Easy Gluten Free Berry Tart
This easy gluten-free tart recipe is a celebration of summer. With a buttery almond-graham cracker crust, a silky cream cheese filling, and a crown of juicy fresh berries, it’s an elegant dessert that tastes even better than it looks. And here’s the best part? It skips the usual pastry fuss—no gelatin, no rolling pin, no pastry cream, and zero stress.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ⅔ cup sliced almonds
- 4 ounces (227g) graham crackers (gluten-free or regular) or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- Cooking spray (or oil) for the pan
Filling
- ⅔ cup (144g / 5oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (52g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or the seeds from ½ vanilla bean
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch salt
- ⅓ cup (82g) crème fraiche
Fruit Topping
- Assorted fruits such as: halved strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, sliced kiwi, and/or raspberries
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
Instructions
Make the graham cracker almond crust
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C).
- Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast, stirring once or twice, until light golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a food processor (leave the oven on), and let cool slightly. Process until coarsely ground. Break up the graham crackers and add them to the food processor along with the sugar and cinnamon. Process until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is damp.
- Spray a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (it’s okay if the crust doesn’t go all the way to the top). Bake until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool (you can pop it in the fridge to cool it faster). Do Ahead: Once cooled, the crust can be lightly covered and stored at room temperature for up to one day.
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese (using hand beaters) until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla paste, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth. Add the crème fraiche and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Scrape the filling into the tart shell and spread in an even layer. Arrange the fruit over top in any design that pleases you (or simply pile it right on top!).
- Thin the apricot jam with about 1 teaspoon of water and microwave it (or heat on the stovetop) until runny. Let it cool, then carefully brush the glaze (or tap it) over the fruit (try not to get it on the filling). Refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.
- Remove the tart from the pan, cut it into slices, and serve.
- Do Ahead: The tart can be made 1 day before serving.
Notes
Notes:
- To make the graham cracker crumbs, simply blitz graham crackers (regular or gluten-free) in a food processor until finely ground.
- The crust can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cover and store it at room temperature. The finished tart is best the day it's made, but it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- The tart can also be made in an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch pie plate.
- A vanilla bean is a bit of an extravagance, but the flavor is unparalleled, especially in a dessert as simple as this one. However, you can go for vanilla paste or extract instead!
- You can use any berries you like to decorate the top. If using strawberries, try to buy ones that are evenly sized. Also, make sure the berries are completely dry before arranging them on the tart.
- While I usually include weight measurements in my recipes, this recipe is so simple that I didn’t even add them (you can literally eyeball everything and it will be okay!).
- A 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom makes for a pretty presentation, and I love how easy it is to slide the tart out of the ring.
- A small off-set spatula makes it easy to spread the cream cheese into the crust. It’s also a great tool for getting muffins out of tins, frosting muffins and cakes, and spreading Nutella on toast (enough said).
- A long, thin utility knife is my tool of choice for slicing the tart. It’s a great everyday knife to have on hand. I call it my “lunch knife” because it’s what I pull out at lunchtime to slice up tomatoes for sandwiches or vegetables for salads.
- A thin pie server takes the stress out of getting perfect slices. You can also simply use a large off-set spatula.
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Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!