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.
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.
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.
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.
- Heavy Cream – Makes these tarts incredibly decadent and moist.
- Eggs – Create an incredible custard base.
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.
- Veggies – Caramelized onions, peppers, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.
- Protein – Prosciutto, ham, cooked bacon, cooked guanciale, cooked sausage.
How to Make Cheese Tarts
- Prep – Grease mini tart pan or mini muffin tin and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make Custard – In a medium mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs and heavy cream until well combined.
- 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.
- Bake – As directed, until set.
Tools to Use
- Mixer (You can also mix by hand)
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Muffin Pan
- Or, Mini Tart Pans
- Cutter
- Baking Spray
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can serve these little cheese tarts either way! They are wonderful served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
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.
Cheddar Cheese Tarts
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.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
While I did find them tasty and they poofed up nicely, the proportions are waaaaay out of whack!! Four eggs, 3/4 c of cream and all that cheese cannot possibly fit into 12 mini tarts. Thankfully my pie crust yielded 20 mini tarts but I still had at least twice the amount of cream/eggs/cheese mixture left over. Please revise the amounts of ingredients for the yield!!!
because i use a cuisinart countertop oven .. i only have a 6 cup muffin pan. i haven’t been able to find a mini so is there any easy fix so i can still make these? it’s just me so i was going to freeze the extras.
thanks!
I can’t get the recipe and I would love to try it. What is the secret to receiving the recipe. I signed up for emails. Thanks, looking forward to more food ideas and recipes.
Sorry, Linda! You should see it at the bottom of the post or you can click Jump to Recipe. Enjoy!