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    Home » Recipes » Party Food

    Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry

    Nov 12, 2019(updated Nov 7, 2024)

    By Michelle Weiner

    Grab one of these Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry while you can! The layers of creamy goat cheese and sweet pear slices on top of baked puff pastry make this easy fall appetizer impossible to resist. Your party guests will love them!
    5 from 2 votes
    Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    close up of mini puff pastry tarts that have goat cheese, pears, thyme and a honey drizzle on them

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Grab one of these Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry while you can! The layers of creamy goat cheese and sweet pear slices on top of baked puff pastry make this easy fall appetizer impossible to resist. Your party guests will love them!

    Creamy, sweet, and flaky tartlets!

    These Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry are always gone in a flash when I serve them at parties. A creamy and herbaceous goat cheese mixture is topped on a piece of buttery puff pastry and finished with gorgeous slices of red bartlett pears. Finish it off with a drizzle of honey and fresh thyme, and you have a to-die-for festive holiday or fall snack!

    Listen - I love the herby and punchy goat cheese spread and the sweetness from the pear slices on these goat cheese tartlets, but what really makes them special is the puff pastry.

    close up of mini puff pastry tarts that have goat cheese, pears, thyme and a honey drizzle on them

    Pear and goat cheese tart ingredients

    All you need to make these puff pastry appetizers are a handful of simple ingredients. Try to use the high quality, fresh stuff for the absolute best flavors!

    Goat cheese and flavor boosters

    Goat cheese (also known as chèvre) is a soft and spreadable goat’s milk cheese. Its distinct earthy and tangy flavors make it the perfect partner for bright mix-ins, like lemon juice in this Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini. It’s also delicious paired with crackers and meat on a Fall Meat and Cheese Board.

    For this goat cheese appetizer, the creamy cheese is stirred together with raw shallots, garlic cloves, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Let the cheese come down to room temperature before you start mixing so it’s easy to work with.

    There aren’t many options if you’re thinking of replacing the goat cheese. Unlike other creamy cheeses, like ricotta or cream cheese, goat cheese doesn’t melt all over the place and stays on the puff pastry. If you’re worried about the flavor, experiment with different brands or flavor varieties.

    Pears

    The sweetness from pears is so delightful on these mini goat cheese tarts! Slice ‘em up thin and add 1 or 2 to each tartlet. I chose red bartlett pears because their red skin is so festive and helps these appetizers stand out compared to green or brown pears.

    You can really use any pear you love but if you want the prettiest bites, go with red!

    a platter of mini pear and goat cheese tarts with some missing and crumbs in their place. There are two plates with half eaten tarts on them and two glasses filled with a drink and orange twists

    Puff pastry

    Puff pastry dough just brings me so much joy and is a fantastic base for these mini tarts. It’s a magical buttery pastry you can find in the frozen aisle at most grocery stores and is a foolproof alternative to traditional tart dough. All you have to do is defrost the frozen puff pastry and you’re good to assemble your tartlets!

    The savory puff pastry appetizer tarts should be assembled while the pastry is still cold. Thaw the dough in the fridge but keep it in there until you’re ready to assemble. If it’s warm, the tarts won’t puff as well!

    Honey 

    Drizzled on top of the tartlets for a sweet finish!

    How to make mini pear and goat cheese tarts

    These step by step instructions will show you how to easily put these creamy goat cheese tartlets together:

    bowl of goat cheese and shallots with a cutting board next to it with chopped garlic and a thyme plant

    Step 1: Add the goat cheese, chopped garlic, shallot, and thyme to a bowl and mix.

    red pears on a cutting board being sliced crosswise with a bowl of gat cheese filling in the bottom corner of the image

    Step 2: Chop the pears into thin slices.

    a sheet of puff pastry on a wooden cutting board cut into sixteen rectangles with a wooden handled pairing knife next to it.

    Step 3: Take the puff pastry out of the fridge and slice each sheet into 16 pieces.

    puff pastry rectangles being assembled with teaspoons goat cheese, and slices of pears

    Step 4: Use a fork to dock the puff slices, then place a scoop of the goat cheese mixture on top.

    Finish with 1 or 2 pear slices.

    Baked mini pear and goat cheese tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet

    Step 5: Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.

    Let the tarts cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then drizzle the tops with honey, fresh thyme, and pepper.

    Serve to all of your party guests and enjoy!

    Mix up the flavors!

    Make these mini pear and goat cheese tarts your own with a few substitutions or added flavors. It’s fun to mix things up in these delicious appetizers:

    • Either swap the pear slices for apple slices or mix and match.
    • Top with fresh rosemary instead of thyme.
    • For a festive look, sprinkle a few dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds on top.
    • Replace the goat cheese mixture with a small slice of brie.
    • Add some crispy bacon or prosciutto on top for more saltiness.
    • Swap the honey for maple syrup.
    • Add lemon juice to brighten up the cheesy spread.
    a marble platter filled with mini puff pastry tarts topped with goat cheese, sliced pears, honey and thyme. There is a small cup of honey next to the platter and honey dripping off the platter

    Recipe

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    close up of mini puff pastry tarts that have goat cheese, pears, thyme and a honey drizzle on them

    Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry

    Grab one of these Mini Pear and Goat Cheese Tarts with Puff Pastry while you can! The layers of creamy goat cheese and sweet pear slices on top of baked puff pastry make this easy fall appetizer impossible to resist. Your party guests will love them!
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    Author: Michelle Weiner
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Makes: 16 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces goat cheese room temp
    • small shallot finely chopped
    • 2 cloves of garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 3 small red pears sliced ¼ inch thick
    • 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • Optional: thyme sprigs and extra pepper to garnish

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Combine goat cheese, shallot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well.
    • One sheet at a time, cut puff pastry into 16 rectangles. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Using a fork, dock the center of each puff pastry rectangle (poke a few times with the tines of the fork).
    • Evenly divide the goat cheese mixture between the centers of the puff pastry rectangles, about 1 teaspoon per piece. Place the pear slices on top of the scoops of goat cheese, about 1-2 slices per pear.
    • Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown, about 40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
    • Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with honey and garnish with extra pepper and thyme sprigs and serve!

    Watch the Video!

    Did you make this recipe?Share a pic and tag @cupofzest and use #cupofzest so I can see it!
    « Quick 30-Minute Festive Fall Charcuterie Board
    Baked Brie with Fig Jam and Pistachios »

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    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Not only will you be helping us out, but you'll also be spreading the love to other party planners looking for their next big hit!

      Your star rating and comment can make all the difference in helping others discover the perfect recipe for their next shindig. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a good party? So let's get this party started by sharing the love and making sure everyone has a delicious time. Thanks for being a part of the Party Food Crew! And remember, party more & stress less!

      🎉 Cheers,
      Michelle

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Anna M says

      June 03, 2022 at 10:58 pm

      5 stars
      I am very rarely a goat cheese fan but these were AMAZING. The pastry was so good and the flavor combo of the fruit with the goat cheese makes it totally work for me!

      Reply
      • Michelle Ferrand says

        June 06, 2022 at 6:40 pm

        Woohoo! So glad to hear that this recipe was a win even with the goat cheese! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Michelle and welcome to the party!

    After of working in the culinary world for over 10 years, I'm sharing the skills I've learned with you here at Cup of Zest. I'm here to help you invite your friends over more and stress less when cooking for them. Glad you're part of the crew!

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