Puff Pastry Fried Apple Tarts are the perfect little treat. Tender slices of sautéed apples with just the right amount of sweetness, laced with cinnamon and sugar, all in a flaky puff pastry shell.
Southern-fried apples are the perfect comfort food. A wonderful blend of sweet and savoury. The perfect filling for these tarts. These remind me of mini apple pies.
This apple puff pastry dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving brunch or dinner.
Puff pastry is so easy to work with. While you are at it, give these pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls a try too. The perfect afternoon treat or dessert. Or how about apple puff pastry roses? An elegant dessert for any special occasion.
I know Fall is here. Bring on all the apple and pumpkin recipes. Have you tried Smoked Grilled Apples? Such a cool dessert. How about an easy apple pudding recipe?
Need the perfect fruit topping for pancakes, waffles, and more. Check out this spiced apple compote recipe.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these easy homemade fried apple tarts can be found at the bottom of this post.
Nothing beats fresh apples in season. My mind keeps telling me to make muffins, coffee cakes, dumplings, pies. Oh yeah, my husband keeps telling me to make apple crisp…like over and over and over again. He probably thinks I don’t hear him. I do, but right now I am choosing to ignore him.
My grandkids are begging for Apple Muffins with Toffee Topping. If you LOVE toffee apples, these will be a sure hit in your house too.
If you love scones, this recipe for apple cranberry scones is calling your name. Pair it with a latte for a delicious fall treat.
Frying apples is such a great way to prepare them. You can use them in so many delicious ways. They make the perfect apple filling. Use them as a topping in pancakes, waffles, and ice cream too.
Let me tell you, these are better than Cracker Barrel skillet-fried apples.
Puff Pastry Apple Tarts Ingredients
Super easy to find ingredients. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- frozen puff pastry
- fresh apples
- butter
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
The flavours of fall are my favourite of all. In fact, I even created a Fall Flavours Apple Salad. Perfect for lunch, or a side dish especially with pork or chicken. Apple Stuffed Squash is a meal all on its own.
Don’t you just love the aroma of apple desserts? The wonderful pairing of cinnamon and apples is magical.
With this fried apple dessert you get a double dose of aroma goodness. Once as you fry the apples, and second when you bake the tarts. By the time I am done, not only will my husband smell these as he walks in the door, but so will the neighbours since the windows are open. I might get some people wanting to come over for coffee.
Making Fried Apple Tarts
Have you ever made fried apples? So easy and delicious. Think of the filling in those famous fried apple pies!
This pan-fried apple pie filling is great as a topping on yogurt, ice cream or oatmeal. They are the base of my delicious dutch baby pancakes. Perfectly paired with pork!
- First, the filling, cooking the apples.
- Peel and slice apples
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet
- Add butter, sugar, and spices, and allow to melt
- Add apples and cook until softened
See, I told you it was easy. I don’t like my fried apples mushy, so I make my slices on the thick side. You can adjust the thickness as well as the cooking time. There really isn’t a wrong way.
2. Next, the pastry crust.
- Roll out the puff pastry
- Using a large round cookie cutter, cut out circles
- Place the dough into greased muffin tin
- You can make some cool little cutouts for decoration if you wish.
3. Fill and bake.
- Fill the tart shells with the fried apple filling
- Top with a cute cutout (this is totally optional)
- Bake for about 20 minutes (see the recipe card for complete instructions)
- ENJOY
For the pastry part of this apple recipe, I used store-bought puff pastry. I think it is like using play-doh in the kitchen. If you are really ambitious, my friend Veena has a great recipe for homemade puff pastry.
Apples are such a great ingredient to work with. You can use them in sweet and savory applications. And let’s not forget they are PERFECTLY delicious all on their own.
Fig Muffins and Cottage Cheese Smoothie are just a few of the apple recipes we enjoy.
Best Apples For Making Tarts And Pies
Depending on where you are located, there are LOTS of great options to choose from.
When cooking apples in recipes I prefer apples that stay firm and keep their structure. Unless of course, you are making applesauce.
Ontario has some wonderful apple varieties.
For this apple tarts recipe, I used Cortland my FAVOURITE of all. You could also use:
- Crispin
- Empire
- Idared
- Jonagold
- Northern Spy
- Russet
- Spartan
- Honeycrisp (my second favourite)
Check out your local grocery store for apple varieties from other regions.
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady
- Jazz
- Braeburn
- Winesap
- Mutsu
FAQ
If you cannot find puff pastry in the freezer section of the grocery store, you can use refrigerated croissant dough. It will puff up when baked.
No you do not. Just place the dough in the muffin tin, fill and bake.
No it is not. Phyllo dough is thin, and bakes up very crisp. Not the rich airy texture of puff pasty.
Apples will last in the freezer for 3-6 months. They may soften a little more. Reheat after thawing.
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Fried Apple Tarts with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
For the Shells:
- 1 package of puff pastry (thawed)
For the Apples:
- 4 apples (peeled and sliced)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
To make the Fried Apples:
- Over medium heat melt butter in a heavy bottomed skillet.
- Add the sugar and spices.
- Let the sugar melt.
- Add the apple slices, stir to coat well.
- Cook for approx. 12 minutes.
- Apples should be soft but not mushy.
- Set aside to cool.
To make the Tarts:
- Preheat oven to 375º F.
- Prepare a tart/muffin pan (I used a 12 cup size pan).
- Slightly roll thawed puff pastry.
- Using a round cutter, cut out discs of dough.
- Place each disc in the pan.
- Evenly divide cooled apples among the shells.
- Top each tart with cutout (optional).
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool in pan.
- Carefully remove tarts from pan, and place on a cooling rack.
- ENJOY!!
Caitlyn Erhardt
This looks so yummy! The perfect Fall dessert recipe! I am very ready for all things pumpkin and apple!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I do LOVE all the Fall desserts too. Hope you try these tarts.
penelopi
I loved those! Were absolutely delicious!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you loved these fried apple tarts…we do too.
Courtney | Love & Good Stuff
These were great! Tasty, easy to make and loved by all!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for swinging back to let me know. So glad you liked them.
Cheryl Bowers
These came out excellent!! Everyone absolutely loved them!! I topped them with chopped nuts, caramel and whipped cream. They are great individual desserts! I will be making them again and quite often. Thank you for the recipe!!
Homemade & Yummy
I am so happy they turned out great…and they are perfect little bites for sure.
Nicole
Mmm, I’m not much of a cook but these look Great! May have to try it.
Homemade & Yummy
They are so easy to make. Puff pastry is fun to work with.
Dahn @savor the Best
I love working with puff pastry. What a great dessert for Fall
Chef G
Puff pastry is so much fun!!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
What a wonderful way to showcase such fresh apples..
Chef G
Thanks so much.
Lori Vachon
I really like these, so much easier to serve than a pie!
Chef G
They were really fun and easy to make.
Heather Kinnaird
I can almost smell them, they look so good! nothings beats that fried apple smell
Chef G
Yes the aroma is wonderful.
Nicole
These look so amazing! I could almost smell those spiced apples cooking as I read your post!
Chef G
Aw thanks so much!!
Maresa | breakfast for dinner
These would be a perfect Thanksgiving dessert! Tarts are so nice over pie because they are already individually portioned! You’ve reminded me that I have to get out apple picking! I hope it’s not too late…
Chef G
I think you still have time for apple picking…ENJOY!!
Melissa @ My Wife Can Cook
These look and sound amazing! I’m always looking for more ways to make apples into something delicious. I’ve never tried fried. Now I need to immediately! Cortland are one of my favorite varieties.
Chef G
Fried apples rock!!
Natalie | Natalie's Food & Health
These little tarts looks sooo delicious and so sooo cute 🙂 Perfect fall treat. Love cinnamon & nutmeg combo. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Chef G
You are welcome..ENJOY!!
Lisa Huff
Love the little leaves on top! Such a nice touch!
Chef G
Thanks so much.
Amanda @ Old House to New Home
I love puff pastry and fried apples so this is the perfect combination!! I am going to make these soon!
Chef G
Hope you enjoy them.