Who needs Paris when you can whip up this gluten-free apple tart right at home? A buttery crust, perfectly arranged apples, and not a hint of gluten in sight. This tart is fancy enough for a soirée but simple enough for a Tuesday night. Grab your apron-your taste buds are about to take a trip to France!
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I love all the Fall sweets, from gluten-free pumpkin cookies to maple creme brulee. But this French apple tart takes the cake, in my opinion. The base is my gluten-free pâte sablée, which is fancy for a lightly sweet tart dough. It is significantly easier to make than a traditional gluten-free pie dough and can be made dairy-free.
Yes, this is the same crust I use for all my gluten-free tart recipes, and for good reason!
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Almond Flour PLUS GF 1:1 Flour- Using both types of flour to make the tart shell gives it a crispy texture the French classic Tarte aux Pommes.
- Brown Sugar- Tossing the apple slices in brown sugar will give them a caramel flavor without having to make a caramel sauce. A little shortcut.
- Dense Apple Filling- I think most recipes do not use enough apples, this recipe stacks the thinly sliced apples to ensure a perfect bite every time.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Apples- You will need 3 to 5 apples, depending on the size.
- Sugar- A mix of brown and white sugar is used in this recipe.
- Lemon- Used to prevent the apples from browning and softens the apple slices, making it easier to crate the rose shape.
What Type of Apple is Best for Baking?
You want to use a tart, firm apple like Cortlands, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, etc. But honestly, I have made this with other types of apples, and unlike pies, softer apples aren't awful in this recipe.
One thing to keep in mind, because you don't peel the apples in this recipe you can use all red, all green or mix to change up the colors.
Gluten-Free Tart Dough
- Gluten-Free Flour- I tested this recipe with my homemade gluten-free flour blend and Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour. But it should work with any 1:1 all-purpose flour.
- Powdered Sugar- Nothing fancy here.
- Almond Flour- Use fine almond flour, not coarse almond meal.
- Kosher Salt- Skip if you use salted butter.
- Unsalted Butter- See note above.
- Large Egg- I didn't weigh the egg because most people just want to use the full egg.
💭 Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Yes! An easy peasy substitute, just use your favorite vegan butter!
⏲️How to Make a Gluten-Free Apple Tart
- When making the crust, you can use a blender or food processor. The most important part is to achieve a sandy texture before you add the egg.
- Chill the dough in tightly wrapped plastic before rolling out and transferring to your tart pan. Trim the edge flat to the side of the pan.
- Dock the dough by piercing the bottom with a fork. Line with parchment paper and weigh down the crust before blindly baking it.
- Use a mandolin or a knife to thinly cut the apple slices. The thinner they are, the easier they are to curve into the pan.
- Coat the slices in the sugar and lemon mixture. Let them sit to soften while the crust bakes.
- Cool the tart shell slightly before adding the apples. Start on the outside and place each apple slice vertically, slightly overlapping the last slice. Trim as needed for the center.
- Mix together the butter and sugar and spread on top of the tart before baking.
- Once baked, heat the apricot jam with a little water. Brush on the fruit with a pastry brush for a glossy finish.
Expert Tips
- While using a kitchen scale for weighing ingredients is ideal, I've also included volume measurements for your convenience.
- If the dough cracks while rolling, no worries! Just patch it with extra dough-it's much more forgiving than pie crust.
- To prevent sticking and minimize flour use, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
- If the dough becomes too soft as you roll, simply pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
- Make sure to chill the dough well, both after mixing and before baking.
- No pie weights? No problem! Use rice or dried beans as a substitute.
- For beautiful results, keep your slices the same height. Trim the bottoms if needed for uniformity.
- The longer you macerate apple slices in sugar, the softer they get, making them easier to arrange.
- Use any shape tart pan you like. It doesn't have to be round!
More Gluten-Free Desserts
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead- The dough can be made 3 days in advance but don't bake until the day of. For longer storage, freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Be sure to double-wrap it.
- At Room Temperature- You can keep your apple tart at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days.
- In the Refrigerator- When covered in plastic wrap, your apple tart will also keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Reheating- For that just-out-of-the-oven deliciousness, pop your leftover tart in the oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. You can also microwave your tart at 10 second intervals until warm. Serve with a scoop of ice cream for a tasty anytime dessert!
- In the Freezer- Apple tarts don't freeze very well, but you can freeze dough to have on hand! Simply store in a ziplock bag and then thaw in the fridge one day before you plan on baking.
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📖 Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Apple Tart
A French-style apple tart, this gluten-free tart has a pâte sablée style crust, thinly sliced apples seasoned with cinnamon and baked to perfection. This makes an elegant Fall dessert.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Tart Crust
- 270 grams gluten free flour blend 2 cups less 2 tablespoons
- 30 grams powdered sugar ⅔ cup
- 30 grams Almond flour ⅓ cup
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 126 grams unsalted butter 9 tablespoons
- 1 large egg
Apple Filling
- 4 tart apples honeycrisp, Granny Smith etc
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ lemon juiced
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
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Instructions
Gluten-Free Tart Crust
- Add flour, powdered sugar, almond flour, and salt to a food processor (you can also this in a stand mixer or by hand but it takes longer). Pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold butter cut into cubes. Process until the mixture looks sandy. Add the egg and process until the dough comes together.270 grams gluten free flour blend, 30 grams powdered sugar, 30 grams Almond flour, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, 126 grams unsalted butter, 1 large egg
- Wrap the dough in with plastic wrap. Press it into a flat shape (once in the wrap). Chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Dust flour on your working surface, place the dough disc down and cover with a piece of parchment. If the dough isn't soft enough to roll rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Roll from the middle up and then the middle down. Turn it at 90 degrees and repeat the rolling process until is ¼ inch thick.
- Roll the dough onto a rolling pin and place it on top of the pan. Gently press it in and trim the excess dough. Dock the bottom with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dock (prick with a fork) the dough and line the shell with parchment paper and fill with 3 cups of dried beans or pie weights. Bake the crust for 10 minutes
Apple Filling
- While the dough is chilling, core the apples and slice into very thin slices using a knife or mandolin. Toss apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon together with a pinch of salt.4 tart apples, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ lemon
Assemble and Bake
- Into the blind-baked tart shell, arrange the apples in a circular pattern, or any little pattern your heart desires just keep the apple slices vertical. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- Increase the heat 375 degrees. Bake the tart for 40 to 45 minutes
- OPTIONAL GLAZE: heat 2-3 tablespoons apricot preserves until melted (15 second increments in the microwave). Brush on the apples to create a nice shine.
Video
Notes
- You can use a traditonal gluten-free pie crust or shortcrust dough, if you prefer.
- Depending on the size of the apples you need between 3 and 5 apples.
- There is no need to peel the apples.
- You can use any type of jam you want for the glaze. Orange marmalade and apple jelly work well.
- Serve the tart warm or at room temperature.
Equipment
- tart pan with a removable bottom
- pie weights
Nutrition
Calories: 384kcal | Carbs: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?Leave a comment below. Jump to comments.
Pamela says
I thought this would be a lot harder to make pretty, but it was actually pretty easy with a mandolin.