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.
Be sure to CLICK THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON located in the TOP MENU. You will get a FREE PRINTABLE and recipes! FOLLOW ME on social media too.
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!!
Moop Brown
Apples always remind me of fall and these seem like a nice tasty treat perfect for the upcoming season. I like that these can be frozen and eaten later on too.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Just in time for apple season. Hope you give them a try soon.
Amy Liu Dong
These tarts are so cute, easy to make, and delicious.
I will def make this for everyone!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I am sure everyone will enjoy them too.
Colleen
These apple tarts made with puff pastry are a great idea and they look delicious. Apple season is around the corner and this recipe will be perfect.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I agree, ring in apple season with these cute and tasty apple tarts.
Amanda
These tarts came out so good! The spices were just right, and I love that these uses puff pastry. It just has the best flakiness and is so easy to work with. Thank you! Delicious.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I love puff pastry too. So easy to work with, and the perfect base for these tasty apple tarts.
Carrie Robinson
These are so cute! 🙂 I just love that they look just like little bite-sized apple pies. Saving this one for the upcoming apple season.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These apple roses are perfect for apple season.
Katie Crenshaw
These are so fun to make. They turned out pretty and are so delicious. They are perfect for entertaining.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I love serving these almost mini apple pies to my guests too.
Debra
Loved how easy these were to make and incredibly delicious too.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you enjoyed this apple tart recipe.
Melinda
This is a great recipe and a memorable way to serve what tastes a lot like apple pie, but in cute individual tarts. The puff pastry is incredible with the cooked, caramelized apples. The kids – and the grown-ups – all loved the little cutout on top of each pastry.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for the great comments. I love working with puff pastry. Takes the stress out of making pie dough.
Kim Beaulieu
The kids went crazy for these little apple tarts. The recipe is perfect and the tarts turned out so cute. Thanks for a great recipe!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome. We love these apple filled tarts too.
Elizabeth
These tarts were delicious. I loved how easy it was to veganize them as well – it was just a straight swap for vegan puff pastry and butter. So good!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you made the recipe work for you.
Elizabeth
These are incredible – so good! Thanks for the recipe!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome. These apple tarts are the perfect dessert for fresh apple season.
Natalie
These apple tarts are not only cute but also look so delicious. Perfect comfort food. Such a treat. I bet my boys would love this. I just saved the recipe and will give this a try. Thanks!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY….these apple tarts do not last long in my house.
Jo
Fall dessert doesn’t get easier than this. Loving the puff pastry and fried apples combination. I could eat it all!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I love working with puff pastry. These apple tarts are super cute and so tasty.
Daniela
These apples tarts are so precious and cute! Cant wait to make them and love the pics :).
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much. These little apple tarts are a hit in my house.
Moop Brown
These tarts look super delicious and tasty. What a perfect fall treat- can’t wait to try!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
ENOJY….hope you love these fried apple tarts as much as we do.