Top 30+ Best Puff Pastry Desserts – Stunning Treat Ideas 2021

If you are searching for quick and simple sweets that will not clutter up your kitchen, look no further because here is the collection of the best puff pastry desserts for you.

Puff pastry is a flaky dough that has so many layers. They are very versatile as well because you can turn them into various dishes like savory or desserts. So what is the first thing that comes to your mind about puff pastry dessert? The nice golden brown exterior, isn’t it?

But do you know what makes it better? That is you can buy the ready-to-go frozen puff pastry in the supermarkets easily. Now all you have to do is just turn them into a delicious dessert with other ingredients. And with my list of 32 puff pastry ideas here, nothing is impossible.

Awesome 32 Puff Pastry Desserts That Cannot Get Easier

With 32 recipes for puff pastry dessert, I have separated them into 2 main groups: (1) With Fruits or Fruit Jam, and (2) Without Fruit so you can have more options for your next party.

And here is a list of 32 delectable puff pastry treats to whet your appetite.

Puff Pastry Desserts With Fruits or Fruit Jam

Hand-Size Pie Puff Pastry

1. Strawberry Turnover
2. Cherry Puff Pastry Pie
3. Cherry Cream Cheese Danish
4. Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish

Braid Puff Pastry

1. Pastry Braid With Maple Pecan
2. Any-kind-of-berry Puff Pastry Braid
3. Cherry Almond Braid

Tart Puff Pastry

1. Spanish Apple Tart
2. Peach Puff Pastry Tart
3. Mixed Berry Puff Tart
4. Pear Tart

Galette Puff Pastry

1. Blueberry Galette
2. Apple Galette
3. Plum Galette

And Other Puff Pastry With Fruit or Fruit Jam

1. Strawberry Toaster Strudels
2. Apricot and Cardamom Tarte Tatin

Puff Pastry Desserts Without Fruit Recipes

Just Puff-Pastry Dough

1. Churros
2. Puff Pastry French Toast
3. Puff Pastry Donut
4. Puff Pastry Heart

Puff Pastry Desserts With Almond

1. French Galette Des Rois With Almond Filling
2. Easy Almond Puff Pantry
3. Almond Croissants

Puff Pastry Desserts With Chocolate

1. Chocolate Puff Pastry Twist
2. Chocolate Puff Pastry Donut

Puff Pastry Desserts With Vanilla Cream

1. Krempita
2. Kremówka Papieska
3. Kouign-Amann

Puff Pastry Desserts With Cinnamon

1. Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists
2. Puff Pastry Cinnamon Roll

And Puff Pastry Desserts With Other Ingredients Except For Fruits

1. Mille Feuille
2. Lemon Cream Horn

Toothsome Puff Pastry Dessert With Fruit or Fruit Jam

There are 17 recipes in this category to enhance your plain flaky dough to another version for fruity and delicious desserts. Also, I have divided these 17 ideas into 5 separate groups based on different pastry kinds, such as braid, tart, pies, galettes, and others, to make it easier for you to choose.

Hand-Size Pie – A Little Cutie Puff Pastry Desserts In Your Eyes

Let’s start this post with these little cutie hand-size pies. Though they look small, the flavor inside them is really overwhelming.

Strawberry Turnover

Strawberry, fresh or jam, seems like a perfect companion of puff pastry to create an impressive dessert. Just imagine the blend of one bite of flaky puff pastry and fruity flavor inside them; how amazing it is!

As they are small cutie pies, strawberry turnover dessert is perfect for not only your meal but also any party, picnic, or potluck. And I am sure that one strawberry puff pastry pie is never enough for you.

Here’s how to create a strawberry turnover quickly and easily:

Cherry Puff Pastry Pie

When the cherry season comes, why don’t you try a cherry puff pastry pie to diversify your dessert menu? Trust me. Nothing is better than a homemade cherry sauce filled inside 2 layers of puff dough.

From 1 sheet of your puff pastry, you can cut them into 12 slices to make 6 small cherry pies. In case you do not have fresh cherries on hand, frozen ones still work fine. With the cherry sauce, you can mix them with a little bit of lemon juice to create a balance of sour and sweet flavor.

And do not forget to thaw your frozen ready-rolled puff pastry in the fridge one night before.

Cherry Cream Cheese Danish

Let’s try a Danish style with your cherry puff pastry pie. Just with a few ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare, this dessert is so easy for everyone.

The recipe here will spoon-feed you the instructions to make a creamy cherry cheese puff pastry pie that I am sure your friends or family will be impressed with, even though you may be just a beginner in cooking.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish

Not a cherry fan? Try raspberries. The recipe also requires a few ingredients; however, this one might take a longer time for the whole cooking process.

The key factor that decides the success of this dessert is the cream cheese filling, so make sure that your filling is smooth and not too sweet. Place the mixture of cream cheese in the middle of your puff pastry with a little bit of raspberry jam.

After that, put your pies in the oven and let them bake for around 20 minutes until you see they have a golden color. And now you have delicious raspberry cream cheese danish with puff pastry.

Braid Puff Pastry Desserts For Bigger Serving

You can try a new shape for your puff pastry, for example, braiding them and top up with other ingredients to create a piece of art that looks not only appetizing but also tastes amazing.

Pastry Braid With Maple Pecan

Maple pecan is the indispensable ingredient in many desserts to enhance the rich flavor and make your dessert more healthy. So let’s try a puff pastry braid with maple pecan to see how awesome it is.

Starting with the filling of a pastry, all you have to do is melting butter and sugar to make a caramel mixture, then add pecans, milk, and cornstarch, making the mixture thicker.

Divide the pastry sheet into 3 sections, then fill the center with the filling, leaving the remaining two portions to braid. Now it is time to use your careful hand to braid the pastry sheet. After that, place them in the oven for 20 minutes. It is best served when they cool off. 

Any-Kind-Of-Berry Puff Pastry Braid

Regardless of what berry you use, they all have a rich and creamy flavor. In this recipe, I use fresh strawberries to do this dessert.

For better mixing, you can use the electronic mixer to make sour cream, cream cheese, and sugar blended. And similar to the above recipe, put the filling mixture and strawberry slices in the center of the sheet so you can braid 2 sides.

Start with one end and fold it to cover the filling and fruit, and repeat it until you finish braiding the whole pastry. Remember to brush them with 1 slight layer of egg wash before baking. You can also dust them with powdered sugar or a little of nuts, like pistachios, for more flavor.

Cherry Almond Braid

Here is another puff pastry braid that you might find interesting. With cherry pie filling and almond, it provides the right sweetness that will not make you feel too gooey.

Plus, if you do not have too much time for cooking but still want to have a stunning braid pastry with nice red and golden colors, then this one is ideal for you. This dessert comes in a large braid shape, so you might want to cut them into smaller slices per serving.   

Tart – A No-Top-Crust Puff Pastry Dessert To Fill Up Your Tummy

The tart is a pastry dish that has a filling and no top crust. The regular ingredient to make it is pastry crust, but here is some tart that you can make with puff pastry.

Spanish Apple Tart

A small round tart of apple in the style of Spanish is wonderful to start a new day as a delicious dessert for your breakfast or for every meal.

Roll out your puff pastry but do not make them too thin, then use a circle cutter to form into some little pastry. In case you do not have a cutter on hand, use the surface of a cup or bowl to make a circle shape.

Almonds and apple slices will be placed respectively on the pastry. Leave a 2 to 3 cm gap at the pastry dough’s edge. Then bake them in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. In the meantime, you can toast a few flaked almonds to serve on top of your baked tart.

Peach Puff Pastry Tart

Fresh peach also ideally pairs with puff pastry tart to make them juicier. With easy-to-find ingredients and simple preparation, you can enjoy these tasty tarts only after 20 to 25 minutes.

Plus, the creamy cheese in the middle of peach tarts, along with the sweetness of peach slices, creates an outstanding flavor that you hardly forget.

So if you want a puff pastry dessert to light up your mood, here is it.

A short and clear guide to make a perfect juicy peach tart with puff pastry:

Mixed Berry Puff Tart

I always love the mouth-watering look of mixed-berries tart. A few red strawberries/raspberries, a little bit of blue/blackberries, and a golden layer of the tart complete the picture of a luscious and flavorful dessert.

Starting by letting the puff pastry thaw. Meanwhile, mix the berries with cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch, then put this mixture on the pastry dough. Do not forget to fold the edges so the berries and their juices will not leak out.

To prepare a large and delicious tart for everyone, make sure you have 4 cups of any berry kind. And serving them with a scoop of ice cream would be fine.

Pear Tart

Here is another high-class tart that you might find in some fine-dining restaurants. In fact, they are very simple to make. So let’s try this homemade tart to surprise your family on the weekend.

First, keep in mind that this dessert is way better with fresh pear. Frozen pears are too moist to bake with puff pastry, so they will not be too appealing to look at.

For the first layer, spread the applesauce with cinnamon on the pastry dough. The second layer is pear slices. Try to cut them evenly and not too thick. Then brush the egg wash on them.

And finally, bake them for 30 minutes until the pear slices are tender and the pastry turns golden brown.

Juicy Round Galette For The Best Puff Pastry Dessert Ideas

Apart from pies and tarts, galettes are a good option for puff pastry desserts. They are a French flat round dessert that does not require any specific cooking tools, so anyone can prepare it. Let’s check what I have here.

Blueberry Galette

With blueberry galettes, you will feel juicy and fresh from their look, let alone the taste of them. The layers of puff pastry dough that cover the fruit in the middle give this dessert an outstanding appearance. Therefore, it is so hard to say no to it.

However, to make them stunning and tasty, frozen fruits are not an ideal option. So you have to bake them with fresh blueberries in this recipe. Let these fresh fruits melt in the oven so their liquid will run out and spread on the top of your galette.

You may also use shaved chocolate, ice cream, or whipped cream to decorate them. Other fruits, such as strawberries, cherries, or raspberries, can be used in the same procedures.

Apple Galette

Aside from berries, what other fruit goes well with dessert? Yes, apples are a delicious fruit that goes well with almost every dessert. And apple galette is a wonderful treat for hot summer days. So why are you still hesitating to walk into the kitchen and prepare one?

Thawing the frozen store-bought puff pastry is the first thing to do. However, if you are too excited about your dessert, you can make it with cornstarch by yourself. And, of course, the combination of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla is also crucial to the success of your galette.

So let’s bring the freshness to your hot day with an apple galette. You will not regret it.

Plum Galette

How about juicy slices of a plum with galette? It is totally possible.

Similar to the 2 above recipes, the plums will be put in the center of the puff pastry and are covered by pastry dough around. If you cannot find plum, apricot or nectarine still works fine.

This dessert is so flaky and tender, combining with the juiciness from the plum that will brighten your day, I guarantee.

And Other Puff Pastry Desserts With Fruits

The below 2 recipes will show you other ways to bake with puff pastry and turn them into high-class pastry pies. So do not miss out.

Strawberry Toaster Strudels

Toaster Strudel is a brand name of a pastry that is widely consumed in the USA. But if you want to make them by yourself, here is a good recipe for you to make Toaster Strudel with puff pastry.

The main jam used for this dessert is a strawberry jam, but I recommend using the seedless jam for your best-enjoyed. Plus, you can try other fruity jams like blueberry, orange, or cherry as long as you love their flavor.

Another thing to keep in mind is that they may expand quite a bit after you remove them from the oven, which might make them seem unappealing. However, do not panic. They will deflate as they cool.

Apricot and Cardamom Tarte Tatin

Too dry to eat puff pastry, you might be worried about? How about adding some juicy apricot pieces to your dessert?

Apricot and cardamom tarte tatin might take up to 1 hour to cook, but the outcome is so worth it.  Moreover, it looks like a Masterchef dessert that both looks and tastes amazing.

The sweetness and juiciness of apricot pair well with cardamom, creating a perfect mixture on the top for your puff pastry underneath. You can also serve with one scoop of vanilla or chai ice cream on your dessert to add a little chill.

Without-Fruit Puff Pastry Desserts That Are So Rich And Creamy

There are also various ways to bake your puff pastry without using fruit. Instead, almond, vanilla cream, cinnamon, chocolate, or even just plain puff pastry dough is already enough to satisfy your stomach. Let’s roll down to discover what they are.

Just Puff-Pastry Dough Is Enough To Make The Finest Desserts

These are some of the simplest puff pastry recipes that do not require a lot of ingredients. So, if you are a busy person, I believe these 4 suggestions are the finest options.

Churros

Let’s mix a little Mexican into your puff pastry dessert recipes with churros. The original recipe for churros might take a little effort, but this one is super easy because what you have to buy is a pack of store-bought puff pastry, butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

The preparation is also simple and quick as it only takes 15 minutes for the whole cooking time. Cut your puff pastry into slices and bake them.

The buttery and sweetness from the mixture of butter, cinnamon, and sugar combined with the crunchy baked churros sticks are perfect for a dessert treat after every meal.

Puff Pastry French Toast

Do you ever think of making French toast with puff pastry instead of regular bread? As I am a foodaholic, I always want to try 1 dish with other versions so that I can compare which one I prefer.

So if you feel like the buttery flavor in the common French toast bread is too much for you, try replacing it with puff pastry to see. This fluffy puff pastry French toast is so light, so delicate that it makes you ask for more, I guarantee.

They are tasty enough that you do not have to add any syrup on the top, yet a little powdered sugar is also fine. You can serve it with some strawberries or blueberries to make a dessert with more nutrients.

Puff Pastry Donut

Similarly, now shape your puff pastry sheet into a donut. They might not look exactly like a donut that you usually have, but why not try something new for your family’s dessert?

With a sheet of dough, you can cut as many donuts that you want, as long as it fits the size of this sheet. Roll out the sheet dough, but not too thin. Then circle them with a cutter. You might need 2 cutters, 1 big and 1 small, to cut the center of the donut.

Then fry them with oil at medium-high heat until they turn golden brown. Make sure they’re the same color on both sides. Finally, dust them with a combination of vanilla extract, milk, and powdered sugar.

Puff Pastry Heart

Puff pastry heart (or called pig ears) is another simple dessert for your menu. The shape of it is like a heart, so if you want to confess or show your love to someone, bake them.

Nothing is too challenging for you to make this dessert. The puff pastry is just simply sliced, formed into a heart shape, and baked with some dust of cinnamon and sugar. Moreover, these flaky pastries are ideal for any party or every meal, so they are very versatile.

Puff Pastry Desserts With Almond To Add A Slightly Bitter Flavor

Some people find almonds to be slightly bitter. However, when combined with these sweet puff pastries and other ingredients, all of the flavors will be mingled and balanced.

French Galette Des Rois With Almond Filling

Here is another French pastry that will blow your mind. Though it might look so fancy and somehow difficult to make, do not worry because even beginners can make it.

Almond and puff pastry is the key ingredient for this recipe. Plus, there is one ingredient to make this French pastry that I think some of you might not find familiar. It is called frangipane. This ingredient is almond pastry cream to fill various desserts.

But with this recipe, you might (or might not) use it because the almond itself is perfectly sufficient for this dessert. If you are not into gooey desserts, stick with this recipe.

Easy Almond Puff Pantry

You might need a food processor for this one to make an almond paste. If you do it by yourself, the result might be disappointing as the paste will be very dense.

The almond puff pastry will bring you a high-priced pastry as its taste is so creamy and delicious. They usually come with a braid shape or lace. The almond filling will be placed in the middle so you can braid 2 other sides.

If the braids lose their shape and fall apart after baking, simply cut them into little pieces and serve.

Almond puff pastry cannot get better with this step-by-step guidance:

Almond Croissants

For these croissants, you have to make the almond cream filling (frangipane as I mentioned above). To make this filling, all you have to do is mix softened butter, sugar, egg, almond flour, almond and vanilla extract.

Use puff pastry to form them into little croissants. Be noted that you should not fill too much frangipane inside the croissant; otherwise it will be too soggy. Bake them in 15 minutes, and warm-serve would be better.

Let’s Spread The Chocolate On Your Puff Pastry Desserts!

Chocolate is one of the most common ingredients for baking. So it would be missed if I do not present these two recipes for your puff pastry desserts. They are not only easy but also tasty, so do not skip them.

Chocolate Puff Pastry Twist

There are many ways to form a nice twist for your puff pastry. And with this recipe, I will show another method to make a nice pastry twist without too many problems.

Begin with a big puff pastry sheet, spread with chocolate on it, and roll. Then cut them into two long sections along their length. Twist these two pieces together to make a braid. Remember to tightly squeeze two ends together; otherwise, they will unravel.

Also, you can top them with sanding sugar after baking but remember to allow them to cool off a little bit before sprinkling the sugar on them. If your twists are still warm, the sugar will be melted.

Chocolate Puff Pastry Donut

Have you ever heard about star-shaped donuts? If not, here is how to make a dessert that you can bring your kids to the kitchen because they will love the look of this one.

Use a star cookie cutter to make star donuts with puff pastry. Brush them with egg wash before baking. You can finish them with a coat of chocolate mixture on the surface of your donuts. Now you can ask your kids to dust little sprinkles on that. I am sure that they are willing to help you.

Vanilla Cream For A Creamy Puff Pastry Desserts

Some of them are difficult to pronounce, but that does not mean they are difficult to prepare. Let’s have a look at what they are, as well as a little history and how to make them.

Krempita

Krempita is a vanilla slice or custard slice and is very popular in some European countries like Germany, Poland, Roman, Slovenia, and Croatia); however, the origin is still unknown. They also have many different names according to the countries.

There are various versions of this dessert with various components. But the main ingredients for a perfect krempita are puff pastry and custard cream.

As you do not have to do so much preparation for puff pastry because you can buy it at your local store, the mixture of cream should be paid more attention to.

So simply follow the recipe here to make sure your mixture is creamy, smooth, and tasty; then, you will be fine. They should be refrigerated for at least 8 hours before serving for the best results.

Kremówka Papieska

Kremówka papieska is a Polish cream pie that is made of puff pastry and creams. Today, they have a new name as papal cream cake because St. Pope John Paul II really loved it.

Moreover, some people claim they are too similar to a French napoleon (mille-feuille), which is also a puff pastry dessert that comes with creams between layers. However, kremówka’s top is dusted with powdered sugar and is different from mille-feuille.

How are they different? You can check the below parts as I also introduce mille-feuille in this list.

Kouign-Amann

The original Kouign-Amann is a yeast-leavened dough that originated in France’s Brittany region. But in this recipe, I use puff pastry instead of yeast-leavened dough to make it easier.

When you first see this dessert, you cannot help but fall in love with its eye-catching caramelized color. Indeed, it makes you want to eat them immediately because they taste so wonderful as well. A little buttery, crunchy, and flaky create the best pastry experience for you.

Puff Pastry Dessert With Cinnamon To Warm Up Your Stomach

A woody and citrusy flavor of cinnamon will provide a little note of the spicy taste to your dessert, making them more flavorful. With 2 kinds of shapes, I hope these puff pastry will make you warm on the cold winter days.

Puff Pastry Cinnamon Twists

You have no plans for the weekend? But if you have a frozen store-bought puff pastry at home, then follow me to make this dessert. I am sure your kids will not be able to say no to this delectable treat.

For the finest puff pastry cinnamon twists, you should shape your puff pastry slices long and thin because the thicker twists can unravel when you bake them in the oven. Do not forget to sprinkle these pastries with cinnamon and sugar layer before twisting.

Finally, serve them with a cup of tea or coffee. Nothing beats a sip of tea and a bite of these golden puff pastry twists on a cold winter morning, right?

Puff Pastry Cinnamon Roll

If you want another shape of puff pastry cinnamon, or your twists are easy to unravel, you can try roll ones.

With the same primary components of cinnamon and puff pastry, this dessert may be sweeter and tastier by adding butter and pecans. Brush a large sheet of puff pastry with the sugar and butter mixture, then roll and cut into smaller, even pieces.

And ta-da. Now you have a bunch of puff pastry cinnamon rolls for your quick breakfast or party dessert.

Delicious Puff Pastry Dessert With Various Ingredients Except For Fruits

Lastly, here are some recipes that consist of many various ingredients to create superior puff pastry treats, even if there is no fruit in them.

Mille Feuille

Can you guess its origin by its name? France? Although its name may sound French, its origin remains unknown.

The standard mill feuille is a three-layer puff pastry. The vanilla cream fills the center of the layers. And on top of this puff pastry is a striped icing pattern created by mixing vanilla cream and chocolate.

If you are throwing a big party, you can make a big mill feuille, then cut them into a smaller size (12 x 6 inches for each). I bet your guests will be impressed with this buttery, slightly crunchy, and so tasty dessert.

Let’s try this fancy mille feuille but extremely easy to do in your kitchen today:

Lemon Cream Horn

Puff pastry cream horn (also known as cannoncini in Italy) is a horn-shaped pastry filled with cream. The common filling flavor is vanilla cream; however, I’d like to introduce a better version for it with a lemon zest taste.

This fluffy pastry is not to be missed if you want a mild and subtle sour of lemon zest. In your tongue, the combination of cream, lemon zest, and butter provides a summery flavor.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that you should wait until the baked pastry and the filled cream are both cold before you fill the cream inside the pastry. Since the warm cream will soften the baked pastry, making your dessert less attractive.

Now, You Are All Set To Make Some Incredible Puff Pastry Desserts

While some of the recipes here may take up to an hour to bake, the preparation is simple and quick. Unbaked puff pastry can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and frozen for up to a month, giving you extra time to use it.

It is now up to you to make them into a wonderful dessert. If you enjoyed this list of puff pastry recipes, please leave a comment and tell me about your culinary adventures. I really hope to hear that you baked them successfully. Bon appétit!