Mini lemon tarts are elegant but approachable. With a crisp, buttery crust and a smooth, vibrant lemon filling topped with billowy Italian meringue, they’re bright, balanced and perfect for spring gatherings or special occasions.
DISCLAIMER
*This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Feast + West may receive commissions for purchases made through those links — at no cost to you. All opinions are our own. Please read our full disclosure for more information.
About this Mini Lemon Tarts recipe
There’s something about individual desserts that makes a table feel more polished. These mini lemon curd tarts strike just the right balance between refined and comforting, with a classic pâte sucrée crust, silky lemon curd and a cloud of Italian meringue on top.
I’ve always loved lemon desserts in the spring, especially around Easter and Derby season. Growing up, citrus treats signaled warmer days ahead, whether it was a pan of lemon bars cooling on the counter or a glass of homemade lemonade on the porch. These tarts have the same lovely, bright flavors in a slightly more sophisticated package.
The crust is tender and buttery with just enough structure to hold the filling without crumbling. The lemon curd is smooth and vibrant, with the right balance of sweetness and tang. Topped with glossy Italian meringue, these bite-sized treats will be a hit at your next party.
If you love this style of shell, be sure to try these chocolate ganache tarts, too! With Oreo crusts, they’re a fun and festive option when the fall holidays roll around.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Elegant yet approachable. Individual tarts look impressive but are completely manageable to make at home.
- Perfect for spring gatherings. Ideal for Easter, Derby parties or any warm-weather celebration.
- Make-ahead friendly components. The tart shells and curd can be prepared in stages for easier assembly.
Ingredients & essentials
To make these mini lemon tarts, you’ll need tart molds or rings that are about 3 to 4 inches wide, a rolling pin and a stand mixer * for the Italian meringue. A thermometer is helpful for checking the sugar syrup temperature when making meringue.
The crust is a classic pâte sucrée, made with all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, unsalted butter, salt and eggs. This combination of ingredients helps to create a tender, light result.
The lemon curd uses fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, whole eggs and egg yolks. Fresh lemons are key for the bright, bold lemon flavor.
The topping is Italian meringue, made from egg whites, granulated sugar, water and cream of tartar. It creates a shiny, stable finish that can be piped or spooned decoratively on top.
For a twist on the classic recipe, you can try using Meyer lemons, which are slightly sweeter.
baking essentials
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → *
Instructions
This recipe definitely isn’t hard for a beginner, but it is a multi-step process. It starts with making the dough for the crust, chilling it and rolling it out. Next, you will blind bake the crusts, which means you will bake them without anything in them. Once they are cooled, you will add lemon curd that you make on the stove.
Finally, they will bake once more until set and will need to spend some time in the fridge before you can serve them. And if you want to top them with meringue, then do that closer to serving them.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus you'll get great new recipes each week!
- In a medium mixing bowl *, cream the cold cubed butter with the powdered sugar until smooth, pale and fully blended with no visible streaks of butter. Add the eggs and mix until completely incorporated.
- Stir in the flour and salt just until the dough comes together with a smooth, matte finish and no dry spots, being careful not to overmix.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it and chill for 15 to 20 minutes until cool but still pliable. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick, rotating it frequently for even thickness.
- Cut rounds about 1 inch larger than your tart molds, gently ease the rounds of dough into the molds without stretching and trim the excess flush with the top edge. Chill the shaped shells for 30 minutes until firm, then transfer to the oven and bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a heatproof bowl until smooth and set aside. Zest and juice the lemons, measuring ½ cup fresh juice.
- In a saucepan, combine the zest, juice, butter and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.
- Slowly pour the hot lemon mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until the curd thickens and reaches 170°F (77°C) or coats the back of a spoon. Strain into a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Divide the curd evenly among the baked tart shells and smooth the tops. Bake again at 300°F (150°C) for about 8 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly. Chill for 2 hours until fully set.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over high heat, stirring until dissolved. Once boiling, stop stirring. When the syrup reaches 230°F (110°C), begin whipping the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a stand mixer * until frothy and soft peaks form.
- When the syrup reaches 240°F (115°C), slowly pour it into the egg whites with the mixer running, then increase to high speed and whip until glossy and slightly cooled, forming soft or stiff peaks as desired. Then pipe onto the cooled tarts.
Tips & tricks
- Chill between steps. Proper chilling helps the crust hold its shape and allows the curd to set fully.
- Cook the curd gently. Keep the heat low once the eggs are added to avoid curdling.
- Use a thermometer for the meringue. Reaching 240°F ensures stability and proper texture.
Serving suggestions
These tartlets are ideal for Easter brunch, spring showers and Derby celebrations. Their individual size makes them easy to serve on dessert tables without slicing.
For presentation, pipe the Italian meringue in soft swirls. Optionally, you can lightly toast with a kitchen torch for added flavor and visual effect. A lemon twist on top enhances the citrus aroma and presentation.
They pair beautifully with fresh berries and sparkling wine. For a cohesive dessert spread, serve alongside mini strawberry shortcakes for a bright, seasonal flavor duo.
FAQ
Yes. Baked tart shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yes. The lemon curd can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator before filling the shells.
No. You can leave the tarts plain, dust with powdered sugar or top with lightly sweetened whipped cream instead.
Leave a comment or tap the ★★★★★ below to leave a rating — it helps others and supports our work. We love hearing how it turned out!
Mini Lemon Tarts with Italian Meringue
ingredients
Sweet Tart Dough (Pâte Sucrée)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 small eggs
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon curd filling
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 medium lemons zested and juiced (you’ll need ½ cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lemon zest)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Italian meringue
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
instructions
Pâte Sucrée
- In a medium mixing bowl *, cream butter and sugar together until smooth, pale and fully blended, with no visible streaks of butter.¾ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated.2 small eggs
- Add flour and salt. Mix just until dough comes together with a smooth, matte finish and no visible dry spots. Do not overmix.2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap and chill for 15 to 20 minutes, until cool but still pliable.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about ⅛ inch thick, rotating frequently to maintain even thickness.
- Set tart molds or rings on top of dough and cut rounds about 1 inch larger than each mold to allow for the sides.
- Lift dough rounds and gently lower into tart molds, easing dough into the corners and up the sides without stretching.
- Trim excess dough using kitchen scissors, cutting flush with the top edge of the mold.
- Chill tart shells for 30 minutes, until firm.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
Lemon curd filling
- In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks until smooth and evenly blended. Set aside.3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks
- Zest two lemons. Juice lemons to measure ½ cup.2 medium lemons
- In a medium saucepan, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, butter and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter melts and mixture begins to bubble around the edges.2 medium lemons, ⅓ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Remove from heat. Slowly pour hot mixture into eggs, whisking constantly, until fully combined and smooth.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and curd reaches 170°F (77°C) or coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain curd into a clean medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Divide curd evenly among baked tart shells and smooth tops.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 8 minutes, until edges are set and centers still jiggle slightly. Chill for 2 hours, until fully set.
Italian Meringue
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Stop stirring once boiling.½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water
- When syrup reaches 230°F (110°C), begin whipping egg whites. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy and soft peaks form.2 large egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- When syrup reaches 240°F (115°C), slowly pour sugar syrup into egg whites with mixer running. Increase speed to high and whip until glossy and slightly cooled, forming soft or stiff peaks as desired.
- Pipe meringue onto the lemon tarts.
notes
Save this recipe for later
We’ll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus you’ll get great new recipes each week!
recommended products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a Reply