Easy, No-Bake Valentine’s Tarts

It is not a big secret that I love my family, but it is also not a big secret thar I’m still working on my baking skills. You may be in my same boat, my fellow star baker in the making, or maybe Valentine’s Day just completely slipped your mind this year. Whatever the case may be, these super easy no bake valentine’s day tarts will save you time and stress during the season that is supposed to be about love.

My Inspiration

Nothing says I love you more than a homemade baked good made with love. Store bought confectionary goods just doesn’t hit the same. Since, I’m not an expert baker, yet, I tend to gravitate toward recipes that well.. don’t require baking! I still love being in the kitchen to experiment, but now that food is so expensive these days, I have to mindful of my food waste.

One day daughter was taking her daily contact nap on me, so I decided to read a magazine that came in the mail. Towards the end of the September 2024 issue of American Military Family Magazine, I saw the recipe that inspired me to make this one. I made the original version and they turned out so good. Then, I decided to make a Valentine’s day version.

When you’re working on improving any skill in your life, practice makes perfect. I also know that educating yourself on said skill helps as well. Let’s explore the science behind why this no-bake recipe works it’s magic.

Why This Recipe Works

The Science

No-bake tart recipes typically will include melted butter with some kind of cookie or cracker crumbs. Since it is wet, the butter is able to soak and combine with those crumbs and form a solution. Once the butter is chilled, it solidifies and molds into a crust. That is the beauty of a no bake crust/tart.

When making normal crusts, you have to use precisely measured ingredients. The dough has to be the right consistency. You can’t be overwork the dough or too much gluten will form and it’ll be chewy. Even the room’s temperature can affect a crust’s final form! That is a lot to deal with when you’re new to baking. This is exactly why I took the easy way out and you can too, no matter the baking experience or age.

For All Ages

Because this recipe requires no oven, you can outsource some help from even your youngest family members. You don’t have to worry about them burning their finger because they require no oven to form, you just pop them in the freezer. They can freely decorate their own tart and bond with you at the same time. That’s what the season of love is all about anyway, right?

The original recipe from the magazine indicates that this is a back to school recipe. I can definitely see why. This is something you can prepare the night before and have the kids eat before school. You can even switch up the ingredients. Speaking of ingredients, one ingredient, the graham cracker has quite an interesting history.

History of the Graham Cracker

The graham cracker was inspired by a gentleman named Sylvester Graham. He was a preacher during the 19th centaury temperance movement. Graham introduced the world’s first graham wafer product to his followers; a dull, unshifted flour biscuit that he baked himself. These wafers were a key dish for his followers, the Grahamites, who formed one of the first vegetarian movements in America.

The National Biscuit Company was the first to mass produce the Graham Cracker in 1898. The main ingredients in the earlier versions of the cracker were graham flour, oil, shortening or lard, molasses and salt. Today, they are often flavored with honey and cinnamon. As you can see, many of these ingredients are obviously clash with the original recipe’s purpose.

However, the National Biscuit Company must have had some foresight into the future versatility of the cracker. Today, Graham crackers can be enjoyed by itself as a snack or as a main ingredient in pastry pies. While graham crackers are an important ingredient for these Valentine’s day tarts, they are definitely not the only one!

Ingredients

As seen in the recipe card below, these tarts contain the following simple ingredients:

• Graham Crackers – They’re stocked in virtually any store from convenience stores to grocery stores. If available, you can even buy the chocolate or strawberry flavors to customize this recipe.
• Margarine – This adds flavor and improves mouthfeel. Feel free to substitute with butter.
• Greek Yogurt – Unlike plain yogurt, Greek yogurt contains more protein and is thicker. Protein keeps you full longer, so these tarts can serve as a nutritious treat or a dessert to keep you full at night.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract would work the best for optimum flavor. However, if you only have imitation vanilla extract, they will taste just as good.
• Honey or Maple Syrup – Please do not skip this ingredient if you add vanilla. Vanilla adds flavor, but is naturally bitter by itself, so it needs to be paired with a sweetener.
• Strawberries – What’s a Valentine’s Day without strawberries in the picture? They’re usually very plentiful around this time of year in stores. However, if you’ve decided to make this recipe at the absolute last minute that everyone took them all, maraschino cherries will be a good substitute.

As mentioned above this recipe is very customizable. Get creative and let your imagination be your guide while sticking to the basics.

Valentine’s Tart Recipe

View the recipe card below for detailed quantities and ingredients!

I know I joked around a lot about my baking skills in the post. However, by this time next year, I want to be able to post a recipe that requires you and I to bake. You all are my accountability partners, so hold me to my word. Don’t let me disappoint us!

In the meantime, were you able to make this last minute recipe this Valentine’s Day? What are your plans? Do you have a Valentine, are you hanging with your girls, or are you riding solo? Let me know down in the comments down below!