Celebrate summers with this fast and simple Cherry Limeade Tart!
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Cherry limeade reminds me of summers off from school. I don’t really think about cherry limeade except for during the warmer months. It is pretty common to find this flavor combination in drinks, but not too common in foods and desserts. This Cherry Limeade Tart brings those same great flavors into a simple and fast tart recipe.
This Cherry Limeade Tart has a lime flavored soft crust. I love the soft crust, but if you want a crunchier, sugar cookie type crust use granulated sugar instead of powdered. I accidentally did this once and learned that granulated sugar means crunchy crust! The Cherry Limeade Tart is then filled with a lime cream cheese filling and swirled with some cherry pie filling. So simple, and so delicious. Even though it is a dessert, the freshness and brightness from the lime lifts everything and it doesn’t feel heavy.
I like to use a rectangle tart pan such as this one, roughly 8 1/2 x 11 or 12 inches. Square, long skinny rectangles, or the traditional circle pan shapes also work, however the crust thickness will vary with how much or little it needs to cover. This would also be fun as little, individual tarts!
First bake the crust until just starting to golden and then let it cool. If the crust is too hot the cream cheese filling will melt into it! Then pour in the lime cream cheese filling and spread out in the crust. Add dollops of cherry pie filling and swirl. Chill until you are ready to serve. I like it rather cold, so this is a great tart to make in advance. It will hold up very well.
I love my simple and fast tarts for a fun dessert. Find more of our tart recipes here!
Cherry Limeade Tart
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened, cut into 1 Tablespoon chunks (12 Tablespoons)
- 1 lime
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Make the crust by combining the flour, powdered sugar, and unsalted butter chunks in a food processor. Zest the lime and put the zest in the food processor. (Save the rest of the lime for later). Blend the crust ingredients in the food processor until the ingredients form a ball.
- Press the dough into the tart pan, patting it to make it even.
- Bake the crust until it is just starting to turn lightly golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set the crust aside to cool.
- While the crust is cooling, make the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and the juice of the lime you zested earlier in a small bowl. Stir to combine. If the cream cheese is not soft enough to fully incorporate these ingredients, heat it in the microwave in 15-30 second bursts until smooth and soft.
- When the crust is cooled, pour in the cream cheese filling and spread across the tart shell. If the crust is too hot, the cream cheese will melt into it.
- Spoon the cherry pie filling in small amounts across the cream cheese filling. Use a butter knife or spatula to swirl it in until you have your desired effect and cherry in all the places you want it.
- Top with additional lime zest if desired. Chill until ready to serve.
