This Apple Shortbread Tart is my “GO TO” dessert recipe. It’s one of my absolute favorite desserts… apples, cinnamon, topped with crumbly streusel on a buttery shortbread crust!
Do you have one of those recipes? You know…the one you love to make when asked to “bring the dessert” to a friend’s home for dinner or what you make when you have guests over for dessert and coffee. Yep…this recipe for apple shortbread tart is MINE, and yes…it’s THAT good.
How I Found This Recipe
I received this recipe on a little 3×5 card many years ago at a Christmas event for women at the church we attend. Since I never turn down a free recipe, I put it in my purse and brought it home. My thought was that “maybe someday” I would see if it was any good.
Well, that was a long time ago, but I tell you truthfully, I have made this delicious dessert so many times since then I’ve lost count! I’ve even “adapted” the recipe for other kinds of fruit and it works like a charm (peach and boysenberry), but this original version using tart apples is my absolute favorite!
The buttery, shortbread crust with the apples,cinnamon and crumbly shortbread topping…oh my goodness… It’s so good! I wish I knew WHO to thank for this, but, my little 3×5 card only had the recipe on it. So…random mystery person out there in the big ol’ world who created this recipe originally…THANK YOU!
Update 5/11/14: Turns out one of my dearest friends provided the recipe card I picked up…go figure. Thank you, Shari!
Here’s How Easy It Is To Make An Apple Shortbread Tart
Begin by preparing the shortbread crust. It’s easy to mix the ingredients in a food processor. You can also use a hand held pastry blender to mix the ingredients, if you do not have access to a food processor.
Add cold butter to the ingredients in the food processor. It’s important to add butter to make a good shortbread crust! Process until the butter has been reduced to the size of peas.
Form The Crust In A Tart Pan
Firmly press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan (with removable bottom). Remember to reserve some of the shortbread topping for later!
Set the reserved shortbread topping aside. It will be used later, to top the dessert.
Add The Apple Filling and Shortbread Crumb Topping
Mix the apple slices with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture in a large mixing bowl. Arrange the apple slices on top of the shortbread crust.
The remaining shortbread crust mixture is sprinkled over the top of the apples, to cover. Now the apple shortbread tart is ready to go into the oven!
Bake The Apple Shortbread Tart
An apple shortbread tart is baked for about 45 minutes. Here is what it looks like, fresh out of the oven and cooling down a bit!
This time the apple tart was served with homemade vanilla ice cream and drizzled with warm golden caramel sauce.
Here is the apple shortbread tart, served with a dark browned caramel sauce over vanilla bean ice cream. Can you tell I’ve made this dessert a LOT?
Now the only thing left to do is grab a fork! Dig in and enjoy a big old slice of this absolutely DELICIOUS apple shortbread tart!!!!
Caramel swirl ice cream was served with the apple tart this time. Boy was it yummy!
Sure hope you will give this absolutely delicious apple shortbread tart a try! It is FANTASTIC, and I’m positive you will LOVE it!
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Recipe Adapted From: Shari Altree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 pounds tart apples (about 6 med. apples - Gravenstein or Granny Smith for best results)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Blend the crust ingredients until they are the texture of coarse meal. (You can use a fork, a pastry blender or a food processor). Add the 2 egg yolks and mix well to blend. **Set aside 1/4 of this mixture and save for later**. Using the remaining 3/4 of the crumbs, pat them down over the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan with removable bottom disk (this is what I use) or a pie pan. Make sure crust is firmly pressed down into the pan and the sides to form a solid crust.
- Peel and slice the apples into thin slices. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl. Add the 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 TBSP flour and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Mix well to coat the apple slices.
- Once the apples and dry ingredients are mixed together, gently "pour" or spoon the apples onto the crust. I use my (clean) fingers to place the slices and fill in the holes; position the slices so they mound in the center and fill in the crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 of the crust mixture over the top. I find it helpful to hold one hand up around the edge of the pan to try and catch the crumbles before they fall off the tart. Just scoop up any crumbles that fall onto your work surface and put them back on that tart! Cover the entire top of the tart.
- Bake the tart at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until the top begins to turn a golden brown (approx. 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven). Just keep an eye on it and remove tart when top is golden brown. Let cool just a bit. If using a tart pan, hold your hand on the bottom of the tart and gently press upward on the metal disk to release the tart from the pan. Place the tart (keeping disk on the bottom of tart) on serving dish, slice and serve.
- Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream...and ENJOY!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!