All you need for these puff pastry jam tarts is three ingredients and a few minutes of prep! They are flaky, buttery, fruity, and about a hundred times better than pre-made versions. And just like my banana nut bread mini muffins or these incredible Bloody Mary deviled eggs, they are a quick and simple treat for brunch parties or holidays like Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Easter!

A wire rack of puff pastry jam tarts on a green tiled counter next to cups of coffee, a white plate of tarts, gold forks, and a white bowl of strawberry jam.

I don’t know what it is about the weather hitting a mere 60°, but it makes me feel like throwing on a sundress and hosting brunch. Nevermind that it snowed last week, that’s absolutely none of my business. Onwards and upwards, and all that.

Anyways, one of my favorite brunch items is a classic fruit pastry situation, like a cream cheese strawberry danish. But these are an even more bite-sized version, so you can serve them with other treats or throw them on a brunch charcuterie board. Basically, think of them as a sweet version of my ham and cheese puff pastry bites.

Also, in case you missed it, all you need is three ingredients: frozen puff pastry, your favorite jam or two, plus an egg for egg wash. Although, if you want to get a little fancier like me, you can always drizzle them with a little vanilla glaze or sprinkle the pastry with raw sugar.

And listen, as a trained pastry chef, obviously, nothing beats a good handmade puff pastry. But that’s not what we’re doing here, we don’t have time for this, ok? Just pick a good-quality, all-butter puff pastry if you can find it. I rely on classic Trader Joe’s, and it’s always a good choice!

Thick jam

A box of pastry, jars of preserves, and white bowls of glaze and an egg on a tan counter.

Something I’ve noticed after making this recipe dozens of times is that the thickness of the preserves matters. The thicker the jam, the less it will leak out in the oven. I always like Bonne Maman, because it’s thick and delicious, but use your favorite!

P.S. Feel free to use whatever flavors you like here. I am a huge fan of strawberry preserves and orange marmalade, but these pastries would also taste amazing with raspberry, apricot, berry, or whatever else you’re into.

Making the recipe

A wooden pastry board topped with 12 puff pastry squares.
Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle & cut it into 12 squares.
A hand using a fork to dock pastry squares.
Then, use a fork to very lightly dock the pastry.
Dough squares topped with strawberry and orange preserves.
Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each square.
A hand using a pastry brush to brush puff pastry jam tarts with egg wash.
Seal the pastries into bundles, and brush them with egg wash.
Baked puff pastry jam tarts on parchment paper.
Bake the tarts at 425°F (218°C) for about 18-22 minutes.
A wire rack with puff pastry jam tarts on a green tiled counter.
Cool and drizzle the tarts with glaze if you want to!

As you can see, the jam will leak out a bit. But don’t stress! Once the tarts cool, the burnt jam will literally just break off the tarts. And, we’re going to add a little more jam at the end to make up for any leaks!

Glaze or raw sugar

Once the tarts are cooled, I like to drizzle them with a super basic vanilla glaze. But, if you like a little crunch, you can also sprinkle the pastry with a little raw sugar before baking the tarts. Either way, they’re soooo good!

A wire rack of jam puff pastry tarts on a green tiled counter next to a white plate of tarts, cups of coffee, and a white bowl of jam.

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3 Ingredient Puff Pastry Jam Tarts

Yield: 24 tarts
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
These puff pastry jam tarts are seriously the easiest recipe, and all you need is 3 ingredients! They are flaky, buttery, fruity, and about a hundred times better than pre-made versions. You can use any jam you like here. I love strawberry jam and orange marmalade, but raspberry, apricot, or blueberry would be amazing too! This is a quick and simple treat for brunch parties or holidays like Christmas, Mother's Day, and Easter.
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Ingredients

Jam Tarts

  • 1 large egg
  • 510 grams all-butter puff pastry, defrosted (18 ounces)
  • All purpose flour, for dusting if needed
  • 240 grams thick jam or preserves, I like strawberry and/or orange (3/4 cup)

Vanilla Glaze (optional)

  • 60 grams powdered sugar, sifted (1/2 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons whole milk, more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Then, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water in a small bowl. Set it aside for later.
  • Next, unroll one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll the puff pastry into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the puff pastry into 12 3×3-inch squares. (This definitely does not have to be perfect.) Line the puff pastry squares on one of the prepared sheet pans about 2 inches apart. Place the sheet pan in the fridge to keep the puff pastry chilled. Repeat the process with the remaining sheet of puff pastry.
  • Use the tines of a fork to lightly dock the centers of the puff pastry squares. Don't press all the way through, or the jam will leak out the bottoms of the tarts! Then, spread about 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each puff pastry square, leaving a 1/2-inch gap around the edges.
  • Working one at a time, fold one corner of a puff pastry square over the jam. Fold the second puff pastry corner over the first, pressing firmly to seal. (Really seal the centers together so they don't pop open in the oven.) Fold the remaining tarts.
  • Use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the puff pastry with the egg wash. Bake the bites for 15-18 minutes, until the puff pastry is light golden-brown. Remove the tarts from the oven. Then, use a small spoon to dollop about 1/2 teaspoon more jam on each tart to replace any that leaked out. Bake for another 3-5 minutes, just until the jam is set and the puff pastry is golden brown.
  • Let the tarts cool on the sheet pan for about 10 minutes. If any of the burnt jam is sticking to the tarts, just break it off the pastry, it should come off pretty easily! Transfer the tarts to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Glaze

  • Combine all of the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add another 1/2-1 teaspoon of milk. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoons at a time. It should be drizzly and the consistency of glue.

Drizzle and store

  • Use the tines of a fork to drizzle the glaze over the cooled tarts. Let the glaze harden, about 30-60 minutes. Enjoy immediately, or store the cooled tarts in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

Don’t forget to take the puff pastry out of the freezer! You can defrost it overnight in the fridge or for 2 hours at room temperature.
Make sure to keep the puff pastry nice and cold for those flaky layers. If the pastry starts to warm up too much, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
If you don’t want to use glaze, you can leave them plain, or sprinkle the puff pastry with raw sugar before baking for a little crunch.
Keep a close eye on the tarts. You don’t want the bottoms to burn!
If the tarts pop open in the oven, don’t stress about it. While they’re still hot out of the oven, use a butter knife or fork to fold the puff pastry back over the jam, and it should stick!
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1tart, Calories: 146kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 57mg, Potassium: 22mg, Sugar: 5g, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 1mg
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