Apple Crumble Tartlets

These cute apple crumble tartlets are easy to make. Perfect fall treats for dessert tables and special occasions!

I enjoy making a variety of desserts, especially when I have dinner parties! From my impressive chocolate drip cake, and my strawberry Charlotte cake to my Greek custard pie galaktoboureko and my portokalopita Greek orange phyllo cake! I also love individual desserts like my no-bake strawberry dessert cups, cheater's chocolate mousse, my refined sugar free Greek Baklava rolls, or my kolokithopita Greek pumpkin hand pies.

This time, I wanted to see if I could make tartlets without mini tart pans and I was really pleased with the results!

These apple crumble tartlets are not only really simple to make, but they would also be nice for get-togethers or holidays, like Thanksgiving or any day!

Why this recipe works:

It’s low in sugar. There’s not much sugar in the filling and the topping, making it healthier than most other desserts.
It’s egg-free. My pie crust is the classic American pie crust which doesn't have any eggs as opposed to my French tart dough (pâte sucrée ). The classic American pie crust is tender and a lot flakier, which is perfect for this recipe!
It’s easy. The step-by-step tutorial is easy to follow.
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!

What do these apple crumble tartlets taste like?

These apple crumble tartlets taste like mini apple pies! They have a delicious, flaky buttery crust with a simple apple pie filling that’s not overly sweet. The crumble topping is crunchy and adds a nice texture.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE APPLE CRUMBLE TARTLETS

Ingredients

Pie crusts: I use my recipe from my blueberry pie.
Apples: I love sweet apples, like the Gala or Fuji variety, but you can always tart apples or your favorite.
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.

ADD-INS & VARIATIONS

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

Add-ins
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, reduce the amount of sugar (equal amounts).

• I think chopped pecans or walnuts would be nice in the filling.
• 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!

Variations
Instead of a crumble topping, you could top the tartlets with more pie crust and make mini apple pies!

HOW TO MAKE APPLE CRUMBLE TARTLETS

First, you make the pie crust.

STEP 1
Put the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor.

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.

STEP 2
Pulse for about 10-12 times until the butter is the size of small peas.

STEP 3
Add the milk.

STEP 4
Pulse a few times until the dough comes together, adding more milk if needed.

STEP 5
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.

Then you make the crumble topping.

STEP 1
Put all the crumble ingredients in a bowl.

STEP 2
Gently mix with a spatula. I like using a silicone one.

STEP 3
Use your hands to combine everything together into big chunks. I keep some small ones, too.

Then you make the apple filling.

In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped apples, the flour, the sugar, and the spices and stir until everything is well-combined.

After that, you make the tartlet shells.

STEP 1
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).

STEP 2
Cut out circles. I used a 3.5-inch cookie cutter, but you could use a glass or even a lid from a jar.

STEP 3
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.

TOP TIP

I like using a cookie cutter with a fluted edge because I think it makes the pie crusts look more professional.

Finally, it’s time to assemble the apple tartlets.

STEP 1
Fill your pie crusts with the apple filling. If there is any liquid in the bowl with your filling, make sure to leave it in the bowl - if you add it to the pie crusts, they could get soggy.

STEP 2
Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the tartlets and then bake them.

MAKE AHEAD OPTIONS

You can make this crumble ahead of time and freeze it! You can use it whenever you want and you don’t have to thaw it!

The pie crust can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before you roll it out.

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!

HOW TO REHEAT APPLE CRUMBLE TARTLETS

I actually love these cold apple crumble 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.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

The apples

• When you chop or dice the apples, try to make them all the same size so that the tartlets 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! If you add it to the pie crusts, they could get soggy.

Freezing
I don’t usually freeze these because they tend to disappear really quickly! However, if you want, you could freeze them after baking them. They’ll last for about a month in the freezer. Just place them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container or freezer bags. When you’re ready to eat them, just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW TO SERVE APPLE CRUMBLE TARTLETS

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

You can drizzle some caramel or dulce de leche 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.

I hope you enjoy these apple crumble tartlets!

Happy baking!

~Voula

MORE APPLE RECIPES

• 

• 

• 

• 

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