Easy Apple Tart Recipe

If you enjoy apple desserts, you’ll love this delicious and easy apple tart recipe from scratch. This stunning dessert is light and full of warm spices.

This apple tart is one of my favorite desserts with tangy Granny Smith apples.  If you prefer sweet apples, you can use as you like but I suggest Granny Smith as I think it makes this dessert very light.

The design is very attractive but it is very easy to decorate. You tightly place the apple slices in a tart crust.

Let’s continue with the ingredients and the step by step pictures:

Ingredients you’ll need

• Apples: I prefer using Granny Smith apples which makes this tart not only delicious but also makes it light with its tangy flavor.
• Sugar: I use a low amount of granulated sugar both for the crust and for the filling which also makes this tart light.
• Flour: I use flour both to make the crust and the filling (to control the apples’ juice).
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices are in the filling, they always go perfect with apples. If you don’t have nutmeg, at least use cinnamon, your apple cinnamon tart will be as delicious.
• Lemon juice: I like adding lemon juice to apples to enrich the flavor. If you don’t like tangy desserts, you can skip it.
• Egg: I use it in the crust, it enriches the flavor.
• Butter: I use it both for the crust and dot the apple filling with butter to enrich the flavor.
• Apricot jam and water: I use these two ingredients to make a glaze to brush over the apple tart once it is cool.

How to make apple tart – step by step

First I make the crust.  You can check my detailed tart crust recipe for this part. You can either make it by hand or use a food processor. In that post, I show you how to make it by hand and with a food processor, how to roll out the dough, transfer it into the tart pan and give some tips. 

When I place the dough properly into the tart pan, I keep it in the freezer for 40 minutes so the tart won’t shrink and keep its shape once it bakes. 

While the pan is in the freezer, I prepare my filling for this easy apple tart recipe.

First I peel the apples. Then I cut the apples from 4 sides that are close to the core.

Next, I cut each side into ⅕ inch (5 mm) thick slices. 

I place the apple slices into a large mixing bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Then I add the cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and flour.  I stir with a spoon.

When 10 more minutes left to remove the pan from the freezer, I preheat the oven.

I remove the pan from the freezer and I place it on a baking sheet to easily remove it from the oven once baked. 

Next, I continue with the design; I take apple slices from the bowl leaving the excess water.   There will have small and large apple slices in the bowl. 

I start to cover the sides of the pan with large apple slices(cut side down).  Then I put other slices tightly right after each other towards the middle and put the small slices to fill the empty places.

You can make your own design, but don’t forget to place the slices tightly.

Once I place the apples, I put butter pieces on top and bake at 390°F (200°C) for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C) and continue to bake for almost 50 more minutes until the mixture is golden brown.

I let it slightly cool in the pan for 30 minutes. 

During this time, I make the apricot glaze.  I combine the apricot jam with water in a small pan and cook for almost 2 minutes until the mixture is liquid. Then I remove from the heat and strain the jam through a fine-mesh strainer to have a smooth glaze.

I keep for a few minutes to let the glaze warm instead of hot before coating the apples with a pastry brush.

I brush the warm glaze on top of the apples and remove the tart from the pan and serve warm. You can either serve warm or at room temperature.

I hope you enjoy this easy recipe for apple tart!

If you love chocolate desserts, you should try my delicious chocolate ganache tart!

I love hearing from you!  If you try this recipe or my other recipes please leave a comment and give a star rating!