21 Puff Pastry Desserts Anyone Can Make

They may look complicated, but puff pastry desserts are SO easy to make.

Twist them, roll them, and fill them with fruits, nuts, or sweet, syrupy goodness, and voila! You’ll be a master of pastry dessert-making. 

Puff pastry is made with hundreds of layers of butter and dough through repeated rolling and folding.

While making homemade puff pastry is possible, it’s not really beginner-friendly.  

Luckily, store-bought pastry is excellent – and so easy to use! Plus, it makes some of the best puff pastry desserts.

Don’t just take my word for it. These recipes require minimal effort but yield fantastic results!

1. Chocolate Puff Pastry Twists

These braided puff pastry treats are golden, literally and figuratively.

Chocolate hazelnut is generously spread on thawed puff pastry, then rolled up into a log and cut in half lengthwise. 

They’re twisted together, forming an extra-large braided puff pastry dessert. 

A quick egg wash gives these chocolate braids golden brown edges.

2. Puff Pastry Fruity Cream Cheese Danish

You can make this Danish dessert in a snap, thanks to the convenience of frozen puff pastry.

The sweet cream cheese and the red fruity filling are married at the center of each Danish pastry.

You’ll love the fresh-tasting bits of red fruits!

This creamy and fruity dessert is gorgeous and delicious.

3. Blueberry Galette

A galette is a sweet, free-form cake hailing from France.

Just like a pie, this blueberry galette is buttery, flaky, and full of fruity flavors.

A galette traditionally uses homemade or store-bought pie crust, but puff pastry works just as well. 

If you don’t like blueberries, you can try making the galette with strawberries, apples, peaches, kiwi, or a combination of fruits!  

4. Cherry Pastry Pies

Have you ever had a Pillsbury toaster strudel? These cherry pastry pies are just like that, but better.

For one, they’re homemade. And second, they’re made from real fruit!

These handheld, delightful pies are filled with summer sweet cherries and baked until crisp and golden brown.

For a flavor-packed filling, mix the fruit with lemon juice, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.

5. Mini-Peach Puff Pastry Tarts

Small but mighty, these mini-tarts will leave you in awe.

The sweet, juicy peaches meet the buttery and crisp puff pastry. The result is a combination of flavors and textures like no other. 

The peaches are flavored with honey and vanilla, so you get more deliciousness besides the natural fruity taste. 

These peach tartlets are a perfect summer treat.

6. Toaster Strudel

This is a copycat recipe of the famous boxed version of the Toaster Strudel. It’s semi-homemade if using frozen puff pastry.

Another great shortcut is to use a store-bought jam for the filling.

This recipe yields a sweet treat with a fresh, homemade taste.

Adding salted butter and almond extract to the icing makes all the difference. 

7. Kouign Amann

Don’t be put off by the fancy name. This classic French dish can be made with minimal prep time and effort.

These rolls are crusty, buttery, and sugary, with a caramel outer crust.

This cheater recipe requires only three ingredients to get all that flavor and texture.

You’ll be done in less than an hour with a little dipping, rolling, pressing, and baking.

8. Cream Horns

Also called “trubochki”, these cream horns are an impressive treat for any occasion. They’re like waffles but crisp and creamy. 

For this Russian dessert, you’ll need molds to make the crispy horns.

Pipe in the cream cheese filling, dust everything with powdered sugar, and devour!

9. Strawberry Puff Pastry Tart

Who doesn’t love strawberries? They’re juicy, fruity, and sweet, with a subtle tangy kick.

These vibrant red berries are best when fresh and placed on a buttery, creamy puff pastry. 

Use the all-butter puff pastry for maximum flavor.

Mix the fresh berries with strawberry jam to make gorgeous glazed tarts.

10. Apple Turnovers

Apple turnovers are like portable apple pies. Pick them up on a lazy afternoon to indulge in warm, fruity flavors.

The apple filling goes into the crisp puff pastry with a glaze on top.

Top tip: refrigerate the turnovers before baking to reduce leaks filling out from the crimped edges.

11. Apple Pandowdy

The apple pandowdy is a favorite fall dessert at home. A juicy bite from the sliced apples and a crunchy taste from the sugar-rolled puff pastry is the BEST combo!

Don’t forget to press the dough pieces down after baking. That’s how they soak up all the delicious fruity juices. 

12. Chocolate Cookie Dough Pop Tarts

Homemade Pop Tarts – can you believe it?

You’ll use puff pastry, so these babies are flakier and more buttery than regular Pop Tarts. But I prefer this version by far!

And the filling? A drool-worthy quick cookie dough mix that’ll make you swoon.

13. Puff Pastry Almond Croissant

This faux croissant is made with puff pastry, yet it’s unbelievably flaky and flavorful.

The croissant is crisp and soft and is brushed with almond syrup for a tasty bite.

The toasted chopped almonds on top add a nice extra crunch. Take the sweetness up a notch by filling the croissant with almond pastry cream.

14. Classic Tarte Tatin

Tarte tatin is a French-style upside-down tart made with a pastry crust, butter, sugar, and apples.

Of course, this veryou can make things easier by using store-bought puff pastry. 

But unlike other puff pastry desserts where the fruits are tucked in, this tart boldly displays its caramel sweet apples.

The soft, fruity top makes a lovely contrast to the crisp, flaky base.

15. Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe made me fall in love with cinnamon rolls all over again! It’s SUPER easy to make. You only need three ingredients: puff pastry, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

These rolls wouldn’t be complete without the vanilla icing on top. Make it fancier by adding some raisins if you like. 

16. Puff Pastry Sticky Buns

Unlike time-consuming traditional sticky buns, this recipe takes a shortcut.

The filling is sweet and zesty, with white and brown sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon.

Add pecans and raisins to load up the buns and create an impressive texture combination.

17. Puff Pastry Banoffee Tart

If you’re a banana, chocolate, and caramel fan, you won’t be able to resist this recipe!

It results in a treat that’s creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. As a bonus, you can make this tart ahead of time, so it’s perfect for when you have guests coming over.

18. Puff Pastry Cheesecake Fruit Pizza

There’s beauty in simplicity, and this dessert pizza proves it.

This fancy-looking treat combines fresh fruits and cream cheese infused with vanilla for an extra flavor boost.

This versatile recipe allows you to use any fruit you have on hand. Some great options include plums, apples, peaches, and different kinds of berries. 

19. Puff Pastry Palmiers

Even elegant French palmiers can be made with puff pastry. How awesome is that? Very.

You can have these treats on the table in 30 minutes or less!

If you want the classic palmiers, simply dress them up with sugar. You can add dried, chopped fruits or shredded cheese for a next-level filling.

20. Puff Pastry Mincemeat Pinwheels

Here’s a savory puff pastry recipe that’s sure to delight. These pinwheels have all the flavor of mince pies, but they’re easier to put together.

With just six ingredients, they make ideal appetizers for guests to nosh on, especially if you have leftover mincemeat.

Since you can freeze them for up to 3 months, they’re also ideal for making in advance.

21. Classic Mille Feuille

This classic French treat is also known as a Napoleon. And it’s pretty basic: a creamy custard is spread between layers of buttery puff pastry.

Of course, it doesn’t look basic at all! And the taste is more complex than you’d think.

The contrast of crunch and creaminess is just to die for. It’s perfect for special occasions but simple enough to enjoy any day of the week.