Easy Upside Down Apple Tarts

Learn how to make delicious upside down apple tarts with this easy recipe! Perfect for family dinners or parties, these caramelized apple tarts are simple to make, and irresistibly tasty.

Fall is the perfect time to indulge in warm, delicious, comforting desserts, and upside down apple tarts are one of several at the top of my list!

These little treats are easy to make, and perfect for everything from family dinners to casual get-togethers.

With buttery caramelized apples on top of flaky puff pastry, this dessert is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for your taste buds.

Why Upside Down Apple Tarts?

A Twist on the Classic Apple Pie

If you love apple pie but are looking for something a bit simpler to prepare, upside down apple tarts are the answer! They offer all the flavors of apple pie but without the fuss of making a full pie crust. Plus, they’re baked in individual portions, so you get perfectly crisp, caramelized apples with every bite.

What I love about these upside down apple tarts is that they’re so versatile. You can serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drizzle some caramel sauce for an extra decadent touch. These tarts are great for both kids and adults alike.

Perfect for Any Occasion

Another reason to love these tarts is their simplicity. Upside down apple tarts require only a handful of ingredients—many of which you likely already have in your kitchen. It’s a great recipe to have on hand when you want to whip up a sweet treat without a ton of effort.

Trust me, your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen when in reality, the recipe comes together in under an hour!

The individual size also makes them perfect for dinner parties or family gatherings. Everyone gets their own little tart, so no need to worry about cutting a pie and making a mess.

And if you have little helpers in the kitchen like I do, this is a great recipe to involve them in. My kiddo loves helping to arrange the apple slices on the pastry puffs, and he’s always so proud when he sees the finished result.

Quick and Easy To Prepare

With just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, you can whip up these delicious apple tarts in no time.

Upside Down Apple Tarts Recipe

Equipment:

Round Skillet

Parchment Lined Baking Sheet

Ingredients:

1 or 2 Medium Apples, thinly sliced

1 Sheet of Puff Pastry, thawed

1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg

Pinch of Salt

Splash of Vanilla Extract

Lemon Juice, to prevent apples from browning

Powdered Sugar, optional

Prepping Your Apples

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash, peel and core the apples. Next, slice your apple(s) into thin wedges. Try to keep the slices uniform in size, so that they cook evenly. Toss the apple slices in a little bit of lemon juice to keep them from browning while you work on the caramel base.

Caramelize The Apples

Now it’s time to make the caramel. Using a round skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted, stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Cook the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved, and the mixture becomes slightly thick and syrupy—this should only take a few minutes. Stir in a splash of vanilla extract.

Add the apple wedges to the caramel base, arranging them tightly in a circular pattern. Cook over medium heat for about 8 – 10 minutes, until the apples are somewhat tender and caramelized. Pay extra attention so that the caramel does not burn.

Once you are done caramelizing the apples, allow them to cool a bit.

Adding the Puff Pastry

Roll out your puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface, and cut it into six even sized rectangles.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Onto the parchment paper, add six pats of butter, evenly spaced. Add four or five slices of apples on top of each pat of butter. Gently place each puff pastry on top of the apples. Crimp the edges of each pastry with a fork.

Bake the tarts in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for about 25 – 30 minutes, or until each pastry is golden and puffed.

Allow tarts to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before carefully flipping them onto a plate. Be extremely careful, as the caramel will be hot!

Lightly dust your upside apple tart with powdered sugar, or add your favorite topping.

Enjoy!

Tips for Perfect Tarts Every Time

Use the Right Apples

Choosing the right type of apple is key to getting that perfect sweet-tart flavor. Granny Smith apples are a popular choice because they hold their shape well during baking and provide a nice tartness that balances out the sweetness of the caramel. If you prefer something sweeter, Honeycrisp or Fuji apples work well also.

Don’t Skip the Cooling Time

After baking, it’s tempting to dive right into these tarts, but giving them a few minutes to cool is crucial. As they cool, the caramel will thicken and become more set, which makes the tarts easier to handle and less likely to fall apart. Trust me, the few extra minutes are worth the wait!

If you’re serving these for a party or special gathering, you can also make them a few hours in advance. Just reheat them briefly in the oven before serving so the caramel softens and the puff pastry gets crisp again.

Make Them Your Own

One of the best things about upside down apple tarts is that the recipe can be easily adapted to suit your family’s taste buds. Feel free to experiment with different spices, like adding a pinch of cardamom or cloves to the caramel mixture. You can also switch up the fruit—pears or peaches would work well in place of the apples.

And if you’re feeling a little extra, try sprinkling some chopped nuts over the caramel before adding the apples. It’ll add a nice crunch and even more flavor to these already delicious tarts.

Serving Upside Down Apple Tarts

These tarts are best served warm, ideally fresh out of the oven. The combination of warm apples and flaky pastry is hard to beat!

A scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream on top, or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce would also make these look (and taste) even more impressive.

Since they’re so visually stunning, upside down apple tarts make a great addition to any holiday dessert table. Your family and friends will love how fancy they look, even though they were so easy to make!

Storing Leftovers

If you have any leftovers (though I doubt you will), you can store the apple tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, just pop them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes, or until they’re warmed through and the pastry is crisp again. Avoid microwaving, as that will make the puff pastry a soggy mess.

Upside down apple tarts also freeze well. Once they’ve cooled completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag. To reheat, bake from frozen at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, and they’ll be good to go!