Christmas Santa Hat Strawberry Tarts

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy .

These little guys are honestly the cutest . I mean, how can you not smile at a strawberry wearing a whipped cream hat.

They look like something an elf would bake at the North Pole. And the best part is they taste just as good as they look.

The crust is buttery and crumbly like shortbread, the filling is creamy and sweet, and the strawberries on top give it that fresh juicy bite so it never feels too heavy.

I love making these after a big Christmas dinner when nobody wants a giant slice of cake but everyone still wants something.

Ingredients

For the crust

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cold water

For the filling and topping

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 to 16 fresh strawberries, hulled

Why I Like These Ingredients

The flour and powdered sugar make the crust crisp but still soft when you bite into it. Cold butter is what makes it melt in your mouth.

The egg yolk holds it together so it is not a crumbly mess.

Cream cheese gives that tangy cheesecake vibe and the vanilla just makes everything taste like Christmas.

Strawberries are the star of the show though. If you can find firm bright red ones, grab those. They are the hat and the whole personality of the tart.

How I Make Them

I start with the crust. I toss the flour, powdered sugar, and butter into a food processor and pulse until it looks like sandy crumbs.

If I am feeling lazy I even use my fingers and squish the butter in. Then I add the egg yolk and a splash of cold water until it comes together.

I smoosh it into a disc, wrap it, and let it chill in the fridge. I know chilling is boring but it keeps the crust from shrinking.

Once it is cold, I roll it out and cut circles with a cookie cutter.

I press them into a mini muffin tin and poke little holes with a fork so they don’t puff up like balloons.

Into the oven they go at 375 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes. I watch them because I always burn one.

While they cool, I whip the filling. Cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until it is smooth. I spoon it into the cooled crusts.

Then I take the strawberries, trim the bottoms if they are wobbly, and stick one on each tart like a little hat.

For the whipped cream, I beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until it stands up on the whisk.

I pop it into a piping bag with a star tip if I feel fancy, or I just spoon it on if I am tired.

I pipe a ring around the base of each strawberry and a little dot on top so it looks like Santa’s fluffy trim. This part is weirdly satisfying.

I chill them for like 15 minutes so everything sets. Then I try not to eat three before anyone sees them.

How I Serve Them

I throw them on a white platter and dust some powdered sugar over the whole thing so it looks like it just snowed.

Kids lose their minds over these. Grown ups pretend they are eating them for the “fresh fruit” which is hilarious. I like them with hot cocoa or something sparkly.

Leftovers

They stay good in the fridge for two or three days but the whipped cream starts to get soft after a while.

If I serve leftovers I usually add fresh cream on top. I do not freeze them because strawberries get all weird and watery.

My Tips

Chill the dough even if you are impatient. Use firm strawberries so they stand straight. Pipe slowly so the cream looks fluffy not sloppy.

And do not overbake the crusts because once they go too brown the magic is gone.

I sometimes make the crusts and filling the night before and just assemble right before people arrive so the strawberries stay fresh.