I love working with puff pastry, especially for small desserts and bite-sized treats. These Easy Apple Pie Puffs are simple to prepare, easy to serve, and ideal for Thanksgiving or holiday entertaining. They balance sweetness and tartness without being overly sugary, and they make a great dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
These apple puffs are versatile. Feel free to swap the apples for pears, peaches or mixed berries if you prefer. I like using Honeycrisp or Granny Smith (Green) apples for their bright flavor and texture, but any baking apple will work. The recipe can be divided into four larger puffs or eight smaller two- to three-bite puffs — perfect for a party platter or individual servings.
How to make Easy Apple Pie puffs
Start by peeling and coring the apples, then chop them into small, bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped apples in a bowl and toss with the flour, sugar and cinnamon so they are evenly coated. If preparing apples ahead of time, keep them in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
Transfer the apple mixture to a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add about 1/4 cup of water to start; the flour and sugar will combine with the water and begin to create a light sauce. Stir often and add additional water a tablespoon at a time if the pan becomes too dry. Cook until the apples are fork-tender and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 8–12 minutes depending on the apple variety. Remove from heat and let cool briefly before filling the pastry.
Next, unfold or roll the thawed puff pastry and keep it roughly square. Using a knife or pizza cutter, divide it into 4 larger squares or 8 smaller squares, depending on the size you want.
Place a spoonful of the apple filling in the center of each square, amounting to just enough so the pastry corners will meet when folded. Fold the corners toward the center, pinch gently to seal, and press the edges to close. An egg white wash (egg white whisked with a tablespoon of water) brushed on the seams helps achieve a glossy finish and better seal.
I like to allow the filling to peek out slightly — it gives the puffs a rustic look and lets the warm apple sauce mingle with cold vanilla ice cream for a classic contrast of hot and cold.
Arrange the puffs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat and bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. The filling should be lightly sauced and not overly sweet so the apple flavor remains front and center.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly whipped cream. These are also excellent at room temperature if you need to prepare them ahead of time.
Enjoy!
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Easy Apple Pie Puffs
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper or Silpat
- nonstick pan
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 4 medium apples, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup water, plus extra as needed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 egg white plus 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Unwrap and prepare puff pastry according to package directions; allow to defrost for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- In a bowl, combine the apples, flour, sugar and cinnamon; toss until evenly coated.
- In a nonstick pan, add the apple mixture and 1/4 cup water. Cook on low, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if it becomes too thick.
- Cook until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry and keep the square shape as intact as possible. Cut into 4 or 8 squares.
- Place apple filling in the center of each square so the corners can meet; pinch lightly to seal.
- For egg wash, combine the egg white and 1 tablespoon water, whisk, and brush onto each square.
- Bake for about 20 minutes at 375ºF, or until golden brown and puffed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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For a savory twist, try serving puff pastry filled with pears, gorgonzola and walnuts as an alternative appetizer or dessert. Simple changes to the filling let you adapt this puff pastry base to seasonal fruit and different flavor profiles.