On this last day of September, I wanted to share with you a wonderful fall dessert that is sure to become a favorite for all your fall celebrations and gatherings, apple and cinnamon filo rosettes with caramel sauce! In this easy dessert, juicy apples and warm spices are folded into crispy filo pastry then topped with an optional drizzle of silky caramel sauce to create the most delicious make-ahead treat!
This might look like a complicated recipe, but the truth is that it is really fool-proof, even for those who have never worked with filo before. Using filo as a base eliminates one important step from many dessert recipes: having to make the pastry dough. Having the filo ready to go in your refrigerator is a real time saver!
Ingredients for the Apple and Cinnamon Filo Rosettes with Caramel Sauce
The list of essential ingredients for these apple and cinnamon filo rosettes with caramel sauce is very short and consists of mostly pantry ingredients:
- Apples: I used the slightly tart McIntosh apples, but your favorite baking apples would be great too
- Spices: cinnamon and nutmeg is a classic combination, but cardamom also goes so well with cinnamon
- Butter
- Vanilla extract: almond extract can be used too
- Brown sugar: if you do not have it, you can substitute with regular sugar. Granulated sugar is used in the optional caramel sauce
- Lemon juice
- Filo Dough: for me, this too is a “pantry ingredient”. Choosing a good quality filo, makes all the difference in a recipe. I use Fillo Factory dough for all my recipes!
How to make the Apple and Cinnamon Filo Rosettes with Caramel Sauce in 6 steps
- Slice the apples thinly
2. Toss the sliced apples with sugar, spices and butter and cook briefly to soften
3. Place the apples along the longest side of filo and fold the rest of the filo over to enclose them
4. Forming a rosette is as easy as rolling up loosely the filo strip 
5. Place the filo rosettes in the muffin tin, top with the apple juices from the pan, and optional walnuts, before baking
6. Just before serving, drizzle with the caramel sauce and enjoy!
Optional but delicious toppings
This dessert is so tasty on its own, but top it with some chopped walnuts and a luscious, silky caramel sauce, and it is immediately transformed into an unforgettable dessert! In this recipe I have included my favorite caramel sauce (which can be made days ahead of time). If you are pressed for time, however, you can always use a store-bought one.
I hope you get to try my recipe for apple and cinnamon filo rosettes with caramel sauce this fall! Whether you make it as part of your Sunday meal or for an upcoming holiday, I know for sure that this is going to become your favorite new dessert!
This recipe is a collaboration with Fillo Factory. You can find their filo dough as well as puff pastry at Whole Foods and several small local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!
The recipe for the apple and cinnamon filo rosettes with caramel sauce
- 6 sheets of thin filo pastry (I used organic Fillo Factory)
- For the Apple Filling
- 3 med. baking apples, cored, and sliced very thinly (I used Mcintosh),
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg (optional)
- 4 TBSP. butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- For the topping
- ½ cup butter, melted (for brushing on the filo)
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped (for topping the rosettes)
- For the Caramel Sauce (makes 6oz.)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 TBSP. water
- ½ cup heavy cream, warm
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- The filo: remove the defrosted filo package from the refrigerator and set on the counter while you prepare the filling.
- The apple filling: core and slice the apples very thinly. Place them in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Set a large pan over a medium-high heat and add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter. Once the sugar melts, add the apple slices and cook gently, stirring occasionally to coat evenly. After about 10 minutes the apples will become soft and the sugar will turn into a nice syrup. Set aside to cool. When cooled, remove the apple slices with a slotted spoon to a small bowl, leaving the juices behind.
- The caramel sauce: set a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the sugar and the water. Without stirring (important), allow the mixture to melt and turn light brown (if you stir it, the sugar may crystallize). Remove from the heat and, with a wooden spoon, slowly stir in the cream. Return to the heat, add the salt and bring to a low boil. Turn off the heat and place the pot in a cold-water bath to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven: to 360F.
- Form the rosettes: unroll the filo pastry and remove six sheets of filo. Return the rest to the refrigerator. Place one sheet of filo on a clean surface, with the widest side of the filo in front of you. Cover the rest of the filo sheets with plastic wrap and a clean towel so it does not dry out. Brush some melted butter on the filo and then fold half of it over the other half, lengthwise. Brush the top again with some melted butter. Now, envision this folded filo in thirds. Place some of the apple slices along the lowest third of the filo, then fold the top third of the filo over the middle third so you are left with the 2” strip with the apples on top (the bottom third - see photo, step 3). Bring the folded filo over the apples to enclose them and brush with some melted butter. To create a rosette, roll the filo log on itself (see photo, step 4). Place it in a buttered muffin tin. Repeat with five more sheets of filo and the remainder of the apples.
- Ready to bake: once all six rosettes are formed, top each with the chopped walnuts and drizzle the reserved apple juices from the pan over each rosette. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the filo becomes golden color. Let it cool slightly in the pan.
- To serve: place the filo rosettes in a platter, drizzle with some caramel sauce and serve at once!
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This looks delicious and perfect for fall! The photography is beautiful, too 🙂
Thank you Alice! Yes, I thought this would be the perfect recipe to get in the mood for fall baking and fall cooking!
Looks fabulous….can’t wait to try it. Thanks for all the step by step photos. The photos really helps as well as the ingredient tips.
I am so glad you find the step by step photos useful Cynthia! I know you always keep some filo in your freezer and can’t wait to see your creation!
These are perfect; they are easy to make, visually appealing and very, very tasty. Do make the caramel sauce—it’s worth the extra effort! These are even better the second day as the flavors and liquids are absorbed by the filo. Another hit from Marilena’s Kitchen!
Thank you so much for your kind comment! It makes me so happy to know that you already tried my recipe and that you liked it so much!