These apple pie tartlets are filled with juicy apples and warm spices. A crunchy crumble topping adds buttery goodness in every bite!
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
"These were deelish! Glazed with some caramel after cooling, so good!" - Lorraine
Jump to:
- Why you'll love these mini apple pie tarts
- What do these apple pie tartlets taste like?
- WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE APPLE PIE TARTLETS
- Ingredients
- Equipment you'll need
- HOW TO MAKE APPLE PIE TARTLETS
- Step-by-step Instructions
- RECIPE NOTES
- Make-ahead options
- HOW TO FREEZE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING
- Storage Tips
- Freezing Instructions
- HOW TO REHEAT APPLE PIE TARTLETS
- SUBSTITUTIONS
- VARIATIONS
- TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- FAQs
- HOW TO SERVE APPLE PIE TARTLETS
- MORE APPLE RECIPES!
- Recipe
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.
Put the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor.
Pulse for about 10-12 times until the butter is the size of small peas.
Add the milk.
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.
Put all the ingredients for the crumble topping in a bowl and stir everything together until combined.
Use your fingers to make crumbles and clumps. Then set it aside.
Finally, assemble and bake the apple pie tartlets.
Make the filling. Add the chopped apples, the flour, the sugar, and the spices and stir until everything is well-combined.
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).
Cut out circles. I used a 3.5-inch cookie cutter, but you could use a glass or even a lid from a jar.
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.
Fill your pie crusts with the apple filling.
Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the tartlets and then bake them.
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.
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
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.
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.
No, I don’t think it’s necessary at all. The apples came out perfectly baked without having to pre-cook them first.
I use a regular, standard 12-cavity cupcake pan.
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!
MORE APPLE RECIPES!
Recipe
Apple Pie Tartlets
Equipment
- regular, standard 12-cavity cupcake pan
- food processor or pastry cutter (optional)
- 3.5 inch cookie cutter with a fluted edge
Ingredients
For the homemade pie crust
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6-8 tablespoons cold milk + more if needed
For the crumble topping
- ½ cup (45g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (64g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- a pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
For the apple filling
- 2 large apples (about 400g / 14oz), peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces or cubes
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons (20g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- a pinch of finely grated nutmeg
Instructions
Make the pie crust
- 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.
- Pulse for about 10-12 times until the butter is the size of small peas.
- Add the milk and pulse a few times until the dough comes together, adding more milk if needed. Don't overwork the dough.
- 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 for half an hour.
Make the crumble topping
- Put all the ingredients for the crumble in a bowl and stir with a spoon until everything is well-combined.
- Use your hands to make crumbles and clumps. I keep some small ones, too. Set aside.
Make the apple filling
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the filling and stir until everything is well-combined. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C.
Make the tartlet shells
- 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).
- Cut out circles. I used a 3.5-inch cookie cutter, but you could use a glass or even a lid from a jar.
- 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.
Assemble & bake the tartlets
- Fill your pie crusts with the apple filling (about a heaping tablespoon in each). If there is any liquid in the bowl with your filling, make sure to leave it in the bowl so the pie crusts don't get soggy.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping on top and bake for 25-30 minutes. The crust and the crumble topping should be a light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the tartlets cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the tartlets from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
lorraine
These were deelish! Glazed with some caramel after cooling, so good!
Voula
Hi, Lorraine! Yes, apple and caramel are a match made in heaven! I'm so glad you liked the tartlets!
Esther
I added some cinnamon for more flavor and I made them with oatmilk because of my daughters milk allergy. I love how crisp the crust is and they are not too sweet. I know they’ll be a hit at my family’s Thanksgiving meal! By the way, I made them in my muffin tins and created 24 servings.
Voula
Thank you so much for the feedback, Esther! I'm so happy you liked them! I hope your family enjoys them, too! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Brandy
These look so cute and tasty! I’m wanting to try these in a mini muffin pan, so they’d be more like bite sized for my daughter’s first grade class. Think that would do okay? I want it to have enough filling. And would also have to cut down the bake time… any suggestions? If I cut down bake time, do you think the apples would be tender enough?
Voula
Hi, Brandy! I've never made these in a mini muffin pan before, but it should work if you reduce the baking time to around 6-8 minutes, approximately. However, I'm not sure if the reduced baking time would be enough to cook the filling and make it nice and tender. Hope this helps!☺️