Warm Apple Crostata Recipe (Rustic Fall Dessert)

Apple season is here, can I get an amen! And this rustic apple crostata recipe, with its flaky crust and syrupy apple filling, brings all the cozy fall feels.

To make this free-form pastry, you won’t have to worry about the edges being perfectly crimped or the lattice crust being impeccably arranged.

The whole idea of this easy apple crostata is to be rustic and imperfect. It’s great for people who want all the glory of scratch baking with very little perfection! 

 

Ingredients

There are two parts to this recipe: the crust and the filling. 

The Crust

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Cold butter
• Ice water

The Filling

• Tart apples. Granny Smith apples are the best apples to use in this recipe. Because of their acidity level, we won’t need to use lemon juice or lemon zest. 
• Butter
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Cornstarch

How to Make an Apple Crostata

First, Make the Dough

Grab your food processor and pulse the flour, sugar and salt together. Then, cut your cold butter into small pieces. 

When you add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture, it should start to look like coarse sand. Then, pour a little ice water into the mixture and you’ll have a crumbly dough. 

Be sure to refrigerate the crostata dough for at least one hour. Cold dough is much easier to work with and less likely to stick to your rolling surface.

Then, Make the Filling

Start by melting the butter and sugar together in a saucepan. Be sure to stir constantly so the mixture won’t burn. 

You’ll see it go from yellow to a darker amber color. That’s when you’ll know it’s ready for adding the apples. 

Don’t worry if the butter and sugar mixture starts to look clumpy. Just get the apples, cinnamon and nutmeg in there and it will all smooth out. 

Adding a little slurry of cornstarch helps to thicken the apple filling perfectly. 

Form the Crostata

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out your chilled dough into a rough circle. The shape does not need to be perfect. 

Then, spoon those beautiful apples into the center of the circle, spreading them out and leaving a 2-inch perimeter of dough all the way around. 

Now, fold the dough towards the center. Take pieces of dough and fold them in an overlapping pattern. You want the dough to only cover about a half inch of the filling. 

To get a beautifully golden crust, brush the dough with heavy cream and sprinkle it with turbinado sugar before baking. 

What’s the difference between a crostata and a galette?

The short answer is not much. A crostata and a galette are both free-form dessert dishes, where the edges of the butter crust are partially folded over the filling in the center. A crostata is Italian and a galette is French. 

Aside from the main difference being their name, the only other difference between a crostata and a galette is that while a crostata can have a variety of sweet fillings, a galette can have both sweet and savory types of fillings. 

Serving Suggestions

This rustic tart is best served warm or at room temperature. Slice into it the same way you’d cut into a pizza. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is traditional and – dare I say – necessary. 

For extra indulgence, try a drizzle of warm caramel sauce. So delicious. 

And if you like nuts, try sprinkling crushed walnuts or pecans over this dessert for a textural twist. 

Variations

Although apple is a classic, there are lots of ways to get creative with a fruit crostata. Try these ideas:

1. Ginger and Pear Crostata. Swap out apples for pears and infuse your crostata with the warm, spicy notes of ginger. This variation keeps with the fall vibes in a totally different way.
2. Maple Walnut Apple Crostata. Incorporate the earthy flavors of maple syrup, walnuts and brown sugar into your apple crostata. A great way to celebrate the fall season. 
3. Apple Cranberry Crostata. Nothing says “holiday dessert” like combining apples with tart cranberries. The cranberries add a burst of color and a tangy kick to the apple filling. 
4. Nutella and Banana Crostata. Take your crostata in a different direction altogether by incorporating Nutella and sliced bananas into the filling. The creamy hazelnut spread and sweet bananas are a very popular flavor combo. 

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make Ahead: Make your pie dough and filling ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to assemble and bake the crostata. 

Storage: Wrap your leftovers in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To freeze leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer bag for extra protection.

Reheating: This apple crostata will reheat easily in the microwave or warm oven. 

When you try this apple crostata recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!

For more apple recipes, try these:

• Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Apple Butter Baked Brie Puff Pastry Twists
• Cinnamon Apple Ice Cream Pie