Pina Colada Mini Tarts

Craving a tropical escape without leaving your kitchen? These Pina Colada Mini Tarts deliver all the flavors of your favorite vacation cocktail in an elegant dessert form.

The buttery tart shells are filled with a creamy and rich coconut filling. Each bite gets topped with rum-glazed pineapple and toasted coconut for the full pina colada experience.

I’m a big fan of make-ahead desserts for entertaining, and the components of these tarts can all be prepared in advance. The coconut custard is perfectly balanced – creamy and tropical without being too sweet.

These mini tarts make a fancy addition to summer parties or when you’re just needing a little taste of the tropics during colder months.

Let’s start baking.

Ingredients

Tart Shell:

• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup cold water

Filling:

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 whole egg
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar

Topping:

• 2 cans pineapple rings
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• ½ cup flaked coconut

Steps to make pina colada mini tarts

Tart Shell:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Pulse butter, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until crumbly.

3. Add egg yolks and cold water, processing just until dough comes together.

4. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

5. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness.

6. Cut rounds using a 4-inch cookie cutter. Reroll scraps as needed.

7. Press dough rounds into 3-inch tart pans. Prick bottoms with a fork several times.

8. Place tart pans on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until edges start to brown and centers are set. Cool before removing from pans.

Filling:

9. Place coconut oil in a medium bowl with a fine mesh strainer positioned over it. Set aside.

10. Combine coconut milk and vanilla in a large saucepan. Heat over medium for 10 minutes until reduced to about 1 cup.

11. Add heavy cream and bring back to a simmer.

12. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and sugar for 1 minute until pale yellow.

13. Remove coconut mixture from heat and slowly pour into egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.

14. Return combined mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.

15. Pour filling through strainer into the bowl with coconut oil. Press through to remove any clumps.

16. Stir well to incorporate oil, then cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface. Chill until set.

Pineapple & coconut topping:

17. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange pineapple rings with space between them.

18. Mix brown sugar and rum in a small bowl, then brush onto pineapple rings.

19. Broil for 5-7 minutes until slightly browned. Allow to cool.

20. On another parchment-lined baking sheet, spread coconut flakes evenly.

21. Broil coconut for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Watch closely as it browns quickly. Cool completely.

Assembly:

22. Fill each cooled tart shell with chilled filling.

23. Top each tart with a third of a pineapple ring and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Storage:

Keep tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Best when assembled just before serving.