Brownie Tart Recipe

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This brownie tart recipe is a charming take on an oldie but goodie from none other than the Betty Crocker Cooky Book! These decadent and delicious little bites are surprisingly easy to make and perfect for Valentine’s Day (or any day).

Little Brownie Tarts

So excited to share this charming and classic recipe from our friend Melissa of Lulu the Baker! This brownie tart recipe is a fun, tasty Valentine’s Day treat — perfect to share with friends or your sweetheart.

The chocolate-filled pastries are an updated take on a vintage recipe from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book. From the look of them, you’d think they might be tough to make, but the brownie tarts couldn’t be easier (or more impressive).

Psst — if you like this recipe, be sure to sign up for my VIP group below, where I’ll send more of my very best recipes, DIYs, and family ideas straight to ya!

Tricks and Tips for Making Brownie Tarts

This recipe starts by making the chocolate filling, which is essentially a simple brownie batter. Next, you create the pastry dough.

Now, pastry dough can be notoriously fussy and hard to work with, but this dough is downright easygoing. None of the ingredients have to be chilled or handled with care, and the resulting dough is nice and stretchy, and bakes up light and flaky.

I may start using it for all of my pies!

After getting the filling and dough ready, the dough is cut into small squares using a pizza cutter. Add a tiny dollop of filling in the center of each square, and fold in the corners. That’s it!

No egg wash or sealing or pinching seams–really simple. Finish each tart off with a candy heart in the center, and they’re ready for the oven. A treat that is delicious, adorable, and easy to make? I think I’m in love!

Little Brownie Tarts

How to Roll Pastry Dough

My counter top is butcher block, so it is great for rolling out baked goods. As long as it is nicely floured, nothing sticks.

But! If you usually have to be pretty careful when you roll things out, here’s a little tip: Wrap a large cutting board or piece of plywood with a flour sack towel. Make sure the towel is pulled tight and secured, and you can flour that and roll things out on it.

Works like a charm!

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup cocoa

Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • red candy hearts, red hots, or jumbo heart confetti sprinkles

How to Make Brownie Tarts

  1. Combine all filling ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl; set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add butter, and mix in with a fork.
  4. Add water and vanilla, and continue mixing until you get a nice, smooth dough. Note: I mixed this with my hands, which is usually a big NO when you’re talking about pie dough. But it worked really well in this case. I basically kneaded it until all of the ingredients came together in a smooth ball.
  5. Roll dough out on a well-floured work surface to a thickness of about 1/16th of an inch. This is about as thin as you can get it.
  6. Cut the dough into 2 1/2″ squares using a pizza cutter and a ruler. You can combine any jagged edges or scraps and re-roll them.
  7. Place a small dollop of brownie filling in the center of each square.
  8. Pull the corners of each square to the center, and press a candy heart into the middle.
  9. Place tarts heart-side up on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before eating. Makes about 30 little tarts.
Little Brownie Tarts

Thanks Melissa! For more delicious bites and sweet projects be sure to head over to Lulu the Baker!

Little Brownie Tarts

Brownie Tart Recipe

Yield: 30 Brownie Tarts

This brownie tart recipe is a charming take on an oldie but goodie from none other than the Betty Crocker Cookbook! These decadent and delicious little bites are surprisingly easy to make and perfect for Valentine's Day (or any day).

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1/4 c butter, softened
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1/4 c cocoa

Pastry

  • 1 1/2 c flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c butter, softened
  • 3 TBSP water
  • 1 TBSP vanilla
  • Candy Hearts

Instructions

  1. Combine all filling ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl; set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add butter, and mix in with a fork.
  4. Add water and vanilla, and continue mixing until you get a nice, smooth dough. Note: I mixed this with my hands, which is usually a big NO when you're talking about pie dough. But it worked really well in this case. I basically kneaded it until all of the ingredients came together in a smooth ball.
  5. Roll dough out on a well-floured work surface to a thickness of about 1/16th of an inch. This is about as thin as you can get it.
  6. Cut the dough into 2 1/2" squares using a pizza cutter and a ruler. You can combine any jagged edges or scraps and re-roll them.
  7. Place a small dollop of brownie filling in the center of each square.
  8. Pull the corners of each square to the center, and press a candy heart into the middle.
  9. Place tarts heart-side up on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before eating. Makes about 30 little tarts.

Notes

My counter top is butcher block, so it is great for rolling out baked goods. As long as it is nicely floured, nothing sticks.

But! If you usually have to be pretty careful when you roll things out, here's a little tip: Wrap a large cutting board or piece of plywood with a flour sack towel. Make sure the towel is pulled tight and secured, and you can flour that and roll things out on it.

Works like a charm!

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