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These easy apple turnovers start with frozen puff pastry, which is stuffed with fresh apple slices and warm spices, baked until golden brown, and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. Quick to make, and delicious alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee, the little handheld pastries are a classic dessert or special breakfast that’s sure to impress!
Apple Turnover
A turnover pastry is a little, individual pie that’s formed by folding a piece of pastry in half over a filling. The outside edges are crimped to seal, and then the turnover is baked or fried. An apple turnover is probably the most common version of this treat, but turnovers can be filled with both sweet and savory ingredients — from fruits like peaches, apples, and cherries, to meats, veggies, and cheeses.
What pastry is apple turnover made from?
Apple turnovers can be made with a variety of different pastry doughs, but puff pastry is most typical. Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, is a flaky, light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough and butter or other solid fat. The butter is put inside the dough, making a paton that is repeatedly folded and rolled out before baking. While you can make puff pastry from scratch, the frozen product is almost just as good — and way easier. That’s what we’re using in this recipe!
What’s the difference between a turnover and a pie?
According to this definition, a turnover is actually a type of pie. The turnover is an individual, handheld pie, often made with puff pastry rather than the typical pie dough used for regular pies and hand pies. The filling for this apple turnover recipe is virtually the same as the filling that you would put in a standard pie. While the filling tastes like an apple pie, the puff pastry makes the turnovers resemble a classic German apple strudel. The best of both worlds!
Are apple turnovers healthy?
Turnovers are indulgent desserts that include plenty of rich butter and sugar. That said, the pastry is light and flaky, and you get the added nutrients from the fresh fruit. There’s much less sugar in this dessert, compared to other popular treats like cakes and candies. Each (very large) turnover has about 484 calories, 61 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein, and 25 grams of fat.
Ingredients for an Old Fashioned Apple Turnover Recipe
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite apple turnover recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step baking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Frozen puff pastry sheets: thaw the sheets according to the package directions before you assemble the turnovers.
- Apples: pick a firm-flesh apple that won’t turn to mush when baked. We like a combination of Honey Crisp apples and Granny Smith apples.
- Lemon juice: a bright, acidic touch. It balances the sweetness of the fruit and enhances the apples’ natural flavors.
- Salted butter: adds flavor and richness to the filling.
- Sugar: for just a touch of sweetness.
- Cornstarch: the thickening agent that helps to absorb some of the apples’ juices as they bake, so that you don’t end up with soggy, runny turnovers.
- Ground cinnamon: for warmth. Feel free to add other spices like cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves, too!
- Milk: for brushing the pastry to seal the edges.
- Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract: whisk together to make the vanilla glaze.
The Best Apples for Apple Turnovers
Similar to making an apple pie filling, you want your hand pie filling to have a nice mix of sweet and tart flavors, with visible slices of apple — not just a mushy applesauce inside. That’s why we like to use a firm flesh apple with great flavor in this recipe. A combination of Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp apples works beautifully, but other good options include Braeburn, Pink Lady, Winesap, and Jonagold apples.
Do you cook the apples first?
No, that’s why these turnovers are so easy! The no-cook filling goes straight into the puff pastry. It’s important to slice the apples very thin so that they soften by the time the turnovers come out of the oven.
How to Make Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
Don’t forget to thaw the puff pastry before you get started. The rest is easy peasy!
- Stir together the apple filling in a large bowl.
- Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 squares, so that you end up with a total of 8 squares (about 5 inches each).
- Spoon the apple mixture onto the center of each pastry square. You will likely have some apples leftover.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with milk, and then fold the pastry over the filling to make a triangle.
- Seal and crimp the edges of each pastry with a fork.
- Bake the turnovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Whisk together the vanilla glaze, and then drizzle it over each cooled turnover.
What to Serve with Easy Apple Turnovers
Glazed turnovers are delicious with a cup of hot coffee or tea for breakfast, brunch, or a morning snack. They’re also a lovely dessert — especially when paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, or freshly whipped cream! Serve them warm or at room temperature.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you plan to reheat the turnovers, just know that the icing may drip off or look messy when warmed. To reheat the turnovers, place on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5-7 minutes.
To freeze turnovers, bake them first, let them cool, but don’t add the icing. Package the baked turnovers in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the frozen turnovers on the counter at room temperature, and then bake the thawed turnovers in a 375°F oven until warmed through, about 7 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of thin slices, dice the apples into small pieces. Either way will work, so it’s just a matter of personal preference.
- To make just 4 turnovers, cut all of the ingredients in half, using one sheet of puff pastry.
- Add a dash of cinnamon to the glaze, or season the filling with extra warm spices like cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or allspice.
- For a darker, shiny finish, brush the top of the turnovers with an egg wash (a large egg whisked together with about 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with coarse sugar and cinnamon before baking.
- Swap out half of the sugar for brown sugar for a slightly different flavor.
Tips for the Best Apple Turnover Recipe from Scratch
- Keep the puff pastry nice and cold so that it stays flaky and puffy (rather than dense) when baked.
- Use a firm flesh apple that will not break down into mush during the cooking process. We like a combination of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples for the best sweet and tart flavors.
- You will probably have some apple filling leftover if it doesn’t all fit into the turnovers. That’s fine! You can sauté the extra apples in a skillet with butter for an easy side dish with dinner or a nice topping on yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
- It’s not necessary to cut small slits in the top of each turnover for steam to release.
- If you plan to serve the turnovers warm, you can glaze them while they’re still hot. Just be aware that some of the icing might melt off or look messy (but they’ll still taste good)! Otherwise, allow the turnovers to cool before drizzling with glaze. Once the glaze sets, enjoy the turnovers at room temperature.
More Apple Dessert Recipes to Try
- Mom’s Easy Apple Pie
- Dutch Apple Pie (Apple Crumb Pie)
- Old-Fashioned Apple Cake
- Easy Apple Galette
- Easy Apple Crisp
- Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
- Apple Coffee Cake
Apple Turnovers
Ingredients
- 1 (17.3 ounce) box frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices (I use a combination of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Milk for brushing
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place the apple slices in a medium bowl; toss with lemon juice. Scatter the butter pieces over the apples.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Stir the sugar mixture into the apples.
- Unwrap each of the puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 squares, about 5 inches each.
- Spoon the apple filling onto the center of each square. You probably will not use all of the apple filling, so you can sauté any leftovers in a skillet of butter!
- Brush the edges with milk and fold over to make a triangle. Seal and crimp with the tines of a fork.
- Arrange the turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.
To Make the Vanilla Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer the glaze to a piping bag or Ziploc bag, snip off the corner, and drizzle over the cooled turnovers.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry nice and cold so that it stays flaky and puffy (rather than dense) when baked.
- Use a firm flesh apple that will not break down into mush during the cooking process. We like a combination of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples for the best sweet and tart flavors.
- You will probably have some apple filling leftover if it doesn’t all fit into the turnovers. That’s fine! You can sauté the extra apples in a skillet with butter for an easy side dish with dinner or a nice topping on vanilla ice cream.
- It’s not necessary to cut small slits in the top of each turnover for steam to release.
- If you plan to serve the turnovers warm, you can glaze them while they’re still hot. Just be aware that some of the icing might melt off or look messy (but they’ll still taste good)! Otherwise, allow the turnovers to cool before drizzling with glaze. Once the glaze sets, enjoy the turnovers at room temperature.
- Instead of thin slices, dice the apples into small pieces. Either way will work, so it’s just a matter of personal preference.
- To make just 4 turnovers, cut all of the ingredients in half, using one sheet of puff pastry.
- Add a dash of cinnamon to the glaze, or season the filling with extra warm spices like cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or allspice.
- For a darker, more brown and shiny finish, brush the top of the turnovers with an egg wash (a large egg whisked together with about 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with coarse sugar and cinnamon before baking.
- Swap out half of the sugar for brown sugar for a slightly different flavor.
I made these today and they were delicious! Have you ever made a cherry one? Those would be delicious, too!
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Thanks, Carol! I haven’t used this recipe to make cherry turnovers, but I’m sure they would be delicious. You could even use canned cherry pie filling for a really quick shortcut. 🙂