These stunning Apple Roses are one of the easiest desserts (watch the video tutorial), but they look so fancy and festive. Bite through layers of tender cinnamon apples and crisp, flaky puff pastry – it’s irresistible! You can even make them ahead of time for your holiday parties.
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Apple Roses Video
These apple roses were popular years ago and I thought it was a brilliant idea. I add layers of cinnamon sugar and apricot preserves to create a slightly saucy apple filling that’s so, so good!
Easy Apple Roses
Apple roses taste just like my fan-favorite Dutch Apple Pie, with the perfect amount of cinnamon flavor wrapped in flaky pastry dough, thinly sliced apples, and a hint of fruit preserves. The first time I made these, my daughter loved them so much, she requested I make another batch so she could take them to her teachers – she’s such a thoughtful girl!
I love using pre-made puff pastry for easy desserts like my Peach Tartlets, Elephant Ears, and Apple Turnovers. That’s exactly why I like to keep a package of frozen puff pastry stocked in my freezer. The one I buy thaws in just 40 minutes, so you don’t have to plan very far ahead before you can enjoy biting into one of these crisp apple roses.
Ingredients for Apple Rose Pastries
This Apple Roses recipe is a great way to showcase in-season apple flavors, whether tart or sweet. Once you’ve chosen apples, all you’ll need is frozen puff pastry and a few more pantry staples.
- Puff Pastry – Use the pastry while it’s cool, since it’s easier to handle. Thaw according to package instructions.
- Apples – red apples are classic for apple roses since they mimic the red color, but you can use any sweet-tart apple, such as honeycrisp, pink lady, Fuji, Gala, etc. For more tart varieties, such as Granny Smith, add a bit more sugar.
- Preserves – punch up the flavor with a few Tbsp of Apricot Preserves or apple jelly.
- Pantry staples – sugar, cinnamon, flour, lemon, unsalted butter
Substitutions
- Fruit – Instead of apples, try pears or stone fruit like peaches, nectarines or plums.
- Jam or Spread – any smooth fruit jam or jelly works: apricot, peach, plum, raspberry or strawberry, or orange marmalade.
- Pastry – puff pastry is easiest, but you can try pie dough or crescent roll dough for a different texture.
- Spices – try pumpkin pie spice, or drizzle with Caramel Sauce for another layer of flavor.
How to Make Apple Roses
Recruit a few extra hands, and your apple roses will be ready in no time!
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 375°F, grease the 12-count muffin pan, and stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Slice apples – core and thinly slice the apples, and place them into a microwave-safe bowl. Fill the bowl with water to cover the apples, add lemon juice, and then microwave for 3 minutes to make them pliable. Drain and dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare pastry strips – flour a clean work surface, and then lay the puff pastry out flat, rolling until it’s 1/8″ thick. Cut into 6 strips (try using a pizza cutter).
- Add Filling – brush the strips with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Line the apple slices slightly overlapping along the top of the pastry. Part of the apple will be above the pastry.
- Fold the bottom of the pastry over the apples, and then roll it into a rose.
- Finish and Bake – Put each roll into the muffin tin, and then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
Natasha’s Pro Baking Tip:
If the Apple Roses are browning too much, use a piece of foil to tent the muffin tin. This will protect them from direct heat, allowing the dessert to bake before burning.
- Finish – cool for 10 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
Did You Know?
Your baking pan can affect the baking time. I used a dark-colored baking pan for these, which makes them brown a little quicker. If your pan is lighter in color, your apple roses may need a few extra minutes, so just keep an eye on them toward the end of baking.
How to Serve Apple Roses
I like to serve these Apple Roses slightly warm for the best gooey apple pie bite. To reheat leftovers, pop them into the air fryer, oven, or toaster oven at 300°F for a few minutes until just warm.
Single-serve apple roses look lovely on a plate and are easy to serve at a party. Dust (I love this dusting wand!) with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, or drizzle with honey or caramel sauce, if you prefer.
These beautiful apple roses really stand out on a dessert table and taste just like my Apple Pie, Apple Cider, and Apple Crisp recipes. They are perfect for Holiday potlucks and really wow guests!
Apple Roses
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 medium or 3 small red apples
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 lb or 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions*
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted.
- 3 Tbsp Apricot preserves or apple jelly
- Powdered sugar, optional for dusting
Instructions
- Prep– Preheat the oven to 375˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray a 12-count muffin tin. Stir together sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
- Slice Apples – Cut apples in half and remove the core. Lay the apple half on the flat side and cut into very thin slices (1/16-inch thick), cutting parallel with the base. Add apple slices to a bowl and add just enough water to cover the apples. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the top and microwave for 3-4 minutes or just until softened and flexible but not mushy. Drain well and pat dry.
- Prepare Pastry Strips -Unfold one sheet of thawed puff pastry onto a floured surface and roll it to 1/8” thickness, about 14” L by 10” W. Using a pizza cutter or knife, divide it into 6 even strips, about 2” W x 10” L.
- Fill – Working with 1 strip at a time, brush the center of the pastry with butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Lay about 6-7 apple slices along the top half of each pastry strip with the peel side up, overlapping slightly and with the edges hanging just above the pastry. Brush apricot preserves over the apples.
- Fold and Roll – Fold the bottom half of each pastry strip up over the bottom of the apples. Starting at one end, roll the strip into a rose shape. Place into prepared muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining roses.
- Finish and Bake – Brush the pastries with the remaining butter and sprinkle the tops with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375˚F for 40 minutes or until pastry is golden and fully baked. If apples are browning too fast, tent with foil in the last 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Apple Recipes
These apple roses are one of the favorite apple recipes I make each year in the Fall. Here are more of our favorite apple recipes I know you’ll love:
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Apple Banana Muffins
- Cinnamon Apple Pancakes
- Carrot, Apple, and Walnut Salad
- Homemade Applesauce
- Pull-Apart Apple Bread
- Broccoli Apple Salad
Not all apples are the same, some will create more juice and syrup than others, and some are sweeter than others. What is the best variety to use?
Hi Aaron, I have this ntoe in the recipe, I hope it helps “Apples – red apples are classic for apple roses since they mimic the red color, but you can use any sweet-tart apple, such as honeycrisp, pink lady, Fuji, Gala, etc. For more tart varieties, such as Granny Smith, add a bit more sugar.'”
This recipe was so much fun and satisfying as I watched them come together. It did take a bit of time and I found I needed 3 larger apples to make all 12 roses. They turned out lovely and were absolutely delicious! Thank you as always Natasha!
You’re very welcome, Carol! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Can you use pie dough instead of the puff pastry?
Hi Sherry, Yes, you can use pie dough too, that should work well.
Thank you dear Natasha I love this recipe
Wish the best for you and your wonderful family.🙏💕💕💕💕💕
Needed something for a holiday party and figured everyone was cookied out. I knew it would be a great recipe because Natasha never lets me down! I doubled the recipe and was in a hurry, totally missing the apricot step. So i topped the tarts with them instead of the butter before baking. I also didn’t soften the apple slices enough, so quite a few broke. They were still so pretty and tasty—a huge hit. One technical note—the imbedded recipe doubler doesn’t seem to work after the first number. For example, doubling the recipe increased the medium apples to 4 but left the small apples at 3. But common sense can help avoid problems there. In case it helps, I used gala and they worked great. Thanks, Natasha!
If you don’t have puff pastry on hand, can you use pie crusts instead? Thank you!
Yes, see my not in the substitution section above. It will have a different texture. I hope you love the recipe!
Dear Natasha, thank you so much for a wonderful recipe, I made those roses several times for different parties and everyone liked them. Always wanted to tell you that because of your recipes people think I am an amazing cook, everyone of the dishes that I made with your recipe turned out great. Thank you and God bless you and your wonderful family during this holiday season
You ARE an amazing cook, Helen! Thank you for your thoughtful comment and wonderful feedback! God bless you and your family as well!
What can I use in place of the microwave? TIA
Hi Cheryl, you can put the apples into a pot of simmering water and take them out as soon as they are just barely tender. They just need to be flexible to roll them up.
Thank you I have the same question as we no longer use the microwave!
I made these yesterday and they were fantastic. 5 stars all day long. I accidentally left the preserves out and didn’t realize until they were in the oven. To compensate, I drizzled them with honey once they cooled off a bit and sprinkled them with powdered sugar. I am not ashamed to admit; I ate 3 of them. They were a little bit of work but worth the effort. They were beautiful and delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the apple roses!
The 5 stars is for how they look, the concept. And your instructions are very thorough. I made them for Thanksgiving, however, and they didn’t get fully cooked in the center. I did some research, and I’m wondering how much difference it would make to try not to roll the pastry too tightly, to allow for more evaporation. Since the filling carmelizes and helps hold the roses together, do you think the same amount of filling would be enough to hold the shape, even if I don’t roll them as tightly? I also wondered if using preserves verses jelly would help the filling not become as thin? Thanks!
Hi Maleah! Making those adjustments should help. Also- make sure the apple slices are fully softened before rolling. If they’re still a little firm, they hold moisture and slow down the baking. If the tops brown too quickly, you can cover the pan with foil and bake a little longer so the centers can finish cooking. Be sure to use a very light spread of jelly/preserve.
Thanks so much! I will try it again with less jelly. I had the slices thin enough, but I didn’t have time to let them air dry, so I just patted them dry, but it might not have been enough. Thanks again!
By the way, I’ve seen a similar recipe where it was made as one big rose in a cast iron pan. Have you tried it that way? Thanks
Hi Meleah, I have seen that, We have a full pan Apple Tart Recipe you may love! Its turns out so beautifully and looks like one big rose.
Do you think it would be fine to prepare the apple roses the night before and freeze them? Baking them the next day?
Hi Julie, you sure can! I have notes on that in the recipe under the “Make Ahead and Storage” section. I hope it helps!
Would using a mini muffins pan work for these? I’d like to make them to include in a Christmas cookie box. Regular size would be too big for the box and too big relative to the rest of the box goodies.
Hi Renee! I think it could work, but it may be a little bit of a struggle trying to roll them so small with the apple slices.
These look beautiful and I’m excited to try making them! I was wondering what would be the best way to heat them if making ahead of time as I would prefer to serve and eat them warm?
To reheat leftovers, pop them into the air fryer, oven, or toaster oven at 300°F for a few minutes until just warm.
Hello! Is there a way that I can prepare these the day before, then cook them in thr oven the next day? Thank you!
Hi Zea! I worry the puff pastry will get soggy and not bake up as well. See my recommended make ahead instructions.
Hello Natasha, I have a question, we do not own or use a microwave so I’m wondering if there’s another way to soften the apples ?
Hi Dina! Yes, you can shimmer them in a sauce pan on your stove top for a few mins.
These Apple Roses are ridiculously good. Everyone loved them & instantly wanted another one. The presentation is beautiful. I used apricot preserves which melded flavors nicely with the apples. This is a winner. The video was incredibly helpful – not sure that I would have gotten the concept without it. The only thing that I would do better next time is to prepare the cupcake pan better, ie butter it thoroughly. I had a little problem with the roses sticking to the pan but was able to get them out without messing them up. Thank you.
You’re welcome, DG! I’m glad you loved it and that the video was helpful!
How do you think this would be with a type of Brie cheese for a more savory option?
Hi Natalia! I love that idea and I think it could work well. Let us know if you test it.