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Air Fryer Apple Roses (Easy Puff Pastry Dessert)

Air Fryer Puff Pastry Apple Roses

5 from 2 votes
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Description

These air fryer apple roses look like a bakery dessert but start with store-bought puff pastry, thinly sliced apples, and a touch of cinnamon cream cheese. Crisp, flaky, and ready in about 35 minutes — perfect for fall, Valentine's Day, or any time you want something elegant with almost no effort.

Ingredients 

  • 3 apples, Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp, skin on
  • 1 lemon, juiced, about 2 tbsp
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
  • 4 oz cream cheese, ½ packet, softened
  • 2 tsp icing, powdered sugar, for dusting
  • 1 tsp butter, optional (only for pan-softening apples)

Instructions

  • Wash and scrub the apples (skin on). Cut in half and remove the core — do not quarter. Slice as thin as possible with a mandoline or knife.
  • Place slices in a bowl, add the lemon juice, and cover with just enough room-temperature water. Cover and microwave 1–2 minutes until pliable, then let cool. (Or soften in a pan with 1 tsp butter over low heat.)
  • Mix the brown sugar with 2 tsp of the cinnamon; set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, stir the softened cream cheese with the remaining 2 tsp cinnamon (and a spoonful of the cinnamon sugar to taste) until smooth.
  • On parchment, unfold the puff pastry and roll out slightly. Cut lengthwise into 6 even strips. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over each strip.
  • Fan the apple slices along the top half of each strip, skins peeking over the edge, overlapping slightly. Leave a ⅓-inch bare gap at one end.
  • Fold the bottom of the pastry up over the apples and roll from one end to seal into a rose. Pinch the seam. Place in a parchment-lined muffin cup.
  • Air fry at 330°F for 12–15 minutes, checking at 10, until golden and puffed.
  • Cool a few minutes on a rack, dust with icing sugar and cinnamon, and serve warm.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Mandoline or sharp knife
  • Metal muffin tin
  • Parchment Paper
  • Cooking spray (optional)

Notes

  • Keep the puff pastry cold for the best puff; chill assembled roses 10 minutes if the dough softens.
  • Slice apples paper-thin so they bend without cracking.
  • Use a thin layer of cream cheese and a single layer of apples — overfilling prevents the pastry from puffing.
  • Best served warm. Store leftovers airtight in the fridge 1–2 days and reheat in the air fryer at 300°F to re-crisp (skip the microwave).
  • No air fryer? Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes until golden.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 336IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg