Mini Caramel Apple Tarts with Puff Pastry
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Looking for the easiest, last-minute dinner party dessert? These mini caramel apple tarts are the answer. With puff pastry, spiced apple filling, brown sugar, and salted caramel sauce, they’re gorgeous, cozy, and come together in less than an hour!
In the least shocking news ever, I’ve managed to hack the classic apple tart. Obviously, I made plenty of traditional tarts when I was a student in pastry school. But sometimes, all we have is 30 minutes and the good sense to keep a sheet of puff pastry in the freezer.
If you don’t have time to whip up a batch of mini caramel apple cheesecakes, apple hand pies, or even mini apple crumbles, save those recipes for another time. With this recipe, you’ll have time to whip up dessert and touch up your mascara before friends show up.
And in case you need any extra convincing…
- This recipe has just 10 simple ingredients. Mostly pantry staples.
- The tartlets come together in less than 1 hour.
- Everyone loves a puff pastry dessert. This one is always a crowd-pleaser!
- Truly, this is the easiest last-minute dessert for parties & holidays.
Key ingredient – puff pastry!
I love a recipe shortcut, especially when it involves puff pastry. The puff pastry is essential in this recipe because it gives us those flaky layers with absolutely no extra work. All you have to do is remember to take the pastry out of the freezer about 30 minutes before you start baking!
You’ll also need baking apples, brown sugar (dark or light), melted butter, cornstarch, apple pie spice, cinnamon, a pinch of Morton’s Kosher salt, an egg, and caramel sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade caramel sauce. But usually, I use store-bought in this recipe to keep things quick and easy.
Use small baking apples
You’ll need small baking apples so that they fit nicely on the tartlets. You don’t want the apple slices overlapping the sides of the pastry! I like Honeycrisp, gala, Granny Smith, pink lady apples, or a mix of different kinds.
If you can’t find small apples, don’t stress. Just cut the slices in half and stagger them back-and-forth so they fit nicely on the pastries.
Puff pastry squares
- Start by rolling the puff pastry just to seal the seams together.
- Cut the puff pastry rectangle in half.
- Then, cut the halves into 6 equal rectangles.
- Using a sharp knife, score a 1/4-inch border around the puff pastry rectangles. Don’t cut all the way through!
- Then, use a fork to dock the centers of the pastries. Refrigerate the puff pastry for later.
Make the tartlets
- While the pastry is chilling, peel and core the apples.
- Cut the apples into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick.
- Next, add the apples, dark brown sugar, melted butter, cornstarch, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl.
- Mix everything together until the filling is well-combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the dough with the egg wash.
- Layer the apple slices on the pastries in a shingled pattern. Don’t be afraid to layer them tightly.
- Lastly, bake the tartlets at 400°F (204°C) for 18-20 minutes. Drizzle them with caramel sauce and enjoy!
The apples might release some of their juices in the oven. But don’t worry! You can gently pull any baked juices off of the crusts. They should just pop off.
Other toppings
Caramel sauce is absolutely amazing on these tartlets. But I also love serving them with a scoop of ice cream. Vanilla or butter pecan is my favorite! Or, top the tarts with a dollop of whipped cream, toasted walnuts or pecans, or butterscotch. So good.
A few tips
- Make sure to keep the puff pastry nice and chilled. We need to keep the fat cold to create those flaky layers!
- Fit as many apple slices on each dough square as possible. You want to make sure you get apple in each bite!
- Don’t be afraid to let the tarts bake for a good while. You want the puff pastry to be deep golden-brown (but not burnt).
- Try making this recipe with pears instead of apples. I like Bartlett, Bosc, or Anjou pears.
Refrigerate & freeze
These tartlets are best fresh but you can totally eat them later (as long as you reheat them the right way – more on this later). To store leftover tartlets, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Or, freeze them instead! Place the tarts on a sheet pan and freeze them until they’re solid, about 1-2 hours. Pop the frozen tartlets in a freezer bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 1 hour before reheating.
How to reheat
As long as you reheat the tartlets the right way, they’ll still taste amazing! You can use the oven or air fryer.
- Oven – bake at 300°F (150°F) in the lower half of the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is crisped up.
- Air fryer – reheat at 350°F (177°C) for 3-4 minutes until hot.
Servings
This recipe will make 12 tartlets. Feel free to double the recipe or make smaller tartlets for a bigger crowd. Or, halve the recipe for 6 servings.
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Mini Caramel Apple Tarts with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds puff pastry, thawed (490 grams/2 sheets)
- 1 1/2 pounds small baking apples (680 grams)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (76 grams)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (57 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (8 grams)
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 1 egg
- Salted caramel sauce, for drizzling (homemade or store-bought)
Equipment
- Parchment paper
Instructions
Puff Pastry Rectangles
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Gently roll both sheets of puff pastry just to seal the seams. Using a pizza cutter or sharp paring knife, cut each puff pastry square in half length-wise. Then, cut each strip of puff pastry into 3 equal rectangles width-wise so you have 12 puff pastry rectangles total. (Each rectangle will be about 4.5×3 inches).
- Use a paring knife to score a 1/4-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry rectangles. But don't cut all the way through! Then, use the tines of a fork to dock the puff pastry in the centers, avoiding the borders. Place the puff pastry rectangles on the prepared sheet pans about 2-inches apart. (They will puff up quite a bit.) Refrigerate the pastry while you make the filling.
Apple Filling & Baking
- Peel and core the apples. Then, cut the apples into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Spoon the apples into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dark brown sugar, melted butter, cornstarch, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are well-coated and the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Next, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water until smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush the puff pastry rectangles with egg wash.
- Layer slices of apples down the center of each puff pastry rectangle in a shingled pattern. Don't be afraid to pack the apples in there until you're all out of slices. If you have any leftover brown sugar-spice mixture in the bottom of the bowl, spoon it over the apples.
- Bake the tartlets for 18-20 minutes, until the apples are tender and the pastry is a deep golden-brown. Let the tartlets cool for a few minutes and then drizzle them with caramel sauce. Serve with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!
