Tara Teaspoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Newsletter
    • Shop
    • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Thanksgiving Desserts

    This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure.

    Basic Tart Crust

    Published: Mar 28, 2016 · Updated: Aug 14, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin
    How to Make. basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin

    This homemade tart crust is so simple (and so good).


    Easy recipes that let you make a million variations are tricks I keep up my sleeve. This tart crust recipe is one of those. It's very simple and is the base for many a variation.

    Basic Tart Crust

    Typically tart crusts are a little richer, and a bit more sturdy than flaky pie crusts. Pie crusts are the delicate flower of the pastry world. Tart crusts can handle a bit more. To this crust I've added an egg yolk, both for structure and richness. Like my pie crust, I like to make this in the food processor; but you can certainly do it by hand with a pastry blender if you don't have a food processor.

    Most tart recipes call for "blind baking" the shell. This means you prebake the crust in the tart pan without the filling. The key is to line the crust with foil, then weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans so the tart crust doesn't bubble.

    As the recipe details, once the crust is rolled out, place the dough into the tart pan and gently lift it into place. You lift so you don't just stretch it into the corners. Stretching makes pastry dough angry, then in the oven it rebels and shrinks terribly.

    Then, I love this part, use the heel of your hand or a rolling pin to trim the edges flush with the pan, like in the picture above!

    Making Basic Tart Crust

    Now you get to blind bake! Make sure the crust is chilled as the recipe says, then line it with foil, pressing the foil into the corners. The dough is cold, so it can handle you pressing that foil gently on top of it.

    Fill the foil with pie weights (those little ceramic balls), or with dried beans. By the way, once you bake the beans, you can't use them for another purpose. I have a jar of beans I just use for baking. They last 4 or 5 bakes; then they go in the trash.

    Oh! great tip: place tart pans on a flat baking sheet to go in the oven. Tart pans have removable bottoms and it can get tricky to move them in and out of the oven. This way you just have to take the baking sheet in and out!

    Basic Tart Crust with Ceramic balls on top

    Once the crust has set in the oven about 30 minutes you can carefully remove the pan and take the foil lining and pie weights out. Depending on your recipe you can continue to bake it until it's golden brown, or fill it partially cooked.

    Tart Rings
    Tart rings are a fun way to make individual tarts. The rings come in all sizes, but I love these 4-inch rings. Take a look at the how-to below for the best way to fill these darling forms. Once the dough is in the ring, simply place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cook. There's no need for a removable bottom! (plus you won't be losing those bottoms as I tend to do).

    Basic Tart Crust Process

    📖 Recipe

    Tart crust process step shot

    Basic Tart Crust

    Tara Teaspoon
    This basic tart crust is one you will use for so many things.  It is great!  AND easy!
    3.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 2 Single crusts

    Ingredients
      

    • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 sticks (1 cup) very cold unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
    • 1 egg yolk

    Instructions
     

    • In a food processor combine flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Whisk together the you and ½ cup cold water. Drizzle the liquid into the food processor while pulsing to combine. Pulse until dough holds together when you pinch it, adding liquid as needed.
    • Turn dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a ball. Divide in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, flattening into a disk. Chill until cold or ready to use, about 30 min.
    • On floured surface roll dough until it's 3/16 inch thick and large enough to fit in the tart pan. (Pinch edges of dough as you roll to prevent cracks and tears.) Place dough into tart pan; gently lift into place without stretching and press into pan. Use the heel of your hand or a rolling pin to trim the edges flush with the pan. If blind baking, freeze crust about 20 min.
    • For blind baking, heat oven to 375°F. Line the chilled crust with aluminum foil into the corners. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is set and just starting to brown, about 30 min. Remove foil lining and weights and return crust to oven to brown evenly, 5 to 10 min more. Cool completely, then remove from tart pan.

    Notes

    I like to make this in the food processor; but you can certainly do it by hand with a pastry blender if you don't have a food processor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1407kcalCarbohydrates: 119gProtein: 18gFat: 95gSaturated Fat: 59gCholesterol: 340mgSodium: 1182mgPotassium: 194mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 2955IUCalcium: 62mgIron: 7.5mg
    Get exclusive recipes sent to your inbox!Sign up for Tara's newsletter for more.

    Recipes for Pies and Tarts

    • Four discs of plastic wrapped pie crust.
      Perfect Pie Crust
    • Close up of slice of caramel pecan pie with whipped cream.
      Caramel Pecan Pie
    • square feature image of raspberry tart close up.
      Raspberry Tart (with Pastry Cream)
    • Delicious lemon no-bake icebox pies you can make at home are a perfect summer dessert for a crowd
      No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe
    • Overhead image of Pumpkin Cream Pie on light blue linen surface
      Pumpkin Cream Pie
    • serving of apple crisp on white plate
      Favorite Apple Crisp Recipe With Oats
    • PeachTartlet Feature Image
      Easy Peach Tarts
    • Key Lime Bars are a great summer dessert for a crowd
      Coconut Key Lime Bars
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe Tara Bench. Photographer Jennifer Causey. Originally published in LHJ 05/13

    Comments

      3.75 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Review Or Ask A Question! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Mary Bench says

      July 17, 2018 at 3:30 pm

      Love the how-to photos! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Brittany Smart says

      July 19, 2018 at 3:36 pm

      Love this recipe! Great basic for all your other yummy tarts

      Reply
    Basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin
    How to Make. basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • square feature image of turkey pot pie with biscuits on top in a cast iron skillet.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • featured image of the perfect slice of lemon lush icebox dessert.
      Lemon Lush
    • feature square of swiss meringue buttercream from Live Life Deliciously cookbook.
      Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
    • Three stacked Easter blondies on a small white plate.
      Mini Egg Cookie Bars

    Cookbooks

    Tara Teaspoon Cookbooks

    Footer

    Basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin
    How to Make. basic Tart Crust Pinterest Pin

    Subscribe for emails and exclusive updates!

    Sign me up!
    Tara Teaspoon horizontal logo

    ↑back to top

    Explore

    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • New Posts
    • Newsletter Subscribe

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refund Policy
    • Disclaimer & Terms

    Copyright © 2025 Tara Teaspoon, Inc • Powered by Feast+

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.