Updated 11/25/25
For a smaller household, hand tarts make so much sense. They give you the pleasure of pastry and fruit without the commitment of a whole pie sitting on the counter for days. The almond paste sits on the bottom of the pastry and a thin, fragrant layer of apple adds richness and depth without announcing itself too loudly. Lemon juice and zest keep the sweetness from going flat. The pastry bakes into something properly flaky, the kind that shatters at the first bite and leaves crumbs you feel no guilt about. This recipe makes four, which is the right number for two people who want one now and one later.
A dusting of powdered sugar goes on at the end, more for the look than the flavor. These travel well, eat well warm or at room temperature, and hold together in a way that makes them practical as well as good. Four tarts, one sheet pan, done.
Before You Start
The almond paste layer is what separates these from every other apple hand tart. It sits between the pastry and the apple, softening slightly as it bakes and acting as both a flavor base and a moisture barrier that keeps the pastry from going soggy underneath the fruit. The lemon in the paste keeps it from tasting too sweet, and the zest adds a fragrance that lifts the whole tart. The apple goes on top thinly sliced so it cooks through in the same short time the pastry takes to become properly flaky, no pre-baking required, no soggy bottom.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Puff pastry dough
- Apples – your choice. I’ve used 2 different types of apple; Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. You can leave the skin on for some additional color, texture and flavor, but without the skin it is equally delicious.
- Almond paste – Use home-made; check here how to make it yourself. For these small apple tarts, a slightly coarse almond paste is a way to add to your flavor experience.
- Lemon – juice and zest
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Apple Hand Tarts with Lemon Almond Paste
Step 1 – Prepare your ingredients: wash the apples, core them, quarter them and slice them (with or without skin).
Step 2 – Make almond paste or buy it and combine it with the lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 3 – Cut 4 rounds (3.5-4 inch diameter) out of the puff pastry dough. Transfer the dough circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Make small indentations in the perimeter of the dough and divide the almond paste over the 4 circles within that perimeter.
Step 4 – Arrange the apple slices on top of the almond paste, covering it. If you are using 2 different apples alternate them for color and texture differences.
Step 5 – Place the apple hand tarts in an oven of 424°F and bake for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the tarts with powdered sugar and bake another 5-7 minutes.
Step 6 – Allow the apple hand tarts to cool a little and dust them with a little extra powdered sugar.
Step 7 – Allow the apple tarts to cool a little and serve warm or cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
The apple you select can make or break the tart. To counter the rich buttery puff pastry and rich nutty almond paste, pick a juice tart apple.
Whether you peel the apples is more an esthetic choice than a flavor choice. If you decide to leave the peel, make sure the peel is noticeable, so select a colorful peel.
Store hand tarts at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If you wan to store them longer (3-5 days) place the container in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can. Especially after they were in the refrigerator, the crust may have become slightly soft or chewy. To refresh them, place them in an oven at 350°F for 5–10 minutes to crisp them back up.
Yes, you can and you can freeze the baked and unbaked, for about 3 months. Unbaked: finish the hand tarts until they are ready to go into the oven, but place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours or until solid. Transfer to a airtight container and place back in freezer.
Baked: Allow them to cool completely. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours or until solid. Transfer to a airtight container and place back in freezer.
Other Small Apple Desserts to Try
Apple Hand Tarts with Lemon Almond Paste
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough
- 2 halved apples
- 4 tablespoons almond paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Thaw one sheet of puff pastry dough according to directions.
- Wash the apples, core them, quarter them and slice them (with or without skin).
- Make almond paste. (NOTE 1) Add the lemon juice and zest and combine.
- Cut 4 rounds (3.5-4 inch diameter) out of the puff pastry dough. Transfer the dough circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Make small indentations in the perimeter of the dough and divide the almond paste over the 4 circles within that perimeter.
- Arrange the apple slices on top of the almond paste, covering it. If you are using 2 different apples alternate them for color and texture differences.
- Place the apple hand tarts in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the tarts with powdered sugar and bake another 5-7 minutes.
- Allow the apple tarts to cool a little and dust them with a little extra powdered sugar.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Check out this post to learn how to make your own almond paste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.