You won’t believe how easy this caramel apple puff pastry is to make! Your family will adore these delightful, mess-free treats.
As a dietitian and mom of three kids, I love finding delicious and unique ways to serve fruits and veggies. These fluffy, salty-sweet puff pastry-covered apple slices (they’re like mini apple pies!) take the mess (and the science!) out of baking; they couldn’t be simpler (or look fancier) to make, and your family will love them! P.S. your kids might also like my soft and fluffy apple cookies or these flourless oatmeal apple muffins. Just sayin’.
And when I say simple, I mean simple! I’m all about the shortcuts. Puff pastry sheets are sliced into strips, wrapped around crisp apple rounds and baked until golden. See my tip at the bottom of the recipe if you are using puff pastry blocks, I’ve got you covered! As someone who–admittedly–has never used puff pastry, I can attest to the fact that it was insanely easy to use.
My kids love to dust ours in cinnamon sugar as soon as they come out of the oven to add spice, sweetness and sparkle. Easy, homemade salted caramel drizzled overtop makes them look fancy and taste oh-so-unbelievably yummy. Just add the ingredients to a small pot and simmer, whisking frequently, for around 10 minutes while the pastries bake. See, so easy! The baked apples will shrink slightly as they cool, which allows the caramel to flow through the pastry and onto the baked apple inside, yum!
You can save a few steps and a little time by using your favourite store bought caramel, if you prefer.
Check out my tips at the bottom of the recipe for the best results. Happy baking!
Easy Caramel Apple Puff Pastry
Yield:
6 pastries
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
50 minutes
You won’t believe how easy this caramel apple puff pastry is to make! Your family will adore these delightful, mess-free treats.
Ingredients
For the pastries:
- 1 very large or 2 large apples, such as honeycrisp
- 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, for egg wash
For the caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup half and half or table cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For dusting:
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (or according to your pastry package), and line a large baking pan with parchment.
- Core the apples (but don’t peel them!), then slice them into 6 rounds, about a 1/4-inch each, and set aside.
- Using a rolling pin, lightly roll the puff pastry sheet smooth, if needed, and slice into 1/2 to 3/4-inch strips.
- Wrap a strip of pastry around an apple slice, going in one direction, stretching it very gently as you go. If it isn’t long enough, simply use part of an extra strip. Now, repeat with a second strip, in the opposite direction. Set the wrapped apple on the baking pan, and continue with the remaining rounds.
- In a small bowl or cup, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water, then brush a thorough coating over each pie. Bake, according to pastry package directions, until puffy and golden brown (usually about 20 to 30 minutes).
- Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. Add the ingredients to a small saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low (I find the lower range of medium-low works best to prevent a rolling boil) and cook, whisking frequently, for 7 to 10 minutes (if sauce is still thin after this timeframe, allow to cook a few minutes more), until slightly thickened, then remove from heat. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes to finish thickening.
- In a small cup, stir the sugar and cinnamon together. As soon as the pies come out of the oven, sprinkle them generously with the cinnamon sugar (using as much or as little as you prefer), then allow them to cool on the pan. Lastly, drizzle the caramel overtop.
Notes
To use puff pastry blocks: Thaw one block on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Line your workspace with parchment, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough thinly, between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch thickness (1/2 cm). Proceed with the recipe as written.
Depending on the size of your apple, you may have more than 6 rounds. Cut your parchment into 2 strips per round plus a few extra.
Be sure to brush egg wash over all of the pastry, as any unbrushed areas won’t turn golden.
If your caramel thickens too much while sitting, reheat it over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until drizzling texture.
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