Caramel Apple Tartlets

Good news! You don’t have to labor in the kitchen all afternoon to enjoy the taste of homemade apple pie. Our caramel apple tartlets are basically mini apple pies, ready in less than an hour and made in the cutest. size. ever.

The cinnamon sugar-dusted tartlet shells are baked on their own for about six minutes, while the filling is cooked in a saucepan for around seven minutes. Once both are ready to go, the filling is simply spooned into the shells. That’s it! The caramel apple tartlets are done, and you’ll have the whole afternoon to sit and enjoy one (or three) cozied up on the couch. They’re great for parties, too; just don’t plan on bringing any leftovers home!

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Tartlets

• Tartlet crust: The caramel apple tartlet crust is made easily with a premade pie crust and some cinnamon and sugar.
• Butter: Butter helps steam the apples so they’re tender, rich and buttery after cooking.
• Apples: Peel and dice enough tart apples to get 2 cups of diced apples. Make sure to dice them very small so you can fit a lot of apples into each caramel apple tartlet.
• Sugar: You only need a little bit of sugar to sweeten the tartlets. Feel free to use granulated or brown sugar here.
• Caramel: Grab your favorite caramel ice cream topping from the store or make your own salted caramel sauce at home.
• All-purpose flour: A touch of all-purpose flour thickens the juices so you don’t have watery tartlets.
• Lemon juice: Between the sugar, caramel and butter, there’s a lot of richness happening in this caramel apple tartlets recipe. We use lemon juice to break up the richness just a bit, while also preventing the apples from oxidizing and turning brown. It’s a win-win!

Directions

Step 1: Prep the pie crusts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust, then cut the dough into twenty 2-1/2-inch circles. Press the circles onto the bottom and up the sides of miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Step 2: Add the cinnamon sugar

Prick the crusts all over with a fork to prevent your crust from bubbling. Spray the crusts lightly with cooking spray so the cinnamon sugar can adhere.

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the mixture all over the crusts.

Step 3: Bake the crusts

Bake the caramel apple tartlet crusts until they’re golden brown, six to eight minutes. Let the crust cool at room temperature for five minutes before removing the tartlets from the pans and transferring them to wire racks.

Step 4: Make the filling

In a large saucepan, melt the butter, then add the diced apples. Cook and stir the apples over medium heat until they’re crisp-tender, four to five minutes. Stir in the sugar, caramel topping, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook and stir until the sauce is thickened and the apples are tender, about two minutes.

Step 5: Fill the crusts

Take the saucepan off the heat and let the caramel apple filling cool at room temperature for five minutes. Spoon the filling into the tart shells. Serve the tartlets warm.

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Recipe Variations

• Prep a DIY pie crust: If you’re up to the challenge, try making pie crust from scratch!
• Use pears: Not a fan of apples? Pears make the perfect substitute.
• Add extra baking spices: Feel free to shake in extra fall spices like nutmeg and ginger if you’re a fan of cozy autumn desserts.
• Replace the caramel sauce: For a richer, thicker and creamier filling, swap the salted caramel sauce for dulce de leche.

How to Store Caramel Apple Tartlets

These apple tartlets can be a great make-ahead dessert. After they’ve baked and cooled to room temperature, they can stay fresh for up to two days on the countertop, and up to a week when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze caramel apple tartlets?

Yes, you can freeze caramel apple tartlets! Let them cool to room temperature, then stash them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to eight months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or reawaken their caramelly goodness in a 300° oven, baking them until they’re warmed through, about 10 to 15 minutes if baking them straight from the freezer.

Caramel Apple Tartlets Tips

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What kind of apples should you use to make apple tartlets?

Choosing the right types of apples for these caramel apple tartlets is crucial. You want an apple that won’t turn mushy or break down while it bakes. We recommend Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples because their flesh stays intact after baking.

Can you make apple tartlets in a regular-size muffin tin?

To make apple tartlets in a standard-sized muffin tin, simply double the size of your crust in this case. Keep in mind you will produce fewer tartlets than the original yield, and the baking time may need to be increased to accommodate the larger size.