Cheddar cheese tarts are delicious, perfectly portioned hors d’oeuvres for entertaining! Instead of one larger tart, we’ve created miniature versions of this fabulous cheese tart recipe.

They are exploding with rich cheddar flavor and so easy to make – ideal for brunch or served as a savory appetizer. They’re beautiful to serve any season or occasion.

Mini cheese tarts on a white platter.
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As a former event planner and caterer and entertaining enthusiast, I love serving easy to eat bites that look as beautiful as they taste. These cheddar cheese tarts are quick, easy and beautiful not to mention amazing.

If there is one food that I cannot live without, it’s cheese. While I love all cheese, classic cheddar is one of my favorites. It’s so versatile and flavorful.

It’s incredible on its own, but pairs beautifully with other flavors. In addition to making classic cheese tarts, I mixed some up with thyme and caramelized onions, and savory tomato and spinach – the options are endless!

That’s why I had so much fun creating these delectable little cheddar cheese tarts! You can make them with premade crust or phyllo shells for the easiest little shortcut. A dash of decadent heavy cream in the cheese mixture really seals the deal!

The end result? A creamy, cheesy tart that truly tastes as good as it looks! They are simple and yet add a touch of elegance for entertaining.

A single mini cheese tart on a marble countertop.
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe

As a long-time entertaining enthusiast, I’ve become a fan of simple, yet beautiful presentations. I like to focus on a few items that I know will give me a little wow moment without taking too much of my time.

Filling – These little tarts are nutritious and packed with protein.

Perfect for Entertaining – Wonderful for picnics, potlucks and family gatherings of all kinds!

Beautiful to Serve – Creating a simple, yet special menu is what makes entertaining a breeze.

A single mini cheese tart on a marble countertop.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Crust – Homemade or store-bought pie crust, cream cheese pie crust, phyllo dough or phyllo shells.
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Choose a high quality cheddar that is creamy, smooth, and melts beautifully! It adds a buttery flavor to this delicious dish. Pre-shredded bags can work in a pinch. Learn how to grate cheese here. fresh shredded cheddar cheese
  • Heavy Cream – Makes these tarts incredibly decadent and moist.
  • Eggs – Create an incredible custard base.
Ingredients for egg and cheese tarts on a marble countertop
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Tip

Shred your cheddar fresh from a block of cheese. It’s the step that makes an incredible difference in your recipes. It’s worth the extra minute of effort! When you shred cheese yourself, it’s SO creamy and melts to perfection.

Variations

  • Herbs – Thyme, rosemary and basil are all wonderful additions.
  • VeggiesCaramelized onions, peppers, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.
  • Protein – Prosciutto, ham, cooked bacon, cooked guanciale, cooked sausage.
Mini cheese tarts on a white platter.

How to Make Cheese Tarts

  1. Prep – Grease mini tart pan or mini muffin tin and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Make Custard – In a medium mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs and heavy cream until well combined. Looking into the bowl of a stand mixer, with cheese tart ingredients inside
  3. Fill – Roll out pie dough on a floured surface. Cut into circles and place pie crust in each cup. Fill 3/4 of the way with custard. Top generously with freshly shredded cheese. A mini tart crust inside a muffin tin, prior to baking. A mini cheese tart inside a muffin tin, prior to baking. A mini cheese tart crust inside a muffin tin, prior to baking. A mini cheese tart crust inside a muffin tin, prior to baking. A mini cheese tart crust inside a muffin tin, prior to baking. A variety of mini cheese tarts in a muffin tin, prior to baking.
  4. Bake – As directed, until set.
A variety of mini cheese tarts on a muffin tin.
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A Note on Baking Time

You can create this cheese tart in a larger tart pan, as well. You’ll use the same temperature, but increase your baking time until the tart is baked all the way through, more like a traditional quiche.

Mini cheese tarts on a white platter.
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Tips

  • Season – Salt and pepper to taste, if you wish – but they don’t need it! Be especially careful with any added salt, because cheddar cheese is generally salted.
  • Pre-made Pie Crust – If you’re using a premade pie crust, use anything as a circle cutter to make your life easier. This cuts the crust into the perfect shape for the muffin tin cups.
  • Serving Suggestion – These can be served warm or at room temperature. They’re delicious either way and all the better for entertaining!
  • Make Ahead – Yes, you can bake these up to two days in advance and store in a sealed, refrigerated container. Simply reheat to warm when ready to serve.
Mini cheese tarts on a white platter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should cheese tarts be warm or cold?

You can serve these little cheese tarts either way! They are wonderful served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Is a cheese tart like a quiche, or more like a cheesecake?

These miniature cheese tarts are more like a quiche than a cheesecake! While a cheesecake is filled with rich flavor and has a similar crust, it’s a sweet finish. These traditional cheddar cheese tarts are savory.

How to Store

  • Room Temperature – These cheese tarts can sit out at room temperature while serving for up to two hours.
  • Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container refrigerated up to five days.
  • Freeze – Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container up to three months. Thaw overnight. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 12 minutes or until golden brown.
A single mini cheese tart on a marble countertop.
Mini cheese tarts on a white platter.
5 from 13 votes
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Cheddar Cheese Tarts

Bite sized cheddar cheese tarts packed with flavorful cheddar cheese and custard.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 12
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Ingredients  

  • 1 pie crust divided
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup Cabot cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 tablespoon thyme or other fresh herbs

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉. Grease tart or mini muffin tin.
  • Roll out pie dough on a floured surface. Cut dough into circles using a tart or cookie cutter and place into individual tins.
  • In a medium mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk eggs and cream.
  • Pour mixture into crusts until 3/4 full.
  • Top generously with cheddar cheese. Garnish with herbs.
  • Bake 15 minutes or until set.

Julie’s Tips

Substitutions

Crust 
  • Homemade, store-bought pie crust or cream cheese pie crust cut into circles to press into tartlet pan or mini muffin tin
  • Phyllo Dough – cut into circles to press into tartlet pan or mini muffin tin
  • Phyllo Shells – place on a small cookie sheet. Yields 36.

Variations

  • Herbs – Garnish with thyme, rosemary or basil just before baking.
  • Veggies – Add caramelized onions, peppers, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, just before filling with custard and cheese. Place halved cherry tomatoes on top just before the bake.
  • Protein – Add prosciutto, ham, cooked bacon, cooked guanciale, cooked sausage before filling with custard and topping with cheese.

Tips

  • Season – Salt and pepper to taste, if you wish – but they don’t need it! Be especially careful with any added salt, because cheddar cheese is generally salted.
  • Pre-made Pie Crust – If you’re using a pre-made pie crust, use anything as a circle cutter to make your life easier. This cuts the crust into the perfect shape for the muffin tin cups.
  • Serving Suggestion – These can be served warm or at room temperature. They’re delicious either way and all the better for entertaining!
  • Make Ahead – Yes, you can bake these up to two days in advance and store in a sealed, refrigerated container. Simply reheat to warm when ready to serve.

To Store

  • Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container refrigerated up to 5 days.
  • Freeze – Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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5 from 13 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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13 Comments

  1. I am getting desperate for new meal ideas during this self isolating period of our lives. This sounds perfect to serve with a fruit salad on these hot summer nights. I have lots of herbs a d will experiment to see what the family likes best. Thanks Julie.

  2. Haven’t tried this yet but is sounds delicious! Have been a huge fan of Cabot cheeses for years and years. Excellent brand. Both the Extra Sharp White Cheddar and the Seriously Sharp are “to die for”. Definitely agree with you on grating your own for the best results. I do keep bagged grated cheeses on hand for convenience (and where it doesn’t affect the recipe) , but there is NO substitute for freshly grated cheese. Thank for sharing.

    1. So glad you enjoy them, too! It’s so funny…when we have friends over they can’t believe the difference it makes. It’s one of those “who knew” things for many. Hope you have a beautiful weekend.

  3. 5 stars
    This was fabulous as it looks… and so easy! Absolutely delicious, so of course I had to buy the tart pan to make the hundreds more tarts that I plan to make in the future. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe and great pictures.

  4. These look delicious and so easy! I’ve never tried to make cheese tarts before but I am totally adding these to my list to bake.