Gluten Free Puff Pastry Apple Tart

This gluten free puff pastry apple tart isa crowd pleasing, impressive dessert for Fall but only takes about 20 minutes of prep time! It has fresh Fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

If you don’t have time to make an entire gluten free apple pie (I get it) but still want all the same delicious flavors, look no further than this puff pastry apple tart! It only takes about 20 minutes of active prep time and has the perfect buttery, flaky puff pastry base and perfect apple filling.

It serves about 4-6 people depending on the size of your slice, so it’s perfect for a smaller get together or even just a fun dessert to make with your family. Serve this after some of my other Thanksgiving favorites like my gluten free mac and cheese and olive oil mashed potatoes.

Quick tips before we bake!

• I like to peel the apples as I think it creates a better texture and overall eating experience, but if you want a shortcut or enjoy the texture of the peels, you are welcome to leave them on.
• If you don’t plan on topping the tart with the caramel, you can drizzle on a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to spruce up the flavor a bit and add some extra sweetness.

Key ingredients & swaps

Puff pastry. There are surprisingly a few gluten free puff pastries on the market these days! I used the brand Dufour which I found at Whole Foods, but Sweet Lorens and Schar also make a version as well! Be sure to let it thaw before starting the recipe- you don’t want the dough to be frozen.

Apples. When it comes to apple desserts, you want a combination of a sweet, tart and crisp apple. My absolute favorite apple for baking and eating is honeycrisp. They’re the perfect combination of sweet, tart and crispy and bake up beautifully in this recipe. I love pairing it with a granny smith apple for extra tartness!

Sugar. A mix of white and brown sugar will sweeten this apple tart. You can use all of one or the other- I love a mix of both because the brown sugar adds a touch of molasses.

Egg. The egg is used as an egg wash to brown the edge of the puff pastry. You won’t end up needing the whole egg, you can put the rest in a container in the fridge or I’ll just sometimes scramble it up and eat it myself or feed it to my dog lol.

Butter. Instead of mixing the butter with the apples, we’ll cube it cold and place it on top of the dish before it bakes so it melts into everything as it bakes.

Spices. A mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves give that classic apple pie flavor!

How to make puff pastry apple tart

Thaw your puff pastry for at least 1 hour at room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll out the puff pastry. Use a knife to score the perimeter of the pastry about 1 inch from the edge. You aren’t slicing it through, just very gently scoring to help the edges puff up. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the center portion.

Peel and core your apples and slice into roughly 1/4 inch slices. Add to a mixing bowl. In a small dish, whisk up the white sugar, brown sugar, spices and salt and pour over the apples. Toss well to combine.

Arrange the apples in two rows, overlapping them with each other until you get to the scored border of the pastry.

Whisk up the egg in a dish and use a brush to brush around the edges, then sprinkle with the sanding sugar. I like to sprinkle the sugar over the whole recipe, but you can leave it on just the border if you prefer. Cut the butter into small chunks and distribute around the apples.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and have puffed up. Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice and serve as is or with vanilla ice cream and my homemade gluten free caramel sauce.

How to store

This gluten free puff pastry apple tart keeps in the fridge for 5 days and the freezer for up to 3 months. You can serve the tart right from the fridge or warm up in the microwave or pop back in the oven at 300 for about 10 minutes. For a frozen tart, I suggest thawing in the fridge then warming up in the oven at 300 until warm.

I suggest letting it cool, then slicing and transferring to a freezer safe ziplock bag or tupperware container and store for up to 1 month.

Apple recipes to try next!

• Gluten Free Apple Pancakes
• Apple Crisp
• Gluten Free Apple Bread
• Apple Cider Cookies

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