Caramel Apple Tartlets – Easy Mini Apple Dessert Recipe for Fall Gatherings
These Caramel Apple Tartlets are an easy shortcut dessert that delivers all the flavors of homemade apple pie in bite-sized form. Crisp cinnamon sugar pie crust shells are baked until golden, then filled with a warm caramel apple mixture made with fresh Granny Smith apples. They’re simple enough for a weeknight treat yet pretty enough to serve at holiday gatherings, parties, or fall celebrations.
If you enjoy cozy apple desserts, be sure to try these Apple Dessert Recipes for even more delicious ideas.
How to Make Caramel Apple Tartlets
Here are the ingredients you need to make these Mini Caramel Apple Tarts, plus step by step instructions for how to make them.
Ingredients
For the Shells
- 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Non-stick spray
For the Filling
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, diced)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp caramel sauce
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Step by Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Unroll the refrigerated pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Cut out as many 2-inch circles as you can with a round cookie cutter. Gather the scraps, reroll them, and continue cutting until you’ve used all the dough.
3. Press each dough circle into the cups of the prepared mini muffin pan, gently shaping them to fit the bottom and sides.
4. Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork to help keep the shells from bubbling while baking.
5. Spray the inside of each crust with another coat of non-stick cooking spray.
6. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then evenly sprinkle the mixture over each pie crust shell.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tartlet shells cool for a few minutes before carefully lifting them out of the pan.
8. While the shells cool, prepare the filling. Add the diced apples, lemon juice, and butter to a small saucepan.
9. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.
10. Stir in the sugar, caramel sauce, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the filling thickens into a rich caramel coating.
11. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the filling cool slightly so it’s easier to spoon into the tartlets.
12. Fill each cooled pie crust shell with a generous spoonful of the warm caramel apple mixture.
13. Serve warm, or let the tartlets cool to room temperature before enjoying.
These Caramel Apple Tartlets are the perfect combination of flaky crust, tender cinnamon apples, and rich caramel in every bite. Since the crusts and filling are prepared separately, they’re easy to assemble just before serving for the best texture. Enjoy them as they are, or add a drizzle of caramel sauce or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra special finishing touch.
Storage
Store leftover caramel apple tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the apple filling will gradually soften the pie crust over time, so they’re at their flakiest and best when enjoyed soon after they’re assembled.
More Apple Dessert Recipes
- Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Bundt Cake
- Caramel Apple Cheese Ball
Caramel Apple Tartlets
Ingredients
For the Shells
- 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Non-stick spray
For the Filling
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp caramel sauce
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Unroll the refrigerated pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Cut out as many 2-inch circles as you can with a round cookie cutter. Gather the scraps, reroll them, and continue cutting until you’ve used all the dough.
- Press each dough circle into the cups of the prepared mini muffin pan, gently shaping them to fit the bottom and sides.
- Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork to help keep the shells from bubbling while baking.
- Spray the inside of each crust with another coat of non-stick cooking spray.
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then evenly sprinkle the mixture over each pie crust shell.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let the tartlet shells cool for a few minutes before carefully lifting them out of the pan.
- While the shells cool, prepare the filling. Add the diced apples, lemon juice, and butter to a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.
- Stir in the sugar, caramel sauce, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the filling thickens into a rich caramel coating.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the filling cool slightly so it’s easier to spoon into the tartlets.
- Fill each cooled pie crust shell with a generous spoonful of the warm caramel apple mixture.
- Serve warm, or let the tartlets cool to room temperature before enjoying.
