Craving a show-stopping dessert that’s both effortless and irresistible? This rustic easy apple tart delivers—with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples nestled in a flaky, buttery crust that bakes into pure autumnal bliss.
You'll want to serve this apple dessert warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a cozy dessert finish your guests (and family!) will devour.
A rustic apple tart is a simple French dessert made with fresh apples and flaky pie crust, baked until golden and tender.
Served warm with whipped cream or ice cream, it’s a charming treat where quality ingredients shine.
You’ll love this recipe for its sweet apples, buttery crust, and effortless elegance.
Looking for more Apple Easy Dessert Recipes? Try my Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings, Apple Crumb Pie, Apple Pie or my Apple Puff Pastry Braid...yum!
Table of Contents
- Reasons This Apple Tart Belongs on Your Table
- Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Baking Instructions
- Before You Begin!
- Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Looking for more Apple Desserts?
- Thanksgiving Printables Your Family Will Love
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Reasons This Apple Tart Belongs on Your Table
Simple to Make – Just a few basic ingredients come together for an impressive dessert.
Perfectly Seasonal – Highlighting crisp apples and warm spices, it’s ideal for fall gatherings.
Rustic & Beautiful – The golden crust and apple slices create a bakery-worthy presentation with minimal effort.
Versatile Dessert – Serve it as a casual weeknight treat or dress it up for holidays and dinner parties.
Crowd-Pleasing Flavor – Buttery crust, tender apples, and a hint of cinnamon make this tart irresistible to all ages.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
4 Packs Glass Pie Plates,More InformationStainless Steel Measuring Cups & SpoonsMore Information3-Piece Nesting Liquid Set Measuring Cups,More InformationCeramic Flat Plates Set of 6More Information
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
Substitutions and Variations
Apples – Use your favorite variety: Granny Smith for tartness, Honeycrisp for sweetness, or a mix for balance.
Spices – Swap cinnamon for apple pie spice or add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for deeper flavor.
Crust – A store-bought pie crust works perfectly, but you can also use puff pastry for extra flakiness.
Toppings – Add sliced almonds, pecans, or a drizzle of caramel sauce before serving.
Serving Ideas – Pair with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or even a dollop of Greek yogurt for a lighter touch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides step-by-step photos and instructions to guide you through the recipe. For the complete printable version, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add apples, sugars, lemon juice, and spices; stir, cover, and cook 15–20 minutes until tender. Cool.
Step 2: Roll out a prepared pie crust or my Homemade Pie Crust Recipe into a 14-inch circle. Arrange the apples in the center, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges.
Step 3: Fold the dough over the apples, gently pressing at the creases to seal. Don’t worry about folding the dough perfectly—this tart is meant to look rustic and homemade.
Step 4: Lightly brush the crust with water, then sprinkle with sugar.
Baking Instructions
Step 5: Bake for 45 minutes or until the dough is golden.
Before You Begin!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review and star rating. This helps my business thrive and continue providing FREE recipes.
Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
Want to make this recipe even better? Don’t miss my favorite tips below for boosting flavor, perfecting texture, and saving time in the kitchen!
✔️ DO keep the folds loose and casual—the beauty of this tart is its rustic look.
❌ DO NOT stress about making the edges even or perfect; uneven folds add charm.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap the cooled tart tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw and Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Looking for more Apple Desserts?
Check out this Apple Cranberry Tart or this Easy Apple Dessert Pizza which uses a pizza dough as the crust instead of pie dough.
Thanksgiving Printables Your Family Will Love
Quick to print and beautiful to display—these cards help you decorate in minutes!
Leftover Labels $2.99
Vintage Gratitude Cards $3.99Scripture Gratitude Cards $3.99
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Apple Tart
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add apples, brown sugar, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss together, reduce heat, cover, and cook until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- Roll out the dough of either a prepared pie crust or my Homemade Pie Dough Recipe to a 14 inch circle. Place this on either a round baking stone or baking pan. Arrange apples in the center of the dough, leaving about 2 inches around the edge.
- Fold the dough over the edge of the apples and press gently where the dough creases to seal. Brush the crust with water and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the dough is golden.
- Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so they hold their shape while baking. Read my post on The Best Apples for Baking and Eating for more suggestions.
- Slice apples evenly for a uniform look and even baking.
- Don’t stress about perfect folds—this tart is meant to look rustic.
- Brush the crust with water (or milk) and sprinkle with sugar for extra crunch and shine.
- Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This recipe has been updated since 2022 with new tips and helpful details to make baking this easy apple tart even simpler.
Kerryanne says
What a fabulous recipe for fall or anytime of the year Lois.
Thank you for sharing your easy apple tart recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring this recipe at the party tomorrow and pinning too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne