Description
Learn how to make a flaky apple and pecan Danish pastry tart with this simple recipe. Perfect for holidays, brunch, or a sweet dessert treat!
Ingredients
For the tart:
- 1 sheet of puff pastry (thawed in the fridge overnight)
- 2 large apples (Granny Smith for tartness or Honeycrisp for sweetness)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional, for added sweetness)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (to thicken the apple mixture)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For the glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp milk (adjust for consistency)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Set your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Thaw frozen puff pastry according to package instructions. Keep refrigerated puff pastry chilled until ready to use.
Core, peel, and thinly slice apples to about 1/8 inch.
Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add sliced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir and cook for 5–10 minutes until softened but not mushy. Let cool slightly.
Beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then mix until creamy.
Roll pastry on parchment paper to about 10×16 inches. Transfer to the baking sheet.
Spread cream cheese mixture down the center of the pastry, leaving a border. Spoon the cooled apples on top, keeping a border around the edges.
Cut the sides of the pastry into diagonal strips. Fold strips over the filling, alternating sides to form a braid. Tuck in the ends.
Brush the tart with egg white, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Let the tart cool. Whisk powdered sugar and milk into a smooth glaze and drizzle over the tart before serving.perature. Pair it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or enjoy it as-is with a cup of coffee.
Notes
Use store-bought puff pastry for convenience, and feel free to customize with your favorite nuts or spices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: ~320
- Sugar: ~18g
- Sodium: ~140mg
- Fat: ~16g
- Saturated Fat: ~8g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: ~38g
- Fiber: ~2g
- Protein: ~4g
- Cholesterol: ~40mg
Keywords: Apple pecan tart, Danish pastry recipe, holiday dessert, easy tart recipe, puff pastry dessert, apple pecan dessert, homemade Danish tart