This Berry Puff Pastry Tart is the perfect 4th of July or Memorial Day dessert! It is so easy to make, especially when using frozen puff pastry dough.

You’ll love the cheesecake filling, which is similar to our Cream Cheese Danish, but even easier. Top this with fresh strawberries and blueberries for an easy patriotic flag cake.

Berry Puff Pastry Tart with Flag Pattern

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Happy Fourth of July!

Independence Day is America’s birthday and this special day is also my husband’s birthday. Patriotic, 4th of July themed desserts are super fun to make. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out our No-Bake Patriotic Trifle with star-shaped berries on top, and don’t forget the Strawberry Lemonade!

Puff Pastry is the Easiest Tart Crust:

We love fruit tarts and this puff pastry tart couldn’t be easier! We used a frozen sheet of puff pastry, thawed to room temperature, and scored the edges to create a border. The crispy flaky layers of pastry with the cream cheese center and tangy fruit remind me of our Peach Cream Cheese Danish.

Ingredients for puff pastry berry tart

What’s the Best Fruit for Tarts?

You can use a variety of fruits to make a fruit tart so you can customize this for just about any holiday – from Valentine’s Day to Thanksgiving. Our favorite fruits for tarts are:

  • Berries – any kind (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
  • Stone fruit – peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, cherries
  • Kiwi – for a fun pop of green color
  • Mango – try topping it like we did Mango Cake
  • Citrus – clementine sections

Berries on tart

How to Make this Patriotic Dessert:

1. Make the Crust: Thaw puff pastry and roll into a 10×12” rectangle and score a 1/2″ border with a pizza cutter. Poke holes all over the center with a fork. Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes then remove and cool.

step by step how to prepare puff pastry for tart

2. Cheesecake Filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla for 2 minutes or until smooth and whipped.

3. Flag Cake Design: Arrange blueberries for the stars and raspberries for the stripes. We are missing a stripe only because we ran out of space.

Making the cheesecake filling and arranging berries on fruit tart

Can I Make this Tart Ahead?

We love how crisp and flaky the crust on the day it is made. This danish keeps well if using fresh (un-cut fruit) so you can make it a day ahead. After about a day, the berries will start to soften.

You can also make the crust and fill with cream cheese and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days then top with berries before serving.

Assembled patriotic flag tart

More Puff Pastry Desserts:

Using a pre-made dough is an easy shortcut for desserts. We always have some frozen puff pastry on hand to make our favorite puff pastry desserts.

Berry Puff Pastry Tart (Patriotic Dessert)

5 from 11 votes
Berry Puff Pastry Tart with Flag Pattern
This Berry Puff Pastry Tart is the perfect patriotic flag dessert! It is so easy to make, especially when using frozen puff pastry dough. You'll love the cheesecake filling making it a cheesecake tart.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 people
  • 8 1/2 oz puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package instructions
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup blueberries
  • 2 cups raspberries

Instructions

  • While puff pastry thaws, preheat oven to 400˚F. Place thawed puff pastry sheet over a lightly floured sheet of parchment or silpat and roll dough into a 10x12” rectangle.
  • Transfer the dough and parchment paper to a baking sheet. Score the dough 1/2" from the borders with a pizza cutter or a knife, making sure not to cut all the way through. The 1/2" strips should still be attached and when baked, it will create a border.
  • Using a fork, poke all around the bottom of the pastry (do not poke the 1/2" border). Bake in the center of a preheated oven at 400˚F for about 20 minutes or until browned then remove and cool to room temperature.
  • Beat cream cheese with 2/3 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth and whipped (2 minutes on high speed). Spoon over the center of the cooled pastry and spread evenly (keep the border clean for a pretty presentation).
  • Arrange berries over the top in a flag pattern and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Berries will keep well up to a day in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Per Serving

315kcal Calories30g Carbs4g Protein20g Fat8g Saturated Fat29mg Cholesterol145mg Sodium104mg Potassium3g Fiber13g Sugar358IU Vitamin A9mg Vitamin C34mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Berry Puff Pastry Tart (Patriotic Dessert)
Amount per Serving
Calories
315
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
20
g
31
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Cholesterol
 
29
mg
10
%
Sodium
 
145
mg
6
%
Potassium
 
104
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
30
g
10
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
13
g
14
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
358
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
 
34
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fourth of july dessert, puff pastry tart
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 315
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

5 from 11 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Deanna
    July 4, 2023

    I made this recipe this morning. It was unbelievably how quickly it was done. I washed my berries and made my cream cheese topping as the puff pastry baked. Once the pastry was out of the oven it cooled quickly. It was fun for my kids to spread the topping and add the berries in the US Flag. It was a huge crowd pleaser and did not get soggy or runny at all. I will definitely use this recipe again and use other berries and fruit for a refreshing summer tart. I highly recommend this recipe! Thank you for helping me make a hit for the 4th of July family gathering!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 4, 2023

      Hi Deanna! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.

      Reply

  • Hilda
    June 29, 2022

    Can you layer lemon curd below the cream cheese layer? Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 29, 2022

      Hi Hilda, I haven’t tested that to advise on the outcome. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • Shannel
    June 21, 2022

    LOVE your recipes!!! Two questions:

    1) Can I substitute mascarpone cheese for the cream cheese?

    2) If I wanted the “cheese” filling to be lemon-flavored, how could I achieve that?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 21, 2022

      Hi Shannel. I have not tested this to advise. Cream cheese is often used in place of Mascarpone when not available so I think it could work but I am not sure if you will need to adjust any of the other ingredient quantities. It’s definitely worth experimenting with. Please let us know how it turns out. For lemon flavor, adding fresh lemon zest and/or lemon extract would do the trick.

      Reply

  • Irina
    June 30, 2021

    I was in a pinch yesterday as I had people come over for wine and cheese, so decided to make this. It came out so good and was so easy to make. It’s delicious, very light, and so perfect for the summer!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 30, 2021

      That is fantastic! Great to hear that the recipe was a hit, thank you for your review, Irina.

      Reply

  • Laura Reese
    July 6, 2020

    The puff pastry made this so simple to make! The berries and frosting really are delicious.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2020

      Isn’t it so great! I love how easy and tasty this recipe is!

      Reply

  • wendy prayag-helene
    July 6, 2020

    Hi Natasha i did a 4th july theme here in London last saturday and this came out super great and my friends were well impressed !! thanks for all the great recipe/ideas

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 6, 2020

      So wonderful to know that, Wendy! Thanks for giving this recipe a try.

      Reply

  • Sona
    July 3, 2020

    Hi Natasha, love your recipes!

    I just have pie crust. Is there much difference in the textures? Can I use the pie crust instead or would it not come out right?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 3, 2020

      Hi Sona, I think that could work with a pre-baked pie crust. Let me know if you experiment!

      Reply

  • Stephanie
    July 1, 2020

    So festive but sooo delicious! The cream cheese frosting with the berries was incredible!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 1, 2020

      Super! I’m so glad you loved this recipe and thanks for your great review, Stephanie.

      Reply

  • Beth
    July 1, 2020

    That looks party worthy. I am going to make it for my family for the holiday! I can’t wait!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 1, 2020

      I hope you love it!

      Reply

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