Easy Baked Apple Roses {with walnut crust}
Simple. Elegant. Delicious. My Easy Baked Apple Roses are the perfect fall dessert. Made with beautifully sliced apples, warm cinnamon, and flaky, buttery puff pastry, these apple roses are as stunning to look at, as they are easy to make. For a delightful touch, roll the puff pastry in crushed walnuts before baking and savour that nutty crunch and natural mood boost!
Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, Apple Roses are an easy way to impress your friends/family without the stress. Best of all, this recipe allows you to slow down, savour the moment, and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of mindful baking. So, let’s roll up our sleeves, embrace the warmth of fall, and create something beautiful together.
Ingredients you will need to make this recipe:
- Red Apples (your favourite sweet and tart apple)
- Frozen Puff pastry, thawed
- Granulated Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Lemon (juice of half a lemon)
- Optional: (but highly recommended!)
- Crushed walnuts (for dipping the bottoms) *high source of omega-3
- Icing sugar (for dusting)
Sofia’s Baking Tips:
Do walnuts have mood-boosting benefits? Yes! Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health and boosting mood. Studies have shown that people who consume foods high in omega-3s daily, have a lower risk of depression and anxiety. In fact, researchers have found that omega-3 fatty acids can increase the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine—the chemicals that make us feel good!
Easy Baked Apple Roses Recipe Overview: A Quick Guide
Before we dive into the details, here’s a quick summary of what you’ll be doing:
- Slice and Soften the Apples: Thinly slice your apples and microwave them to make them soft and pliable.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry: Roll out your puff pastry, brush it with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Roll the Roses: Layer the apple slices on the puff pastry strips, fold your pastry strips, roll them into rose shapes, and place them in a muffin tin.
- Bake: Bake the apple roses until the puff pastry is golden and crisp. Enjoy!
Sofia’s Baking Tips
Baking with Apples – Not only do apples bring a crisp, sweet flavour to your baking, but they’re also packed with fiber, which supports digestive health and loaded with vitamin C, an antioxidant that boosts your immune system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are apple roses?
Apple Roses are a delicious and elegant pastry made by layering thin slices of apples on puff pastry, rolling them into rose-like shapes, and baking until golden and crisp. The combination of tender apples, buttery pastry, and warm cinnamon makes this dessert as delicious as it is beautiful.
What kind of apples are best for this recipe?
Whichever apples are your favourite! I love to use Honeycrisp or Empire apples for these (for that sweet, tart, and crisp apple). Red apples add a beautiful colour to your apple roses.
Can I prepare apple roses ahead of time?
You can! Prepare them a few hours in advance and bake just before serving. Alternatively, bake them and reheat in the oven when ready to serve.
How do I store these Easy Baked Apple Roses?
Once your Apple Roses are golden and crisp, serve them warm with a dusting of powdered sugar. These desserts make a wonderful afternoon treat with a cup of tea or coffee. If you have leftovers (they’ll probably be gone quickly!), you can store them in an airtight container for up to three days. To reheat, pop them in the oven to restore their crispiness.
How do I keep the bottoms from getting soggy?
After microwaving the apples, blot your apple slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This will prevent soggy bottoms and ensure crisp, flaky pastry.
Take a Mindful Moment
While waiting for your roses to bake, take a few deep breaths, savour the smells, and focus on how baking makes you feel. These small mindful moments can help reduce stress and bring you back to the present.
How to Make Apple Roses with Puff Pastry: Step-by-Step Guide
Preheat oven to 400F (375F convection oven). Line 6 of the 12 muffin cups of a muffin/cupcake tin with paper liners (note: lining here means using cupcake liners). Set aside.
Prepare Apples
Cut your 2 apples in half and remove their cores/seeds with a sharp knife or apple corer.
Slice apples into very thin slices (approx. 1/8″).
Place sliced apples into a bowl. Add lemon juice to the apples and cover fully with water. Allow apples to rest for 5 min, for them to slightly soften.
Remove apples from the water, transfer them to a plate covered with paper towel and microwave them for 3 minutes. Then, use a second paper towel to pat the the apples dry.
Assembling the Roses
Unroll your sheet of thawed puff pastry onto a clean and lightly floured surface.
Use a rolling pin to gently elongate your sheet of puff pastry.
Starting from one of the long sides, cut your sheet into 6 even pieces (note: I cut my pastry into 3 and then each third into 2).
Butter one side of each pastry slice and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place a slice of apple, curved side out, onto the top half of the pastry (note: the apple will be poking out). Continue until apple slices cover top side of each pastry strip.
Fold up the bottom half of pastry, sandwiching the apples between the two halves of the puff pastry. Now, roll the dough from one long end to the other (note: if your roll is unraveling, put a little bit of extra butter to seal the roll.
Optional: Walnut Coating
Brush bottoms of each apple rose with butter and dip in crushed walnuts, covering bottoms and part of the sides
Place Apple Roses into the prepared muffin liners.
Baking
Bake at 400F for 40-45 minutes or until pastry is golden and apple splices are browned.
Let cool for ~5 min in the muffin tin before transferring to a wire rack.
These desserts can be presented with the muffin liner or without.
Optional: Dusting Sugar
Use a sifter to dust Icing sugar on the tops of each Apple Rose
Serve and Enjoy!
Sofia’s Baking Tips:
Preventing soggy bottoms: Blot your partially cooked apples with a paper towel after microwaving to remove excess moisture. This will give you crisp, flaky pastry!
A few take-home points from The Mindful Meringue
Baking Apple Roses is more than just creating a beautiful and delicious dessert—it’s about slowing down, enjoying the process, and savouring the simple joys of fall. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner, this recipe reminds us that perfection isn’t the goal; it’s about embracing the moment and finding beauty in the little things. So, roll out the puff pastry, slice those apples, and let this mindful baking experience fill your kitchen with warmth and sweetness.
Also check out:
Apple Crisp Bars
Apple Blossoms
French Apple Tarts
Easy Baked Apple Roses {with walnut crust}
Ingredients
- 2 Apples medium-sized – sweet, tart and crisp (such as Honeycrisp or empire)
- 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
- 4 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1-2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
- 3 tbsp Butter melted
Optional
- 1/4 cup Finely Chopped Walnuts
- 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (375F convection oven). Line 6 of the 12 muffin cups of a muffin/cupcake tin with paper liners (note: lining here means using cupcake liners). Set aside.
Prepare Apples
- Cut your 2 apples in half and remove their cores/seeds with a sharp knife or apple corer.
- Slice apples into very thin slices (approx. 1/8").
- Place sliced apples into a bowl. Add lemon juice to the apples and cover fully with water. Allow apples to rest for 5 min, for them to slightly soften.
- Remove apples from the water, transfer them to a plate covered with paper towel and microwave them for 3 minutes. Then, use a second paper towel to pat the the apples dry.
Assembling the Roses
- Unroll your sheet of thawed puff pastry onto a clean and lightly floured surface.
- Use a rolling pin to gently elongate your sheet of puff pastry.
- Starting from one of the long sides, cut your sheet into 6 even pieces (note: I cut my pastry into 3 and then each third into 2)
- Butter one side of each pastry slice and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Place a slice of apple, curved side out, onto the top half of the pastry (note: the apple will be poking out). Continue until apple slices cover top side of each pastry strip.
- Fold up the bottom half of pastry, sandwiching the apples between the two halfs of the puff pastry. Now, roll the dough from one long end to the other (note: if your roll is unraveling, put a little bit of extra butter to seal the roll,
Optional: Walnut Coating
- Brush bottoms of each apple rose with butter and dip in crushed walnuts, covering bottoms and part of the sides.
- Place Apple Roses into the prepared muffin liners.
Baking
- Bake at 400F for 40-45 minutes or until a pastry is golden and apples are browned.
- Let cool for ~5 min in the muffin tin before transfering to a wire rack.
- These desserts can be presented with the muffin liner or without.
Optional: Dusting Sugar
- Use a sifter to dust Icing sugar on the tops of each Easy Baked Apple Rose
- Serve and Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Struggle to slice apples? You can use a mandoline slicer for perfectly even slices, or a sharp knife if you prefer a slower, more mindful approach.
- Afraid your apple slices are too wet? Try blotting them with a paper towel after microwaving to remove excess moisture. This will give you crisp, flaky pastry!
- Want to add a shiny glaze to your apples?! After baking, brush diluted apricot jam in water (3:1, apricot jam to water) over your warm apple roses.
