14 Easy Fruit-Filled Puff Pastry Desserts for Beginner Bakers

Strawberry Napoleons
Photo: Melissa Goff

You don't have to be an experienced pastry chef to make the kinds of light and flaky fruit pastries that tempt you at the bakery. Thanks to the convenience of frozen puff pastry dough, the hard part is done for you; all that's left is for you to choose the fruit that goes inside. Read on to get easy fruit-filled puff pastry dessert recipes to try.

01 of 14

Fresh Fruit Frangipane Tart

Fresh Fruit Frangipane Tart
Chef John

Everyone's going to think you picked up this fancy-looking fruit tart at a high-end bakery, so watch their jaws drop when you tell them you made it yourself. This recipe uses fresh pluots, but you can use any fresh fruit in season, including apples and pears. Watch the video to see how Chef John pulls it all together with ease and adds a final touch that gives it a professional bakery look.

02 of 14

Apple Tartlets

Apple Tartlets
Allrecipes Magazine

If you can slice apples and warm up some apricot jam, you can make these super-easy apple tarts. Be sure to slice the apples thinly so they get tender when they bake. You can make individual squares, or one big tart to share. Home cook Marieclaire0924 says, "We loved it! I ended up using peach preserves instead of apricot because that is what I had on hand.Big hit at our party! Such a buttery, sweet taste!"

03 of 14

Peach Tartlets with Apricot Glaze

Peach Tartlets with Apricot Glaze
Buckwheat Queen

Here's another impossibly easy tartlet made with fresh peaches instead of apples. You could also substitute plums, nectarines, or pears. Home cook Casablancaise says, "The quickest dessert I've ever made ! And it is so yummy. I happen to usually have puff pastry in my freezer and couple of kinds of jam in the fridge. So this is going to be my go to recipe when ever a last minute dessert is needed."

04 of 14

Apple Turnovers

Apple Turnovers
Allison TX

For this one, you'll cook the apples for a few minutes before filling and sealing the pastry triangles. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so your turnovers don't stick if a little filling seeps out. Be sure to cook the cornstarch with the filling until it's quite thick.

05 of 14

Easy Apple Strudel

Easy Apple Strudel
Taylor

The apples aren't precooked for this version, and you're making one big pastry instead of individual turnovers. You can cut slits into the top before baking to let the steam escape so the filling doesn't get too watery. Some reviewers went rogue and cooked the filling a bit before filling the pastry.

06 of 14

Black Walnut and Cherry Strudel

Black Walnut and Cherry Strudel
Tim Bodine

A cream cheese filling sweetened with sugar and made citrusy with lemon juice gives this cherry-filled strudel a tangy finish. You can use fresh or frozen cherries with delectable results.

07 of 14

Apple Galette

Apple Galette
Meredith

Call it a tart or a galette or a topless pie. Whatever. This dessert is so simple, the submitter invented it in a hotel room kitchenette: A pile of spiced apple slices is mounded in the center of a puff pastry sheet, then the edges are folded up to form an edible pie plate. Bake it, cool it, slice it, devour it.

08 of 14

Allie's Delicious Baked Dumplings

Allie's Delicious Baked Dumplings
J.D.

Can you handle one more version of apple-filled puff pastry? I hope so because you don't have to make thin apple slices for this one. Peeled and cored apple halves are wrapped in puff pastry squares with sugar-and-spice breadcrumbs, and baked until the apple inside is soft and tender.

09 of 14

Raspberry Pain au Chocolat (Raspberry Chocolate Croissants)

Raspberry Pain au Chocolat (Raspberry Chocolate Croissants) sprinkled with powdered sugar
Chef Mo

Yes, croissants are usually a breakfast or brunch food, but who makes these rules anyway? Besides, this tempting treat is filled with hazelnut-chocolate spread and raspberry jam. Serve it warm with ice cream and see if anyone complains about breakfast for dessert.

10 of 14

Strawberry Napoleons

Strawberry Napoleons
Melissa Goff

Puff pastry, instant pudding, whipped topping, and fresh strawberries make up this shortcut version of a classic Napoleon. Drizzle with chocolate before serving, if you want to get extra fancy.

11 of 14

Strawberry Cream Cheese Clouds

Strawberry Cream Cheese Clouds
Danielle

Sweetened cream cheese and sliced strawberries are spooned into baked puff pastry shells to make picture-perfect individual desserts. Can you substitute other fruit and maybe garnish with mint leaves or edible flowers? Why, yes. Yes you can.

12 of 14

Lemon Berry Tartlets

Lemon Berry Tartlets on a white plate
Jessica Miller

So fancy yet so simple. Store-bought or homemade lemon curd is spooned into pastry shells and topped with fresh blackberries. Watch the video to see how easy they are to make.

13 of 14

Blackberry Puff Pastry Tarts

Blackberry Puff Pastry Tarts
abapplez

Sweetened cream cheese and blackberries (fresh or frozen) are baked in pastry shells to make these bite-sized lovelies.

14 of 14

Strawberry Kiwi Tartlets

Strawberry Kiwi Tartlets
LilPhotog

The recipe direction says to remove the kiwi seeds, but reviewers went ahead and left them in. The world didn't end, and the desserts turned out beautifully. See how that works?

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