Cheese Tartlets are French inspired and American easy. These baked cheese tart appetizers are rustic and simple while still being elegant and special enough for any occasion.
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Exactly what is a cheese tartlet?
It's a delightful little appetizer which provides 2-3 bites of crusty, cheesy goodness. Fresh out of the oven is perfect, but they really are also wonderful at room temperature, making them an excellent buffet choice.
You can find cheese tartlets recipes with fancy ingredients and a variety of add-ins, but this is a plain and simple tarlet that really allows the flavor of the cheese to shine. We chose a combination of fontina and gouda cheeses, but either would be good on its own.
You could also pick other cheeses, as long as it's a type that melts well like provolone or cheddar.
The basics of how to make mini tartlets
Remember, we said we were keeping this easy. The biggest shortcut we've taken is to use ready-made pie crusts like you would find in the dairy/refrigerated bread section of your grocery store (the same type we use for our classic Pecan Pie, Crispy Coconut Pie, and Strawberry Pie). Beyond that...
- Roll the dough out to make it a little thinner.
- Cut circles with a biscuit cutter.
- Press the circles into a sprayed mini muffin tin.
- Fill each with grated cheese.
- Carefully pour in the egg mixture filling almost to the top of the crusts.
- Top with a little more cheese.
- Bake.
- Garnish if desired, and serve.
FAQ about making cheese tartlets
CAN I CHANGE UP THE TYPE OF CHEESE?
By all means, that's the beauty of this recipe. It's super versatile! Use any type of cheese you like, as long as it will melt well.
COULD I MAKE MY OWN CRUST?
Sure! That's not one of our specialties and we wanted to keep this recipe quick and easy with minimal prep time. But, if you love making crusts and have a favorite recipe, go for it!
COULD I USE PUFF PASTRY?
We don't recommend it, because it would take up too much room in the muffin cup and not leave adequate space for the cheese mixture.
WOULDN'T IT BE EASIER TO MIX THE CHEESE WITH THE EGG MIXTURE?
It might be easier, but we tested the recipe that way and weren't as pleased with the results. The cheese tartlets tended to sink in the middle. Just as tasty perhaps, but not as pretty.
EXACTLY WHAT SIZE MINI MUFFIN TIN WORKS BEST FOR THE TARTLETS RECIPE?
We used the same size tin we use for mini cupcakes like our Key Lime Cupcakes and Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Specifically the cups measure 1 and ¼ inches across the bottom and 1 and ¾ inches across the top.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THE EGG MIXTURE INTO THE CRUSTS?
Use something with a pour spout. If you have a large measuring cup that you can mix the egg mixture in this works great. Then you can just pour directly from there.
📖 Recipe
Cheese Tartlets - Easy and Elegant
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. ready made pie crust dough contains two crusts
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- ⅔ cup plain Greek Yogurt
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- ½-1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3.5 ounces Gouda cheese shredded
- 3.5 ounces Fontina cheese shredded
Instructions
- Roll each piecrust on a lightly floured surface to increase overall size by about 1 inch all the way around.
- Cut 12 circles with a 3" biscuit cutter from each pie crust.
- Press circles into a lightly sprayed mini muffin tin forming a crust.
- If using more than one type of cheese toss shredded cheeses together to mix.
- Add cheese to each crust filling almost to the top edge. Reserve about 1 ounce of cheese.
- Mix egg, yogurt, salt, worcestershire sauce, thyme and cayenne pepper until well blended.
- Pour egg mixture into each crust very slowly coming to about ¼" from the top edge.
- Top with additional shreds of cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until centers are set and crusts are light golden brown. Garnish with additional herbs if desired.
- Allow to cool slightly in pan before removing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
We are confident you are going to love this tarlets recipe and will have it on your regular rotation for appetizer ideas.
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Michelle Leslie says
I can't wait to give these a try Pam. I'm not the best of cooks but the recipe sounds so doable for someone like me.
Pam says
Yes, do it! They are super simple, and so good!
Pam says
They looked as good as they tasted! So yummy. I think it's the cheese combination that does it!
Pam says
Yay! Thanks so much for letting us know you loved them!
Sherry Denise Cole says
These look perfect for entertaining. The recipe sounds delicious!
Pam says
Thanks so much Sherry!
Nancy Sargent says
Oh these sound so delicious! I need to make these for our next family get together! (Now that we can get together!) Thanks so much for sharing!
Pam says
Exactly! We had them as an appetizer before our Easter meal and they were a huge hit! Thanks, Nancy.
Holly Johnson says
These look and sound delicious! Can't wait to make them!
Pam says
Hope you enjoy Holly!
Anita Holland says
These look really delicious, what a great snack for the kids and visitors.
Meegan says
My family will LOVE these! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Rosemary Palmer says
These look so yummy. I love cooking and baking, but making pie crust isn't my thing so it's one of those things I almost always buy and keep on hand.
Pam says
Yes, us too! Thanks, Rosemary.
Tiffany K says
What garnish is recommended?
Pam says
We like a spinkle or sprig of fresh herbs Tiffany. In these photos we used a sprig of fresh thyme.