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Apple roses are gorgeous bite size pastries made with apples puff pastries, apricot jam, and cinnamon. When they come out of the oven, they almost look too good to eat!
Easy Apple Roses Recipe
Apple roses are not just a delicious dessert, they are fun to make and impress guests with, because of how much they look like blooming roses! They are perfect for brunches, charcuterie boards, or just when you want to brighten up your holiday dessert table.
Apple roses look fancy, and you only need a few ingredients to make them. You can switch up the colors by simply changing the types of apples you use, and when they are baked in the strip of puff pastry, impressive flower shaped apple pastry, will melt in your mouth!
I love making these apple roses for fun celebrations like Mother’s Day brunch, but they are also great gifts too. Just wrap them in cellophane and tie them with a bow. Friends and neighbors will love them as a holiday gift!
Ingredients You’ll Need
apples – The apple is center of this creation! Choose bright reds or even a red and green, or throw in a yellow apple. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Gala work well for their color and flavor.
puff pastry- Make sure it’s thawed enough to roll out and cut into 6 strips. Most store bought packages have two puff pastry sheets, so just save one for later, or double the recipe for a dozen roses.
lemon juice- lemon juice will help keeps your apples from browning while you are slicing them.
apricot jam- (or other fruit preserves)- the jam gives additional flavor to the roses, but also helps the puff pastry strips stick together when you fold them over.
water- just a splash of water added to the preserves will thin out the jam so it’s not too chunky to roll up in the base of the roses.
ground cinnamon- cinnamon adds flavor to the roses after baking. I love how each bite tastes similar to a mini apple pie!
Optional: Powdered sugar (for dusting)
How to Make Apple Roses
STEP 1: Wash and core the apples, removing any seeds. Cut the apples into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. You can use a sharp knife or a mandolin for this step.
STEP 2: Fill a large microwave-safe bowl with water, and add the lemon juice. As you cut the apples into slices, place them into the bowl. (Make sure there is enough water to cover the slices.) When both apples are sliced, microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, until they are softened enough to roll up. Drain the apples and set them aside to cool.
STEP 3: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough to smooth any creases, and then cut it into 6 even strips, about 2 inches wide.
STEP 4: In a small bowl, combine the apricot preserves and water. Stir together, and then microwave for 15-30 seconds. Brush or spoon about a teaspoon of the apricot glaze in the center of a strip of pastry. Line the top half of the strip with apple slices, with the rounded part of the apple on top, and overlapping each piece.
STEP 5 : Once apple slices have been lined across the entire strip, sprinkle cinnamon over the apple slices. Then fold the bottom half of the dough over the bottom of the apple slices, and pinch the ends of each strip together.
STEP 6: Starting at one end, roll the pastry, leaving the top of apples exposed. Once done, gently pinch the ends of the strip into the dough to seal the edge.
STEP 7: Place the rolled roses in the prepared muffin pan. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and once the oven is ready, place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown. (Use a toothpick to help keep them together if necessary. Just don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving.)
STEP 8: Remove from the oven and let apples cool. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Tips for Perfect Apple Roses:
- Use bright apples: Find apples that have bright skins. Although, during the baking process, they may lose some of the coloring. If this happens, you can use a brush to add food coloring to the tips of the roses.
- Thinly slice your apples: The thinner the apple slices, the easier they will be to roll without breaking.
- Experiment with flavors: Swap out the apricot jam for other flavors like strawberry, raspberry, melted butter, or even honey.
Apple Roses Variations:
- Cinnamon Sugar Roses: Before rolling the apple roses, sprinkle sugar with the cinnamon for a sweeter version of roses. (This is my favorite way to make these roses!)
- Combine varying colors of apple slices: Do every other slice between a green, red, or yellow apple, while laying out the slices. This will give you a really colorful rose. You can also brush colors with food coloring to match party themes!
- Make it a Dessert: Top these puff pastry roses with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a gorgeous dessert, perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Christmas.
- Make Savory Roses: Add paper-thin slices of brie cheese to the puff pastry with the apple slices.
FAQ’S
If you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet for a few minutes to freshen them up before serving.
Use a mandolin slicer for thin, even apple slices. If using a knife, make sure it’s very sharp, for even this slices.
You can prepare apple roses ahead of time, but they are best when freshly baked. If you want to make them ahead, only assemble the roses, and store them in the refrigerator in the muffin pan. Bake them right before serving.
I have made these with pie crust dough too. The puff pastry gives them a beautiful flaky crust, but the pie crust works too.
More Dessert Recipes
Apple Roses
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 Knife or Mandolin slicer
- 1 Muffin Pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium apples
- 1 puff pastry sheet
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional: Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Wash and core the apples, and remove any seeds. Don't peel them! The apple skins give the roses their color. Cut the apples into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Fill a large microwave-safe bowl with water, and add the lemon juice. As you cut the apples into slices, place them into the bowl. When apples are sliced, microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, until they are softened enough to roll up. Drain the apples and set them aside to cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough to smooth any creases, and then cut it into 6 even strips, about 2 inches wide.
- In a small bowl, combine the apricot preserves and water. Stir together, and then microwave for 15-30 seconds. Brush or spoon about a teaspoon of the apricot glaze in the center of a strip of pastry. Line the top half of the strip with apple slices, with the rounded part of the apple on top, and overlapping each piece.
- Once apple slices have been lined across the entire strip, sprinkle cinnamon over the apple slices. Then fold the bottom half of the dough over the bottom of the apple slices, and pinch the ends of each strip together.
- Starting at one end, roll the pastry, leaving the top of apples exposed. Once done, gently pinch the ends of the strip into the dough to seal the edge.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the rolled roses in the muffin pan. Once the oven is ready, place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the apples cool. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks really good
A little taste of heaven in my mouth.