Sweet and simple peach puff pastry tarts tossed with wild honey and a hint of vanilla. This easy summer dessert stars juicy, fresh peaches, and takes advantage of store-bought frozen puff pastry.

mini peach puff pastry tarts via forkknifeswoon.com

Easy peach puff pastry tarts

Over the weekend, we went peach picking!

We couldn’t have asked for a better day, one of the nicest of the summer, with bright blue skies, puffy clouds, and a slight, welcome breeze. It was Henry’s first u-pick experience and he had a blast, searching the rows for the best peaches, helping us put them in the basket, and most importantly, saying hello to the every single goat, chicken, pig, and alpaca on the farm, with ultimate toddler enthusiasm.

My own excitement was over the cheerful basket of fresh peaches and apples we collected to take home.

peach picking via forkknifeswoon.com

Allotting a half-dozen beauties for a pie sometime this week still left us with plenty of peaches for snacking, plus another dessert, and for the later I decided to whip up these mini peach puff pastry tarts.

Simple is really best this time of year, and sweet, flavorful, peak season fruit doesn’t need a lot of dressing up. In this case, a drizzle of honey, splash of good vanilla, and flaky, buttery puff pastry round out the ingredients list on these tartlets, which are as easy as they are delectable.

These peach puff pastry tarts are simple as can be, packed with flavor, oh, so adaptable, and take advantage of one of my favorite ingredients: frozen puff pastry.

It’s such a good back-pocket – er, freezer – ingredient to keep on hand. With layer upon buttery layer of deliciousness, puff pastry makes even a super simple recipe like these peach tartlets feel indulgent and special.

peach picking via forkknifeswoon.com

How to make easy mini fruit tarts:

Start with really good fruit. Look for what’s best in season. Right now that means peaches and other stone fruit. Nectarines, plums, cherries…

Sweeten with honey or maple syrup or brown sugar, adding just enough without overpowering the natural flavor of the fruit. It won’t take much.

Layer slices of juicy peaches over squares of good puff pastry. Sprinkle with some coarse sugar – turbinado or demerara – for sparkle.

Bake until golden and tender. Devour while still warm from the oven. With powdered sugar or vanilla icing or a scoop of ice cream (or nothing at all).

sliced peaches ready to become puff pastry tarts via forkknifeswoon.com

What makes the best puff pastry?

Good puff pastry is packed with butter. Those buttery layers of dough are what make puff pastry puff, create the delicate and flaky texture, and of course, taste so delicious.

If you’re not making your own (…I am not), then look for all-butter puff pastry at the store, which will rise better and have a ton more flavor than their counterparts made with shortening.

The best store-bought option I’ve tried is Dufour, which I find at Whole Foods. It bakes up golden brown in the oven, even without an egg wash, and tastes like the real deal. That’s all those layers of butter, getting down to business!

I’ve also heard a rumor that Trader Joe’s makes an all-butter version. Has anyone tried it?

mini peach puff pastry tarts via forkknifeswoon.com

Tips for baking with frozen puff pastry:

  • Start with puff pastry that has been fully defrosted.
  • Use a lightly floured, clean work surface, and lightly floured hands (and rolling pin, if using).
  • Work carefully and methodically to unfold the puff pastry from the paper. Be patient, don’t force it or the pastry can tear or crack.
  • Use a very sharp knife, pastry wheel, or pizza cutter to cut the pastry into squares, being careful not to smash the edges, which will impede the rise.
  • Puff pastry is easiest to work with when cold but still pliable. Try to find the sweet spot before it warms up and gets too soft or sticky.
  • Bake using a parchment paper lined sheet pan to avoid sticking.
  • This is a note for all baking, but be sure that your oven temperature is calibrated. The puff pastry will rise better in a hot oven (in this case 400℉), so be sure your oven is getting up to temperature or your tarts may get off to a slow start.
  • When in doubt, pop the tarts in the fridge to chill for a few minutes before baking. Cold butter in the dough + hot oven = lots of flaky layers!
peach picking via forkknifeswoon.com

How long does puff pastry take to thaw?

The one downside of frozen puff pastry is remembering – in advance – to defrost it. The best way is to do this slowly, overnight in the refrigerator, or up to 24 hours before you’re ready to bake.

While not my preferred method, in a pinch, you can thaw puff pastry at room-temperature. Take the pastry out of the box and let it defrost for 45 minutes to an hour. Keep an eye out though, because if the puff pastry gets too warm, it will be hard to work with and won’t puff as much when you go to bake the tarts.

mini peach puff pastry tarts via forkknifeswoon.com

Make these peach puff pastry tarts your own

You know that I love an adaptable recipe, and these tartlets are as easy going as can be. Don’t have peaches? Try nectarines or plums instead. Swap out the honey for some amber maple syrup.

Or get real’ fancy and add a smear of mascarpone or goat cheese before topping the tarts with the sliced peaches. Anyway you slice it, you’re in for a treat!

Other easy and delicious peach recipes to make next:

If you make these peach tarts, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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mini peach puff pastry tarts via forkknifeswoon.com

Mini Peach Puff Pastry Tarts with Honey

  • Author: Laura Bolton – Fork Knife Swoon
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 tarts 1x
  • Category: dessert, baking
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american, french

Description

Sweet and simple peach puff pastry tarts tossed with wild honey and a hint of vanilla. This easy summer dessert stars juicy, fresh peaches, and takes advantage of store-bought frozen puff pastry. Recipe from forkknifeswoon.com


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium peaches, halved, pitted and thinly sliced ¹
  • 3 Tbsp pure honey
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 (14 oz) sheet store-bought frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator ²
  • optional: 1 Tbsp demerara sugar (or sanding sugar)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 ℉. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Lay out the puff pastry onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the puff pastry into 12 equal squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared sheet pan.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the honey and vanilla.
  4. Layer the peach slices on top of the puff pastry squares, leaving about a 3/4″ border around the edges. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar, if using.
  5. Bake until the crust is golden and the peaches are tender, about 15-17 minutes. Transfer to a baking rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
  6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a drizzle of simple vanilla icing. Enjoy!!


Notes

¹ Replace the peaches with your favorite stone fruit: nectarines, plums, or a mix!

² It’s a little bit more expensive, but using a high-quality, all-butter puff pastry such as Dufour (available at specialty markets such as Whole Foods) makes a big difference in the overall flavor of these tarts. Also, store-bought puff pastry is easiest to work with if you let it slowly defrost in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours prior to baking.

Keywords: peach puff pastry tarts, fruit tart, easy, quick, mini tart, peach tart, peach dessert, peach pastry, breakfast, honey,