Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Kind of like apple pie but with more of a pastry twist!
Texture: Flaky, buttery, tender, and juicy.
Ease: Surprisingly easy and can be made ahead of time!
Pros: Super fun and impressive individually-sized dessert perfect for special occasions.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Yes!
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Apple Roses are a beautiful, simple way to elevate a special meal – and they’re easier to make than you might think!
In one of my first baking classes in culinary school, it felt like if something could be potentially made into a rose shape, we ended up doing it – so I got plenty of practice to perfect these adorable treats.
It’s surprisingly simple to manipulate apples to make them look absolutely gorgeous and gourmet.
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These special Apple Roses are the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table, Christmas celebration, or any special occasion.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Apple Roses
How to Slice Apples
I prefer to use a mandolin to get super thin slices. It works great – just be super careful while using it! If you don’t have one, a sharp knife works just fine too.
I also recommend using this apple corer to make quick work of prepping your apples before slicing!
What Type of Apples are Best For Apple Roses?
My favorite apples for creating roses are Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp, as they taste delicious and hold their shape nicely while baking. Feel free to experiment with other types of apples, if preferred.
How to Assemble Apple Roses
I have included a step-by-step video at the bottom of the recipe card, but here’s a collage of each step of the process, if that’s easier for you to follow:
How to Store & Serve
Apple rose pastries are best served the day they are baked. They can also be stored inside an airtight container for a few days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through and flaky again.
I haven’t tried freezing these, so let me know in the comments below if you give that a try!
More Fall Recipes You’ll Love:
Apple Roses
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Ingredients
- 2 apples, such as Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- all-purpose flour for dusting
- 3 tablespoons apricot or strawberry preserves
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a standard muffin tin. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Core the apples and slice in half. Using a very sharp knife or mandolin on the second setting, carefully slice paper thin 1/8-inch slices and immediately toss in lemon juice to prevent browning. Toss in the butter, then in the sugar-spice mixture.
- Microwave the slices for 45 seconds, or until soft and pliable enough to mold.
- Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Cut six 2-inch wide strips of dough.
- In a small bowl, combine the preserves with 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave for 30 seconds if it was refrigerated. Spread evenly over each strip of dough. Arrange about 10 apple slices lengthwise in a straight line, overlapping slightly, on a strip of dough. Fold up the bottom part of the dough and begin tightly rolling the dough to form the rose shape. Press the edge to seal. Repeat for all the pastries and place in the muffin tin.
- Make ahead: at this point the unbaked assembled roses can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 1 day before baking as directed.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Pastries are best served the day they are baked but can be stored in an airtight container and rewarmed in a 300°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through and flaky again.
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What to do if you don’t have a micro wave what does one do?
B
These are GORGEOUS!!!! I just made them…your directions were PERFECT! I think I need to cook them less….I doubled the recipe but kept 40 min and they are burned…..even the pastry dough is burned. It’s not too bad..can still serve them but don’t look AS pretty as they could. How about a lower heat? Less time? Help!
I made these tonight and the middle of the pastry was not cooked. I cooked for a bit longer but still not done.. anyway to fix that?
Can you bake these inside cupcake wrappers? Last time I tried making them some of the roses got stuck in the tin and got a little burnt on some sides
I haven’t tried, but let us know how they turn out if you give it a shot!
I’ve made these once and used cupcake wrappers and they turned out great.
Tried these for Thanksgiving & my family has been begging for them ever since.
Patience when rolling & making sure the slices are Thin is the key
Loved all the compliments I Got on this One !
Love to hear that, Kim!
I tried once. It’s beautiful and delicious! But like other ladies said, the pastry in centre is not cooked. Is there any solution for this, please? Also, if using both phyllo pastry how many layers should I use? Thanks.
Two practice runs and the pastry in the middle is still slightly under-cooked.
They were delicious though and looked great.
I’m just off to prepare them for our dinner guests today.
I did wonder about using red wine instead of lemon juice so that I’d have red roses, but that will have to wait for another time.
Richard D
Can you assemble these the night before and bake the following morning?
Sure!
I couldn’t wait. After years having failures with puff pastry, I tried again tonight. Guess what, following the directions really works well. I was able to manipulate the puff pastry (YAY) and my apple roses are in the oven now.
I have HIGH in the SKY APPLE PIE, hopes.
We shall see, if they’re not presentable enough for company, I know they will be delish (with apologies to Rachael Ray).
Just what makes that little old ant
Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can’t
Move a rubber tree plant
And no one thought I could work with puff pastry. Hah!
We changed to recipe and made pepperoni pizza roses. Yummy!
Oh fun!! Great idea 🙂
I made these last night…..wonderful! And so pretty!
My husband has a work party on Monday and I wanted to make them Sunday night and send them with him Monday morning…should they be kept out or in the fridge? Will they even still be good the next day??