This puff pastry apple tart has thinly sliced apples arranged over flaky pastry and brushed with brown sugar butter before baking. Granny Smith and Dazzle apples give each slice a mix of tart and sweet apple flavor under a golden pastry border.
Apple Tart with Puff Pastry, Brown Sugar Butter and Cinnamon
I wanted to make an apple tart without dumping a bunch of sugar into it. I was going to eat it with vanilla ice cream, because that’s a given, so I wanted to see how much of the sweetness could come from choosing the right apples. Something like this always feels reasonable to me until I’m eight tarts in, knowing I had taken things too far. Again.
I tried different combinations of Granny Smith, Dazzle, Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp and Fuji. I kept changing the apples, trying another piece, and figuring out which combo tasted good with hardly any sugar added. I wanted tartness in there, especially with the ice cream, but I didn’t want a bite that made me wish I’d added more brown sugar before it went into the oven.
Granny Smith and Dazzle ended up being the best combination. There are only two tablespoons of brown sugar on the whole tart, and with the vanilla ice cream melting over a warm piece, I really don’t miss the rest. If you want the puff pastry border to have a sweet crunch, sprinkle some coarse sugar around the edge. It’s completely optional. After all the testing, I do feel like I’ve earned someone else making me dessert. That likely won’t happen, though.
The Decisions Behind This Recipe
- After all the changing of the apples, Granny Smith and Dazzle were the combination I liked best for this puff pastry tart. Granny Smith remains the formidable tartness queen, while Dazzle gave me the sweetness I was looking for. Together they let me use only two tablespoons of brown sugar in the butter glaze. Alternating the slices gave me some of each apple across the tart.
- I kept the peels on. They soften when the apples are sliced this thin, and the strips of green and red make the rows much more handsome once they’re arranged.
- At about ⅛ inch thick, the apples can go onto the pastry raw and become tender while they bake. Slice thickness is important because if the apples are much thicker, the puff pastry can be finished before the apples are soft enough.
- The sliced apples get tossed with cinnamon, salt and lemon juice before they’re arranged. Then the melted butter and brown sugar go over the top. With only two tablespoons of brown sugar, mixing it with the butter separately means I can spread it across the apples instead of leaving half of it in the bowl.
- A shallow score around the outside makes the pastry border, while a few fork holes keep the center flatter under the fruit. Leave the border alone so it can puff up. It’s an easy way to get two different results from the same sheet of puff pastry.
- I arranged the apples in three slightly overlapping rows and stopped there. It was tempting to keep adding slices because they look good going on, but when I tried that, the extra apples added more weight and juice. I only needed to do that once. Three rows add enough apple without losing the puff pastry on the bottom.
Ingredients
- Puff pastry – One frozen sheet, thawed but still cold. Roll it out to about 10 x 12 inches so there’s enough room for three rows of apples without crowding them.
- Granny Smith apple – The queen of the tarts. It stays firm during baking, and the green peel looks good next to the red Dazzle.
- Dazzle apple – Sweeter than Granny Smith, crisp, and red-skinned. If you can’t find Dazzle, try Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp. I’d still keep Granny Smith for the tart half of the pair.
- Ground cinnamon – I didn’t want to make the fruit taste like it had been dipped in apple pie spice, so ½ teaspoon was enough for me.
- Salt – A small amount tossed with the apples. It keeps the cinnamon and brown sugar sharp in flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice – Tossed with the sliced apples before they go onto the pastry. It adds acidity and slows down browning while you arrange the rows.
- Unsalted butter – Melt it and stir it with the brown sugar so you can brush the mixture over the apples once they’re on the pastry.
- Light brown sugar – Two tablespoons for the whole tart. That’s all it needed once I found apples with enough sweetness of their own. You guys are always asking me for dessert possibilities with less sugar, so this one’s for you. If you’re out, make a batch of my homemade brown sugar instead of running to the store.
- Egg and water – Whisk them together and brush the exposed pastry border. That’s how you get the glossy, golden finish.
- Coarse sugar – Totally optional, and only for the pastry border if you want sparkle and crunch there.
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving – It isn’t baked into the tart, but please put a scoop on a warm piece. It also lets everyone decide how sweet they want dessert to be without adding more sugar to the tart itself.
How to Make Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.
- Step One (get the pastry ready)
Heat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the cold puff pastry right on the sheet and roll it to about 10 x 12 inches, smoothing the fold lines as you go. Lightly score a ¾-inch border around the outside without cutting through the pastry, then prick the center several times with a fork. Leave the border untouched with the fork so it can puff up around the apples. - Step Two (slice and season the apples)
Core the Granny Smith and Dazzle apples and slice them about ⅛ inch thick. Leave the peels on so the green and red edges show when the tart comes out of the oven. Put the slices in a bowl with the cinnamon, salt and lemon juice and toss them carefully so they’re coated without damaging the thin slices. - Step Three (arrange the apples)
Lay the apples inside the scored border in slightly overlapping rows, alternating Granny Smith and Dazzle as you go. Three rows give you enough apple across the tart without weighing down the pastry. Keep them in a single layer with some overlap instead of stacking slices wherever you find an opening. - Step Four (add the brown sugar butter)
Stir the melted butter and brown sugar together, then brush or spoon the mixture over the arranged apples. Try to get some across all the rows, right out to the ends. There isn’t a lot of it, which is the idea, but I do want it on the tart instead of left in the bowl. - Step Five (finish the border)
Whisk the egg and water together and brush the exposed pastry border, leaving the apples alone. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the border if you’re using it. - Step Six (bake the tart)
Bake for 22–26 minutes, until the border is puffed and deeply golden and the apples are tender and lightly caramelized. If the timer goes off and the pastry still looks pale, leave it in. Let the tart cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before slicing. In the meantime, get the vanilla ice cream out.
Recipe Tips
- You’ll want to keep the puff pastry cold while you work. If it gets soft and floppy while you’re arranging the apples, put the whole baking sheet in the refrigerator for a few minutes before baking. You want it cold when it goes into the hot oven.
- Don’t cut all the way through when you score the border. You’re making a shallow line, not cutting four strips off the sheet. Keep the fork holes inside that line too.
- Assemble the tart on the parchment-lined baking sheet you’ll bake it on. Moving a sheet of pastry covered in neat rows of apples to another pan sounds like a good way to invent new profanity.
- Serve it warm or at room temperature, but if it’s warm, get the vanilla ice cream on there while it can still melt over the apples. That’s part of the pleasure of making the tart in the first place.
Storage
- Let the tart cool completely before you cover it. Trapping steam against puff pastry will soften it. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- It’s good at room temperature, or you can warm a piece in a 350°F oven or air fryer until the pastry crisps up again. The microwave will heat it, but it’ll leave the pastry soft. Add the ice cream after reheating, obviously.
FAQs
- What apples are best for a puff pastry apple tart?
I use Granny Smith and Dazzle together because I like having a tart apple and a sweeter one in each piece. If you can’t find Dazzle, use a crisp red apple such as Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp. I’d still keep the Granny Smith. - Do I need to cook the apples first?
No. Slice them about ⅛ inch thick and they’ll become tender while the pastry bakes. Cooking them first would give you another pan to wash and more apple juice to manage on top of the pastry. - Can I make the tart ahead of time?
I wouldn’t leave the sliced apples sitting on raw puff pastry for hours. You can keep the pastry thawed in the refrigerator and have the other ingredients ready, then slice the apples and assemble the tart shortly before baking. If you need the whole thing done ahead, bake it, refrigerate it once cool and reheat it before serving. - How do I keep the puff pastry from getting soggy?
Don’t let the assembled tart sit around before baking. The apples begin releasing juice once they’re sliced and seasoned, and I’d rather have that happen in the oven than on raw pastry. Bake the tart as soon as you finish assembling it.
From My Kitchen Notes
Small observations from the margins.
- Edges can put on a show while the middle stays pale.
- I can usually tell the difference between something that needs more time and something that gets worse the longer I wait.
- If I have to add all the sweetness afterward, I probably chose badly at the start.
- An attractive arrangement can survive right up until the first piece is taken out.
- I’ve made the same thing seven more times after I knew what needed to change. Knowing better and doing better are separate skills.
- I used to think two things belonged together only if neither one had to change. That would make for a very strange kitchen.
- There’s no prize for getting something to the table if I don’t want a second piece.
- Some combinations ask one half to make up for everything the other half lacks. I can taste that eventually.
- I can leave room for something else without making myself less of the meal.
- I have more patience for a difficult process than for a result I have to talk myself into loving.
When There’s More Puff Pastry In the Freezer
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Danishes – Cream cheese, strawberry jam, flaky pastry.
- Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pastries – Sausage, eggs, cheddar, flaky pastry.
- Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette – Blackberries, buttery pastry, golden crust.
- Carrot Tart with Pistachio Pesto and Ricotta – Rainbow carrots, ricotta, pistachio pesto.
- Individual Puff Pastry Apple Tarts with Almond and Cinnamon – Apples, almond paste, cinnamon, puff pastry.
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Puff Pastry Apple Tart
This Puff Pastry Apple Tart has thinly sliced Granny Smith and Dazzle apples arranged over flaky puff pastry, then brushed with brown sugar butter and baked until the apples are tender and the pastry is deeply golden.
Servings: 9
Calories: 244kcal
Equipment
- large baking sheet Enough room for the puff pastry to be rolled into a 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30-cm) rectangle and expand during baking.
- parchment paper Prevents sticking and makes it easier to remove individual slices from the baking sheet.
- rolling pin Smooths the fold lines and rolls the puff pastry to the proper dimensions.
- Knife Scores the pastry border without cutting all the way through and slices the apples thinly.
- Cutting board A stable surface for coring and slicing the apples.
- apple corer Removes the middle core of the apple.
- mixing bowls (medium and small) Holds the sliced apples while they are coated with cinnamon, salt and lemon juice and used for mixing the melted butter and brown sugar.
- pastry brush Makes it easier to distribute the brown sugar butter over the apples and egg wash over the pastry border.
- fork Docks the center of the puff pastry so it doesn't rise as much beneath the apples.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet (245 g) frozen puff pastry thawed but still cold
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple
- 1 medium Dazzle apple (easy to find)
- ½ tsp (1.3 g) ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp (0.8 g) table salt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 tbsps (25 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp (5 mL) water
- 1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar (optional)
- vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unfold the cold puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently roll into an approximately 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30-cm) rectangle, smoothing the fold lines as you roll.1 sheet (245 g) frozen puff pastry
- Using a sharp knife, lightly score a ¾-inch (2-cm) border around the pastry without cutting all the way through. Prick the center of the pastry several times with a fork, leaving the border untouched so it can rise during baking.
- Core the apples and slice them evenly, about ⅛-inch (3-mm) thick. Leave the peels on to add color to the finished tart.1 medium Granny Smith apple, 1 medium Dazzle apple
- Place the sliced apples in a medium bowl. Add the cinnamon, salt and lemon juice and toss carefully until evenly coated.½ tsp (1.3 g) ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp (0.8 g) table salt, 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Arrange the apple slices in slightly overlapping rows inside the scored border, alternating the Granny Smith and Dazzle slices. Keep the apples in a single layer with some overlap so they become tender during the short baking time and the pastry underneath can bake properly.
- Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar in a small bowl until evenly mixed. Brush or spoon the brown sugar butter mixture over the apples.2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, 2 tbsps (25 g) packed light brown sugar
- Whisk together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the exposed puff pastry border, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. The coarse sugar is completely optional, but is used to sweeten the pastry if you want to.1 large egg, 1 tsp (5 mL) water, 1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar
- Bake for 22–26 minutes, until the pastry border is puffed and golden and the apples are tender and lightly caramelized. Use the color of the pastry as a doneness cue rather than removing the tart while the pastry is still pale.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you want.vanilla ice cream
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry cold for the best rise.
- Slice the apples about ⅛-inch thick so they become tender during baking.
- Dazzle apples can be replaced with Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or another crisp red-skinned apple. But Dazzle gives the sweetest flavor.
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat at 350°F in the oven or air fryer for the best pastry texture.
- Optional coarse sugar is excluded from the nutritional calculation.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Amount Per Serving (61 g)
Calories 244
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 167mg7%
Potassium 92mg3%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 180IU4%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you made this Puff Pastry Apple Tart? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.
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