Apple Turnovers

These apple turnovers are the tastiest little pastries that are perfect for a sweet breakfast or even dessert. I use frozen puff pastry sheets to make them quickly and easily, and the homemade apple cinnamon filling is absolutely to die for. They bake up nice and puffy and golden in the oven and get a drizzle of vanilla glaze over the top for a little extra sweetness. You are definitely going to love these!

You simply cannot go wrong with these easy apple turnovers! Apple turnovers are made with buttery, flaky puff pastry that’s generously stuffed with gooey cinnamon apples and topped with an incredible vanilla glaze. They work great as a sweet brunch option, an afternoon snack or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert. My favorite way to celebrate the fall season! Oh and they would be such a wonderful addition to any holiday gatherings!

Ingredients for Apple Turnovers

• Unsalted butter. Just a bit of butter helps to get the apples cooking and gives the filling a lovely rich flavor.
• Apples. Choose an apple that is firm enough to stand up well during the baking process and give the pastries a nice bite. Great options are Honeycrisp (personal favorite!), Fuji, Granny Smith or Gala apples.
• Brown sugar. To sweeten the filling, I prefer the flavor of brown sugar, but white sugar or even coconut sugar works too.
• Flour. A very small amount of flour helps to thicken the apple filling.
• Lemon juice. The acidity of lemon keeps the apples from browning and balances the sweetness.
• Spices. We’re using warm, cozy spices of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
• Vanilla extract. Adds a bit more delicious flavor to the apple cinnamon filling.
• Egg white. A simple egg wash of egg white and water will help keep the dry pastry together and helps it to bake up golden brown.
• Puff pastry. In its raw form, puff pastry is much like pie crust, but it will bake up buttery, flaky and puffy. You can find puff pastry in the freezer section of your grocery store, near other dessert options. I always use Pepperidge Farm brand.

How to make Apple Turnovers

1. Don’t forget to thaw the puff pastry before getting started!
2. Once the puff pastry is thawed, prep your apples and get those cooking in melted butter over medium heat.
3. After about 3 minutes, stir the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in with the apples and cook about another 3 minutes and until the apple mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow filling to cool slightly.
4. Prep the puff pastry. Unfold one pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper. (Keep the other one in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.) Pinch seams together if necessary. With a sharp knife, cut sheet into four squares. Mix the egg white with about 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the edges of the pastry squares with egg wash.
5. Fill the puff pastry. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cooled apple mixture into the center of each pastry square. Fold pastry in half diagonally and pinch the edges with a fork to seal. Lightly brush egg wash over the tops and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet. Bake until the turnovers are puffed and lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.

Vanilla Glaze

The vanilla glaze is completely optional, but SO amazingly delicious and simple. I highly recommend a drizzle of it over these apple turnovers, once they’ve cooled about 10 minutes. Simply combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Mix to a smooth, thick consistency and drizzle over the turnovers.

See below, under “variations”, if you want to try something other than the glaze. You could actually do some turnovers with the glaze and some with a different topping, like caramel sauce.

Tips for the best apple turnovers

• Be sure to let the filling cool a bit before adding it to your puff pastry dough, otherwise you run the risk of melting the dough.
• Thaw your frozen puff pastry at room temperature for about about 45 minutes or until they’re pliable and easy to work with. You can also thaw it in the fridge overnight.
•  If the puff pastry becomes too soft to work with, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes and it will firm up.
• Be careful not to overfill the turnovers or the filling could seep out when baking.

Variations

• Topping. Instead of the vanilla glaze, you can add a sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking or after the apple turnovers have baked and cooled slightly, you can add a dusting of powdered sugar. Or drizzle caramel sauce on top of baked turnovers.
• Fruit filling. This apple filling recipe is next level delicious, but in a pinch you can substitute with canned apple pie filling. You can also try using other fruits and canned filling. Do be aware, though, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
• Mini turnovers. Cut out smaller square pieces of puff pastry and make these treats bite-sized.
• Nuts. Try adding roughly chopped pecans, walnuts or pistachios to the apple filling.

How long do apple turnovers last?

The turnovers are best served warm the day of baking, but they will still be delicious and fresh for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Also, see below for freezing instructions.

If you don’t plan to serve them all at once, it’s best to leave the icing off of the leftover turnovers.

How do you reheat apple turnovers?

The best way to reheat apple turnovers is in the oven (not the microwave) at 350ºF for about 5-8 minutes. The crust will be nice and flaky while the inside will be gooey and delicious. Once they’ve cooled slightly, add the glaze.

Can you freeze apple turnovers?

Baked apple turnovers freeze really well! Allow them to completely cool, and do not add the glaze or any other topping. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the turnovers in a single layer. Place the sheet in the freezer and flash freeze them for about an hour.

After frozen, wrap each turnover in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat as instructed above.

More Apple Favorites 

Applesauce Muffins

Baked Apples

Healthy Apple Crisp

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

If you try this apple turnovers recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

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Apple Turnovers

Yield: 8 turnovers

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Apple turnovers are so easy to make and are a great option to serve for a sweet brunch, afternoon snack or with a scoop of ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert. They are made with buttery, flaky puff pastry that's generously stuffed with gooey cinnamon apples and topped with an incredible vanilla glaze.

Author: Kim

Ingredients

Apple Turnovers

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups apples, peeled, cored and finely diced, (I used 2 large honey crisp apples)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white, for egg wash
• 1 (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Cook and stir for 3 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, unfold one pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper. Pinch seams together if necessary. With a sharp knife, cut sheet into four squares. Mix the egg white with about 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the edges of the pastry squares with egg wash. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cooled apple mixture into the center of each pastry square. Fold pastry in half diagonally and pinch the edges with a fork to seal. Lightly brush egg wash over the tops and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.
• Bake at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes until the turnovers are puffed and lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Mix to a smooth, thick consistency and drizzle over the turnovers. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: The turnovers are best served warm the day of baking, but you can make them a day ahead by leaving them unglazed and when ready to serve, warm them in a 350ºF oven for 5 minutes, then add the glaze.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:

Refrigerate: Store leftover turnovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing: Baked turnovers can be frozen up to 2 months and thawed overnight in the refrigerator, then warmed up in the oven or microwave. It will work to freeze the turnovers that have been glazed, but if you know you will be freezing them, wait and glaze them after warming them up.

 

 

Photos by Molly at Yes to Yolks.

Author: Kim

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serving: 1turnover, Calories: 323kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 88mg, Potassium: 92mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 113IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

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