Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

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These Mini Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts is a small batch dessert to celebrate the sweet and tart fruits of the season.  Fresh pink grapefruit, white grapefruit and oranges are lightly sweetened with a honey lime glaze and set on a light whipped coconut cream.  A healthier dessert that is just as decadent!

Top of a mini tart with cream and winter citrus

RECIPE AND POST UPDATED January, 2022

Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

It’s finally winter citrus season!  Grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime – and every variety in between.  I am a big fan of winter citrus because it is like a palate cleanser for all of the heavy, indulgent, and excess of holiday goodies.  

These mini tarts are a refreshing change of pace for dessert.  And even though there is no chocolate, caramel or buttercream, they will still satisfy your dessert sweet tooth.   

  • Winter Citrus – The sweet and tart fruit is drizzled with a honey lime glaze to add even more sweetness to the bright fruits.
  • Coconut Cream – Canned coconut milk solids are whipped into a light and airy whipped cream.  And sweeten to taste with even more honey.
  • Oatmeal Tart Crust – Bottom line on this tart crust – it tastes like an oatmeal cookie.  And even better – it is gluten free and refined sugar free!

Healthier Small Batch Dessert Tarts

I suppose these Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts means I’m jumping on the new year, healthier eating bandwagon.  I’m not (and probably never will) go as far as to call these straight up ‘healthy’, but the ingredients are on the lighter side.  So what makes these tarts healthier:

  • Oatmeal tart crust with almond flour – The tart crust is made with gluten free oats and almond flour, which makes it gluten free.  But make no mistake, there there is still delightful butter in the crust.
  • Whipped coconut cream – A lighter version of dairy whipped cream and sweetened with honey.  Make it vegan by using maple syrup instead!
  • Citrus fruits – Are full of vitamin C and help your immune system.  No – I’m not a dietician – I get my info from Web MD.  🙂
  • Natural sweeteners – Honey and coconut sugar provide the sweetness in this dessert!  
Two mini cream and winter citrus oatmeal tarts on a table

What You Need To Make Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

Oatmeal Tart Crust Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats – I recommend gluten free rolled oats, and I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats.  Rolled oats are whole whereas instant (quick) tend to be cut up.
  • Blanched Almond Flour – You can swap in AP flour 1:1, but to keep the tart gluten free, stick with almond flour.
  • Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar has a darker and richer sugar flavor – much like brown sugar.  But if you are ok with refined sugar, go ahead and swap in brown sugar.
  • Cold Butter – This will help to bring the dough together.  Plus – flavor.

Whipped Coconut Cream Ingredients

  • Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk – We are only using the coconut solids from the can of coconut milk.  The solids whip up fluffy because the moisture has separated from them.  I have provided a list of recommendations below to make the whipped coconut cream.
  • Honey – If you want to make it vegan, swap in maple syrup.  Or any other sweetener of choice.
  • Lime Juice – This is optional but adds a bright flavor to the whipped cream and ties to all of the other flavors in the tart.

Winter Citrus

  • Fresh Fruit – As always, fresh fruit will deliver brighter and bolder flavor.  I used Pink Grapefruit, White Grapefruit, Oranges, and Lime.  You can certainly use your favorite citrus fruits!

Baking Equipment

  • 4-Inch Mini Tart PansNon-stick with removable bottoms.  If you don’t have these, you can use any small baking pan – i.e. cake pan, muffin pan, loaf pan, pie pan.  Keep in mind this is a small batch and the baking vessel should be small enough to accommodate the size.

Coconut milk Brands I recommend to Make Whipped coconut Cream

  1. Good and Gather from Target – It whips up nicely, is thick and creamy, and I successfully use it to make frosting and whipped cream.  Pros:  not a strong coconut flavor and contains guar gum.  Cons:  it can be hit or miss on how much coconut solid you get from can to can.
  2. Simple Truth Organic from Kroger grocery (i.e. King Soopers, City Market) – This brand has all the same features as Good and Gather.
  3. Thai Kitchen from Walmart or Amazon – This used to be my go-to, but it has become harder to find.  It whips very light and fluffy.  Pros:  not a strong coconut flavor and contains guar gum.  Cons:  some may find the texture chalky, but I find this unnoticeable when whipped into frosting or whipped cream
  4. Native Forest Organic Coconut Cream from Whole Foods – It whips up nicely but has a little coconut flavor.  Pros:  comes in smaller 5.4 ounce cans (great for small batches!).  Cons:  It does have a pronounced coconut flavor.
Winter citrus cream tart bite on a fork

Tips For Making Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

  • Use gluten free oats to keep the recipe gluten free – Oats are naturally gluten free, but to ensure there is no cross-contamination during processing and packaging, look for oats label ‘gluten free’.  Though, any rolled oat will work.  
  • Make sure to use rolled oatsInstant oats and steel cut oats don’t make an appealing tart crust texture – in my opinion.  Those oats are better served for making breakfast oatmeal!
  • Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight – To allow the coconut solids to separate from the liquid.  I provided a list of the brands of canned coconut milk I recommend above in the Ingredients Needed section.
  • Use non-stick mini tart pans – With removable bottoms and non-stick.  Non-stick so you don’t have to grease the pan and removable bottom so it is easier to take it out of the pan.  I have provided a (affiliate) link to the tart pans I use in the recipe.
  • Make it your own – Aside from baking the tart crust, this recipe is very versatile.  You can use any fruit you like; sweetener of choice; any whipped topping … you name it.  Put your own spin and taste preference on it!
Winter citrus and cream tart on a small plate

Common Questions For Making Small Batch Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

Can this recipe be doubled?

It certainly can! Typically, the mini tart pans come in larger sets, so if you wanted to make a couple extra, you should already have the pans!

I only have regular rolled oats. Will that work instead of the gluten free oats?

Oats are naturally gluten free. However, there may be cross contamination while processing and packaging. Look for gluten free labeled oats to ensure this is avoided. I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats. If you aren’t worried about gluten, feel free to use any oat you have on hand!

Do I have to use almond flour? Or will all-purpose or a gluten free 1:1 flour work instead?

Yes, either will work just fine.

Does the tart crust need to be baked?

I recommend baking to toast up the oatmeal and almond flour for a more appealing texture. Though you could certainly try the recipe without baking the crust. If you choose all-purpose flour or another flour that requires baking, then you should bake the crust.

Why do I have to refrigerate the can of coconut milk?

Refrigerating the coconut milk separates the coconut solids from the liquid. We use the coconut solids to make the whipped coconut cream. Otherwise, it will not whip to a cream.

Are these Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts desserts dairy free?

There is butter in the tart crust, so no the dessert is not dairy free. You could swap the butter for coconut oil if you want to make it dairy free.

Are these Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts desserts vegan?

There is butter and honey in the dessert, so no it is not a vegan dessert.

Can I make the glaze for the fruit without lime?

You can omit the lime in the glaze if you prefer. You can also substitute juice and zest from the oranges if you prefer!

Will the tarts work with other fruits besides citrus?

Yes! This is a highly versatile and easy dessert in that you can substitute in any fruit you like!

Close up of winter citrus cream tart

More Healthier Small Batch Dessert Recipes

Healthier fruit dessert on a plate

Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts

Yield: 2 4-Inch Mini Tarts
GF
These Mini Winter Citrus and Cream Oatmeal Tarts for two celebrate the sweet and tart fruits of the season.  Fresh pink grapefruit, white grapefruit and oranges are lightly sweetened with a honey lime glaze and set on a light whipped coconut cream.  A healthier dessert that is just as decadent!
Prep20 minutes
Cook12 minutes
Total32 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup segments of winter citrus, fresh or canned (pink grapefruit, white grapefruit, oranges)
  • 1 small lime (used in the Whipped Coconut Cream and Glaze)

Oatmeal Tart Crust

Whipped Coconut Cream

  • 1 can unsweetened canned coconut milk, full fat (refrigerated overnight)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or any sweetener; more or less to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice (optional; more or less to taste)

Citrus and Honey Lime Glaze

  • zest from half the lime
  • juice from half the lime
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • fresh mint (optional; to garnish)

Instructions

Oatmeal Tart Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and cut into the mix with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers – until a moist dough forms.
  • If you are using non-stick tart pans, do not grease the pans. If you are not using non-stick pans, lightly grease the pans. These are the pans I use.
  • Equally divide the dough between the two tart pans. Press the dough into the bottom of the pans and a little up the sides. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Note – Given the small size of the tart pans, I place the two tart pans on a small baking sheet to bake. This makes them easier to get in and out of the oven and avoids the pans falling through the grates of the oven rack.
  • Cool the crust completely in the tarts pans set on a wire cooling rack.

Whipped Coconut Cream

  • Refrigerate the unopened can of coconut milk overnight.
  • For best results, and cool, creamy whipped cream, place a small mixing bowl in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before you begin to make the whipped cream.
  • Open the can of coconut milk, being careful not to shake it! The coconut cream solids will be at the top of the can. Scoop out the coconut solids into your chilled mixing bowl.
  • Add the honey lime juice (if using). Using a hand held mixer, beat the mixture starting on low speed to break up the coconut milk solids. Then turn to high speed and beat until soft peaks form – about 3-5 minutes. Add additional honey and/or lime juice as needed to taste.
  • Note – You may have leftover whipped coconut cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Honey Lime Glaze

  • In a small bowl, add the honey, and zest and juice from half of the lime. Stir until combined. Note – you can use more or less honey and lime juice depending on how much flavor and total glaze you prefer.

Assemble the Tarts

  • Carefully removed the oatmeal crusts from the tart pans. Spoon as much Whipped Coconut Cream as you like into the cooled crusts. Topped with citrus fruit segments, and drizzle the Honey Lime Glaze over the fruit. Sprinkle with chopped mint (if using). Enjoy!
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RECIPE NOTES

  • Oats – Oats are naturally gluten free, but can be processed in plants that also process gluten products.  To ensure the oats have not been cross contaminated, look for ‘gluten free’ labeled oats.
  • Tart Pan Options – If you do not have mini tart pans, the oatmeal crust can be baked in a small pie, cake, or loaf pan.  Keeping in mind the small batch for the size of pan.  
  • Whipped Coconut Cream – The original Whipped Coconut Cream recipe is here.
  • Fruit Varieties – Use any type of fruit and as much or little as you like.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Erin Cernich
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
About the author photo.

about the author ...

I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!

I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch gluten free and traditional desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you!

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