Utah Shakespeare Festival–Style Raspberry Cream Cheese Tarts
Makes about 12 square tarts
Pastry Dough (Sturdy, Slightly Sweet)
This is firmer than pie crust so it holds its shape.
Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
2–3 tbsp ice water
Instructions
- Whisk flour, sugar, salt.
- Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Beat egg with 2 tbsp ice water; mix in just until dough comes together.
- Add extra water only if needed.
- Divide into two disks, wrap, chill 45–60 minutes.
Cream Cheese Filling (Festival Style)
Not cheesecake — lighter and smoother.
8 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp lemon zest (optional but brightens it)
Beat until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
Raspberry Topping
You want it thick enough that it doesn’t run.
Option 1 (Most Authentic Texture)
- 1 cup raspberry preserves (seeded or seedless)
That’s it — they often use a thick jam-like topping.
Option 2 (Fresh Raspberry Version)
- 1½ cups raspberries
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened. Cool before using.
Assembly (Key Step)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roll dough to about ⅛–¼ inch thick.
- Cut into 4–5 inch squares.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add:
- 1–2 tbsp cream cheese filling in center
- 1 spoonful raspberry topping on top
- Fold all four corners inward toward the center (they may overlap slightly).
- Gently press corners so they stick.
Optional:
- Brush corners with egg wash.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake
Bake 18–22 minutes until:
- Corners are golden
- Bottom is lightly browned
- Filling is set
Cool 10–15 minutes.
Optional Finish (Very Festival-Like)
- Light dusting of powdered sugar
OR - Thin glaze: mix ½ cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tsp milk and drizzle lightly
Flavor Notes to Match the Real Thing
- Don’t overload with raspberry — cream cheese should still be noticeable.
- The pastry should be firm enough to hold in your hand.
- They’re best slightly warm or room temperature.
If you'd like, I can also give you the version scaled to a big batch (24–36 tarts) like they would make at the Festival.
how do they make the thick jam-like topping
Great question — that thick, glossy raspberry topping is almost certainly made like a bakery-style quick jam, not just straight preserves from a jar.
To get that Festival-style thick, holds-its-shape, doesn’t run everywhere texture, you want one of these two methods:
Method 1: Cornstarch-Thickened Raspberry Topping (Most Likely)
This gives you that smooth, shiny, stable topping that bakes beautifully.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat until berries break down (3–5 minutes).
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch + water to make a slurry.
- Stir slurry into the raspberries.
- Cook 1–2 more minutes until very thick and glossy.
- Cool completely before using.
It should be:
- Thick like pie filling
- Not watery
- Able to sit in a spoon without running
This is ideal for tarts because it stays put when baked.
Method 2: Reduced Preserve Method (Very Close to Bakery Shortcut)
If you want something extremely close to what a high-volume kitchen might do:
- Start with high-quality raspberry preserves.
- Put 1½ cups in a saucepan.
- Simmer gently 5–7 minutes to reduce slightly.
- If needed, whisk in ½–1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry.
- Cool before using.
This gives that intense raspberry flavor + thicker consistency.
How Thick Should It Be?
When you drag a spoon across the pan:
- It
Utah Shakespeare Festival–Style Raspberry Cream Cheese Tarts
Makes about 12 square tarts
Pastry Dough (Sturdy, Slightly Sweet)
This is firmer than pie crust so it holds its shape.
Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
2–3 tbsp ice water
Instructions
- Whisk flour, sugar, salt.
- Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Beat egg with 2 tbsp ice water; mix in just until dough comes together.
- Add extra water only if needed.
- Divide into two disks, wrap, chill 45–60 minutes.
Cream Cheese Filling (Festival Style)
Not cheesecake — lighter and smoother.
8 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp lemon zest (optional but brightens it)
Beat until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
Raspberry Topping
You want it thick enough that it doesn’t run.
Option 1 (Most Authentic Texture)
- 1 cup raspberry preserves (seeded or seedless)
That’s it — they often use a thick jam-like topping.
Option 2 (Fresh Raspberry Version)
- 1½ cups raspberries
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened. Cool before using.
Assembly (Key Step)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roll dough to about ⅛–¼ inch thick.
- Cut into 4–5 inch squares.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add:
- 1–2 tbsp cream cheese filling in center
- 1 spoonful raspberry topping on top
- Fold all four corners inward toward the center (they may overlap slightly).
- Gently press corners so they stick.
Optional:
- Brush corners with egg wash.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake
Bake 18–22 minutes until:
- Corners are golden
- Bottom is lightly browned
- Filling is set
Cool 10–15 minutes.
Optional Finish (Very Festival-Like)
- Light dusting of powdered sugar
OR - Thin glaze: mix ½ cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tsp milk and drizzle lightly
Flavor Notes to Match the Real Thing
- Don’t overload with raspberry — cream cheese should still be noticeable.
- The pastry should be firm enough to hold in your hand.
- They’re best slightly warm or room temperature.
If you'd like, I can also give you the version scaled to a big batch (24–36 tarts) like they would make at the Festival.
how do they make the thick jam-like topping
Great question — that thick, glossy raspberry topping is almost certainly made like a bakery-style quick jam, not just straight preserves from a jar.
To get that Festival-style thick, holds-its-shape, doesn’t run everywhere texture, you want one of these two methods:
Method 1: Cornstarch-Thickened Raspberry Topping (Most Likely)
This gives you that smooth, shiny, stable topping that bakes beautifully.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat until berries break down (3–5 minutes).
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch + water to make a slurry.
- Stir slurry into the raspberries.
- Cook 1–2 more minutes until very thick and glossy.
- Cool completely before using.
It should be:
- Thick like pie filling
- Not watery
- Able to sit in a spoon without running
This is ideal for tarts because it stays put when baked.
Method 2: Reduced Preserve Method (Very Close to Bakery Shortcut)
If you want something extremely close to what a high-volume kitchen might do:
- Start with high-quality raspberry preserves.
- Put 1½ cups in a saucepan.
- Simmer gently 5–7 minutes to reduce slightly.
- If needed, whisk in ½–1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry.
- Cool before using.
This gives that intense raspberry flavor + thicker consistency.
How Thick Should It Be?
When you drag a spoon across the pan:
- It should leave a trail for a second before closing.
- It should mound slightly on a spoon.
- It should NOT drip thinly.
If it’s too thin → cook 1–2 minutes longer.
If too thick → add 1 teaspoon water at a time.Pro Tip for That Festival Texture
After it cools:
- Stir it smooth.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon over cream cheese.
- Don’t spread to edges — it thickens more while baking.
If you'd like, I can also show you how to make it ultra-smooth (no seeds, glossy like commercial bakeries) — which is probably closest to the exact Festival look.
leave a trail for a second before closing. - Whisk flour, sugar, salt.
- It should mound slightly on a spoon.
- It should NOT drip thinly.
If it’s too thin → cook 1–2 minutes longer.
If too thick → add 1 teaspoon water at a time.
Pro Tip for That Festival Texture
After it cools:
- Stir it smooth.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon over cream cheese.
- Don’t spread to edges — it thickens more while baking.
If you'd like, I can also show you how to make it ultra-smooth (no seeds, glossy like commercial bakeries) — which is probably closest to the exact Festival look.
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