My 5-Ingredient French Dessert Is So Much Easier Than Apple Pie

It's my super simple version of a classic French apple tart.

By
Molly Allen
Molly Allen
Molly Allen
Molly Allen is a writer and editor with a focus on food, beverage, travel, adventure, and lifestyle content, A former bakery owner, her work spans kitchen guides, food and beverage round-ups, recipe development, etc. She's featured in Taste of Home, Good Housekeeping, Insider, Brides, Simply Recipes, and more.
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Updated September 05, 2025
Molly Allen
A tarte tatin placed on a white plate a dessert consisting of caramelized fruit arranged over a pastry base

Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I have plenty of access to excellent apples. There’s a nearby fruit stand I love to visit that is stocked with more than 70 varieties of apples in fall. It always inspires me to find creative ways to incorporate apples into recipes.

This easy fall dessert is a twist on the classic apple tarte Tatin. The traditional recipe, while minimal in ingredients, requires specific techniques to achieve a caramelized apple topping paired with a crisp and flaky pastry base. 

Sugar is caramelized in a pan on the stovetop, with butter added to create a caramel sauce. Chunks of apple are cooked in this homemade caramel, topped with pastry, and then the pan is transferred to the oven to finish baking until golden. The process can be a bit finicky, so I wanted a much simpler, no-fuss version.

This apple tarte Tatin delivers on ease, with the benefit of making the entire dessert in a cake pan. No oven-safe skillet required! With just a few simple steps of prep and 45 minutes of baking time, you’ll end up with a buttery tarte Tatin with a crisp, caramelized crust dressed up with spiced, tender apples. Serve it straight out of the oven as-is, or pair it with dollops of whipped cream or crème fraîche, or scoops of vanilla ice cream. 

A tarte Tatin with visible caramelized apple slices on a plate one slice is visibly removed

Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

Tips for the Easiest Tarte Tatin

  • Choose your apples: The type of apple matters here. I use Granny Smith because they tend to release less moisture while baking. Honeycrisp or Pink Lady are other great options. You can use any type of apple, just keep in mind that your tarte Tatin may have a bit more liquid left from the apples, depending on the type used. 
  • Dark brown sugar vs. light brown sugar: For this recipe, stick with dark brown sugar. This will help bring deep caramel notes forward. In a pinch, you can use light brown sugar, but the tarte Tatin won’t have quite as robust a flavor.
  • Make it salty: Want to upgrade this dessert? An easy swap is to use salted butter instead of unsalted in the tarte Tatin and serve it drizzled with caramel sauce or paired with scoops of salted caramel ice cream.
A tarte Tatin with caramelized fruit on a plate partially sliced

Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

Easy Tarte Tatin

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Thaw Time: 20 mins
Total Time 75 mins
Servings 8 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry

  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup (105g) dark brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3 medium (about 1 pound) Granny Smith apples

Method

  1. Prep the puff pastry:

    Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and let thaw at room temperature, about 20 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry just enough to flatten the creases, and cut a 10-inch circle to fit just beyond the edge of an 8-inch cake pan. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, prick it all over with the tines of a fork, and leave it in the freezer while making the filling.

  2. Add the butter and brown sugar:

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using a spatula, spread the softened butter around the sides and bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle the bottom with brown sugar and cinnamon.

  3. Arrange the apples:

    Peel and core the apples. Cut each into large chunks by cutting around the core into 4 pieces. Arrange the apples tightly in the bottom of the pan, with the flat cut side facing up. The goal here is to minimize empty space.

  4. Cover the apples:

    Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and drape over the apples. Creating a fold around the edges, tuck the pastry around the apples inside the pan.

  5. Bake the tarte Tatin:

    Bake the tarte Tatin for 40 to 45 minutes until the puff pastry is golden and the brown sugar and butter mixture is bubbling around the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Place a serving plate over the cake pan. While wearing oven mitts, hold the plate firmly over the pan and flip to invert and release the tarte tatin. Slice and serve immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
154 Calories
7g Fat
22g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 154
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 90mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.