Description
These Mini Apple Tarts combine flaky puff pastry with a warm, spiced apple filling made from Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. Perfectly sized for parties or dessert platters, these bite-sized tarts feature a buttery crust filled with tender cinnamon and nutmeg-spiced apples, topped optionally with chopped pecans, caramel sauce, and whipped cream. Easy to prepare, they bake up golden and delicious in under an hour, making them an ideal sweet treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 17.3 ounce package puff pastry sheets, thawed but cold
- 1 tablespoon butter
Apple Filling
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely diced
- 3 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and finely diced
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and lightly spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Using two pans is helpful if available to save time.
- Cut and Shape Puff Pastry: Unfold the puff pastry sheets and cut each into 9 equal squares by following fold lines into thirds and then cutting each rectangle into thirds. Press each square gently into the mini muffin cups, molding to the shape, then dock the bottoms with a fork.
- Par-bake Puff Pastry: Bake the shaped pastry in the oven for 7 minutes to set the shells.
- Cook Apple Filling: While the pastry bakes, heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter, diced Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are fork tender, about 5-8 minutes.
- Thicken Filling: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir half the slurry into the apple mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened, adding more slurry as needed for desired consistency. Remove from heat and let cool, allowing it to thicken further.
- Deflate Pastry Shells: Remove the par-baked puff pastry from the oven; they will have puffed up. Gently press the pastry down with a teaspoon to create wells for the filling.
- Fill and Finish Baking: Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the cooled apple filling into each pastry cup. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
- Cool and Garnish: Let the tarts cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans, caramel sauce, and whipped cream. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Keep puff pastry chilled but thawed; if it becomes too warm to handle, chill it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes before continuing.
- Apple filling can be prepared a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Bake puff pastry about an hour before serving for best texture and freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini tart
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
