We Baked 4 Apple Desserts — This Is the Flakiest Winner

There’s something magical about the scent of apples, cinnamon, and butter wafting through the kitchen on a crisp fall afternoon. Apple desserts are the ultimate comfort food — cozy, nostalgic, and always a crowd-pleaser. But when it comes to finding the flakiest of them all, we decided to put four classics to the test.

We rolled, baked, and taste-tested four beloved recipes: a traditional apple pie, sweet turnovers, a rustic galette, and a delicate strudel. Each dessert brought its own twist on flaky pastry perfection, from buttery layers to golden crunch.

1. Classic Apple Pie

Nothing says “home-baked love” quite like a fresh apple pie cooling on the windowsill. The aroma alone could make anyone drop what they’re doing and grab a fork. But behind that golden lattice lies a battle between butter and shortening — the key to a perfectly flaky crust.

The pie’s filling was a symphony of tart Granny Smiths and sweet Honeycrisps, bound together with cinnamon, nutmeg, and just enough sugar to make your taste buds dance. The crust was buttery and rich, though we found that too much handling made it tough instead of tender. Keeping it cold (and resisting overworking it) was the secret to those delicate, melt-in-your-mouth layers.

In the flakiness department, the classic apple pie held its own. The bottom crust stayed crisp, and the top browned beautifully. But with all that filling, it leaned more toward comforting than crispy — a timeless favorite, though not the ultimate flake champion.

2. Apple Turnovers

You know you’ve got something special when a dessert makes a crunch sound that can be heard across the kitchen. That’s exactly what happened with these golden apple turnovers. Each pocket was bursting with cinnamon-spiced apple filling, wrapped in puff pastry that practically begged to be devoured warm out of the oven.

What we loved most was how simple yet impressive these little triangles were. Using pre-made puff pastry saved time without skimping on texture. Once baked, the pastry puffed up into airy, buttery layers that flaked beautifully with every bite. The sweet glaze drizzled on top added just the right amount of sticky-sweet contrast.

Out of all the desserts, the turnovers came the closest to perfection in the flake department. Light, crispy, and unapologetically indulgent — they were everything a handheld apple treat should be. Bonus points for being easy enough to whip up on a busy weeknight.

3. Apple Galette

If the apple pie is a classic beauty queen, then the apple galette is her effortlessly chic cousin who never needs to try too hard. There’s no fussing with pie plates or crimping edges — just a rustic circle of dough folded around caramelized apple slices. It’s the kind of dessert that looks impressive but comes together in under an hour.

The crust, baked to golden perfection, had a flaky crunch that rivaled any traditional pie. Because the edges are exposed, they crisp up better than a closed pie crust, giving every bite a perfect blend of buttery layers and sweet fruit. A sprinkle of raw sugar added sparkle and a delightful crunch.

Despite its simple look, the galette delivered big on flavor and texture. The thin layer of filling allowed the crust to shine, earning it serious points in the flakiness showdown. Rustic never looked (or tasted) so good.

4. Apple Strudel

Light as air and impossibly crisp, apple strudel might just be the overachiever of the flaky dessert world. Its secret lies in the whisper-thin dough, stretched until it’s almost translucent before being wrapped around a sweet apple filling. Each bite shattered into delicate pastry shards that melted away on the tongue.

Making strudel is a bit of a workout — it requires patience and a gentle hand — but the results are nothing short of bakery-level. The layers were crisp but tender, and the buttery aroma that filled the kitchen was divine. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was pure autumn bliss.

When it came to flakiness, the strudel stole the show. It was light, crisp, and ethereal, like eating a buttery cloud. While the pie brought nostalgia and the turnovers brought crunch, the strudel brought elegance — and ultimately, the crown.