Need a simple but impressive dessert? This easy apple tart recipe is just what you need! You’ll love the crispy, flaky puff pastry topped with tender apples and an apricot glaze.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
55 minutes
Servings
9 Slices
Difficulty
Easy
Calories *
311 kcal per serving
Technique
Roll out the puff pastry, top with apples, bake, brush with jam, and serve.
Flavor Profile
Buttery, puff pastry with apples and a hint of apricot and rum.
* Based on nutrition panel
This is a great, easy dessert! I used store-bought puff pastry, and it turned out great. I love the apple with the apricot jam. I am thinking of trying it with your apple filling next.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mara
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This tart is easy and showstopping. With minimal prep time and a few basic ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up this amazing tart for an epic dinner dessert anytime!
- It takes only 20 minutes of prep time. All you need to do is roll out some pastry, cut up a few apples, make a two-ingredient glaze, and assemble the tart!
- It can be made with homemade or store-bought pastry. There’s no need to make your own puff pastry if you’re short on time; store-bought works just as well.
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It tastes exactly like the tart that my French friend used to make. Stephanie, you are a great baker. Thank you for therecipe.”
– A Blog Reader
Table of Contents
I’m so glad that fall is here, with the leaves changing color and the nights turning cool and breezy. This apple tart, like my apple dump cake and apple bread, is another celebration of all things fall in dessert form.
This tart is by far the simplest treat you can make with homemade puff pastry, and you won’t be disappointed. Every bite is flaky, buttery, and sweet, and all the flavors play together so nicely. If you make this for a dinner party, anticipate all the compliments (trust me, they’re coming).
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff Pastry: You can use rough puff pastry dough, but I recommend using classic puff pastry or inverse puff pastry for the highest rise and the flakiest texture. If you’re not feeling like making your own, feel free to use a pre-made frozen puff pastry sheet!
- Apples: Use any apple you love that bakes well, like Granny Smith apples (which I used here), Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. Choose the type of apple based on your taste: Granny Smith for tang, Gala or Honeycrisp for sweetness, or another good baking apple if you prefer balance. Never use Red Delicious apples or any kind of apples that will turn mushy when cooked.
- Apricot Jelly: Melting the jelly down with a splash of rum, lemon juice, or water will make a wonderful glaze for the tart. This gives the apples a glorious golden finish that will make this dessert irresistible!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations for Apple Tart
- Sprinkle with cinnamon or apple pie spice instead of powdered sugar. This is a flavorful twist on the powdered sugar garnish.
- Make individual sized tarts. Instead of making one large tart, cut the large piece of pastry into 8 squares and top with the apples and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. This is a fun version that’s great for kids, much like my mini apple pies.
- Make an easy French apple tart with apple tarte tatin. This recipe has a deep caramel topping and is baked upside down, then flipped over to serve. It’s an easy variation of this dessert. French home cooks brush a hint of brandy and vanilla extract into the glaze for a subtle, sophisticated finish.
Professional Tips
- Be sure the oven is fully preheated before baking the tart. If puff pastry is baked at too low of a temperature, the butter may melt out of the pastry, reducing the rise and producing dry pastry. A hot oven and cold pastry will ensure the highest rise and best texture.
- Thin apple slices will cook quickly, or use a pre-cooked apple pie filling or homemade apple compote.
- If one side of pastry starts to puff up significantly during baking, poke a small slit with a knife to let the air out.
- The apple juices will likely burn on the edges of the baking sheet, but don’t worry! The tart itself will be just fine.
How to Make Apple Tart
Use these instructions to make the perfect apple tart every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Assembling the Tart
Step 1: Roll out the pastry. Roll the pastry on a floured surface until it’s a 10×14-inch rectangle or a 12×12-inch square. Trim the edges with a ruler and knife or pizza cutter so they’re straight.
Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured counter and, if you have one, bake it in a tart pan with a removable bottom for neat edges.
Step 2: Top with apples. Slice the apples as thinly as possible, then arrange them either decoratively or rustically in a single layer on top of the pastry. Sprinkle with sugar and the cubed butter.
Baking & Serving
Step 3: Bake the tart. Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are starting to brown on the edges.
Step 4: Glazing and decorating the top. Heat the apricot jam and rum in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm and melted, then brush evenly on top of the tart. Dust the top of the tart with powdered sugar if desired.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy. Slide the tart onto a decorative platter and slice into pieces with a sharp knife. Enjoy as soon as possible!
Recipe FAQs
Apple pie has two crusts, one on top and one on the bottom, with a large amount of cooked apple filling and cinnamon in between. In contrast, apple tart only has pastry on the bottom with a thin layer of apples on top. In addition, apple pie is typically made with a traditional, easy pie crust recipe, whereas apple tart is often made with puff pastry.
Serve apple tart while it’s still warm from the oven. Apple tart tastes wonderful by itself, but is even better when served with vanilla ice cream, vanilla pudding, or pouring custard (crème anglaise). For a more indulgent, sweet finish, drizzle it with easy salted caramel sauce!
I do not recommend storing this tart after it’s been made, so be sure to gobble it up day-of for best results. If you must keep any leftovers, refrigerate them for 1-2 days and reheat gently before serving.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Apple Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet rough puff pastry dough, or store-bought
- 5 small apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup apricot jelly, or apple jelly
- 1 tablespoon light rum, or water
- powdered sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry dough on a floured surface to a rough 10×14-inch rectangle or 12×12-inch square, depending on the look you want to achieve. Use a ruler and a small knife or pizza cutter to trim the edges straight. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
- Arrange apples decoratively (or rustically, if that’s more your style) in a single layer on top of the pastry, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the apples and top evenly with the cubed butter.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is puffy and golden brown and the apples are tender and beginning to brown on the edges. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the tart to a serving plate.
- Heat the apricot jelly with the rum (either in a bowl in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove) until just warm; whisk until smooth. Brush the mixture in a thin, even layer over the top of the tart.
- Dust the tart with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Yield – 9 slices
- Presentation – Brush with the apricot glaze and dust with powdered sugar. Serve on a beautiful platter as well.
- Technique – Keep the puff pastry as cold as possible before baking, and bake it when the oven is fully preheated.
- Storage – This apple tart is definitely the best when it’s eaten the same day. If you need to store leftovers, keep extra pieces in the fridge tightly covered for up to 1-2 days and gently reheat before serving.
- This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this French-inspired apple dessert recipe. Check out our other delicious pie and tart recipes!
This is a great, easy dessert! I used store-bought puff pastry, and it turned out great. I love the apple with the apricot jam. I am thinking of trying it with your apple filling next.
It was good. I thought there was just a bit too much sugar and a bit too much butter on top. I think halving the toppings would have been better (note – I opted NOT to glaze the top with jam).
It taste exackly like the tart that my french friend used to do. Stephanie, you are great baker. Thank you for recipe.