Easy Gluten-Free Puff Pastry Apple Tart

How quick this recipe is depends on whether you are making your own puff pastry too. If you are using shop bought then you’ll love how fast this simple tart comes together. It tastes wonderful either way but if you make your own gluten-free rough puff then it really makes for a special treat.

You just take your scored puff pastry sheet, press in some cinnamon sugar to give the crust a gorgeous spiced flavour (and also helps with browning). Then sprinkle over almond flour (ground almonds) to soak up extra juices. Toss apple slices with vanilla, spices and sugar then arrange over the top. Brush the edges with egg wash and bake!

We’ll go through all the steps of this recipe through images and a video to ensure you get it right first time. And believe me, it will be the first of many, you will be baking it again and again.

Watch the Video

Sometimes it helps to see a visual of what I'm talking about. So watch the video to see what it looks like to make your Apple Tart.

Ingredients Needed

Apples. The choice is yours when it comes to apples. I would either use Pink Lady apples or Granny Smith apples. Something sweet and crisp with lot of flavour.

Gluten-free puff pastry. You can use shop bought but I simply must recommend my homemade rough puff pastry as the flavour and texture is superb. It is actually much easier to make than you think. It’s made with 3 gluten-free flours (chickpea flour, cassava flour and tapioca flour) and then just butter and water. No gums or weird ingredients.

Almond flour. If you are in the UK then almond flour is sold as 'ground almonds' in most major supermarkets. These are blanched and ground almonds - if you are confused then check out this post which discusses how you know you are using the right almond flour for your recipe. The almond flour is needed for scattering over the base of the puff pastry before you add the toppings which helps soak up the excess moisture so it doesn’t soak into the pastry. You can omit or use a little tapioca flour instead.

Lemon juice. Using the juice of half a fresh lemon just helps the apples to retain their bright colour and adds a little bit of tartness.

Brown sugar. Gives lovely gentle molasses flavour. We use brown sugar to toss with cinnamon and press into the pastry to give the pastry a lovely flavour and crust. We also use it for tossing with the apples for a perfectly sweet tart.

Vanilla extract. You don’t need to use the best quality vanilla extract here, a supermarket brand is just fine.

Spices. Cinnamon and ginger and used to flavour this tart adding a warm richness of flavours with a gentle kick.

Egg yolk + milk. Whisk these two ingredients together to make egg wash to brush over the edges of the pastry to give it a lovely golden glaze. You could just use milk if you can’t have egg. And you could use plant based milk if you need to.

Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. By dropping it over the top of the tart in cold pieces it will melt in the oven and give the tart a lovely buttery finish.

Flaky sea salt. This is just for sprinkling over the tart just before baking, I use sea salt for flavour.

Apricot jam. Typically apricot jam is used to add a lovely glaze to freshly baked tarts which makes them more appetising. I actually chose to use Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve which is very juicy and flavourful and which is why you can see little apricot shards throughout the images. If you prefer a cleaner look then just use regular apricot jam and avoid the lumps of apricot.

How To Make Gluten-Free Puff Pasty Apple Tart

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Mixing the Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.

Using Homemade Puff Pastry: Place a sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and dust lightly with the cinnamon sugar. Set the puff pastry block down with the horizontal side parallel to the edge, then sprinkle more cinnamon sugar over the top. Cover with a second sheet of parchment and smack the pastry with a rolling pin to make it pliable.

Rolling out. Roll out to 30x20cm, about 4-5mm thick, lifting occasionally to prevent sticking and adding more cinnamon sugar as needed. Trim the edges straight.

Chilling the Pastry: Transfer the pastry sheet onto a lined baking tray. Score the edges ¾ inch from the edge and prick the centre all over. Chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Preparing the Filling: Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 / 425°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, ginger, and cinnamon. Peel and slice the apple, then toss in the spiced mixture. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Assembling the Tart: Have everything ready—egg wash, almond flour, apples, and butter cubes—to keep the pastry cold. Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush the edges with egg wash. Sprinkle almond flour across the centre. Arrange the apple slices, leaving extra juices behind, and scatter butter cubes on top.

Baking the Tart: Place in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 / 400°F. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Finishing Touch: Remove from oven and brush with warmed apricot jam. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

More Recipes You’ll Love! 

This Beetroot Feta Tart is lovely. Earthy beetroot and salty feta cheese is the perfect combination on the best of days but layered onto a base of caramelised onions, sprinkled with herbs and honey then you are really onto a winner.

This easy Gluten-Free Fruit Tart recipe boasts a luscious mascarpone cream filling, infused with zesty lemon and vanilla flavour, resting on a buttery, easy-to-make gluten-free pastry crust. Piled high with a colourful assortment of fresh seasonal fruit.

This deliciously simple Gluten-Free Frangipane Tart features a classic pastry cream filling made from ground almonds baked and sprinkled with flaked almonds.