Mini Pear Puff Pastry Tarts

I will perpetually voice my opinion that pears are the underdogs of fall produce. Pears are sweet, soft, flavorful, and with a variety of different types, you can't get bored. Plus, they are pretty forgiving. These mini pear puff pastry tarts are the perfect dessert to welcome in cozy weather and temps, and when brushed with a decadent brown butter, it's a total game changer.

From cinnamon waffles with a pear compote, to a spiced pear margarita, even a roasted parsnip and pear soup, my blog has a variety of different recipes that highlight pear as the main character. These pear mini tarts give a little something extra. Flaky, buttery, sweet, go with just about everything.

Trusted Pear Tart Tips and Tricks

1. Work quickly as to not let the puff pastry dough get too warm. Since puff pastry dough is made with butter, the butter will soften and warm, which then makes it harder to work with.
2. Be sure to dust the surface with flour beforehand, that way the pastry dough will not get stuck and adhere to the surface when you lift it up and place it on the baking sheet.
3. Use a little water to press the two diagonal ends when folding the tart together. The water will help seal the seams of the dough, alleviating any unwanted lifting and unfolding as the tarts bake.

The Main Ingredients

1. Puff Pastry Dough - What could be better than flaky, crispy, buttery dough baked with cinnamon and pear? You can make my homemade puff pastry dough, or as Ina always says, "Store-bought is fine!"
2. Pears - I like to use Bartlett pears, but most varieties of pears work just as well. Pears are sweet and when they bake, they offer an even sweeter flavor profile.
3. Brown Butter - It's a little work to make the brown butter, but it doesn't take too long. Brown butter is essentially melting down the fat solids in the butter, toasting them, which produces a nutty aromatic butter that we use to brush atop the tarts after they are folded together.
4. Cinnamon - In my opinion, a little dusting of cinnamon rounds out the flavors of these mini pear tarts by adding some warmth and depth, especially when paired with the brown butter.

Pear Tart Swaps and Substitutions

• Swap out the brown butter for a simple whisked egg if you don't want to make the brown butter, or don't prefer the flavor
• This recipe is built around using pears, but if you are very much anti-pear, you can use apples
• If you can find gluten free puff pastry dough, this recipe will work well with that.

How to make pear tarts using puff pastry

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375º and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flour a surface, then roll out the puff pastry dough and cut into nine even squares.

Step 2: Slice the pears, then add 3-4 slices of pears per each puff pastry square, folding the diagonally for the two outer edges to meet in the middle. Press together with your fingers.

Step 3: Brush the turnovers with the brown butter, then top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, then serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Pear Puff Pastry Tarts FAQs

Check out these other amazing pear-focused recipes

Mini Pear Puff Pastry Tarts

Morgan Peaceman

Take in the flavors of fall with mini pear puff pastry tarts brushed with brown butter and topped with cinnamon.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 254 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  baking sheet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 pears sliced thin
• ▢ 1 sheet puff pastry dough cut into 4x4" squares
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ▢ 4 tablespoon butter browned
• ▢ 2 tablespoon flour for dusting surface

Instructions

 

For the brown butter

• Add butter to a light-bottomed medium pan and turn flame on to medium heat. It will begin to sputter and foam.
• Continue to stir the butter and keep on a medium heat, ensuring the solids do not burn at the bottom. The aromas from the browned butter should be intense with nutty and buttery notes.
• Let the butter brown; keep an eye on the butter for 5-7 minutes and turn off the heat.
• Scrape the browned bits and the browned butter into a bowl and set aside

For the Puff Pastry Tarts

• Preheat the oven to 375º and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Flour a surface, then roll out the puff pastry dough and cut into eight even squares, approximately 4x4"
• Slice the pears, then add 3-4 slices of pears per each puff pastry square, folding the diagonally for the two outer edges to meet in the middle. Press together with your fingers.
• Brush the tarts with the brown butter, then top with a sprinkle of cinnamon
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, then serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Notes

Work quickly as to not let the puff pastry dough get too warm. Since puff pastry dough is made with butter, the butter will soften and warm, which then makes it harder to work with.

Be sure to dust the surface with flour beforehand, that way the pastry dough will not get stuck and adhere to the surface when you lift it up and place it on the baking sheet.

Use a little water to press the two diagonal ends when folding the tart together. The water will help seal the seams of the dough, alleviating any unwanted lifting and unfolding as the tarts bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!