Gluten-Free Cherry Custard Tart with Crunchy Cookie Crust and No-Bake Filling

Our overnight weekend guests—both gluten-eaters and big cheesecake fans—absolutely loved this tart. They even asked for a slice with breakfast both mornings. While this tart doesn’t have a true cheesecake filling, a small amount of cream cheese folded into the custard gives it a subtle cheesecake note.

The original plan for the evening was my Make Ahead Gluten Free Tiramisu Cake, but I discovered one guest dislikes coffee. Fortunately, I had just tested a new Sweet & Crunchy Gluten Free Tart Crust recipe that turned out beautifully.

With 1½ cups of leftover Pastry Cream blended with cream cheese from the tiramisu filling and a can of cherry pie filling, I quickly created an extra dessert. I had pre-baked the crust on Friday as a backup in case the cake didn’t work out. I don’t usually serve brand-new recipes to guests, but I was confident in the flavor; I only wondered how it would look after peeling off the parchment. As it happened, the gluten free cherry custard tart stole the show that night. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Although I used 1½ cups of the filling in this tart, you can make a full batch of pastry cream (about 3 cups when combined with 4 ounces of cream cheese) if you prefer a more generously filled tart. The crust easily accommodates extra filling. Any leftover custard can be spooned into a ramekin, topped with cookie crumbs, and enjoyed as a little dessert on its own.

Because the crust behaves more like a cookie than a traditional pastry, it was a little hard to slice on the first evening after filling; the crust remained very crunchy. By the second day the texture was ideal—the filling had softened the edge just enough. By the third morning the crust had a sturdier, sweet pie-crust texture that was pleasant and not soggy.