These Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts are the perfect way to start your holiday parties! Flaky puff pastry topped with smoky, caramelized onions, sweet pears, earthy thyme and decadent gorgonzola and gruyere cheeses. 
Hi friends! Happy Thanksgiving week!! I can hardly believe I just typed that.
This IS the week of THANKSGIVING. Holy cannoli, right?
Where DID 2016 go? I’m slightly freaked out at the prospect that before we know it, I will be telling you guys Happy New Year.
Straight up craziness, right there.
Anyways, we are going to keep things short today. Because, not only are we only 3 days away from Thanksgiving, and I KNOW you guys have things to do – final touches on the menu, grocery shopping, house cleaning, decorating, etc.
BUT, we are also only 2 days away from Boy’s birthday. WAHOO! So while you guys will be preparing for Turkey Day, I have to prepare for the hubster’s very special day.
And, on that note, enough chatter. Let’s talk about holidays and appetizers.
Legit, appetizers are my all-time favorite part of any party (well that, and the cocktails, let’s just keep it real here).
Seriously, I get heart eyes FOR DAYS over mini bites. I absolutely L.O.V.E. them. And if given the chance, I would make a holiday JUST for appetizers. 😉
So, in honor of my admiration for hor d’oeuvres, I thought I’d share a fantastic little amuse-bouche with you guys today. You know, juuuust in case you don’t have the appetizer portion of your Thanksgiving extravaganza covered.
But, make a mental note, these little bites of puff pastry heaven would also be an excellent addition to ANY of your holiday gatherings – Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s. Whatever!
Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts
You guys! Buttery, flaky appetizer perfection is going on ri-cheer.
These pear tarts may be mini in size, but they pack a flavorful punch!
Flaky, buttery puff pastry topped with smoky caramelized onions; sweet, fruity pears; earthy thyme, and cheesy, decadent gorgonzola and gruyere.
Drool-fest!
Seriously guys, make these mini tarts. Devour them. And repeat… at every party from now to eternity. 😉
Can you freeze pear tarts?
Yes! You can absolutely assemble and freeze pear tarts!
To freeze these puff pastry tarts simply caramelize the onions and cook the pears as directed in the recipe below. Then, cut the sheets of puff pastry into mini squares as directed. Next, place the puff pastry onto a sheet pan and spoon the filling onto the squares. Place the pan in the freezer for a few hour to freeze completely before transferring them to a freezer safe container. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer, brush the edges with egg mixture as directed in the recipe. Bake according to the recipe, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Notes, Tips & Tricks for the Best Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts recipe:
- If you have been caramelizing your onions and NOT deglazing the pan at the end with liquid, like a splash or two of alcohol, you have been doing it all wrong. 😉 The alcohol cooks off, but the flavor it leaves behind is amazing. I always use a few splashes of Brandy to deglaze the pan, and I have written it in the recipe below. However, feel free to use whatever liquid you would like. White wine works well, but if you want to do a splash of stock or broth, that is fine too! Just use some sort of liquid, because you want to scrape up all the flavor in those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- The onions and pears can be caramelized and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can either make little puff pastry pear tarts as shown here, or you can keep the puff pastry whole and serve it more like a flatbread or pizza. If you cut it into bites, you will have a little bit of scraps of puff pastry left over. Simply discard them as there won’t be enough to utilize.
- The onion pear tarts can be assembled and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking.
Add these Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts to one of your holiday menus. I pinkie promise they are guaranteed to please!
Until next week friends, cheers! To all my friends in the USA, I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving!
XOXO
Cheyanne
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How to make Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts at home👇
Caramelized Onion Pear Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 TBS Vegetable Oil
- 3 TBS Unsalted Butter , divided
- 1 ½ Pounds Yellow Onions – thinly sliced (about 2-3 onions)
- 1 ½ Pound Bosc Pears (about 1-2 jumbo pears) – peeled and diced
- 2 tsp Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TBS Brandy
- 2 ounces Gruyere Cheese – coarsely grated
- 2 ounces Gorgonzola – crumbled
- 1 TBS Fresh Thyme
- 1 package Frozen Puff Pastry – thawed
- 1 Large Egg , beaten with 2 TBS of Water
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
- Optional for Serving: Balsamic Vinegar or Reduction
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and ½ tsp salt. COVER and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. UNCOVER and continue to cook, stirring often, for 20-25 minutes or until the onions are golden brown. Deglaze the pan with brandy* and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.*
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and position 1 rack in the lower third and 1 rack in the upper third positions in the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the Pears: In the same skillet you used for the onions, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook, stirring frequently, until the pears are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are fully softened, about 5-8 additional minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions and let cool.
- Cut the puff pastry into 2’’ squares* and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1’’ apart. Brush the pastry squares with egg mixture.
- Add both cheeses, thyme, 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper to onion and pear mixture. Stir to combine. Place a heaping 1 tablespoon onion mixture in the center of each puff pastry square.
- Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the pastry is golden and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- To Serve: Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the tarts cool to room temperature before serving. Serve with Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
1. I used Brandy to deglaze the pan, because I like the hint of sweetness, but feel free to use whatever liquid you would like. White wine works well, but you can also use stock or broth. Just make sure you use some sort of liquid, because you want to scrape up all the flavor in those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
2. The onions and pears can be caramelized and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
3. You can either make little puff pastry tarts as shown here, or you can keep the puff pastry whole and serve it more like a flatbread or pizza. If you cut it into bites, you will have a little bit of scraps of puff pastry left over. Simply discard them as there won't be enough to utilize.
4. The tarts can be assembled and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking.
Nutrition
Do you think I could use pastry cups instead of cutting into bites? I am afraid of it falling apart as I try to make into squares.
Hi Renee!
The puff pastry is very easy to work with and cut into squares, if that helps ease your mind at all. With that said, I’ve never used puff pastry cups for these tarts, but I do not see why you can’t. If you try it, let me know how it goes! And, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask! I’m always here to help! Cheers!
Can I make these a day ahead and reheat before the guests arrive?
Hi Harriet,
Honestly, I have never made these a day ahead and tried to reheat them, so I can’t give you an answer based on experience. However, I do know you can assemble these a few hours ahead and store them in the refrigerator, then proceed with baking them as instructed. Or, if you want to get as much done in advance as possible, I would caramelize the onions and cook the pears and store those in the refrigerator. Then assemble the day of, store in the refrigerator and bake as directed when guests arrive. Let me know if you have any other questions! Cheers!
This looks the perfect dish for a small buffet party, especially in this Christmas. Tart is my favourite regardless it combines with what food. So this sounds ideal. I will try realizing soon. Thank for your recipe!
It’s easy and delicious recipe. My husband will love this :). Thank you very much for your sharing!!!
Hey Girl – I totally missed this post from last week because I was crammed in the car with a billion kids headed to PA and my 83 year old Aunt Pinkie and some homemade pumpkin pie. Yeah, it was awesome. But there was not an hor d’oeuvre in sight before Thanksgiving dinner. Or the whole weekend for that matter. The company was great but I felt slightly cheated re: the menu. I was dying for something outstanding like this with a glass of white. These Caramelized Onion & Pear Tarts are just what I would have LOVED, being that I have a love affair going with gruyere. (I have a gruyere mac & cheese recipe we all adore.) Everything about this little app is awesome and I am thinking we will try it over the Christmas holidays. Cheers to a fab week ahead and hope Boy’s birthday celebration was over the top. XO
Excuse the name typo, I obviously need more coffee. 😉
I know you’re thinking, what are you doing commenting on Thanksgiving day? Well we are up in the Portland area, sipping coffee and looking out into the trees and rain and I wanted to stop by and say thanks. Thanks for the continued friendship and support this past year Chex.
This one has it all, caramelized onions, cheeses and puff pastry… I would eat a few now and it’s 8:50 in the morning! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving friend.
Boy’s Birthday and Thanksgiving at the same time … wow and I am already stressed about Christmas which is still weeks away 😉 Gruyere is one of my favourite cheeses and I love sweet and savoury combinations so this is right up my alley. So delicious and perfect for the holiday season! Have a great weekend!
Happy Birthday to you hubby! You made tarts with onion and pear ??? Wow! I love puff pastries like anything but I’ve never seen anything like this and it’s so pretty and so festive! I bet it would be perfect for Christmas too with that gorgeous color! Happy Thanksgiving, Chey! <3
I’m with you, apps are often the highlight of any big meal for me! In fact, I often fill up on them before dinner, because they’re just SO good! Caramelized onions, gorgonzola, and pear are a match made in heaven, and to serve them on a buttery puff pastry is just over the top in all the best ways! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving my dear and happy birthday to Boy!
I, legit, cannot believe it’s Thanksgiving week! Happy Birthday to BOY! I’m also a HUGE app fan.. and I’m extremely excited to try this recipe because I’ve just successfully made gluten-free puff pastry this week! It’s the simple things in life.Caramelized onions, pear, gruyere AND gorgonzola?! Totally drooling over here! Have a fantastic Thanksgiving, Cheyanne!
These look fantastic, Cheyanne!! I am such a fan of pear with cheese, especially if you stick on some puff pastry! 😉 I hope you and the hubby have a lovely holiday and a fabulous bday! 🙂
These look perfect for entertaining! Have a wonderful holiday Cheyanne and birthday wishes to your hubby! Enjoy.
Oh my goodness, I’ve died and gone to heaven!! Puff pastry, pears and Gorgonzola are the things my food dreams are made of . Nicely done! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
I think I’m addicted to puff pastry, Cheyanne. It’s so buttery and flaky, super addicting. I know I’m in love with caramelized onions, nearly all of my meals starts with me caramelizing onions. I just can’t get enough. I can’t believe we are so close to Thanksgiving, this year sunk up on me.
These are KILLING me with their amazingness <– definitely a word even though I'm getting a little red squiggly line underneath. Leave me alone computer! Anyway. I have to make these. Pinning, printing out the recipe, praying my Alaskan grocery store carries puff pastry. 😉 I'm completely with you on your love for hor d’oeuvres, btw. Apps plus cocktails ARE the holidays, right?! It's actually a tradition in my fam to make enough hor d’oeuvres for everyone to eat them for lunch for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's the best! I hope you and boy have a great Thanksgiving, girl! XO
Oh, and happy early birthday to boy!
OMG I love caramelized onion anything. Stop dinner, I filled up on hors d’oeuvres.
Great! I tried to follow your recipe, and as a result, very surprising (though I’m not good at cooking). You know, I’m a vegetarian, so the tart cakes with onion, pear and cheese made me quite fancy. Italian flavor especially emanates from Gorgonzola. I love Italian food! Thank you!
Oh my goodness, what a perfect combo of caramelized onions, pears, herbs, and loads of cheese! And pastry. The good thing about bite-sized food that you can have more than a few (a few dozens) without feeling any guilt. Also, they make the perfect things to ship to the different destinations….mmmm let’s say to Canada, right? So “yes” to Thanksgiving and Birthday deliciousness (without stuffing hehe)!
Oh yum- these are so perfect. Your hubs is a pretty lucky guy!!! And yeah, how is it already Thanksgiving?? How did we get here and how can we freeze time for just a little bit??
What a perfect appetizer! I have to start making apps more often so I can try this! Good luck with all the birthday and Thanksgiving prep 🙂
Holy cannoli: you can say that again! And hand me a cannoli or two while you’re at it. Might as well… 😉 Okay wow, please stop blowing my mind with revelations like the New Year’s one. I just can’t take it! Woah, Happy early Birthday to Boy!! Will this year be the year he becomes Man?? 😉 Who knows?? Haha. Alright, please do make a holiday just for appetizers and invite me. Only… so I don’t have to share all of your goodies! 😉 These tarts are just everything: classy, tasty, beautiful, and just so freaking Chey. Love them. <3 Bossin' it as always, my bestie. Happy almost Thanksgiving (*not New Year's!!). Mwah! xoxo
I’ve practically written the year off already — it will be New Years in a blink! These are the most gorgeous bites and I love the flavors here. Lord knows I love mini bites the most and I could munch on these from now until New Years with no problem. These are the perfect holiday bites!
Holy cannoli, indeed – this year flew by at warp speed! And hello holidays!
Speaking of which – I’ll sign whatever petition you need me too to make that Appetizer-day holiday happen! BTW – National appetizer day is Jan 28th so I cannot wait to see what you come up with then!
Also, loving your tip to deglaze the pan with alcohol, I usually just use veg stock or whatever sauce I’m cooking up as the deglazer but yay to a bita boozy appetizers – especially this time of the year! Your little tarts sound so delicious – loving all the flavors in these! Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you, Cheyanne – and your family! xoxo
I’m with MaryAnn! Anything with puff pastry – count me in! (So you better make double!) These little puffs are so festive and tasty!! Perfect for all the wonderful happenings in your house, my dear! Have a beautiful week! XO
Love these, Cheyanne – appetizers and drinks are my favorite part of holiday get togethers too. Mushrooms, cartelized onions and pears sound like a terrific combo! I actually have these same appetizers on my to do list for the blog – so you may be seeing them soon but with different flavoring! Hope you have a great week.
So perfect! I could eat the entire tray 🙂 Wishing I had all this good food heading my way this week, but I will live vicariously through all of you!
You know I’m loving these Chey! Anything with puff pastry, please count me in! I love the pear and caramelized onion combo and both cheeses! What a great Thanksgiving appetizer! Hope you and Boy have a wonderful holiday! And a Happy Birthday to Boy too! XO
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday to Boy! You’ve got quite the week going on here! I could totally make a whole meal out of appetizers. I’m loving all these flavor combos happening here. I’m all over some caramelized onions, pears, puff pastry, and gorgonzola!
These little tarts are my kinda food, Chey! I love the combo with onion, pear, pastry and cheese. Ok, just love it all 🙂 Pinned, of course. I could totally make a meal out of just this. And happily. So perfect for all the festivities coming up too. I’d be shoving these in my piehole left, right and centre 😉 Wow, you got a lot on the go, girl! Lots of exciting things! Woot woot! Hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving happy birthday to your hubby!! Have fun, girlie! xoxo
Hooray for Thanksgiving and your husband’s birthday! Sounds like you will have a fun-filled week…hopefully with LOTS of food! 🙂 I absolutely love appetizer bites, especially when they involve puff pastry. Isn’t that like the best invention?! I’m in awe of these caramelized onion and pear tarts, Cheyanne! This seriously has all of my faves…and it’s so cute too! I’m such a sucker for mini foods! 🙂 Pinned of course! I hope you have a wonderful week, friend!
It’s so crazy that it’s Thanksgiving week! It always sneaks up on me, but seriously?! We’re here? Eeek…
I love me some party appetizers! I love making meals out of them, too 😉 And these cute little tarts are perfect for snacking on! Carmelized onions are pretty much the best ever and I love how you’ve fancied them up with the pears and cheeses and puff pastry. So lovely! Pinned!
Hope Boy has a happy birthday and you both have a wonderful Thanksgiving! XO
Ohhh how nice, you have two days of celebration in a row! Happy birthday in advance 🙂 And I totally agree with you – the bite sized appetizers are always the BEST part! We get to be creative, and try new combinations… I’ve never tried onion and pear together, but I do know that pear matches so well with cheese so this probably is a winner too. Looks delicious Cheyanne, good luck with all the preparations!
That’s a party of flavours, Cheyanne, and I LOVE those thick puffy crust…so yum!
Have a wonderful and sunny week ahead, my friend…