Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart
This Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart is my favorite fall dessert to make when I don’t feel like fussing. Thin apple slices, buttery, flaky puff pastry, and a shiny apricot glaze on top – that’s it! You’ll need just a handful of ingredients and maybe 10 minutes of hands-on time. Those rows of apples look fancy, but I promise they go down in about five minutes!
If you love puff pastry desserts, you’ll also love my cream horns or this French almond cream pear tart.
Every fall, when apple season starts here in the Pacific Northwest, this tart is a must on our dessert table. It’s my go-to when a sweet craving hits out of nowhere, or when company is coming over and I want something that looks like it came from a bakery, with minimal effort and time commitment.
If long recipes overwhelm you, this one is for you! This apple tart is easy, simple, forgiving, and amazing. Crisp, buttery puff pastry with tart apples is such a classic fall flavor; you just can’t go wrong with it. You’re going to love this one!
Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart Recipe
So, what makes this apple tart so easy? I use store-bought puff pastry, which means I can make it on a random weeknight just as easily as for the holidays. And it bakes in under 30 minutes!
Why you’ll Love this Puff Pastry Apple Tart
It’s fast enough for a weeknight, and pretty enough for company!
- Buttery and crisp – those edges shatter when you bite in, and the apples get soft and sweet with little caramelized tips on the ends. I can never stop at one square!
- Only a few ingredients – I almost always have puff pastry in the freezer and apples on the counter, so this one happens on a whim.
- Quick to put together – you slice the apples, line them up, and it’s in the oven in about 10 minutes. That’s really all there is to it!
- Looks fancier than it is – the rows of apples look like they came from a bakery, and nobody has to know how easy it was.
Ingredients for Puff Pastry Apple Tart
You only need a handful of simple ingredients. Amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Puff pastry: I like all-butter puff pastry the best for flavor, but any store-bought brand will work. Or, you can make my quick homemade puff pastry.
- Apples: Any firm apple that holds its shape will work here. I love Honeycrisp when I want it on the sweeter side and Granny Smith when I want it more tart. Pink Lady is great too.
- Lemon juice: Just a little to keep the apples from turning brown while you arrange them. Bottled is totally fine.
- Granulated sugar: It sweetens the apples and caramelizes on the edges (those crunchy bits are my favorite part!). Brown sugar will give you a deeper caramel flavor if you like that.
- Cinnamon (optional): A pinch makes it taste like apple pie. I skip it when I want just the apple flavor to come through.
- Egg: For the egg wash. It makes the edges golden.
- Apricot jam: This is my bakery-style glaze and it’s what makes the apples so shiny. Peach or pineapple jam works too.
- Powdered sugar (optional): A light dusting right before serving. It’s just for looks, but so pretty!
How to Make Puff Pastry Apple Tart
The whole thing happens on one baking sheet. And since the oven heats up while you’re slicing apples, you’re not standing around waiting for it!
- Heat the oven – first things first, turn the oven on to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I use parchment every single time with this tart. It lets the steam escape from under the pastry, so the bottom actually gets crisp (and the whole tart just slides off when it’s done). Please don’t use foil here! Foil traps the steam and all that butter melting out of the pastry, and then you’ve got a soggy bottom.
Lower the heat if using a dark nonstick baking sheet
If your pan is the dark nonstick kind, it’ll run hot and can burn the bottom before your apples are soft. Turn the oven down to 400°F (205°C), or slide your pan inside a second one. - Prep the apples and egg wash – while the oven heats up, I peel and core the apples and cut them in half. Then I slice them about â…› inch thin on my mandoline slicer (a knife works too, it just takes a little longer). I toss the slices with lemon juice as I go so they don’t turn brown on me. Oh, and beat the egg in a small bowl and keep it nearby, you’ll need it in a minute.
How do I slice them evenly with a knife?
Lay each half flat side down so it can’t roll around on you, and go slow so the slices come out about the same thickness. That way they all bake at the same time.
- Stack the pastry – your puff pastry needs to be thawed but still cold. Cold is key here, because warm puff pastry just won’t puff! If it gets floppy on you, pop the whole pan in the fridge for 10 minutes.
How do I thaw puff pastry?
I usually thaw mine overnight in the fridge. If you forgot (happens to me all the time!), about 40 minutes on the counter works too. It’s ready once you can unfold it without it cracking.Now lay one sheet on the parchment and brush off any flour, then brush on some egg wash. Flip the second sheet over and brush the flour off that side too, because flour keeps the layers from sticking. Lay it on top and press it down gently.
Why stack two sheets of puff pastry?
Two layers give you a sturdier base, so you can pile on more apples and it won’t get soggy. And the border puffs up even higher! - Score and dock – next, create the tart border by cutting a line ½ inch in from the edges, about halfway through the pastry. That edge puffs up into a crisp frame in the oven, which I love! Then poke the middle all over with a fork so it stays nice and flat under the apples. Brush egg wash over the top, but stay off the cut edges or the border won’t rise.
- Add the apples – now for the fun part! Line the apple slices up in overlapping rows inside the border. Mix the sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it over everything, including the edges of the apples, because that’s where you get those caramelized tips.
- Bake it until the edges are puffed up and deep golden and a knife slides right into the apples. In my oven that’s about 25 to 30 minutes. If the edges are browning too fast and the apples still aren’t done, just lay strips of parchment or foil over the edges.
- Glaze – while it’s baking, warm up the apricot jam in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and push it through a fine-mesh sieve. Then, right when the tart comes out of the oven, brush it all over the hot apples. That’s the bakery shine! It also keeps the apples from drying out.
- Cool and slice – let it sit for at least 15 minutes. I know, it’s hard to wait! But the pastry stays crisper and the glaze gets a chance to set. Then dust it with powdered sugar if you want, cut it into squares, and enjoy!
Marina’s Pro Tips for theBest Puff Pastry Apple Tart
These are the little things that make it look like it came from a bakery.
- Crisp the bottom on a lower rack. I bake mine on the lower-middle rack since it’s closer to the heat, and the bottom browns before the apples start letting out their juice.
- Hide the cut ends for neat rows. Overlap the slices so you only see the pretty rounded edges, and start every new row right over the cut ends of the row before it.
- Glaze while it’s hot. Hot tart = thin, glossy glaze. If you wait until it cools, the jam goes on thick and streaky.
How to Serve Apple Puff Pastry Squares
I love it warm, but it’s just as good at room temperature. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream on top, and it’s perfect! It also goes great with a cup of coffee or tea.
Make-Ahead Apple Tart with Puff Pastry
It’s best the day it’s baked, while the pastry is still crisp. If you’re having people over, you can assemble it up to 2 hours ahead, keep it in the fridge, and bake it right before dessert.
How to Store Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Room temperature: I keep it covered on the counter for up to 1 day.
Fridge: Covered, it’ll last up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap the squares up tightly and freeze them for up to a month.
To reheat: Bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes (or about 10 if it’s frozen) until the pastry is crisp again.
Here are a few questions you might have before you start baking.
Puff Pastry Apple Tart FAQ
Why Didn’t My Puff Pastry Puff?
Can I Use Other Fruit?
Can I Make Mini Apple Tarts?
More Apple and Puff Pastry Desserts
Made this Puff Pastry Apple Tart?
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Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Ingredients
- 2 sheets (490 g) puff pastry 1 box (17.3 oz), thawed but cold
- 3 medium (550 g) apples firm baking apples, or 4 small
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice from ½ lemon
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon optional
- 1 large (50 g) egg beaten
- 2 tbsp (40 g) apricot jam or peach or pineapple jam
- 1 tsp (3 g) powdered sugar optional, for dusting
Instructions
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Heat the oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, not foil, so the bottom stays crisp. On a dark nonstick sheet, use 400°F (205°C).
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Prep the apples. Peel, core and halve 3 medium apples, then slice them 1/8 inch thin using a mandoline slicer or a knife. Toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice.
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Make the egg wash. Beat 1 large egg in a small bowl.
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Stack the pastry. Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on the parchment and brush off any flour with a dry pastry brush. Brush with egg wash. Brush the flour off the underside of the second sheet, set it on top and press so they stick. If the pastry softens, chill it for 10 minutes.
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Score and dock. Create the tart border by cutting a line 1/2 inch in from the edges, halfway through the pastry. Prick the center all over with a fork so it stays flat under the apples. Brush the top with egg wash, keeping it off the cut edges so the border can rise.
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Add the apples. Arrange the slices in overlapping rows inside the border. Mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the apples.
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Bake. Bake on the lower-middle rack until the edges are puffed and deep golden and a knife slides easily into the apples, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cover the edges with parchment strips if they brown too fast.
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Glaze. Microwave 2 tbsp apricot jam for 15 to 20 seconds, push it through a fine-mesh sieve and brush over the hot apples.
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Cool and serve. Cool for at least 15 minutes. Dust with 1 tsp powdered sugar and cut into 9 squares.
Recipe Notes
- Note 1 - Puff pastry: Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or about 40 minutes on the counter. It should unfold without cracking but still feel cold.
- Note 2 - Apples: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Pink Lady hold their shape best.
- Note 3 - Make ahead: Assemble up to 2 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge until baking.
- Note 4 - Storage: Covered, 1 day at room temperature or 3 days in the fridge. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes to re-crisp.
- Note 5 - Mini tarts: Cut the stacked pastry into 9 squares, score a border on each and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
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