Apple Puff Pastry Danish – Gluten Free
Incredible Apple Puff Pastry Danish made with my epic easy gluten free puff pastry. They’re light, crisp and packed with juicy cinnamon-spiced chunks of apple. Make a double batch, because they’ll be devoured in a flash!
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“As good as any Apply Puff Pastry Danish I’ve ever had”
OMG these are INCREDIBLE! I didn’t realise how much I missed a ‘simple’ Apple Puff Pastry Danish until I took my first bite… But now I know, I’m obsessed. I can’t believe they’re gluten free. The pastry is so crisp, light and flaky.
Made with my epic Gluten Free Puff Pastry, they are packed with juicy sweet cinnamon-spiced apple chunks cooked in a brown-sugar sweetened syrup. And to quote my (non-gluten free!) husband (who is my best and worst critic)… ”They’re as good as any Apple Danish I’ve ever had”.
So with that very favourable endorsement, I’m sharing them with you. Let me know what you think!
Apple Puff Pastry or Apple Danish – Is there a difference?
A Danish Pastry (also known simply as a ‘Danish’) is a laminated buttery pastry usually sweet-filled with fruit, custard, etc before being baked until light, puffed and crisp. Traditionally, a Danish is made with butter-enriched, yeast-leavened and laminated dough.
While not strictly speaking a genuine Danish dough, making a more simple version with standard puff pastry is nonetheless delicious. And it is this that I share with you here… Apple Puff Pastries made all the better for being gluten free!
What’s the best pastry for making Gluten Free Apple Puff Pastries?
I’m going to blow my own trumpet a little here… I’ve tried many gluten free puff pastry recipes (and commercial alternatives) over the years and been so disappointed that I decided to create one I was truly happy with. I haven’t looked back. My recipe for Gluten Free Puff Pastry (using the Rough Puff Method) is honestly amazing. It’s versatile, buttery, flaky and delicious… And it’s exactly what you need to make these Apple Danish.
It’s been created with both flavour and texture as the priority… No leaky palm oil and additive bitterness… And a perfectly balanced flour blend for neutral flavour and puff pastry crispness.
Oh… and did I mention that because I use the rough-puff method, it’s pretty easy to make as well. Just follow the tips and step-by-step guidance in the Puff Pastry Recipe post! Seriously… Puff pastry used to be my absolute nemesis to avoid at all costs. Now I can’t stop making the stuff!
Need more convincing? Take a look at other recipes I’ve made with it:
- Pizza Pinwheels
- Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
- Puff Pastry Swirls with Sundried Tomato, Parmesan and Walnut
- Apple Turnovers
- Cherry and Custard Danish Pastries
- Gluten Free Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pastéis de Nata)
- Vol au Vents
Can I use gluten free packet pastry to make Apple Danish?
Yes, you can. You can make these Puff Pastry Tarts with any puff pastry (commercial or not), whether made from scratch at home, ready-made dough from the supermarket, gluten free or wheat-based. However… the results will vary massively from one brand or recipe to another. Ultimately it’s up to you.
Are these Pastries safe for people with Coeliac Disease?
Providing you use a gluten free pastry, then yes… These Apple Puff Pastries are safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac).
If you use my recipe for Gluten Free Puff Pastry they are not only gluten free, but wheat free as well… although you would honestly never know!
Ingredients for the apple filling
With the pastry sorted, it’s time to turn attention to the Apple Puff Pastry filling… It’s pretty simple to make. However, it must be prepared ahead to allow enough time for it to cool and chill. Putting warm filling on puff pastry dough will melt the butter and is guaranteed to lead to disaster.
Ingredients you need:
- Sharp Eating Apples – such as Granny Smith or Cox.
- Lemon Juice – fresh or bottled (to stop the apple oxidising (going brown) and to add a little extra acidity).
- Corn Starch (or Arrowroot Powder) – to thicken the sauce.
- Butter – to bring richness and help cook the apples to perfection.
- Soft Light Brown Sugar – for caramel sweetness (although you can use standard granulated/caster sugar if that’s all you have).
- Cinnamon – brings a little exotic spice.
- Salt – just a pinch. To enhance flavour.
- Sultanas – Optional, but they offer alternative texture and flavour which pairs perfectly with the apple.
In addition to the above, you need egg or milk wash to glaze the pastry before baking; A little more sugar heated and dissolved in water to give the pastry extra shine after baking; Some optional roasted chopped nuts to sprinkle and add crunch; And some optional simple icing to drizzle for decoration.
Shaping Apple Danish – Tips for handling gluten free puff pastry
Once the pastry and filling are made and chilled, it’s time to roll and make the raw Apple Puff Pastries. If it’s not something you’ve done before, you need to remember that the way gluten free puff pastry rolls and handles is NOT the same as standard wheat puff pastry. Because there’s no gluten, it doesn’t have the same stretch capacity to be pulled. While the gluten free puff pastry recipe I created is relatively robust compared to some, it is also carefully balanced to ensure the amount of gum/binder added does not make it either gummy or soft when baked. Thus…
Top tips for shaping your gluten free Apple Puff Pastry
- Make sure both the pastry AND the filling are cold before you start.
- To roll – dust the work surface LIBERALLY with gluten free flour (tapioca/corn/a starchy (but not ricey) blend). And lift the pastry frequently to check it has not stuck underneath.
- Be GENTLE and don’t overhandle the dough. If the pastry is pulled too hard, it will rip.
- Don’t roll the pastry too thin. 3 to 4 mm will give enough thickness to hold well and give the best layering.
- Keep the pastry cold enough that the butter doesn’t melt, but the pastry is still pliable. If the room is warm, this may mean popping the pastry/tarts in the fridge a couple of times during the process.
- Work quickly and with half a pastry batch at a time. This reduces the amount of extra chill time required and makes it easier to roll the pastry to size.
- Know the approximate measurement you want before you start and keep a tape measure handy to track progress. I roll each pastry half into a long strip about 4½ inches (11 cm) x 18 inches (45 cm); OR 9 inches square (22 cm). This then gives 4 pastries from each half (8 pastries per batch).
- Only roll the pastry once. Squishing the pastry back together to reroll will destroy the lamination.
- Use a sharp pizza cutting wheel to cut the pastry into squares. It’s honestly the best way!
- Keep the folding and shaping simple. Mine look like a scrunched-up mess particularly before baking!
- Use a fish slice to help transfer the soft just-shaped pastries to a lined board/tray (they will be fragile) ready to chill.
- Chill the pastries before baking to ensure the best and crispest puff.
Tips for baking Apple Puff Pastries
When it comes to baking gluten free Apple Puff Pastry, a few basic rules ensure they bake to perfection…
- CHILL the prepared apple pastries before baking. I can’t emphasise this one enough. Chilling ensures the butter in the pastry is cold and firm before it hits the oven, meaning that as it melts with the heat and creates steam, the layers of pastry will push up and puff.
- Use a hotter oven at the start of the baking process. I heat my fan oven to 220 C (425 F) and bake at this temperature for the first 5 minutes before turning it down to 200 C (400 F) for the rest of the bake. This initial blast of heat helps the water in the butter turn to steam quicker, pushing the pastry layers apart.
- Before placing the chilled pastries in the oven, transfer them to a lined room-temperature tray. If the tray is too cold, it will absorb the initial blast of heat away from the pastries, and they won’t puff as effectively.
- Pop the tray in the oven quickly to prevent the heat from escaping. (Don’t open the oven door for too long).
- Bake for the full amount of time to ensure the pastry is fully cooked and crisp. If browning too quickly, turn the oven down by 10 degrees after the first 15 minutes.
How long do these Apple Danish keep?
If you’re anything like us, your freshly baked Apple Puff Pastry tarts will be devoured the day they are made. They can honestly make you that happy! However, if they are not, they will still be great to eat for 2 to 3 days after baking.
Store at ambient temperature in a tin or airtight container. Alternatively, they can be frozen (without icing) and then defrosted and reheated in an oven or air fryer (NOT a microwave), wrapped in a loose foil parcel, until hot and crisp.
If they have not been frozen but have softened, they can also be reheated as above.
Ready to make Apple Puff Pastry?
I hope you love my gluten free Apple Puff Pastry Danish. The recipe cards for both the Apple Danish and the Gluten Free Puff Pastry are below (on separate cards). If there’s anything that doesn’t make sense or you need extra help, feel free to contact me by comment at the bottom; message on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest); or email (kate@glutenfreealchemist.com).
If you love the recipe, please feel free to leave a star review too! It’s always helpful to hear what you think.
You can also check out our dedicated Gluten Free Sweet Pastry Index for more pastry inspiration, or our full Gluten Free Recipe Index for everything else. It’s one huge on-line recipe book that’s FREE!
Shared with my love to the gluten free community
Apple Puff Pastry Danish
Key equipment
- oven + hob
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 4 large sharp eating apples (eg Granny Smith or Cox) or medium Bramley Apples – peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
- ¾ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp corn starch (UK cornflour) or arrowroot powder
- 25 g butter
- 45 g sultanas (optional) – If not using add an additional apple
- 50 g soft light brown sugar or caster/granulated
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch fine sea salt
Pastry Cases
- 500 g Gluten Free Alchemist puff (rough puff) pastry (approximate weight) = 1 batch
Glaze & Decoration
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar + a drop of water (for glaze after baking)
- icing sugar + a drop of boiling water (for decorative icing) – optional
- 1 tbsp chopped roasted nuts – optional
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Prepare the apple cubes and set aside in a bowl with the lemon juice and cornstarch (cornflour) folded through.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the apple and lemon juice, sultanas, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Cook for about 5 minutes (stirring intermittently) until the apple is just starting to soften and the juices have become thick and syrupy.
- Take off the heat and cool the mixture completely. Preferably chill in the fridge.
Making the Apple Puff Pastry Danish
- Base-line a large baking tray with baking paper and set aside until ready to bake the pastries (do not use this one to chill the pastries before baking).
- Cut the puff pastry block in half. Re-wrap one half and place it back in the fridge and place the other half on a well-floured work surface, liberally dusting the top as well.
- When just soft enough to roll without cracking, roll the pastry into a long strip 4½ inches (11 cm) x 18 inches (45 cm). OR a square approximately 9 inches by 9 inches (22 cm by 22 cm).
- Cut it carefully into 4 squares (4½ inches/11 cm each). Use a pizza-cutting wheel for clean lines (or a very sharp knife).
- Divide half of the cold apple mixture between the squares placing in the centre of each.
- Either fold or roll up the corners and sides of the pastry around and just over the edges of the filling, gently brushing a little egg wash into the folds to stick the pastry together.
- Use a fish slice to help carefully transfer the raw apple pastries to a board or spare tray (lined).
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- REPEAT THE ROLLING, FILLING AND FOLDING PROCESS AS ABOVE with the remaining half of the pastry and filling mixture
- Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F).
- When ready to bake, quickly brush the chilled, firmed-up pastry tops of the Apple Danish with egg wash to glaze.
- Transfer the pastries to the pre-lined room-temperature baking tray with a gap of about 3 to 4 cm between each.
- Pop them into the oven at 220 C (leaving the door open for as shorter time as possible) and bake for 5 mins.
- After 5 minutes, leave the oven door closed, but turn the oven down to 200 C (400 F).
- Bake for a further 15 – 18 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden. Keep an eye on the browning and if browning too quickly, turn the oven down a little, but only after about 15 minutes of total cooking time.
- Once baked, leave on the tray to cool for about 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack.
Glaze and Decoration
- While the pastries are still warm, mix the brown sugar with a little water and heat either in the microwave or on the hob in a saucepan until completely dissolved and hot.
- Use a pastry brush to glaze the pastry tops and sides with sugar syrup, then set aside so they can cool completely.
- When cooled, mix a few spoons of icing sugar with a tiny drop of boiling water and stir vigorously until smooth. Adjust with more sugar/water until it becomes a thick, but drizzleable paste.
- Use a spoon to drizzle icing across the pastries and then sprinkle with nuts (optional).
- Set aside until set. Devour with intent!
- Store any remaining pastries in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat: loosely wrap in a foil 'basket' and pop in a hot oven or medium air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes until hot and crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Puff Pastry (Rough Puff Method)
Key equipment
- fridge
- fork
- flat knife
- pastry blender optional
- cling film
Ingredients
Flour Blend (See NOTES at the bottom re alternative flour blend C)
- 55 g potato starch
- 60 g tapioca starch
- 35 g Mochiko Flour (also known as glutinous rice flour; sticky rice flour; Asian rice flour; sweet rice flour)
- 40 g sorghum flour (or alternative high protein (no nut) flour
- 35 g brown rice flour
Additional to base flour blend
- 1 tsp xanthan gum (4g) Or sub with guar gum (same amount – TESTED by GFA) or psyllium husk powder (twice the amount)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 50 g cold, cubed butter (to RUB in)
- 130 g cold, cubed (or finely sliced) butter (to ROLL & FOLD)
- 115-120 g very cold water (preferably iced)
Instructions
Combining the puff pastry ingredients
- In a large bowl, weigh and mix together all the flours, xanthan gum and salt.
- Measure the cold water and place it in the fridge to chill.
- Add the first (smaller amount) of COLD CUBED butter to the flour and rub together with fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles the texture of damp sand and the flour grains are evenly coated. TIP: To ensure the butter stays cold, use it straight from the fridge. If you have one, use a pastry blender (rather than warm fingers) to ‘rub’ it into the flour. OR wash hands in cold water first.
- Place the flour bowl in the fridge while you weigh and cut the remaining (larger quantity) of butter into cubes (about 1 to 2 cm).
- Add the butter cubes to the flour bowl and toss with a fork to separate and coat. PLACE THE BOWL IN THE FRIDGE for about 20 minutes OR in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. It is ESSENTIAL that the butter is hard and cold for the next stage.
- Add the cold water to the mixture a little at a time, using A FORK to toss it through so it absorbs into the flour. TIP: Using a fork helps to keep the butter cold and prevent it from melting.
- Continue to add the water until it is all absorbed. The flour should be starting to clump alongside the cubes of butter and all the flour will look damp (not wet).
- Important: If the weather or room is warm, or the butter cubes start to feel soft at any stage, place the bowl back in the fridge to chill and firm them again.
Compress the mixture into dough
- To bring the mixture together to form a dough, use your hands to gradually compress the flour and butter together. Do NOT knead. The action is simply one of pressing the ingredients until they stick. It may take a few minutes, but don’t be tempted to add more liquid and trust in the process. If the butter starts to feel like it’s becoming melty soft, pop the bowl back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Once you have an uneven ball (it’s fine if there are some cracks), lay down a sheet of clingfilm on the work surface and place the ball in the centre. Gently but firmly squash and shape the dough until it forms a rough, fat rectangle shape.
- Tightly wrap the block of dough in the clingfilm. Then firmly roll a rolling pin over the block so that it smooths and becomes more evenly shaped. It should be marbled in appearance with distinct pieces of butter visible.
- ESSENTIAL: Place the wrapped block of puff pastry dough in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. This will help prevent the butter melting during the rolling-laminating process.
Rolling and laminating gluten free rough puff pastry – See NOTES at bottom for explanation
- If the pastry block has been in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes, it probably needs to sit at room temperature to soften VERY slightly. It needs to be soft enough to roll (with minimal cracking), but not too warm that the butter starts to melt.
- Roll the chilled dough block on a well-floured surface, as the butter will be particularly sticky. And add a dusting of flour on the top.
- Roll into a long rectangle about three times as long as it is wide and about 1 to 1½ cm thick. Check the pastry does not stick underneath and re-dust with flour as necessary. The strip of pastry will probably look a bit ragged at the edges, but that’s fine.
- With a DRY pastry brush, brush off any excess flour from the top.
- Lamination fold 1: Fold the top third of the pastry strip down over the central third.
- Brush off any excess flour from the dough.
- Fold the bottom third up over the top, so that there are now three equal layers of dough.
- Lamination fold 2: ROTATE the folded dough block by 90 degrees (a quarter turn) so that the 3 pastry layers are facing towards you.
- Roll the pastry forward again (do NOT roll width-ways) into another long rectangle 3 times as long as it is wide and brush off any excess flour.
- Repeat the letter-folding process – Top third down over the centre – Brush off excess flour – Bottom third up over the top.
- Now wrap the folded block in clingfilm and REFRIGERATE for 30 minutes. Do NOT be tempted to move on to the next stage of the lamination process without chilling the pastry.
Lamination fold 3 (& 4)
- For the best flakiness, I laminate my pastry dough 3 to 4 times in total. After 3 letter folds, I visually check (particularly at the edges) to see whether there are any thick clumps of butter remaining… If there are, I give a 4th roll. If in doubt (or there are very few visible streaks of butter left), STOP at 3 letter folds.
- Again… If the pastry has been chilled for more than 30 minutes, it may need to soften slightly at room temperature before the last rolling.
- When ready, unwrap the pastry block and place it on a well-floured surface with the LAYERS FACING TOWARDS YOU.
- Repeat the process of rolling the pastry into a long rectangle… brushing away the excess flour and (as previously) letter-folding one to two further times.
- Your Gluten Free Rough Puff Pastry is now ready to use. If using straight away, pop the pastry back in the fridge for 15 minutes to re-chill. Or wrap and store it in the fridge until you need it.
Using Gluten Free Rough Puff Pastry
- Gluten Free Rough Puff Pastry can be used in the same way as standard puff pastry. Take it from the fridge and leave it to stand for just a few minutes (IF it’s too cold and hard to roll easily)… Then simply use as instructed for the bake being made.
- IMPORTANT: With Puff and Rough Puff Pastry, it is essential that it is ONLY rolled as layers. Never squish the dough back together and re-roll as this will destroy the lamination and puff. If there are any offcuts, set them aside in a flat pile and roll them together as a continuation of the layering process. They can then be used as leftovers to make cinnamon spirals, cheese straws, etc.
Baking Gluten Free Puff Pastry
- For the most incredible light, flaky, crisp layers, follow two golden rules :– Chill the pastry creations before they go into the oven.– Aim to bake the pastry at around the 200 C (400 F) mark. (see next instruction)
- Pre-heat the oven to 220 C (425 F) and bake at that temperature for about 3 minutes before turning the oven down to 200 C.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Apple Puff Pastry Danish shared with
- What’s for Dinner with The Lazy Gastronome
- Full Plate Thursday #705 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- Fiesta Friday #548 with Angie
The pastry recipe itself is good. However, if you’re going to post gluten free pastries – please understand what gluten is and what celiac disease means! You stated if we use your recipe – not only is it gluten free but it is also wheat free. You realize that wheat is gluten correct?
Thanks for this Miss Behave. At one level you are correct. Absolutely Wheat is gluten! As a Coeliac, I’m very clear on that. However… There has been a recent movement by many gluten free bakers to use ‘gluten free’ WHEAT STARCH, which is clearly wheat! Thus, I make the distinction that this recipe is also wheat free. Thus it remains safe for people who are not Coeliac but who do have a wheat allergy or intolerance.
Personally, I am not a fan of GF wheat starch as I still react to it and I’m not 100% convinced it’s a safe ingredient. But it is appearing in recipes more and more and thus, I feel it important to distinguish where it is used and not used.
I hope that explains and helps understanding.
Best wishes
Kate
I am so excited to share and feature your awesome post on Full Plate Thursday, 706! Thanks so much for sharing with us and please come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much Helen and apologies for the delay in response. I’ve been away for a few days.
I’ll pop over and take a look as soon as I’ve caught up with a few things xx
Saving this, what an awesome GF treat.
Found your post on Fiesta Friday. My entries this week are numbered #25+26
Hope you will join/share M-Sat at https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
Thanks Esme and apologies for the delay in reply. I’ve been away for a few days xx
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