This pretty Cherry White Chocolate Tart features a simple graham cracker crust filled with creamy white chocolate mousse and topped with a luscious cherry compote. The mousse is perfectly sweet and pairs beautifully with the bright, tart cherries, creating a delicious balance of flavors in every bite. Best of all, it’s a no-bake dessert, making it perfect for those days when you don’t feel like turning on the oven.

You might think that a dessert this pretty would be complicated to make, right? But, not this Cherry White Chocolate Tart! It is surprisingly easy to make! This no-bake tart takes less than an hour to put together and requires just three simple components: a crisp graham cracker crust, creamy white chocolate mousse, and homemade cherry compote. Once assembled, simply let the tart chill in the fridge until set.

The combination of textures and flavors makes this easy cherry white chocolate tart truly irresistible. The crunchy buttery graham cracker crust pairs perfectly with the silky, sweet white chocolate mousse and bright, tart cherry compote, creating a delicious balance of sweet and tangy flavors in every bite.

The next time you need an easy yet impressive dessert for a dinner party, special occasion, or gathering with family and friends, give this no-bake Cherry White Chocolate Tart a try. It looks stunning, tastes amazing, and is much easier to make than you might think!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

How to Store >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE TART

Cherry and white chocolate are a match made in heaven! The sweet, creamy white chocolate mousse pairs perfectly with the bright, tart cherries for a delicious balance of flavors.
So much flavor and texture! From the crisp graham cracker crust to the silky white chocolate mousse and juicy cherry compote, every bite is packed with delicious textures and flavors.
Use fresh or frozen cherries. You can make the cherry compote with either fresh or frozen cherries, so you can enjoy this cherry white chocolate tart all year round.
It’s a total showstopper! This beautiful no bake tart is an absolute eye-catcher and looks stunning on any dessert table. It’s the perfect dessert to impress your family and friends!
Surprisingly easy to make. Despite how elegant and impressive it looks, this cherry white chocolate tart is surprisingly simple to put together. Just make the three components, assemble the tart, and let the fridge do the rest!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

White Chocolate – White chocolate is the star of the mousse, so I recommend using good quality white chocolate made with cocoa butter rather than white baking morsels. This makes a big difference in the flavor and texture of your white chocolate mousse. I also recommend avoiding white chocolate chips, as they often contain stabilizers that can prevent the chocolate from melting smoothly and may result in a slightly grainy mousse.

Heavy Cream – Use heavy cream with 35%–40% milk fat for the best results. The higher fat content helps the cream whip into nice, stiff peaks, which is important for creating a light and stable white chocolate mousse.

Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter, simply omit the additional salt. There’s no need to bring the butter to room temperature since you’ll be melting it for the graham cracker crust.

Cherries – Fresh cherries are wonderful when they’re in season, but you can absolutely use pitted frozen cherries to make the cherry compote. Both fresh and frozen cherries work beautifully! White chocolate also pairs well with different varieties of cherries, including sour cherries, black cherries, and wild cherries.

Lemon – Fresh lemon juice adds a lovely brightness to the cherry compote and complements the natural tartness of the cherries. It also provides the extra liquid needed to cook the cherries without them sticking or burning.

Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar for both the graham cracker crust and the cherry compote. The amount of sugar helps balance the tartness of the cherries and the richness of the white chocolate.

Vanilla – A splash of pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the white chocolate mousse and adds a lovely layer of warmth.

Graham Cracker Crumbs – Graham cracker crumbs are the base of the crisp, buttery no-bake crust. You can buy pre-made crumbs or crush whole graham crackers yourself.

Gelatin – This recipe uses 2½ teaspoons of powdered gelatin to help the white chocolate mousse set and hold its shape. If you prefer to use gelatin sheets, you can substitute with 3 gelatin sheets.

Cornstarch – Just a little cornstarch is all you need to thicken the cherry compote and give it the perfect consistency for topping the tart.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

9.5 inch tart pan
Mixing bowls
Food processor
Saucepan
Rubber spatula

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THIS CHERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE TART

(Be sure to check the printable recipe card below)

Crust:

180g (1 + 1/2 cups) graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

white Chocolate Mousse:

2.5 teaspoons powdered gelatin
60g (1/4 cup) cold water
227g (8oz) white chocolate
480g (2 cups) heavy cream

Cheries:

450g (3 cups) halved pitted sweet cherries
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
66g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Fresh cherries, optional

STEP 1 – Make the Graham Cracker Crust

Using a food processor, pulse 12 graham crackers until finely crushed. You should have about 1½ cups (180g) of fine graham cracker crumbs.

Add the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, then pulse or mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened and everything is well combined.

Pour the mixture into a 9.5-inch tart pan. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, using the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to help create an even, compact crust. Place the crust in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.

STEP 2 – Make the Cherry Compote

Make sure your cherries are clean before you begin. Place the cherries in a large bowl of cold water, gently rub the skins with your fingers, then rinse them well in a colander under running water. Remove the pits using a cherry pitter, then cut the cherries in half.

If you’re using frozen cherries, let them thaw slightly until they’re soft enough to cut in half. There’s no need to thaw them completely.

Add the cherries, fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, and cornstarch to a large saucepan. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries have released their juices and the mixture has thickened into a syrupy compote.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the cherry compote to a clean glass jar or container. Let it cool completely to room temperature before using.

STEP 3 – Make the White Chocolate Mousse

Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the surface. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to bloom.

Meanwhile, pour ½ cup (120g) of the heavy cream into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved.

Place the chopped white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute or two. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

In a separate bowl, whip the remaining heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold about ½ cup of the whipped cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream until just combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the tart.

STEP 4 – Assemble the Tart

Pour the white chocolate mousse into the chilled graham cracker crust, reserving about ½ cup of mousse for decorating. Spread the mousse evenly over the crust, then refrigerate the tart for at least 3 hours, or until the mousse is fully set.

When you’re ready to serve, carefully remove the tart from the tart pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

Transfer the reserved white chocolate mousse to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. Pipe decorative swirls around the edge of the tart, then spoon the cherry compote over the top. Finish with fresh cherries for a beautiful presentation.

Slice, serve, and enjoy this creamy, dreamy Cherry White Chocolate Tart!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CHERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE TART

Use good-quality white chocolate. For the smoothest and most flavorful white chocolate mousse, choose white chocolate made with cocoa butter. Avoid white chocolate chips, which often contain stabilizers that can affect the texture and prevent the chocolate from melting smoothly.
Don’t skip blooming the gelatin. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over cold water and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using. This allows the gelatin to hydrate properly and helps prevent lumps in your mousse.
Let the white chocolate mixture cool. Before folding in the whipped cream, make sure the melted white chocolate mixture has cooled to room temperature. If it’s too warm, it can melt the whipped cream and leave you with a mousse that isn’t light and fluffy.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks. The heavy cream should be whipped until stiff peaks form. This gives the white chocolate mousse enough structure to hold its shape while keeping it light and creamy.
Fold gently. When combining the whipped cream with the white chocolate mixture, fold gently with a spatula rather than stirring vigorously. This helps preserve the air in the whipped cream and keeps the mousse light and fluffy.
Press the crust firmly. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to firmly pack the graham cracker crumbs into the tart pan. A well-packed crust will hold together better when you slice and serve the tart.
For clean slices, use a warm knife. Dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and slice the tart. Clean and re-warm the knife between cuts for neat, bakery-style slices.
Decorate just before serving. For the prettiest presentation, pipe the reserved white chocolate mousse and add the cherry compote and fresh cherries shortly before serving. This keeps the decorations looking fresh and vibrant.

HERE’S HOW TO STORE THIS CHERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE TART

Store any leftover Tart in the refrigerator. Cover the tart loosely with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

You can also freeze this tart, but the texture may change slightly after freezing, it can become a little denser or less airy than when freshly made. For the best results, freeze the tart without the cherry compote and fresh cherry topping.