This puff pastry apple tart is a great way to have apple pie with half the effort. This uses frozen puff pastry, caramel cinnamon apples, streusel, and extra caramel on top. It is a simple dessert to wow your loved ones this apple season!
This puff pastry apple tart is designed to be the easiest and most delicious way to make an apple dessert. The flaky crust is even better than a pie crust and always gets rave reviews when served. So, if you like fruit tarts and need an easy dessert recipe, make these easy puff pastry apple tarts!
For other pastry recipes, try Blueberry Strawberry Pies, Blueberry Danish, and Chocolate Cookie Dough Pop Tarts.
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Why This Puff Pastry Apple Tart Recipe Works
- Apple pie filling- This apple filling tastes like a fresh homemade apple pie! It is even better on a flaky pastry.
- Puff pastry- The puff pastry is flaky and full of buttery layers.
- Streusel- The brown sugar and cinnamon streusel is delicious and really brings together the flavor and texture for a perfect dessert.
- Easy recipe- This recipe was written to be an easy option and uses a premade sheet of puff pastry dough and simple ingredients so it is the easiest to make since I know your life is very busy! It is simple to make, but is still good enough to be a family favorite!
Ingredient Notes for Apple Tart
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Caramel- You can buy caramel at the store, but I highly recommend making a homemade caramel. Use this homemade salted caramel recipe.
- Apples- This recipe calls for gala apples as they have the right balance of sweetness and juiciness, making them the best apples, but you can substitute in a similar apple. I recommend fuji as an alternative. If you prefer more tart apples you can also use green apples such as granny smith apples. Do not use honeycrisp apples as they have too much juice and are too sweet.
- Puff pastry- This recipe calls for frozen store-bought puff pastry so it is simple and convenient to make. If you want to make your own you can still use this recipe for the filling! If you do not have access to frozen puff pastry sheets a pie crust will work as a substitute, though it will not be as flaky and delicious.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar, but dark brown will work as well.
- Unsalted butter- Melt this before you need it so it can cool down before you use it.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these puff pastry apple tarts.
STEP 1: Make apple mix. First, pull the puff pastry out and let it thaw on the counter for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the apples into ¼ inch slices. Place the sliced apples in a small bowl and add the brown sugar, all purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel. Mix it with a rubber spatula and set it aside.
STEP 2: Make streusel. Mix the all purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a medium bowl using a fork. Then, place it in the fridge to firm it before it is needed.
STEP 3: Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry on the parchment paper and use your fingers to make sure the seams are pinched together.
STEP 4: Score the pastry. Use a sharp knife to score the pastry about ¼ inch from the edge. This should cut into the pastry, but not all the way through.
STEP 5: Fill pastry. Fill the area inside the scored rectangle with the apple slices. Line them neatly and use up all of the slices. Place the streusel on top.
STEP 6: Egg wash and sugar coat. Mix the egg and water together and brush it on the edges of the pastry with a pastry brush. Then, sprinkle the coarse sugar around the edges of the pastry.
STEP 7: Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes. When it is done the edges will be golden brown and the bottom of the pastry will be brown. Add more caramel sauce on top.
STEP 8: Serve. Cut the tart into 6 rectangles and serve them with vanilla ice cream.
Expert Baking Tips
- When you are cutting the small rectangles in the pastry, the goal is that when baking the edges will rise higher than the filling and it will keep the filling inside.
- Since this is pastry, the pastry needs to be cold before going in the oven. It won't be as flaky if the butter is warm. When letting it sit out it should thaw enough to fold without breaking, but not become room temperature.
- You use coarse sugar for the edges on top of the egg wash to make a better crust because of the larger sugar crystals. You can use regular sugar, but the crust will not be as good.
FAQ
Yes, you can use a store-bought pie dough instead of pastry dough. It will not be quite as good and flaky, though!
Yes,. I prefer gala apples for this recipe because they have the right level of sweetness and juice. I would also recommend fuji as an alternative or green apples if you want a more tart dessert. Do not use honeycrisp as they are too juicy and sweet.
Yes, you can make this without the streusel. It really elevates the recipe and I highly recommend using it, but the tart will still be good without it.
Storing and Freezing
These puff pastry apple tarts are best served immediately. They have the best texture when fresh. If you store them, the pastry will be soft. Store leftovers in an airtight container and chill in the fridge up to 3 days.
Other Apple Recipes To Try
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Ingredients
- 1 Puff pastry sheet
- 3 Gala apples
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- ½ tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- â…› cup Salted caramel
- 1 Large egg
- 1 tablespoon Water
- Coarse sugar
Streusel
- ½ cup All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Pull the puff pastry out and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes to thaw.1 Puff pastry sheet
- Cut the apples into ¼-inch slices. Place in a small bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel and mix using a rubber spatula. Set it aside.3 Gala apples, ¼ cup Brown sugar, ½ tablespoon All-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg, ⅛ cup Salted caramel
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix using a fork. Place the bowl in the fridge to firm before using.½ cup All-purpose flour, ½ cup Brown sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ¼ cup Unsalted butter
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry sheet on the parchment paper. Use your fingers to make sure the seams are pinched together.
- Use a sharp knife to score the edge of the rectangle. Do this about ¼th-inch from the edge. Cut a rectangle around the edge, but don’t press all the way down.
- Fill the smaller rectangle with the apples. Make sure to use all the slices and line them neatly. Top with the streusel.
- Mix the egg and water together and brush the edges of the pastry with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the coarse sugar around the edges.1 Large egg, 1 tablespoon Water, Coarse sugar
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The edges will be golden, and the bottom of the pastry will be brown. Top with more caramel.
- Cut into 6 rectangles and serve with ice cream.
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