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Pineapple tarts are a must for Chinese New Year. This is an easy and the best pineapple tarts recipe ever. Makes 30 crumbly and buttery pineapple tarts.
The Best Pineapple Tarts Recipe
Chinese New Year is one of the biggest festivities in Malaysia.
Pineapple tarts are a must-bake for the celebration of Chinese New Year in Malaysia and Singapore.
In Taiwan, pineapple shortcakes (凤梨酥) are popular but Taiwanese pineapple tarts recipe calls for shortening and milk powder.
They taste slightly different but equally delicious.
My absolute favorite is Malaysian pineapple tarts. They are so tasty, addictive, buttery and melt-in-the-mouth.
I have a few favorite recipes, but I always come back to this recipe that I have learned from Fresh from the Oven.
Pineapple Tarts Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Egg yolks
- Condensed milk
- Sliced pineapples
- Sugar
- Cloves
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Make Pineapple Tarts
Step 1. If you are using canned pineapple slices, drain them and squeeze out any excess water or juice by hand. Blend the canned pineapple until mushy, about 10 seconds. If you are using fresh pineapple, remove the skin, cut it into pieces, and blend for 10 seconds.
Step 2. Transfer the blended pineapple to a deep non-stick pan. Add sugar and cloves, and stir well. Cook over medium to low heat until most of the liquid evaporates and the pineapple jam turns golden. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent burning. Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar if needed. Remove and discard the cloves, then let the jam cool in the fridge.
Step 3. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar into a large bowl or container. Soften the butter to room temperature. Combine the flour mixture, butter, and egg yolks, and knead until a dough forms. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands. If the dough is too crumbly or dry, add a little more butter (about 1 tablespoon) until it becomes easy to work with.
Step 4. Divide the dough and pineapple jam (filling) into 30 equal portions each. Flatten the pastry dough with your palms, place the pineapple filling in the center, and use the dough to cover the filling. Roll it up with your palms to form a shape about 1 1/2 inches (3.5 cm) long.
Step 5. Use a small paring knife to create criss-cross patterns on the tart, then brush it with egg wash using a small pastry brush. Place the pineapple tarts on a tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
Step 6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown.
Baking Tips
- Use a good quality butter. I use Challenge brand unsalted butter.
- For the best results, please use fresh pineapples as the ingredient for the pineapple jam filling.
- Canned sliced pineapples in syrup is a good substitute and deliver satisfying results.
- If the dough is too dry and hard to work with, please add a little bit more butter to the dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place them in an airtight glass or plastic containers at room temperature. You can store them in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
No, I don’t recommend freezing in the refrigerator.
You can make pineapple jam filling in advance and freeze in the refrigerator for up to a week.
When you are ready to bake, just thaw the pineapple jam to room temperature and use it as the filling.
This recipe makes 30 pineapple tarts and each tart is 137 calories.
Other Chinese New Year Baking Recipes
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Pineapple Tarts
Ingredients
Pastry
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar , or icing sugar or powdered sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten for egg wash
- 1/2 tbsp condensed milk
Pineapple Jam (Filling)
- 30 oz (850g) sliced pineapples
- 10 tablespoons sugar, more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon cloves, optional
Instructions
- If you are using canned pineapple slices, drain them and squeeze out any excess water or juice by hand. Blend the canned pineapple until mushy, about 10 seconds. If you are using fresh pineapple, remove the skin, cut it into pieces, and blend for 10 seconds.
- Transfer the blended pineapple to a deep non-stick pan. Add sugar and cloves, and stir well. Cook over medium to low heat until most of the liquid evaporates and the pineapple jam turns golden. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent burning. Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar if needed. Remove and discard the cloves, then let the jam cool in the fridge.
- Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar into a large bowl or container. Soften the butter to room temperature. Combine the flour mixture, butter, and egg yolks, and knead until a dough forms. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands. If the dough is too crumbly or dry, add a little more butter (about 1 tablespoon) until it becomes easy to work with.
- Divide the dough and pineapple jam (filling) into 30 equal portions each. Flatten the pastry dough with your palms, place the pineapple filling in the center, and use the dough to cover the filling. Roll it up with your palms to form a shape about 1 1/2 inches (3.5 cm) long.
- Use a small paring knife to create criss-cross patterns on the tart, then brush it with egg wash using a small pastry brush. Place the pineapple tarts on a tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Bee,
Thanks soooo much for the recipe of this beloved childhood treat. I am also a Malaysian residing in Honolulu where fresh dole pineapples are grown. It only makes perfect sense to make these here. I also loved how you indicated 2 ‘sticks’ of butter– I had to read it twice! Anyway, my question is how long do you chill the pineapple jam for, before you start filling them into the pastry? Right now they are sitting in the fridge, and I am just about to shape the dough into rounds! Very excited to see how they turn out.
Good luck! Let me know how they turn out.
I made them as desserts for thanksgiving lunch and they were snatched up really quickly. The only improvement I would make is for the pineapple jam to chill for more than 1 hour. Yesterday I could not form them into small balls, so they smeared a little when I was filling them in. Otherwise, it is a fantastic recipe. Making more this weekend.
Pineapple tarts absolutely loved the recipe)
i love the pineapple tarts. thank u for the recipe
Hi Bee,
My husband and I thank you so much for this ‘fool’s proof’ recipe..I am not good in baking but the tarts tasted fantastic (what a pleasant surprise ^^) Please keep your good work coming. Thanks again:D
Omg, I hv truly died and gone to the Heaven of Tarts! I followed your recipe and instructions to the “t” – The pastry is buttery and crumbly with a soft sweet pineapple centre. The best baking I hv done and Bee, your recipe was spot on. Thank you for bringing a little bit of Malaysia into my kitchen. Now I don’t hv to buy the commercial ones anymore. You r a genius and I am a happy bunny!
Thanks Sandie, this is an excellent recipe much better than anything you can get outside. ;)
Made these tarts and were heavily praised by my parents who are from Taiwan and enjoy the Taiwanese version. I’ve read that some have frozen theirs. (1)When you take it out do you just let it defrost and then enjoy? (2)if I was to make a big batch and freeze them unbaked, when I’m ready do you recommend that I just stick it in the oven or wait till it defrosts then bake? Thanks in advance.
Not sure about frozen tarts. You should defrost and then bake.
Kong Hee Fatt Choy Bee, thanks for all your amazing recipes. Instead of shaping the tarts as per your recipe, if I shape it like a cookie and put the filling on top, how long do I put in into the oven for? Should I still brush it with egg wash? Thanks!
Not need egg wash and bake until cookie is cooked through. Maybe 15 minutes
Bee, I just want to thank you for all the wonderful, delicious, easy recipes. Living in the US, I’ve missed all the local S’porean n M’sian food. So I have to learn to cook n bake from scratch to satisfy some of these cravings. I just baked the pineapple tarts and these “virgin” tarts are delicious. Thank you, Thank you!
Wendy, I am so happy that you love the pineapple tarts. Happy cooking and baking. :)
Hello! Just a quick question about the pineapple filling – should the core be removed? I’m worried that it might be too fibrous. Thanks!
No I didn’t remove, you want a little texture.
I have friends coming over to celebrate Chinese New Year and wanted to try these cookies. My first attempt was ok. Not easy to shape. My dough was a little dry and I think I should have added a little water or more butter. I might have over cooked the cookies a little too. They were a bit dry and because they were so small I couldn’t fill them with much pineapple. I think these would be tasty if I could add more filling. I know practice makes perfect though :) Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yes, if your dough is dry then add 1 tablespoon more butter until they are easier to shape and don’t stick to your hand. You bake when the egg wash topping turns light brown. The cookies should be “white” or slightly brown and not overly brown. Yes practice makes perfect.