These Strawberry Rose Tarts are beautiful and romantic! A crunchy pistachio shortbread crust is filled with delicious strawberry-rose cream, and topped with sliced strawberries in the shape of a rose. They’re fruity, floral, and completely dreamy.

Three Strawberry Rose Tarts on mini cake stands with a pink napkin behind them.

🍓Strawberry Roses add an elegant touch

I don’t say this lightly, but mini tarts just might be the perfect dessert. They’re elegant and classy, they’re single-serving, they’re on the easier end of the dessert spectrum, and, not to be shallow, but they’re really beautiful as well. Satisfying my stomach and my judgmental nature? SOLD!

These tarts have 3 components: the crunchy shells, creamy filling, and fresh strawberry rose decoration on top.

The tart shells are made with just 3 ingredients! All you need are shortbread cookies, toasted pistachios, and some melted butter to make a super simple, crunchy shell with a sweet nutty flavor. The pistachios can be swapped for any nut of your choice–see the Ingredient section below for some suggestions.

The strawberry filling is MAGIC. I’m calling it a strawberry-rose cream, but it’s on the hazy border between mousse and stabilized whipped cream. It has the lightness of whipped cream, but the stability of a mousse, and a vibrant strawberry-rose flavor. It’s made with white chocolate, cream, (optional) rose water, and freeze-dried strawberries.

Finally, the strawberry rose on top looks intricate, but is actually simple to make! I have step-by-step photos in the Instructions section down below taking you through the whole process.

For more strawberry desserts, take a look at this awesome collection of strawberry dessert ideas and recipes. You’ll love our Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cakes, Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream, and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

Table of Contents

Hands with pink fingernails holding a miniature Strawberry Rose Tart.

🧾 What you’ll need

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Shortbread cookies: I love using shortbread cookies to give the tart shells a rich, buttery flavor. You can substitute other crisp cookies or graham crackers if you’d like. If you use grahams, you will probably need to add additional butter (since shortbread cookies have a lot more butter naturally) – you can look at our Graham Cracker Crust recipe for some guidance.
  • Pistachios: Lightly toasted pistachios are ground up along with the cookies and give the tart shells a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. You can swap in toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans if you’d like.
  • White chocolate chips: When possible, I recommend using real white chocolate chips, or chopped white chocolate bars. Real white chocolate contains cocoa butter, and it has a deliciously smooth texture that improves the final product. Anything labeled “white chips” or “white baking chips” is not real white chocolate, and although you can use it in this recipe, the end result might be a little stiffer and less creamy. 
  • Rose water: Rose water is optional if you’re not able to find it, but I think it really makes the filling special. A big bottle of rose water is usually fairly inexpensive and lasts forever–plus you’ll only use a spoonful or two at a time. But if you’d like, you can omit it and use vanilla extract instead.
  • Freeze-dried strawberries: Freeze-dried strawberries are ground into a strawberry powder for this recipe–a super easy and convenient way to pack a LOT of strawberry flavor into desserts without ruining the texture by adding liquid! It also helps stabilize the whipped cream, so it holds up under the strawberries and has a more mousse-like consistency. The recipe card has notes for swapping in strawberry puree if you can’t find freeze-dried berries.
  • Pink food coloring: A touch of pink gel food coloring gives the filling the perfect pink hue.
  • Fresh strawberries: You’ll need 6-8 fresh strawberries per tart (depending on the size of your berries.) Look to find the ripest, freshest berries you can for the best results.

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Equipment

  • Tart pans: This recipe calls for 8 5-inch mini tart pans. If your pans are a different size, your yield will vary. You can also use one large 10-inch tart pan instead.
  • Food processor: A food processor makes short work of crumbling cookies and nuts, and grinding the berries into strawberry powder. You can probably do these tasks by hand or with a blender, but your results might not be as smooth.
Overhead shot of two Strawberry Rose Tarts on a marble surface.

📋 How to make a strawberry rose design

The strawberry rose decoration isn’t difficult, but I found a little method that saved me some time when assembling the tarts, so I’m going to break it down here with step-by-step photos. Once you get the hang of it, they go pretty quickly, and your roses will be done in no time.

Two photo collage showing how to slice strawberries for Strawberry Rose Tarts.
  • Start by washing your strawberries well, then gently pat them dry. Slice the tops off of the strawberries.
  • With the berry sitting on the sliced end, cut off a sliver from one side so that when you turn it on its side, it can rest flat. 
Two photo collage showing how to slice and arrange strawberries for Strawberry Rose Tarts.
  • With the berry on its side, cut it into paper-thin slices—the thinner, the better! (Using a very sharp knife makes it easier to get thin slices.) As you cut, keep the slices together in a berry shape.
  • When it is all sliced, fan out the slices along the knife blade so they’re all touching and can be transferred in a single row.
Two photo collage showing how to arrange strawberries on top of a tart to make a rose shape.
  • Use the knife to transfer the row of berries to the tart, and arrange them along the outside edge.
  • Repeat with the remaining berries, overlapping them around each other in a spiral pattern until the tart’s surface is covered.
Two photo collage showing how to arrange strawberries in a rose shape and brush them with fruit glaze.
  • Finish off by rolling a slice up into a spiral and placing it in the center of the tart.
  • Brush the fresh berries with warmed strawberry jelly to give them a beautiful shine and prevent them from looking wilted.

💭 Variations

Want to play with your food? (Me too!) Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Instead of making 8 smaller tarts, make one larger (10- or 11-inch) tart. Or make several rectangular tarts–rectangular tarts (like this Coconut Macaroon Tart) always look extra-fancy for some reason.
  • Use this strawberry rose decoration idea on cakes, cupcakes, or an old-fashioned cheesecake.
  • Use other fruit on top. Stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, and plums work well. Mangoes and persimmons are a good choice too – check out our Persimmon Almond Rosette Tarts for some inspiration.
  • Make a mixed berry tart – use freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries in the filling, and keep the strawberry rose on top.
Spreading strawberry-rose filling in miniature tart shells.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

How do you keep fruit tarts from getting soggy?

There are a few things that you can do to prevent the dreaded soggy bottom:
1. Bake the crust before filling. In this recipe, we’re baking the crumb crust for 10 minutes to crisp it up before filling it.
2. Some people like to brush the bottom of their tart shells with egg white before baking. I think this is more helpful with a traditional pie or tart crust, rather than a crumb crust.
3. Brush a thin layer of white chocolate on the bottom. Once the chocolate sets, you have a nice barrier between the moisture of the filling and the shell!
4. Use a filling that’s less wet – the strawberry-rose cream in this recipe is a great choice. It’s more of a mousse than a pastry cream, so it doesn’t leach as much moisture into the crust.

How do you keep fruit on tarts looking fresh?

There’s no way to keep fresh fruit from wilting forever, but there are a few tips for prolonging the life of your cut fruit:
1. Cooler temps are your friend. Store the assembled tarts in the refrigerator until shortly before serving.
2. Brush the cut fruit with thinned-out jelly – this not only makes it shiny, but it extends the life of the fruit as well.

How do you cut strawberries for a tart?

The thinner, the better! Thin slices of strawberries look more delicate and realistic, plus they’re easier to curl and manipulate into whatever shape you want. You’ll get the cleanest slices with a very sharp blade, so consider sharpening your knife before cutting the strawberries.

Make-ahead and storage information

Because of the delicacy of the fresh fruit, this is not a good make-ahead recipe. You can make the tart dough ahead of time, and store the dough, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked shells can also be stored, well-wrapped, at room temperature for 3-4 days.

The cream filling should be put directly into the shells once it is made – if it sets in another container, it won’t smoothly spread into the shells later.

The strawberry rose looks its best when served shortly after assembly, but you can make them a few hours before serving and keep them in the refrigerator. I do not recommend assembling these more than 4-5 hours in advance for the best appearance.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 3-4 days. The berries will wilt and the filling will get soggy over time, but the flavor will still be good.

Close-up of a Strawberry Rose Tart with a pink napkin in the background.
Close up of the top of a Fresh Peach Tart. with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Fresh Peach Tart

If you love fresh, ripe peaches, then this Fresh Peach Tart is for you! The peaches aren't cooked in the oven, so they keep their wonderful, just-picked tasted and texture. 
View Recipe
A slice of Coconut Macaroon Tart on a white jplate.

Coconut Macaroon Tart With Passion Fruit Cream

This tart has a crispy coconut shell and a creamy, tropical passion fruit filling. Top it with your favorite fresh fruit for a lovely spring dessert!
View Recipe

Leave a Review!

If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!

Close-up of a mini tart with a strawberry rose decoration on top.

Strawberry Rose Tarts

4.84 from 12 votes
These mini Strawberry Rose Tarts are beautiful and romantic! A crunchy pistachio shortbread crust is filled with delicious strawberry-rose cream, and topped with sliced strawberries in the shape of a rose. They're fruity, floral, and completely dreamy.
Prep1 hour
Cook10 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total2 hours 10 minutes
Yields8 tarts

Ingredients

For the Tart Crust:

  • 1 lb shortbread cookies, (to yield 3 cups crumbs)
  • 5 oz pistachios, (1 cup) toasted
  • 4 oz unsalted butter, (1 stick) melted

For the Filling:

To Decorate:

  • 4 lbs strawberries
  • 1/3 cup strawberry jelly
  • 2 TBSP water

Instructions 

To Make the Crusts:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray eight 5-inch tart shells with nonstick cooking spray, and set them on a baking sheet.
  • Place the shortbread cookies in a food processor, and process until they’re fine crumbs.
  • Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl, and put the pistachios in the processor. Process the nuts until they’re finely ground, and combine them with the shortbread crumbs. Whisk briefly to mix everything.
  • Pour the melted butter on the crumbs and stir everything together with a fork, until the crumbs have the texture of wet sand. They should not be soggy, but should hold together when pressed between your fingers.
  • Divide the crumbs between the tart shells, pressing them into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides.
  • Bake the tray of tart shells at 350 F for 10 minutes, until they’re slightly puffed and the surface looks dry. They won’t take on too much color while baking. Let them cool completely while you make the filling.

To Make the Filling:

  • Combine the white chocolate chips,1/2 cup of cream, rose water (if using), and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then whisk well. If some unmelted chocolate remains, microwave in brief intervals, and whisk until melted and smooth.
  • Add 1 drop of pink gel food coloring, and whisk well. Let the mixture cool until it is no longer warm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Whisk occasionally as it cools.
  • While you wait for the white chocolate to cool, place the freeze-dried strawberries in the food processor and process until they’re a fine powder.
  • Whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream to medium peaks—it should have the texture of shaving cream at the end.
  • Whisk the strawberry powder into the melted and cooled white chocolate. It will be quite thick at this point! Fold in the whipped cream in 3 batches, using a light hand so the cream doesn’t deflate. Fill the tart shells with the cream, and spread it to the edges.

To Decorate:

  • You’ll need about 6-8 strawberries per tart, depending on their size. Slice the tops off the strawberries, and with the berry sitting on the sliced end, cut off a sliver from one side so that when you turn it on its side, it can rest flat.
  • With the berry on its side, cut it into paper-thin slices—the thinner, the better! Keep the slices together in a berry shape. When it is all sliced, fan out the slices along the knife blade so they’re all touching and can be transferred in a single row.
  • Use the knife to transfer the row of berries to the tart, and arrange them along the outside edge. Repeat with the remaining berries, overlapping them around each other in a spiral pattern until the tart’s surface is covered. Repeat until all of the tarts have strawberry “roses” on top.
  • Combine the strawberry jelly and water in a small bowl, and heat for 10 seconds, then whisk well. If the jelly still has lumps, continue heating in small bursts just until it can be whisked into a smooth glaze. Gently paint the tops of the tarts with the glaze to give the berries a nice shine and prevent them from looking wilted. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • The strawberries do transfer their moisture to the tarts over time, so they’re best enjoyed within a few hours of assembly.

Video

Recipe Notes

Freeze-dried strawberries can often be found in the dried fruit/nut section of many large grocery stores, or purchased online. If you don’t have them, you can substitute strawberry puree using the following instructions, but the berry flavor won’t be as intense and the texture will be a little softer. To use the puree, combine 1/4 cup of strawberry puree and 1/4 cup of heavy cream with the white chocolate chips, then proceed with melting them according to the recipe directions. You can also add strawberry extract to boost the flavor.
The rose water is optional but I think it adds a beautiful, subtle flavor. If you don’t have it, you can just omit it or substitute vanilla extract instead.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?

Nutrition

Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 178.3mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and hashtag it #SugarHero. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @elabau.
Picture of Strawberry Rose Tarts with text overlay for Pinterest.

Meet Elizabeth!

Hi, I’m Elizabeth — a trained pastry chef, cookbook author, video instructor, and your new Baking BFF! I’m going to teach you everything you need to know to be a sugar hero. ❤️

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25 Comments

  1. This is a classy dessert that has a beautiful presentation but really doesn’t take much extra time to create. Can’t wait to make them again for special occasions in the future.

  2. These Strawberry Tarts are almost too beautiful to eat. When I got the courage up to eating them, I enjoyed as much as they looked good. Thank you for the awesome recipe!