Apple Pie Tartlets

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These apple pie tartlets are filled with juicy apples and warm spices. A crunchy crumble topping adds buttery goodness in every bite!

Apple pie tartlets on burlap next to two apples and two cinnamon sticks on a wooden surface.

I enjoy making a variety of desserts, especially when I have dinner parties! From my impressive Chocolate Drip Cake, and my Easy Lazy Cake to my Strawberry Charlotte Cake.

This time, I wanted to see if I could make tartlets without mini tart pans and I was really pleased with the results. I especially love how the homemade pie dough turned out!

These apple pie tartlets would be nice for get-togethers or holidays, like Thanksgiving or any day.

And, they're simple to make. If you're looking for an easy apple cinnamon tartlets recipe, this one is for you!

FEATURED READER COMMENT

"I LOVED these cookies! So good and easy to make!" - Martha

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Why you'll love these mini apple pie tarts

Low in sugar. There's not much sugar in the filling and the topping, making it a little healthier than most other desserts.
Easy to make. My step-by-step picture tutorial is simple to follow.
Egg-free. These mini apple tarts with pie crust do not contain any eggs, so they're safe for anyone with egg allergies.
You don't need mini tart pans. All you need is a regular cupcake pan.
No need to pre-cook the apples. The apples bake really well without getting mushy and the crusts don't have a soggy bottom. That's why I never pre-cook the apples for this recipe, because I don't think the extra step is necessary.
No need to blind bake (pre-bake) the crusts. Just fill them and bake them. Flavor-packed! These mini apple tarts taste absolutely incredible!

What do these apple pie tartlets taste like?

Just like a traditional apple pie, you have all the flavors of fall in these mini apple pie tartlets. These mini pies have a flaky, buttery pie crust filled with sweet, mildly spiced apples and a crunchy crumble topping, which adds an incredible layer of crunchiness. Also, the filling is not overly sweet and the topping adds a nice texture, too.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE APPLE PIE TARTLETS

Ingredients

Pie crusts: I use my recipe from my blueberry pie recipe. You could use 2 store-bought pie crusts, instead.
Apples: I love sweet apples, like the Gala or Fuji variety, but you can always use tart apples.
Sugar & salt: I use white sugar for this recipe, but you could use all brown sugar (light or dark will work fine). I also add a tiny bit of salt in the pie crust.
Spices: I use cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Freshly grated nutmeg really makes the spices pop!
Rolled oats: I use regular rolled oats for the crumble topping.
Flour: I use all-purpose flour for the pie crust and the crumble topping.
Butter: I use butter for both the pie crust and the crumble topping.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Equipment you'll need

standard cupcake pan or muffin pan
food processor or pastry cutter (optional)
3.5 inch cookie cutter with a fluted edge

HOW TO MAKE APPLE PIE TARTLETS

This recipe is divided into 3 parts:

1) Making the pie crust

2) Making the crumble topping

3) Assembling the tartlets & baking them

Step-by-step Instructions

First, let's make the pie crust.

Flour, salt and cubes of butter in a food processor.

Put the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor.

Pulsed flour, butter and salt in a food processor, into small crumbs.

Pulse for about 10-12 times until the butter is the size of small peas.

Pouring milk with a measuring spoon over pulsed flour and butter mixture in a food processor.

Add the milk.

A hand holding together a piece of dough that has come together in a food processor.

Pulse again, just a few times until the dough comes together, adding more milk if needed.

Then gather the dough into a ball and divide it in two. Flatten each piece into 2 disks and wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Now, it's time to make the crumble topping.

Stirring melted butter with flour, old-fashioned oats and spices in a glass bowl.

Put all the ingredients for the crumble topping in a bowl and stir everything together until combined.

Two hands mixing crumble topping ingredients in a glass bowl.

Use your fingers to make crumbles and clumps. Then set it aside.

Finally, assemble and bake the apple pie tartlets.

Stirring apple pie filling in a glass bowl with a spoon.

Make the filling. Add the chopped apples, the flour, the sugar, and the spices and stir until everything is well-combined.

Rolling out pie dough between two sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin.

Take out one disk from the refrigerator and place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll the pie crust to about ⅛ of an inch thick (about 0.5 cm).

A hand cutting out circles of dough with a fluted cookie cutter.

Cut out circles. I used a 3.5-inch cookie cutter, but you could use a glass or even a lid from a jar.

A hand placing cut out circles of pie dough into a cupcake pan.

Place each pie cutout in a cavity of a cupcake pan. Gently press in the middle and the sides so that the dough fits. Then repeat the process with the other disk of dough.

A hand filling mini pie crusts with apple filling using a spoon.

Fill your pie crusts with the apple filling.

A hand adding crumble topping over mini apple pie tartlets before baking.

Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the tartlets and then bake them.

Baked apple pie tartlets in a cupcake pan on a gray and white kitchen towel.

RECIPE NOTES

Make-ahead options

The pie crust can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before you roll it out.
You can also make the crumble ahead of time and freeze it. You can use it whenever you want straight out of the freezer without thawing!

HOW TO FREEZE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING

After making the crumble, spread it out on a tray and freeze it. Then divide it into portions and put it in freezer bags. Whenever you want to make these tartlets (or an easy apple crisp, or fresh fig tart) just sprinkle the crumble topping on top and bake. No need to thaw it beforehand.

Storage Tips

You can store these apple pie tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.

Freezing Instructions

You can place each individual tartlet in a freezer bag and then let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight when you're ready to eat them. You could also put them in a freezer-safe container with sheets of parchment paper placed between each tartlet. They can be frozen for about a month.

HOW TO REHEAT APPLE PIE TARTLETS

I actually love these cold apple pie tartlets cold, but you could definitely reheat them, if you like using 2 different methods! You could reheat them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Keep in mind, though, that the crumble tends to lose its crunch and soften in the microwave. You could also reheat them in the oven. Just preheat your oven to 350 F /180 C and heat them for about 5-7 minutes.

A closeup of a right hand holding a bitten apple pie tartlet.

SUBSTITUTIONS

You can use store-bought pie crust instead of making your own. Also, instead of a crumble topping, you could top the tartlets with more pie crust and make mini apple pies.
For a dairy free pie crust, just replace the butter with equal amounts of vegan butter or block margarine (NOT tub margarine) and use unsweetened plant-based milk, like almond milk or soy milk, instead of regular milk. You could even use cold water if you don't have dairy-free milk.
For more of a caramel flavor, replace the granulated sugar with light brown or dark brown sugar.
Instead of apples, pears are excellent in this recipe, too, as they have a very similar texture.

VARIATIONS

You could definitely experiment with different flavors. Here are a few ideas:

A little bit of maple syrup (about 1-2 tablespoons) would be amazing in the pie filling. If you decide to add some maple syrup, I would reduce the amount of sugar (equal amounts).
I think chopped pecans or walnuts would be nice in the filling or in the topping.
Add some raisins to the filling. You could also make the raisins boozy by soaking them in some cognac, rum, or brandy for about 20 minutes. Then drain them before adding them to the filling!
Instead of a crumble topping, you could top the tartlets with more pie crust.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

You can use your favorite apple variety. I have used Gala apples and Starking Delicious, because they are my favorite. If you prefer tart fruit, you can use granny smith apples.
When you chop or dice the apples, try to make them all the same size so that the pies bake evenly.
Depending on the variety of apples you use, you might see some liquid at the bottom of the bowl when you mix the apples with the other filling ingredients. If there is any liquid, make sure you leave it in the bowl! That way, you'll prevent the pie crusts from getting soggy.
If you don't have a food processor, you could easily make the pie crust using a pastry blender, 2 forks, or knives to cut the butter into the flour.
You don't need a lightly floured surface for this pie dough! Just roll it between 2 sheets of parchment paper. It really makes cleanup a cinch.
I like using a cookie cutter with a fluted edge because I think it makes the pie crusts look more professional.

FAQs

What apples are best for apple tartlets?

Ideally, it's best to use apples that hold their shape and don't get mushy. I personally love sweet, juicy apples like Fuji or Gala, but you could also use tart apples, like granny smith. You could also use a combination of sweet and tart apples.

Do apple tarts need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Any leftovers should be refrigerated so they stay fresh and prevent spoilage. If stored properly, these apple tarts can last for up to about 5 days.

Is it better to pre-cook apples for these apple pie tartlets?

No, I don't think it's necessary at all. The apples came out perfectly baked without having to pre-cook them first.

What pan is best for these apple pie tartlets?

I use a regular, standard 12-cavity cupcake pan.

How do you store these apple pie tartlets?

These apple crumble tartlets can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

HOW TO SERVE APPLE PIE TARTLETS

My favorite way to serve these apple pie tartlets is as they are (especially with coffee), but you could serve them with different toppings, too.

You can drizzle some homemade salted caramel sauce over them. Yummy!

I also like serving these with some homemade vanilla ice cream on the side and then add a few teaspoons of maple syrup on top.

Happy baking!

~Voula

Let me know how these apple pie tartlets turn out for you in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!

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