Name: Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tarts Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 sheet Puff Pastry (thawed); 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened; ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 2 apples (larger apples cored and cut into ¼ “ slices, skin left on); 2 Tablespoons butter (sliced into ¼ “ pieces); ¼ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts); 2 Tablespoons sugar (divided); ¼ cup sour cream

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You won’t believe how amazing this layered apple tart tastes. Flaky puff pastry smothered with cinnamon and nutmeg-infused cream cheese covered with tart apples and then topped with a cream cheese drizzle. These Puff Pastry Apple Tarts look so fancy but they are so simple to make!

Have I mentioned just how much I love autumn? This crisp air, the warm spices, the comfort food. Fall has my heart, and I couldn’t be more excited to be sharing this brand-new recipe with you. Perfectly suited for an autumn brunch, but delightful any time of the year. But don’t wait until you entertain to serve these beauties! They come together quickly, so anytime you are craving a flaky apple pastry, these are your ticket to satisfaction!

Apple Tarts

With apple season in full swing, I couldn’t resist another apple recipe. I’ve gone all out in this easy dessert layering puff pastry with slices of apple that are covered with sweetened cream cheese and then drizzled with a combination of cream cheese and sour cream. It’s a decadent dessert using simple ingredients that don’t feel too heavy as the apple filling cuts some of the richness.

Apple Tarts With Puff Pastry

Easily assembled a day in advance, I don’t recommend baking this apple tart until you are ready to serve it. For the optimal taste and the perfect flaky crust, baking closer to serving time is best. It’s a good idea to pop leftovers back in the oven to crisp up the crust as the moisture from the apples may make it a touch soggy. And, who doesn’t love warm apple tarts, right?

If you love these apple tarts with puff pastry you are sure to love these too: Apple Pie Crumb Bars, Air Fryer Apple Pie Egg Rolls, or this Apple Crostata.

Puff Pastry Apple Tarts

Perfect for afternoon tea, a family get-together, or if you’ve gone apple picking and need to use up a bunch of apples, there really isn’t an occasion in my mind that doesn’t call for freshly baked apple tarts.

Don’t stress too much about the kind of apples you use. Any kind of apple is good whether it be Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples, Golden Delicious, or whatever you happen to have in your fridge.

Ingredients for puff pastry apple tartlets

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card.

Puff Pastry: One puff pastry sheet, thawed, makes the perfect crust. Store-bought puff pastry dough or Homemade Puff Pastry will work.
Cream cheese: One block of full-fat cream cheese, though low fat will also work. Softened to room temperature.
Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg season the apples nicely.
Apples: Cored and cut into ¼ “ slices, skin left on.
Butter: Use unsalted butter sliced into ¼ “ pieces, though salted will also work.
Pecans: Chopped pecans or walnuts add flavor and some crunch.
Sugar: White granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness. Brown sugar also works well.
Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt to create a drizzle for the tart.

Skip the spices and substitute my apple pie spice — you will love it!

How to make this recipe for apple tarts using puff pastry

There are only a few steps to making this apple tart with puff pastry, don’t you just love easy desserts?

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

With your mixer, whip cream cheese, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until fluffy.

Unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 rectangles (should work to cut at the folds) and place them on the baking sheet.

Spread ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture over the puff pastry. Reserving the remaining.

Cover with sliced apples, overlapping to fit the slices on the puff pastry. Top with butter and pecans. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the apples are tender and the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Again, with your mixer, blend the remaining cream cheese mixture, sugar, and sour cream until smooth. Drizzle over tarts. Serve warm.

Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days though the pastry may get soggy from the moisture in the apples. You can freeze leftover apple tarts though the texture of the puff pastry may be altered. Cover the apple tart with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. You can place them back in the oven once defrosted to crisp them up again.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this easy puff pastry apple tart recipe make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs

How long to cook puff pastry at 425? How long to cook puff pastry really depends on what you are cooking and how you are cooking it. Make sure to follow the instructions for the recipe you are preparing.
Can you make puff pastry tarts ahead of time? In order for puff pastry to have a crisp and flaky texture it is best to bake the tarts just before you want to eat them. You can however prep the tarts ahead of time and place them in the fridge but I wouldn’t bake them too far in advance of serving them.
Can you use puff pastry for tart base? Yes, you can absolutely use puff pastry for a tart base. Just follow this apple tart recipe and you’ll see how great it tastes.
How do you cut apples for tarts? It is best to use thin slices for apple tarts. In this recipe, I suggest you cut them into ¼” thin slices.
How do you prevent puff pastry from getting soggy? Some suggest that pre-baking the puff pastry may prevent it from getting soggy though I haven’t tried this.

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to substituting in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

Use regular pie crust instead of puff pastry.
Substitute pears for the apples.
Try preparing the apple tart in frozen tart shells to make apple tartlets.
Make mini apple tarts by preparing the tarts in a muffin tray and laying the ingredients in each shell.

Tips & Tricks

Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge before you begin to prepare the puff pastry apple tarts.
If you won’t be baking the apple tart right away, drizzle the apples with a touch of lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drizzle with salted caramel sauce.
Use a rolling pin to smooth out the puff pastry, but take care not to roll it out too thin.
Place the ingredients for the cream cheese mixture in the bowl of a food processor if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Mix in a touch of vanilla extract with the cream cheese to sweeten it up a touch.
Add a bit of milk to the drizzle if you want to thin it out a bit.

More Recipes to Love

This puff pastry apple tart recipe is decadent and bursting with flavor. You won’t believe how easy it is to transform fresh apples into a fancy dessert for a dinner party or just one of those simple desserts you can enjoy every day.

Overhead of Puff Pastry Apple Tarts on a Wood board

5 from 4 votes

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