Top 31 Best Puff Pastry Desserts

My guide to the best sweet puff pastry desserts contains the most delicious desserts with trustworthy recipes and tutorials on how you can make them yourself.

Jump to:

• The best sweet puff pastry dessert recipes
• 1. Traditional puff pastry
• 2. Easy rough puff pastry
• 3. Mille Feuille
• 4. Palmiers
• 5. Cinnamon twists
• 6. Nutella twists
• 7. Napoleon cake
• 8. Apple turnovers
• 9. Pumpkin turnovers
• 10. King cake (Galette des Rois)
• 11. Tarte Tatin
• 12. Almond croissants
• 13. Raspberry lemon tartlets
• 14. Salted caramel pear tarts
• 15. Puff pastry cannoli cones
• 16. Cranberry Apple Danish
• 17. Spiced wine and plum tarte Tatin
• 18. Galaxy puff pastry donuts
• 19. Poached pear puff pastry dessert
• 20. Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
• 21. Strawberry cardamom mascarpone tartlets
• 22. Butterfinger pumpkin stuffed donuts
• 23. Halfway homemade cinnamon sugar cruffins
• 24. Baked apple roses with puff pastry
• 25. Cinnamon sugar chocolate cream horns
• 26. Raspberry cream cheese pastries
• 27. Chocolate pastry puffs
• 28. Puff pastry berries and cream wreath
• 29. Chocolate almond braided Danish
• 30. Puff pastry peach galette
• 31. Lemon cream cheese puff pastry braid
• Puff pastry desserts FAQs
• Related Sweet Puff Pastry Dessert Recipes
• Top 31 Best Puff Pastry Desserts

Puff pastry is characterized by its flaky layers made from folding dough around a butter block several times. It is a French delicacy and tastes like buttery heaven. Whether you use homemade traditional French puff pastry from scratch, rough puff pastry, or (store) bought puff pastry; there are many desserts to make with puff pastry.

The best sweet puff pastry dessert recipes

1. Traditional puff pastry

Learning how to make traditional puff pastry might seem daunting, and it is true that you need to follow exact instructions and practice to get it right. But it is certainly a valuable skill to learn. In a word, there is nothing quite like classic home made puff pastry! My tutorial covers everything you need to know and gives you all my tried and tested tips.

2. Easy rough puff pastry

A quicker, easier way to make puff pastry that is just as buttery and delicious but less complex and time-consuming. Rough puff pastry cuts a few corners but tastes just as good! I recommend learning to make rough puff pastry for more simple puff pastry desserts when a full classic pastry is not required. As always, my recipes include full step-by-step instructions and tons of tips so you can then make simple puff pastry dessert recipes to your heart's content.

3. Mille Feuille

This is one of my favorite puff pastry recipes; sweet and delicious. Whilst we normally aim for a beautiful rise with puff pastry, it is weighed down during baking to prevent this from happening in Mille Feuille. The compacted pastry becomes deliciously crisp and is then stacked into a tower held in place with vanilla pastry cream (crème Pâtissière) and decorated with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, or chocolate.

4. Palmiers

Sweet and sugary palmiers are such an easy and crisp puff pastry recipe. They contain just two ingredients, and if you use store-bought puff pastry - take just 40 minutes! Serve palmiers with a cup of coffee; it's one of the quickest easy dessert pastry recipes. The ideal choice of sweet puff pastry recipes for beginner bakers.

5. Cinnamon twists

Cinnamon twists make an easy dessert appetizer to share around and enjoy with coffee. Puff pastry is brushed with rich butter and then sprinkled with fragrant cinnamon sugar before being twisted up and baked in the oven. Don't miss their crunchy, spiced warmth!

6. Nutella twists

Nutella is a pantry staple you can use in so many delicious desserts. Puff pastry desserts with Nutella are unbelievably easy to make, too; consequently, I eat them a lot! Puff pastry twists are kid-friendly yet simultaneously adult-taste-approved. You'll love them.

7. Napoleon cake

Make a statement with Napolean cake made with sweet puff pastry and layers of silky pastry cream. Guests will love being served such an impressive-looking dessert and then subsequently be amazed at how good it tastes!

8. Apple turnovers

Flaky puff pastry with warm apple pie filling inside? Sign me up. Turnovers are a fruity puff pastry recipe that anyone can make. Create your own personal apple pie with puff pastry that you can serve on its own or with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

9. Pumpkin turnovers

Pumpkin season is not complete without a puff pastry turnover. Crisp and flaky on the outside and deliciously sweet and creamy on the inside, these warm pumpkin treats are super easy to make.

10. King cake (Galette des Rois)

Have you seen King cake? It's a very famous French pastry served every January at the end of the holiday season. Two puff pastry dough layers are sandwiched together with creamy frangipane and baked until golden brown. Adored by kids and adults, it's a puff pastry idea to try for the holidays.

11. Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin is one of the most famous French puff pastry tarts invented by the Tatin sisters back in the 1880s. Sticky caramelized apples make these puff pastry tarts sweet, perched on a buttery puff pastry base so that they ooze an utterly irresistible sticky sweet sauce. Whilst this puff pastry apple tart might seem complicated, it is actually simpler to make than you think.

12. Almond croissants

Puff pastry almond croissants are a more advanced take on puff pastry desserts, as you must make a yeasted dough that is laminated with the butter block and proofed before baking. But how could I not include these delicious-looking croissants? The nutty, creamy filling and crunchy flaked almond topping are too good to miss.

13. Raspberry lemon tartlets

Make mini puff pastry desserts as a party appetizer. Lemon curd is folded into freshly whipped cream for a light but tangy filling encased in a sweet puff pastry cup and finally topped with a fresh raspberry. Who doesn't love a mini puff pastry tart! They are so cute and pretty and the perfect bite-size treat!

14. Salted caramel pear tarts

Surely anything with salted caramel needs a second look! These puff pastry desserts with fruit are beautiful and delicious despite the simplicity of preparation. It can be ready in under an hour and works wonderfully as a Fall dessert during the pear harvest season.

15. Puff pastry cannoli cones

A genius shortcut for an otherwise pretty complex recipe. Buttery puff pastry cannoli cones stuffed with decadently creamy sweet ricotta filling are much easier to make than you think if using a rough puff or store-bought puff pastry! The pistachio crunch topping is out of this world.

16. Cranberry Apple Danish

Undoubtedly one of the best ways to use up leftover cranberry sauce - make cranberry and apple Danish pastry! This easy recipe comes together in minutes if you already have puff pastry to hand. A tart yet sweet pastry recipe that's easy enough for busy cooks at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

17. Spiced wine and plum tarte Tatin

Variations on tarte Tatin are always a good puff pastry idea at any time of year. Dark and moody purple plums baked on flaky homemade puff pastry and glazed with aromatic cinnamon and vanilla spiced wine syrup? Seriously, this is elegant dessert territory.

18. Galaxy puff pastry donuts

Aren't these just the cutest? Faux donuts made with frozen puff pastry dough are super fast, super cute, and super tasty. I'd serve them as mini puff pastry desserts for kid's parties, and the chocolate glazing and sprinkles make them even more fun and delectable.

19. Poached pear puff pastry dessert

Even friends who claim to dislike fruit will surely love this puff pastry dessert. Pears poached in sweet vanilla cinnamon liquid are then baked in a flakey puff pastry crust. The softness of the pears contrasts with flaky puff pastry and tastes absolutely divine, served warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

20. Brown Butter and Salted Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

Sticky puff pastry buns with pecans, maple, and brown butter? Do I even need to say anything else? You'll love this variation if you love brown sugar puff pastry cinnamon rolls. The sticky maple sauce is something else paired with buttery puff pastry rolls and crunchy pecans. I'd serve this sweet puff pastry dessert for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

21. Strawberry cardamom mascarpone tartlets

Aromatic cardamom lends a sophisticated edge to this easy puff pastry tarlet recipe. Meanwhile, creamy mascarpone and crunchy pistachios finish the texture jackpot, and ripe strawberries deliver the most amazing fruity flavor. I'd serve these sweet puff pastry appetziers in the summertime.

22. Butterfinger pumpkin stuffed donuts

Are you looking for ways to use canned pumpkin? Try these pumpkin stuffed donuts; they'll certainly use it in a delicious new way. Furthermore, they are topped with a sticky sweet chocolate glaze; you won't be able to get enough.

23. Halfway homemade cinnamon sugar cruffins

The sweetest, warmest cruffins recipe made from puff pastry! While you might think cruffins are a challenge too far, this recipe uses puff pastry for a cheat version yet still achieves a similarly delicious effect.

24. Baked apple roses with puff pastry

Elegant mini desserts or dessert canapes with puff pastry are perfect for elegant dinner parties. And baked apple roses are certainly the prettiest too! Though they might look hard to make, making roses from apple slices is simple. Then neatly tuck them inside a puff pastry cup and bake.

25. Cinnamon sugar chocolate cream horns

Cream horns are a must! A crispy puff pastry exterior coated with cinnamon sugar, chocolate ganache, and chocolate whipped cream interior. Without a doubt, puff pastry horns are a dessert to make.

26. Raspberry cream cheese pastries

Smooth cream cheese filling gives a tangy cheesecake taste to these puff pastry desserts. A twist on a cream cheese Danish, the texture is almost like cream puffs with a sweet fruity flavor. This is surely becoming one of my favorite easy puff pastry desserts with cream cheese.

27. Chocolate pastry puffs

An easy version or cheat pain au chocolate, you can certainly use puff pastry to make a tasty chocolate pastry puff! Simply wrap puff pastry sheets around chocolate and secondly bake in a hot oven to produce a delicious and chocolate puff pastry dessert.

28. Puff pastry berries and cream wreath

Now, this is certainly a showstopper. Flaky puff pastry layers with a simple and easy cream filling before being garnished with your favorite fresh berries. A perfect flavor and texture combination and a real statement dessert. Perhaps you could serve it after a summer lunch party, so long as you made enough for seconds.

29. Chocolate almond braided Danish

Gooey, warm chocolate, crunchy flaked almonds, and buttery puff pastry? Where do we sign? You could serve this as a sweet breakfast recipe or as a puff pastry dessert. Certainly, I can imagine how good it must smell baking in the oven.

30. Puff pastry peach galette

A galette is undoubtedly one of the easiest pastry desserts to make. Regardless, it is also one of the most delicious, and a puff pastry galette is a personal favorite of mine. Serve this peach galette with puff pastry in summer with ripe and juicy stone fruit, and elevate it even further with a scoop of ice cream.

31. Lemon cream cheese puff pastry braid

Citrus zing, tangy cream cheese, and flaky puff pastry unite in this dream dessert recipe, a fruity twist on a cream cheese Danish. Full of creamy lemon curd and lighter flavors, this is an ideal Spring dessert and works wonderfully well for brunch.

Puff pastry desserts FAQs

Related Sweet Puff Pastry Dessert Recipes