A dressed up version of jam bars, this easy jam tart is a stunning dessert that showcases your favorite fruit anytime of the year. Made with only a handful of ingredients this jam tart looks and tastes sensational!
I love making simple desserts look fancy, and this jam tart falls directly into that category! Whenever I get jam as a gift, I always make my easy jam bars which are perfect for all sorts of occasions. But when I feel like making a more elegant, fancy-looking dessert, this jam tart is a great option. It looks beautiful and tastes even better!
I use a tart pan (this one with a removable bottom is my favorite) instead of a regular square pan, which is what I use for jam bars. The simple, no-roll shortbread dough gets pressed into the tart pan and acts as the crust. Then, it’s filled with your favorite jam. The crumbly, streusel topping is made of the same dough as the crust – you just crumble it on top instead of forming it into a crust (I love how versatile shortbread dough is)!
This jam tart is sweet, buttery and can be dressed up with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
How to make jam tart
- Cream butter and sugar together. In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients. Combine flour and salt and add to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined – be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Form and chill the crust. Reserve ¾ cup of the dough for your streusel topping and place in the refrigerator or freezer. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan (I use a pan with removable bottom) and press firmly to form an even layer with the edges being a little bit higher than the center. Place briefly in the refrigerator before continuing, about 5 minutes.
- Form your streusel dough into crumbs. Once the dough you’ve set aside for the streusel has firmed a bit, toss with with your fingers until large clumps of dough are formed.
- Spread the jam onto the crust. Spread an even layer of jam onto the crust and sprinkle with streusel topping and almonds, if using.
- Bake. Bake on a baking sheet for 35-40 minutes at 350ºF/180ºC until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
Tips for making jam tart
- Use quality jam: With jam being the only ingredient in the filling, it’s important to use a great-tasting jam. My favorite flavors are strawberry, raspberry, cherry, apricot, or fig, but any will work as long as its good quality.
- Chill your dough: The shortbread crust and streusel topping need to be chilled before baking. This firms up the butter so that the crust holds up and the streusel doesn’t spread too much.
- Let your tart set: I know, waiting is the hardest part but it’s an essential step when baking with gooey jam. Let your jam tart chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This gives you just enough time to have a relaxing dinner before enjoying the tart for dessert.
More recipes with jam
- Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies: Fruity jam and creamy white chocolate are a great pair.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins: For those who crave pb+j in dessert form.
- Linzer Cookies: Delicate sandwich cookies filled with jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
- Thumbprint Cookies: Easy-to-make shortbread cookies with a dollop of your favorite jam.
- Jelly Doughnuts: Amazing and indulgent.
Easy Jam Tart
Made with buttery shortbread crust, fruity jam filling, and crumbly streusel topping, this jam tart not only looks amazing, but tastes even better!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (200g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup jam
- ¼ cup sliced almonds , optional
Instructions
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In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. In a small bowl combine flour and salt, then add it to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix the dough.
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Reserve ¾ cup of the dough for your streusel topping and place in the refrigerator or freezer. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan (I use a pan with a removable bottom) and press firmly to form an even layer with the edges being a little bit higher than the center. Place briefly in the refrigerator before continuing, about 5 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
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Once dough has set a little bit and isn’t too soft, toss the streusel dough with your fingers until large clumps of dough are formed.
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Spread jam over the chilled crust. Sprinkle with streusel topping, leaving some of the jam peaking through, then sprinkle with the almonds, if using. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
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Refrigerate for 2 hours to let the filling set. Serve at room temperature.
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Tart will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator covered tightly or in an airtight container, or up to 2 months in the freezer (thaw overnight in the fridge).
