Easy Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts (Flavorful!)

These Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts are an absolutely delightful treat! They feature a buttery shortbread crust filled with sweet, juicy peaches and a rich, nutty brown butter filling. I adore the combination of flavors and textures in these tarts – the crisp crust, the tender peaches, and the incredibly fragrant brown butter custard. They’re perfect for spring or summer gatherings, brunches, or anytime you want an elegant yet easy-to-make dessert. Making these Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts is a fantastic way to celebrate peach season!

Why You’ll Love These Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts

• Brown Butter Magic: Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty, almost caramel-like flavor that elevates the entire dessert.
• Perfect Peach Flavor: Highlights the natural sweetness and juiciness of fresh peaches.
• Buttery Shortbread Crust: The simple shortbread crust is crisp, tender, and delicious.
• Easy Individual Servings: Mini tarts are perfect for portion control and elegant presentation.
• Impressive Yet Simple: These tarts look impressive but are surprisingly straightforward to make.

Ingredients for Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts

Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious mini tarts. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Shortbread Crust

• All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
• Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
• Cold, cubed unsalted butter (Fat)
• Salt (Seasoning)

Brown Butter Filling

• Unsalted butter (Fat)
• Large eggs (Binder)
• Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
• Vanilla extract (Flavoring)
• All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
• Baking powder (Leavening Agent)
• Ripe peaches, thinly sliced (Fruit)

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)

Variations

I love these Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:

• Different Fruit: Use nectarines, plums, apricots, or even berries instead of peaches.
• Add Nuts: Sprinkle some chopped pecans or almonds over the peaches before adding the filling.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the shortbread crust or the brown butter filling.
• Add a Glaze: Drizzle a simple vanilla or almond glaze over the cooled tarts.
• Make One Large Tart: You can adapt this recipe to make one larger tart instead of mini ones (adjust baking time accordingly).

How to Make Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts

Let me show you how to make these flavorful Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts:

Make the Shortbread Crust

1. First, I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, I combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
3. I work in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or my fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. I press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of my mini tart pans.
5. I bake the crusts for 15 minutes until golden brown. Then, I remove them and let them cool while I make the filling.

Make the Brown Butter Filling

1. I melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. I continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty scent. Be careful not to burn it!
2. I let the brown butter cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl, I whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and baking powder.
4. I gradually mix the slightly cooled brown butter into the egg mixture until smooth.

Assembling the Tarts

1. I place the thinly sliced peaches into the cooled, pre-baked crusts.
2. I carefully pour the brown butter filling over the peaches, filling each tart up to the top of the crust.

Bake

1. I bake the tarts for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is firm to the touch and golden brown.

Cool and Serve

1. Cool completely
2. Serve

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Mini Tarts

Here are my secrets for making these tarts truly exceptional:

• Use Cold Butter for Crust: Cold butter is essential for a tender, flaky shortbread crust.
• Watch the Brown Butter: Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns; it can go from perfectly nutty to burnt very quickly. Use a light-colored pan if possible.
• Don’t Overfill: Fill the tart shells just to the top of the crust to prevent the filling from overflowing.
• Use Ripe Peaches: Ripe but firm peaches hold their shape well during baking and provide the best flavor.
• Cool Completely: Let the tarts cool completely before serving to allow the filling to set properly.

How to Serve

These Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts are delicious served:

• On Their Own: Perfect as a simple, elegant dessert.
• With Whipped Cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream is a lovely addition.
• With Ice Cream: Serve warm tarts with a scoop of vanilla bean or caramel ice cream.
• For Brunch: A delightful sweet treat for a brunch gathering.
• For Parties: Easy to serve individual portions.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make the shortbread crusts ahead of time and store them in an airtight container. The baked tarts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

FAQs about Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts

• Can I use frozen peaches?
  • Yes, thaw the frozen peaches completely and pat them very dry before using to avoid adding excess moisture to the filling.
• Can I make this as one large tart?
  • Yes, press the crust into a standard 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Arrange the peaches and pour the filling. Bake time will likely increase; bake until the filling is set.
• How do I know when the brown butter is ready?
  • The butter will foam up, then subside. You’ll see golden-brown milk solids at the bottom of the pan, and it will smell nutty and fragrant.

Enjoy these delightful, nutty, and fruity Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts! They’re a perfect dessert for any occasion.

Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts

• Author: Caoimhe Byrne
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 mini tarts 1x
• Category: Dessert, Tarts
• Cuisine: American, French-Inspired

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Description

These Mini Brown Butter Peach Tarts feature a buttery shortbread crust filled with fresh peach slices and a rich, nutty brown butter filling. They are elegant individual desserts perfect for any occasion.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Shortbread Crust:

• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Brown Butter Filling:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For the Peach Layer:

• 2–3 ripe peaches, thinly sliced

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Instructions

1. Make the Shortbread Crust:

• Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
• Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press into Pans: Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of mini tart pans (standard 4-inch size recommended, number depends on pan size).
• Bake Crust: Bake the crusts for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
• Cool Crusts: Remove the tart pans from the oven and let the crusts cool slightly while you prepare the filling. Keep the oven preheated.

2. Make the Brown Butter Filling:

• Brown the Butter: Melt the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Watch carefully as it can burn quickly. You’ll see browned milk solids form at the bottom.
• Cool Brown Butter: Once browned, immediately pour the butter (including the browned bits) into a heatproof bowl and let it cool slightly for a few minutes.
• Combine Other Filling Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
• Add Dry Ingredients: Whisk in the flour and baking powder until just combined.
• Combine with Brown Butter: Gradually whisk the cooled brown butter into the egg mixture until smooth and well combined.

3. Assemble the Tarts:

• Arrange Peaches: Arrange the thinly sliced peaches in the bottom of the pre-baked tart crusts.
• Add Filling: Pour the brown butter filling evenly over the peach slices in each tart crust, filling them close to the top.

4. Bake the Tarts:

• Carefully place the filled tart pans back into the preheated oven.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set, puffed, and golden brown.
• Cool: Let the tarts cool completely in the pans before serving.

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Notes

• Cold Butter for Crust: Using cold butter is essential for a tender, flaky shortbread crust.
• Browning Butter: Watch the butter carefully when browning, as it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly. Use a light-colored saucepan to monitor the color easily.
• Peaches: Use ripe but firm peaches. You can peel them or leave the skin on, according to your preference.
• Tart Pans: This recipe is designed for mini tart pans (around 4 inches). The yield will depend on the exact size of your pans. You could potentially adapt this for a single larger tart pan, adjusting baking time accordingly.
• Cooling: Allow the tarts to cool completely before serving, as the filling needs time to set fully.
• Serving Suggestions: Delicious on their own or served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Storage: Store leftover tarts loosely covered at room temperature for a day, or in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.