Pineapple tart is a delightful pastry that combines a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust with a sweet and tangy pineapple filling. Popular in many Southeast Asian countries, especially during festive celebrations like Chinese New Year and Hari Raya, this tart has become a beloved treat around the world. Despite its tropical roots, the technique and elegance of making pineapple tarts have a touch of French pastry influence, like croissants.
The base of a pineapple tart is often a rich, shortcrust pastry, reminiscent of classic French tart dough. The dough is made with butter, flour, and egg yolks, giving it a smooth, crumbly texture that contrasts beautifully with the sticky filling. The pineapple jam is slow-cooked to perfection, allowing the fruit’s natural sweetness and acidity to shine through.
In some modern versions, bakers incorporate elements of French patisserie by shaping the tarts into elegant mini tartlets or using decorative lattice patterns on top. These small touches add a bit of French flair to the traditional dessert. While pineapple tart is not originally a French creation, it showcases how global and French-inspired baking techniques can come together in delicious harmony.
Pineapple tarts can be made in various forms, open-faced, enclosed like a cookie, or rolled into bite-sized morsels. No matter the shape, the balance of rich pastry and fruity filling makes each bite a burst of flavor and texture.
Perfect with a cup of tea or served at celebrations, pineapple tarts are both a nostalgic and luxurious treat. They may not be French in origin, but their elegance, craftsmanship, and presentation easily rival that of a French patisserie dessert.
Whether you bake them for a holiday, a gift, or simply to enjoy, pineapple tarts offer a perfect blend of tradition, tropical sweetness, and a hint of French inspiration.
Ingredients
- 250 g flour All-purpose
- 125 g butter Cold and cubed
- 50 g sugar
- 1 egg yolk Large
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- 300 g pineapple jam Store-bought or homemade
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar.
- Add the cubed butter and use your fingers to rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and ice water, and mix until the dough comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut out circles using a tart cutter and place into tart molds.
- Fill each tart with a spoonful of pineapple jam.
- Optionally, create a lattice design with leftover dough on top of each tart.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown.
- Allow the tarts to cool before serving.
Nutrition
These were a hit! I didn’t have pineapple jam so I used strawberry instead, and it turned out great! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is not a tart, this is just cookies with jam on top! 😝
I get what you’re saying! It does look more like cookie cups than a tart. 😂 But still, who doesn’t love jam? 🤷♀️
I love these tarts! A little too sweet for my taste, but my kids gobbled them up. Could cut back on sugar maybe.
I love pineapple, but I’m allergic to it. Can I use applesauce instead? Any suggestions, please? 🍏
You can try applesauce, but it won’t taste the same as pineapple. Maybe use some lemon juice for a tangy flavor?
Sounds weird, but if you’re allergic, I guess you gotta be careful! Never tried it tho. Good luck!
I messed up the lattice. It looks kinda like a failed attempt at a spider web 😂 but they still tasted amazing.
What kinda jam can I use besides pineapple? I’m allergic to pineapple n I wanna try this recipe. 😭
You can use any other fruit jam instead of pineapple, like strawberry or apricot! I think raspberry could also work. 😊
I dunno, but isn’t all jam just sugar? Just pick something you like. Or try skipping the jam altogether!
Not gonna lie, I messed up and rolled it too thick. Tasted fine but the centers were kind of doughy. Still edible, just not pretty.
Honestly that’s still a win if it tasted fine! Doughy centers usually mean the tarts needed a bit more time in the oven or the dough was rolled a touch thicker than ideal. Next time, try rolling slightly thinner or bake 2–5 minutes longer until you see deeper golden edges.
Nice and simple. I love how few ingredients it needs. Will make again for sure.
I think I prefer peach over pineapple. This recipe seemed nice, but I doubt I’ll try it.
Why bother? Peaches are way better!! Pineapple jam is just too sweet. I wouldn’t try it either.
I get that! Peach tart sounds great too! But you should give this a try, pineapple has its own charm!
I’m not a baker and this was still doable. The dough was crumbly at first but came together after I added the ice water slowly.
I don’t understand why you need so much butter. Can’t you just cut it down?
These came out so golden and buttery! I used homemade pineapple jam and the sweetness balance was perfect. 180°C felt spot on—would definitely make again.
Yes!! I made these last week and they were EXACTLY that—golden and buttery. I also subbed pineapple jam and my family devoured them 😅 Definitely keeping 180°C in my notes.
Mine were tasty but I think I messed up the chilling part… I only did like 5 minutes and the dough was kinda sticky. Still baked fine though. Also, do you use salted or unsalted butter? My jam was pretty sweet so I might cut the sugar next time.
They look cute but taste kinda bland. Need more sugar or something.
So easy to make! I added a pinch of coconut for extra flavor. Yum!
Coconut sounds like a great twist! I might try that next time. Thanks for sharing!
Seems kinda simple for a dessert, not sure if I’d impress anyone with this. What about chocolate tarts instead? 😐
Not as easy as it sounds. My dough was too crumbly, maybe I added too much flour? 😕
I had the same problem! Maybe try using less flour next time or check if you measured right? Good luck!
Pretty easy steps, and chilling the dough helped a lot with the tart shells not shrinking. My only tweak: I baked 2 minutes longer for a crunchier crust.
Why does it take so long to chill dough? This is faster in my microwave, right? LOL
Nice recipe, but can I use other fruits instead of pineapple? Like… apple or something? 🤔
So easy. The breadcrumb step is kinda meditative 😂. I used homemade pineapple jam and it tasted like a bakery.
Totally agree—crumbing the butter is weirdly calming 😄 And homemade pineapple jam sounds amazing. Did you bake the lattice too or just filled plain?
Tasted so good, but a little too sweet for my liking. I think I’d cut down the sugar next time. Still, a nice treat! ⭐⭐⭐
Pineapple tart sounds great, but would blueberry work too? Just a thought!
I think my egg yolk size was off (like medium not large). Dough was kinda crumbly and wouldn’t come together until I added a tiny splash more ice water. Still turned out, but not as neat as the picture.
These tarts are a tropical delight! I made them for my family and they devoured them all. Will definitely make again!
I was super skeptical at first about using pineapple, but wow, this turned out great! Who knew?
I love pineapple! This is going to be my new go-to treat for parties!
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about how short the bake time is. But 20 minutes was perfect—golden and not burned. Would make again.
Same! I always assume short bake times are a trap, but 20 minutes really nailed the golden color without drying them out. Pineapple jam + buttery crust is such a good combo—making these again for sure.
I tried it once and mine came out pale at 20 min, so I baked like 35. Maybe my oven runs cool though? Still taste good. Also I didn’t chill long enough… oops.
Absolutely delicious! I made these for a family gathering, and they were gone in minutes. The pineapple jam is the star here! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So easy and quick! My kids loved them. 💖
Yummm!!! I added coconut to the jam! So good! 🥥🌴
Nice idea but 1 egg yolk? That’s not enough for me lol. I added a whole egg and now it’s like a pie crust. Tasty though!
Good tweak! A whole egg will definitely make the crust a bit richer and more “set.” I like that you got a pie-crust vibe—pineapple jam + buttery pastry is a win either way.
Yeah I was wondering that too—my dough felt dry with just one yolk, so I’ve done a whole egg sometimes. Still tasty, just don’t overwork it or it gets tough.
Are you supposed to use fresh pineapple? I used store-bought and felt guilty.
Wow, these are stunning! Almost looked too good to eat. Almost.
I don’t know… the dough was too crumbly for me. Maybe I messed up the butter measuring? Not sure I’ll try again.
My grandma used to make these but with apples. This recipe brought back memories. 🌈
Pineapple tarts are like the best dessert ever! A little tangy and sweet, just perfection! 🙌
Totally agree! Pineapple tarts are the best! I can never eat just one. 😍
These are actually really good for a quick dessert. I made them with store jam and they disappeared fast at my house. 10/10
Easy peasy! I loved making these with my kids, messy but fun!
Short but sweet recipe! Will try it out and hope it comes out well. Fingers crossed!
Pineapple tarts are just okay, I’d prefer chocolate any day. 🤷♂️
Pineapple in tarts is just weird, man. Chocolate, at least, is classic and good! 🤨
I totally get it! Chocolate is king! 🍫 But give pineapple a chance, it’s a different kind of yummy.
Couldn’t get the dough to come together, it was crumbly like dirt. Little help? 1 star for me.
I found this confusing. What does ‘rub into breadcrumbs’ mean? I’m a bit new to baking.
This recipe is too complicated for me. I just prefer store-bought desserts.
I tried this but the dough was too crumbly. What did I do wrong? Maybe I added too much butter?
This is way too much butter for a “quick” tart. Also I don’t get why chill only 15 minutes—seems too short. Mine shrank a bit in the molds.
These turned out amazing! I was shocked at how easy they were to make. Definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad to hear they turned out well! 😍 I can’t wait to try this recipe myself!
I tried making this and the dough was too crumbly, I think I needed more water.
I had the same problem! I added more water and it worked perfectly. Did you measure everything accurately?
More water? Really? I thought you needed less water so it wouldn’t be sticky. Confusing!
180°C felt a little low? Mine took closer to 25 minutes to get golden. Also my dough was crumbly at step 4 until I added a little more ice water.
I tried this recipe and my dough was too crumbly. What did I do wrong?
Easy dough, but I think 15 minutes chilling wasn’t enough for my kitchen (really warm). After chilling a full 30, the crust stopped shrinking. Still great though.
Oh totally get that—warm kitchens can mess with butter. I’ve had that exact issue where it shrinks less after longer chilling, and 30 min is usually the sweet spot for me too. Glad they still turned out great!
Okay but honestly, who has time to make this from scratch? Pre-made crust for me!
Pineapple tarts are the best!! I love making these for my family. 😍
I don’t know what went wrong, but my dough was too crumbly. I followed the recipe exactly! Maybe I need to add more water? 🤔
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of jam? Will that work?
Tasted great! Although I prefer my tarts with a bit more sugar. Next time I’ll add more!
Yum! A classic. My grandma used to make these, brings back great memories. 🥰
I totally agree! Pineapple tarts are the best! My aunt makes them too but hers never taste as good! 😅
Sounds nice, but my grandma’s recipe was way different. She used fresh pineapples, not jam! Yuk! 🙄
Not bad, but store-bought jam made them a little too thick and sweet. I think I’ll try a tangier pineapple jam or add a pinch of salt next time.
I don’t get the 1/4-inch thickness. Mine were way too thick and the bottoms stayed a bit soft after 20 minutes. Maybe my oven runs hot/cold, idk.
These pineapple tarts are amazing! They remind me of my childhood!
Hmm. 250g flour + only 1 tbsp ice water sounds kinda off. I had to add more liquid to form a dough. Otherwise it was crumbly.
Tried this out today, but my dough didn’t come together at all. What did I do wrong?
Did you use cold butter? It needs to be cold to keep the dough from getting too sticky. Also, try mixing it longer next time.
Sounds like you might have missed the water part! Make sure to add the ice water slowly. It helps the dough bind together.
Used homemade pineapple jam and followed everything pretty much exactly. Chilling 15 min helped a lot—crust stayed crisp. I did need to bake like 22-23 minutes for my oven.
I tried this and mine was still kinda pale at 20 min… baked longer like you and it turned out way better. Pineapple jam is strong tho—maybe use less? Either way nice tip.
Good to know about the chilling time! I always rush that step 😅—crust gets a bit soft. Also 22–23 mins makes sense; ovens run different.
Plz tell me ice water is necessary???? I forgot to add it!! 😱
So easy! I made these in no time. Perfect for tea time. 🥳
Wow, I’m impressed! My kids helped with the dough and had a blast. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can’t believe how simple this recipe is! 🤩 Thank you for sharing!
180°C is 400°F right? I set it wrong and baked at 350°F and they took longer—kinda ruined my timing. Flavor was okay.
Not sure if I did something wrong, but mine turned out super dry. I followed all the steps.
Why do we need to chill the dough? Isn’t it wasting time? Just make it and bake it! 😅
But seriously, who has time to chill dough? I just wanna bake! Is it that important? 🤔
Chilling the dough helps it firm up, which makes it easier to handle. Plus, it can enhance the texture! Taking an extra 15 minutes is worth it for better tarts! 😊
I followed it pretty much exactly, but my dough felt dry. I ended up adding like an extra teaspoon of ice water. Still tasty though.
Wait, 1 egg yolk + only 1 tablespoon ice water… that’s not enough liquid, imo. My dough would never come together like that. I’d just add water until it “feels right,” but then it’s not really following the recipe 😅
That sounds like you were really close! With shortbread-y doughs (butter + flour), slight dryness can happen depending on the flour brand. Adding a teaspoon of ice water is exactly the right kind of fix—glad it stayed tasty.