Puff Pastry Apple Roses
Who doesn’t love a dessert that looks like it took hours but actually comes together in a snap?
Puff pastry apple roses are my go-to for those moments when I want to wow without breaking a sweat.
Trust me, they look like something you’d spot in a fancy bakery window—shiny, golden, a hint of blush from the apples. But here’s the kicker: they’re shockingly simple.
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I love serving these little “roses” at brunch, holiday parties, or just because. It’s also a perfect fall dessert recipe.
Friends always ask if I spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen. Nope. If you can slice an apple and roll up dough, you’re halfway there.
Let’s get rolling—literally.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need for 12 puff pastry apple roses.
- 1 box (2 sheets) puff pastry
I use the Pepperidge Farms brand. Thaw before using so it rolls out smoothly. This brand gives me the perfect flaky, buttery texture. - 3 red apples (Fuji apples work beautifully)
Choose crisp, sweet apples with bright red skin for color and flavor. - ½ lemon, juiced
Keeps apples from browning and adds a touch of tartness. - ¼ cup granulated sugar
Sweetens the fruit and adds a light crunch on the edges. - 2 tablespoons butter, melted
For brushing – adds richness and helps everything brown nicely. - 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
Optional, but gives classic apple pie flavor. Swap it out or skip if preferred. - Powdered sugar, optional
For a pretty snow-dusted finishing touch. - Nonstick spray
For the muffin tray, so your roses come out clean.
How to Make Puff Pastry Apple Roses
You don’t need a pastry diploma. You just need to give yourself permission to play with your food for a few minutes.
Here’s how I make these, one step at a time.
Step 1: Preparing the Apples
Clean, core, and slice—that’s the rhythm. Wash your apples first. Then slice them in half lengthwise and remove the core. No need for fancy gadgets; a plain old paring knife works fine.
For those “petal” vibes, you want thin, even slices—think as thin as you can get without them falling apart (about 1/16 to ⅛ inch).
I usually put the apple cut side down and slice think thin “smiles.” A mandoline slicer makes this easier, but a sharp knife and steady hand do the job too.
Pop the slices into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, toss, and coat. This keeps them looking fresh and helps soften them later.
Add a teaspoon or two of sugar with a small pinch of cinnamon, then toss again. This gives the fruit a head start on getting sweet and spicy.
Step 2: Prepping the Puff Pastry
Puff pastry sounds dramatic, but it’s just store-bought dough. Let the sheets thaw at room temp until they’re easy to unfold but still cold to the touch—about 30-40 minutes, tops.
Sprinkle a bit of flour on your counter so the dough doesn’t stick. Unfold the pastry. If you see cracks, just pinch them back together like Play-Doh. Use a rolling pin to flatten out each sheet just a smidge to make it even.
Next, melt your butter and brush it on one side of the dough.
Mix your remaining sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl and sprinkle over the butter. That’ll bake right into the pastry and make everything smell… amazing.
Cut each pastry sheet into six even strips. A pizza cutter works great here (way easier than a knife). Try to keep the strips about two inches wide for easy rolling.
Step 3: Assembling the Roses
This is the fun part—maybe even a little therapeutic. Line up your apple slices along one long edge of a pastry strip, letting each slice overlap the next.
The rounded red skins should peek above the dough—this forms the “petals” of your rose. Think of layering a line of little red arches.
Now, fold the other edge of the pastry strip over the bottom half of the apples. It’ll look like a blanket tucking in those apples.
Roll up gently but firmly from one short end to the other. Keep the apple layers tight so the rose holds together. Don’t squeeze too hard, though, or apples might pop out the top (been there, still tasted great).
Place each rolled-up rose into a sprayed muffin tin cup. Repeat until you’ve got 12 neat (or honestly, wonky—imperfection is charming) roses.
Step 4: Baking and Serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Slide the muffin tray on the middle rack and bake for 25-30 minutes. I usually check at 25—look for golden, crispy pastry and apples that have softened and caramelized at the edges.
Let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes after baking. This helps them set and makes them easier to lift out. Run a butter knife around the roses to nudge them free if needed.
Move the roses to a cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar for a soft, snow-dusted effect. Or leave them plain—they’re honestly gorgeous either way.
Serve warm, maybe with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a little whipped cream if you’re feeling extra. Or just eat one straight from the pan when nobody’s looking. No rules here.
Puff Pastry Apple Roses
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry (2 sheets)
- 3 red apples
- ½ lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
- Powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) and prepare a muffin tray with nonstick spray.
- Wash the apples, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the core.
- Slice the apples thinly widthwise, keeping the open side of the apple down.
- Put the thinly sliced apples in a bowl and add the juice of half a lemon.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar and a small pinch of cinnamon to the apples and mix until well combined. Set aside the remaining sugar and cinnamon.
- Melt the butter and brush it onto one side of each puff pastry sheet.
- Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together and spread it over the buttered puff pastry side.
- Cut each puff pastry sheet into six even strips.
- Place a few slices of apple along the strip of puff pastry and fold it over so that the apple slices are in between.
- Gently roll up the apple and pastry into a rose shape and place it in the prepared muffin tray. Repeat until all 12 roses are rolled up.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.
