a classic lemon bar, but decided that was a little boring. Plus, I just picked up some of these cute tart pans and needed to put them to use. So lemon tarts won out.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Reddi-wip. (Cause everything is better with a whoosh of real cream Reddi-wip. Right?) If you have been following along during the past couple months, you know I’ve been sharing recipes that have inspired joy and helped me to #ShareTheJoy. (You can find them all here or linked up at the end of this post.)
While cooking and baking are often therapeutic for me, what I love even more than my time in the kitchen is being able to gift my treats to friends and family. I’m a giver by nature. If we are tight, you can expect me to give / send you things. I’m not doing it because I want something in return, I just like to give. In truth, I think that I also like to receive (not so much receiving, just being thought of), so if I have the opportunity to give that feeling to someone else, I’m game.
And although store bought gifts can be awesome, there’s something sublime about the homemade. The act of stirring in a little love and kindness makes the gift that much sweeter.
So, even though my official #SharetheJoy missions with my friends over at Reddi-wip end today, sharing joy is an integral part of my life. I hope you will also take a moment to soak up the joy around you, and then pass it along.
With plenty of lemons, lots of joy, and a can of Reddi-wip on hand, let’s bake.
How To Make Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts:
Since this recipe is pretty self-explanatory, I’m going to keep my description brief However, I did want to mention a few things before I give you the recipe.
First, this recipe requires you to make lemon curd. Lemon curd can be kind of tricky to make because if you’re not paying attention you can inadvertantly scramble the egg. To prevent that, just keep the heat on low and constantly whisk. Also, once your lemon curd is cooked, you can run it through a sieve to eliminate any lumps. #ProTip
I’m using little tart pans because I just bought them and they are super cute. If you don’t have tart pans or if you prefer, you can use an 8×8-inch pan.
When serving, you can leave the tarts in the molds or pop them out. They come out of the molds pretty easily. All you do is invert them and squeeze very gently around the sides. Then tap the bottom, and they should fall right out. Just be sure to have your hand underneath to catch them.
These tarts are super yummy and a great spring dessert. The cheesecake and the tart lemon flavor are a match made in heaven. I also love the crust. It is soft and has a nice crumbly texture. Perfection.
Let’s whip some up!
Now go whip up a batch of these treats and get out there and share the joy!
Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Crust
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- whipped cream and sliced lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by making the curd. In a small sauce pan, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and egg. Cook over low heat, whisking continually, until slightly thickened. Then, add the butter a piece at a time while constantly whisking. Wait until one piece of butter is melted before adding another. Continue whisking until the curd is smooth and thickened. (It should coat the back of a spoon.)
- Strain with a fine mesh sieve by pushing the curd through the sieve with a spatula. Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd. Chill until cold.
- In the meantime, prepare your tart crust. Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 6 (3-inch) tart pans with baking spray. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and fold until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the tart pans.
- Using your fingers, press the dough into the bottom and sides of each pan. Pierce the dough with a fork. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes or until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- For the filling, add the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and sugar to a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Then add the salt, vanilla, and egg. Mix again until smooth. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the tart pans until each is about 4/5 full.
- Add the lemon curd to a plastic piping bag (or plastic baggie with the corner cut off) and pipe small dots onto the cream cheese filling. Swirl together with a toothpick or wood skewer. Gently tap tart pans to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream* and a slice of lemon.
This recipe was a huge hit. One person told me it was t was THE best dessert he’s ever had. Quite a compliment! Making again tonight for another holiday party.
Very yummy tart, would make these again anyday
Fantastic dessert just for my liking. Yet another variant of a cheesecake in combination with lemon.
Gorgeous photos! I just stumbled upon your blog and I’m so happy I did!
Thank you so much! Welcome. 🙂
xo Michael
Sounds heavenly! But I’m wondering how long you would bake it if you use an 8×8 pan instead, and do you press the crust only on the bottom or run it up the sides, too??
Thanks!
deb
Oh my, I could gobble one (or two) of these beauties right now. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Cheers, Ardith
These look amazing. I am having a dinner party on Saturday night and I’ve found my dessert!