This vegan fruit tart has a shortbread cookie base and a creamy lemon custard filling, topped with fresh fruit. It’s as delicious as it is beautiful and is sure to be your favorite fancy dessert for your next holiday or event.

A vegan fruit tart on a blue cake plate.

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Although this fruit tart looks impressive, don’t let it intimidate you. It has a few steps, but none of them are hard to do.

I’m so happy I found your site! I made this for my family for Mother’s Day yesterday, and it was such a hit! Everyone loved it. Your recipe is delicious and easy to follow. The custard is absolutely decadent, and the crust is the perfect crunchy sweetness to enhance the fruit (I used strawberries, kiwi, banana, blackberries, and mango). I’m looking forward to making more of your recipes.

—Cynthia

Why make this recipe

This lemony fresh-tasting fruit tart is the perfect combo of sweet, creamy, and refreshing. It’s a beautiful addition to any holiday or party, plus you can make it a day ahead and assemble it before serving.

Ingredients and substitutions

For the shortbread bottom

  • Flour – white flour works best.  Gluten-free flour mixes also work well for this recipe, however, I don’t recommend almond flour.
  • Vegan Butter – any vegan margarine will work.  I like to use the stick version of my homemade vegan butter.
  • Sugar – white or light-colored sugar will make the whitest shortbread.

For the vegan custard

  • Chickpea Flour – To mix with water to form a chickpea flour egg replacer.
  • Water – To mix with the chickpea flour.
  • Vegan Sugar – To sweeten the custard. Any organic brand of sugar is vegan. You can use any sweetener that you would like, but the whiter the sugar, the lighter your custard will be.
  • Corn Starch – To thicken the custard.
  • Salt – Just a pinch for flavor.
  • Plant-Based Milk – After testing nearly every type of vegan milk, my family and I decided that oat milk had the best flavor and consistency. However, you can also use almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. Canned coconut milk also gives it a very rich texture, yet it does have a coconut flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – For flavor.
  • Vegan Butter – For a rich and creamy consistency. You can use any type of vegan butter that you want. I like my homemade vegan butter.
  • Turmeric – Just a dash for a yellow color if desired.
  • Lemon Zest – For a fresh and bright lemon flavor. (optional)

For the fruit top

You can use any fruit or berries that you want. Here are a few of my favorites.

  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Mandarin Orange Slices
  • Sliced Kiwi Fruit
  • Apricot Jelly – For the shiny glaze on top of the fruit tart. You can also use apricot jam. (optional)

Helpful tools

  • A Tart Pan – I used a large 9-inch tart pan, but you could also use small individual tartlet pans or even a pie dish if you don’t have a tart pan.
  • Wire Mesh Strainer – for sifting the chickpea flour and cornstarch to avoid lumps.
  • Heavy Bottomed Pan – a heavy saucepan will provide more even heat distribution and keep your custard from burning.
  • Whisk – for stirring the custard.
  • Microplane – or zester to zest the lemon.
A top view of a vegan custard fruit tart topped with berries and mandrine orange slices.

Instructions for the custard filling

Make the vegan egg

Step 1 – Sift 3 tablespoons of chickpea flour into a small container and then add 2 tablespoons of water and stir well until all of the lumps are out.

Step 2 – Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of water to the chickpea flour mixture and stir again until it’s very smooth. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes.

Two images showing a chickpea flour egg with a little water added and stiring unitl there are no lumps.

Make the vegan custard

Step 3 – Sift 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. (Sifting will help avoid lumps.)

Step 4 – Add 1/3 cup of sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and slowly pour in 1/4 cup of cold oat milk and stir well with a whisk until all of the lumps are gone and the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Then stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cold oat milk.

Step 5 – Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk. As it starts to boil slowly, stir constantly.

Step 6 – Once the mixture has boiled slowly for about 30 seconds, slowly add the chickpea flour egg mixture while continuing to stir with the whisk.

Step 7 – Once all of the chickpea “egg” has been added simmer at a low boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly.

A saucepan with sugar, corn starch and milk showing how to add the plant based milk slowly to avoid lumps.

After cooking the custard

Step 8 – Remove the custard from the heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and stir well until it’s incorporated. Then add the zest of 1 lemon if you choose.

Step 9 – Pour the custard into a bowl and lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly over it so that no air is touching it. (This will prevent it from getting a skin on top.)

Step 10 – Chill the custard for a least 4 hours before using it as pastry cream in the tart.

A collage of two images of adding the vegan egg to the custard and adding butter and vanilla at the end of cooking.

Make a shortbread tart

Step 11 – Preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C).

Step 12 – Mix together 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup softened vegan butter, and 1/4 cup of sugar until you have a thick smooth dough.

Step 13 – Press the shortbread dough into a smooth even layer on the bottom and up the edges of a tart pan.

Step 14 – Bake the shortbread layer for 30 minutes at 350° F (176° C).  Then take it out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature.

Someone pressing the shortbread cookie dough into a tart pan.
Spreading vegan custard on a tart before adding fruit.

Assemble the fruit tart

Step 15 – Fill the cooled shortbread crust with the chilled vegan pastry cream spreading it out in a smooth even layer.

Step 16 – Top the pastry cream with the fruit and berries of your choice. You can make an even pattern or disperse the fruit randomly.

Step 17 – Microwave 1/3 cup of apricot jelly for 30 seconds to warm it up then brush it on top of the fruit for a shiny glaze if desired.

Step 18 – Serve immediately or place back in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until you are ready to serve.

Someone placing berries on a fruit tart.

Pro Tips

  • Be sure to make your pastry cream custard first so that it has at least 4 hours to chill in the fridge before assembling the tart.
  • Be sure to add a small amount of liquid to both the chickpea egg and the cornstarch mixture and stir well before adding the remaining liquid. This will help you avoid clumps.
  • Add the chickpea flour egg to the custard slowly while stirring with a whisk. If the mixture is allowed to settle to the bottom, it will harden before it gets incorporated.
Brushing apricot jam on a fruit tart.

Frequently asked questions?

How can I make a vegan gluten-free fruit tart?

You will only need to swap out 1 ingredient in this recipe to make it gluten-free. Simply use a grain-based gluten-free flour blend or use my homemade gluten-free flour mix instead of regular flour in the shortbread crust. You can also use my gluten-free graham cracker crumb crust instead of the shortbread crust for a no-bake option.

How can I make this a lemon fruit tart?

If you want this tart to be extra lemony, use my vegan lemon curd recipe instead of the pastry cream.

How to make a fruit tart ahead of time?

If you want to make the fruit tart for a party or holiday and get some of the work out of the way, you can make the custard up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge sealed with plastic wrap. You can make the shortbread crust up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. Simply assemble the fruit tart the day you want to eat it and store it in the fridge until serving.

Storage

Refrigerate: This vegan fruit tart will stay good in the fridge for about 48 hours. (It’s best fresh and may start to get soggy after about a day in the fridge.)

A vegan fruit tart with lemon custard, berries and apricot jelly.

More vegan desserts

Vegan fruit tart recipe

A vegan fruit tart topped with fruit and berries on a blue plate.
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5 from 2 rating

Vegan Fruit Tart

Yield: 10
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 50 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A creamy vegan fruit tart with a shortbread crust, custard filling, and topped with fruit and berries.
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Ingredients

For the chickpea egg

For the custard

  • 1/3 cup vegan sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cups oat milk, (or any plant-based milk)

After cooking

  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter, (use soy-free if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, (zest of 1 lemon optional)

For the shortbread crust

For the topping

  • 2 cups sliced fruit or berries of choice
  • 1/3 cup apricot jelly, or jam

Equipment

Instructions
 

Make the vegan "egg"

  • Sift 1 1/2 tablespoons of chickpea flour into a small container and then add 1 tablespoon of water and stir well until all of the lumps are out.
  • Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of water to the chickpea flour mixture and stir again until it's very smooth. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes.

Make the custard base

  • Sift 2 tablespoons of corn starch into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. (Sifting will help avoid lumps.)
  • Add 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and slowly pour in 1/4 cup of cold oat milk and stir well with a whisk until all of the lumps are gone and the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Then stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of cold oat milk.
  • Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk. As it starts to boil slowly, stir constantly.
  • Once the mixture has boiled slowly for about 30 seconds, slowly add the chickpea flour egg mixture while continuing to stir with the whisk.
  • Once all of the chickpea "egg" has been added simmer at a low boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly.

After cooking the custard

  • Remove the custard from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir well until it's incorporated. Then add the zest of 1 lemon if you choose.
  • Pour the custard into a bowl and lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly over it so that no air is touching it. (This will prevent it from getting a skin on top.)
  • Chill the custard for a least 4 hours before using it as pastry cream in the tart.

Instructions for the shortbread crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C).
  • Mix together 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup softened vegan butter, and 1/4 cup of sugar until you have a thick smooth dough.
  • Press the shortbread dough into a smooth even layer on the bottom and up the edges of a tart pan.
  • Bake the shortbread layer for 30 minutes at 350° F (176° C). Then take it out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature.

How to assemble the fruit tart

  • Fill the cooled shortbread crust with the chilled vegan pastry cream spreading it out in a smooth even layer.
  • Top the pastry cream with fruit and berries of your choice. You can make an even pattern or disperse the fruit randomly.
  • Microwave 1/3 cup of apricot jelly for 30 seconds to warm it up then brush it on top of the fruit for a shiny glaze if desired. (or heat it on the stovetop in a small saucepan)
  • Serve the tart immediately or place back in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until you are ready to serve.

Notes

  • Be sure to add a small amount of liquid to both the chickpea egg and the cornstarch mixture and stir well before adding the remaining liquid. This will help you avoid clumps.
  • Add the chickpea flour egg to the custard slowly while stirring with a whisk. If the mixture is allowed to settle to the bottom, it will harden before it gets incorporated.
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 329kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 341mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 775IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 1mg
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