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These delicate little apple tarts are beyond delicious and surprisingly easy to make! Thin slices of lemon infused apple, swirled into the shape of a rose on top of a pool of caramel on a crunchy cookie crust. They take a moment to make but the effect is truly memorable!

A photo of multiple apple rose tarts.

These apple rose mini tarts are not difficult to whip up but definitely make a statement and you won’t forget their amazing taste, I love the combination of sweet apples with the zing of lemon!

I made these rose apple tarts a while ago and I wanted to try them again but with a new spin on it! Instead of the usual super-flakey, pastry shell, I used a French cookie crust (or pâte sucrée). They’re sturdier, but also delicious! It has a similar consistency to a shortbread cookie but is less crumbly.

A Pro Tips to make apple roses

  • Red apples are best for this as the definition from the skin makes the roses look more real.
  • The best and safest way to make this is with a very sharp knife to cut the apple slices. An excellent mandolin might do the trick but it can rip the apple’s skin and often yields slices which are too thick.
  • Don’t over-cook the apples, they only need to be softened enough to be rolled.
  • If the slices are left in their warm bath after heating for too long the color will bleed from the skin and they will have less contrast. 
  • These tarts are fine the next day but best the day of when slightly warm. 

How to make Apple Roses

Plastic form pressing into pastry crust to push it down.

Roll your pastry dough out to about 1/4 an inch and cut the circles for the tarts. If you have a pastry stamp it’s much easier to get a more uniform shell but definitely not necessary. This set is from Williams-Sonoma.

A photo of Tart shells ready to be baked.

These are ready to go in the oven as soon as they get pierced with a fork. Docking the pastry is important because the holes provide an egress for the steam that build up during baking. If there’s nowhere for the steam to go then you end up with a puffed up balloon instead of a tart.

A photo of apples cut up into very, very thin slices.

While the pastry shells bake slice as thinly as possible. Several of these slices are too thick… You might be able to use a nice mandolin to get these slice, but a sharp knife and a little patience will go a long way!

A photo of apple slices tossed in a bowl with lemon butter and sugar.

Toss the slices with the lemon butter sugar mixture. Just before you’re ready to use them microwave the bowl with apple slices for am minute. Toss again and microwave another 30 seconds. You want the slices to be soft enough to ross but not falling apart.

A photo of baked tart shells ready to be filled.

Your finished tart shells should JUST be turning golden at the edges, they’ll have a final bake once those roses go in. I love that this pastry crust doesn’t puff up in the oven!

A photo of Rose Apple Tart shells filled on a table.

The tart shells are filled with sugar, cinnamon and butter both for taste and to help anchor the “petals.” You don’t need to use a lot. Just enough for the apple slices to hold onto.

A photo of Rose Apple Tarts completed and ready to bake.

Ready for the oven! You won’t be baking them long, just enough to warm the filling and soften the apples a bit more. They definitely take a bit longer than a regular apple tart but well worth the effort! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Apple roses?

  • Apple roses are very thin sliced of apple rolled into a spiral that resembles a beautiful rose.
  • They take a bit of time to make but are a STUNNING addition to the dessert table.
  • The key things to remember are to THINLY slice your apples, don’t over cook them and try to use red skinned apples.

Can Apple Roses be Frozen?

Sure! Just store in an airtight container. I would recommend assembling then freezing before the final bake. Defrost and bake at 350F until the roses are just warmed up.

What kind of desserts can you make with apples?

SO many options with apple but since you’re asking I’d recommend some of the following desserts!

This AMAZING apple cake with a spiced brown butter frosting

Super CUTE apple pie cookies

A classic French apple tart

If you’ve tried these apple tarts then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

Apple Roses

Author: John Kanell
Servings: 12 tarts
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Print Recipe
An apple rose tart on a white marble table
5 from 22 votes
Sweet apples with a zing of lemon in a french cookie shell make for a captivating treat. These mini tarts are not difficult to make but the technique really makes a great impression and the taste is amazing!

Ingredients 

Pâte Sucrée

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream 60mL
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, cut into one inch cubes
  • 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 330g
  • 1/3 cup sugar 75g
  • 1/4 tsp salt 2g

Filling

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted, 56g
  • 1/3 cup sugar 75g
  • 1 tsp vanilla 5mL
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1g

For the apples

  • 2 large apples
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter 42g
  • 1/4 cup sugar 50g

Instructions

For the Pâte Sucrée (Makes two crusts)

  • In a small bowl, whisk the cream and egg yolks together. 
  • In a food processor pulse the flour, butter, sugar, and salt until it's in roughly pea-sized pieces.
  • While the machine is running drizzle in the cream just until the mixture comes together. 
  • On a well-floured surface knead the dough together about 5 times. It will magically transform from a crumbly mess to a workable dough. 
  • Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic and chill for a few hours or overnight. 
  • Divide the disk in two, roll out one half and cut out the crusts. The other half can be refrigerated, or frozen for later use.
  • Place disks in mini tart form and press into shape with the mini pie press (mine came as a set with the pan) or using your fingers.
  • Pierce each tart shell with a fork several times and bake for about 8-10 minutes at 425F. (Watch them carefully so they don't burn!)
  • Allow to cool in the pan.

For the Filling

  • Add 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a bowl and mix well.
  • Add about 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture to each tart.

For the apples

  • Add the juice of a lemon, 3 tablespoons melted butter and 1/4 cup of sugar to a medium-sized bowl and mix well.
  • Wash the apples, slice pieces away from the core and then slice very, very thinly. Ideally you could see through the slices, you want them to be very flexible and to look like petals when you're finished. Most of the time when this recipe goes wrong it's because people cut thick slices that they couldn't bend, or had to overcook to make flexible. 
  • Toss the sliced apples in the prepared bowl and microwave for about a minute to 90 seconds to soften the apples. I would suggest tossing them half way though and microwaving an additional 30 seconds if some are not softened.
  • Roll the slices into a rose shape. Place on tart and arrange petals to your preference. 
  • Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Notes

Red apples are best for this as the definition from the skin makes the roses look more real. 
The best and safest way to make this is with a very sharp knife to cut the apple slices. An excellent mandolin might do the trick but it can rip the apple's skin and often yields slices which are too thick.
Don't overcook the apples, they only need to be softened enough to be rolled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tart Calories: 134kcal Carbohydrates: 12g Protein: 1g Fat: 6g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 12mg Sodium: 83mg Potassium: 12mg Sugar: 9g Iron: 0.4mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, British, French

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