These homemade lemon coconut tarts are made with a tangy lemon curd, flaked coconut and are surrounded in a flaky pastry shell. They are a perfect balance of tangy and sweet.
Tarts are a holiday tradition in my family. Christmas is the only time they get made, and boy do I look forward to them.
This is another recipe that has been in the family for a long time. This one originated from my paternal grandmother, and I’m honestly not sure where she first got it, or how long she’s been making these tarts. I do know that my mom got the recipe from her and has been making them as long as I can remember. They have become a holiday favourite and my mom, being the official tart maker, makes dozens and dozens and shares them out with family and friends.
These lemon coconut tarts are made from a tangy lemon curd and unsweetened coconut for a bit of texture. They are really easy to make and they are so good. I’m certain that once you make these they will quickly become a holiday tradition in your house too.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON COCONUT TARTS
The best tarts begin with the best pastry. The recipe my family has always used is the Tenderflake pastry recipe, and you can get that recipe and tips for making it here.
If you don’t want to attempt making your own pastry you can use frozen, unsweetened tart shells.
Once you’ve made your pastry, and allowed it to chill at least 20 minutes, you can roll it out and press it into muffin tins. You can check out my post on making butter tarts for tips on rolling the pastry.
Then simply make the filling by whisking all ingredients together, fill the shells and bake.
Once the tarts have cooled completely, remove them from the pan and serve or transfer to an airtight container for storage.
THINGS TO KNOW & HELPFUL HINTS
- Can you freeze lemon tarts? You sure can, in fact they freeze very well. Simply store them in an airtight container.
- Do lemon tarts need to be refrigerated? If you aren’t going to consume the tarts within a couple days, I highly recommend storing them in the fridge to preserve freshness.
- Do I have to add the coconut? You don’t have to, though it does add nice texture. However, if you don’t like coconut, or have an allergy, you can leave it out.
- Can I use frozen pastry or tart shells? Yes you can. If you don’t want to make your own, feel free to use frozen pastry and cut your own shells, or use frozen shells. I recommend using unsweetened pastry as the filling is rich enough on its own.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Old fashioned lemon squares
Bakery style cranberry lemon scones
Old fashioned butter tarts
Recipe
Lemon Coconut Tarts
Ingredients
- 24 Tart shells homemade or store bought
- 2 Cups Sugar
- ¼ Cup Butter melted
- 4 Large Eggs beaten
- 6 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 Cup Shredded coconut unsweetened
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
- If making your own pastry, roll and cut it into 24 tart shells using a 3.5 inch cutter or the lid of a wide mouth mason jar. Gently press the tart shells into a lightly greased muffin tin.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then add the butter, sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the coconut.
- Spoon the filling into the tart shells, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely, then remove from the tins.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.