Apple Turnover Recipe

Easy Apple Turnovers with Sweet Apple Filling

There really is nothing better than a freshly baked pastry to start the day. My family loves both sweet and savory pastries, but this apple turnover recipe is one of our favorites…and it’s perfect for apple season! 

One of my favorite things about this recipe is just how easy it is to make. It requires a few simple ingredients—just two sheets of puff pastry, some apples, and a few pantry staples—and you can have warm turnovers on the table in no more than 45 minutes. 

Now, you’ve probably seen turnover recipes using pie crust or biscuits. We love to use puff pastry in this recipe, because the texture is like no other!

The flaky pastry encasing the warm spiced apple filling is hard to beat! Not to mention, the turnovers are super easy to freeze, so you can make a batch ahead of time to have breakfasts or dessert on hand anytime. 

How to Make Apple Turnovers

This easy apple turnover recipe is so much simpler than it looks (and tastes). Just 15 minutes of prep needed!

Scroll to the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts and full instructions. 

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine apple pieces, butter, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and salt. Stir and cook until simmering, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.
2. While the apple cook, whisk together cornstarch and cold water to make the slurry. Add that to the apple mixture and stir until thickened. Remove from the heat.

3. Roll the puff pastry out onto a flat work surface, then cut it into 6 equal squares. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water, then use a pastry brush to brush that around the edges of each puff pastry square.

5. Spoon the apple pie filling into the center of each of the sheets of puff pastry, then fold the puff pastry sheets over the filling and use a fork to seal the edges. Brush the top of each turnover with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. 
6. Bake at 375ºF until golden brown, then cool before serving. 

Tips and Notes

• Puff Pastry: We use Wewalka brand puff pastry for this recipe, which requires two 13.2 oz packages. It’s kept in the fridge; not the freezer. If you use Pepperidge Farm brand, you’ll need 1 box (2 sheets). It’s kept in the freezer, so follow the instructions for thawing before you begin. The turnovers will be slightly larger and you will need to cut each sheet into 4 equal pieces instead of 6. 
• If you do use Pepperidge Farm, keep in mind that you will also need a little bit more filling for each turnover. 
• Apples: Make sure you cut the apples into small pieces, but not so small that they turn to mush. I do ¼-inch thick and it works perfectly! 
• Toss the apples in lemon juice. I like to do this while I’m prepping the other ingredients to ensure that the apples don’t turn brown. It also brightens the flavor of the filling just a bit. 
• If you don’t have apple pie spice handy, you can use other spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, or a tiny bit of allspice.
• If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, swap it out for granulated sugar.
• Try another filling. I love the apple pie filling in this recipe, but feel free to use other fruity pie fillings if preferred! 

Serving Suggestions

These delicious apple turnovers can be served for breakfast with a cup of coffee or for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

If you like your turnovers extra sweet, try sprinkling them with powdered sugar, drizzling them with caramel sauce, or serving them with vanilla icing for dipping!

How Long Do Homemade Apple Turnovers Last?

Room Temperature: Leftover turnovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. 

Refrigerator: For slightly longer storage, you can keep the turnovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. 

Reheat: To warm your leftover turnovers, simply pop them in the oven at 250ºF for 5-6 minutes or until heated through and re-crisped on the outside. 

Freezer: To freeze the turnovers, I recommend doing so unbaked. Simply assemble them as directed, but leave off the egg wash. Lay the unbaked apple turnovers on baking sheets and flash freeze until hardened.

Once frozen, wrap them in parchment paper and drop them into a freezer bag or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months. 

When you’re ready to bake the frozen turnovers, you can unwrap them, add the egg wash and sanding sugar, and bake from frozen! Be sure to add a few minutes to the baking time.

What is the Difference Between Apple Pie and Apple Turnover?

While the ingredients used are very similar, there is one key difference between an apple pie and an apple turnover: the shape! 

A pie is made of a pie crust baked in a dish with an apple filling. A turnover is made using puff pastry dough folded over an apple filling. It’s like a fruity dessert hot pocket! 

What Type of Apples Should I Use for Turnovers?

That’s totally up to you! Pretty much any kind of crisp, fresh apples will work for this recipe. Just make sure you’re using firmer varieties so the apple pieces hold up during cooking. 

A few great options include Honeycrisp apples, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Gala apples, Fuji apples, or any combination! 

How Do I Keep My Turnovers from Getting Soggy?

Cook the apples first! This is key for the best results. Apples release moisture as they cook, so adding them fresh to the pastry dough and then baking will result in a soggy texture. 

Cooking the filling allows the apples to release that moisture and gives the filling time to thicken up nicely for that perfect gooey texture. 

More Apple Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for more mouthwatering apple dessert recipes? Here are a few favorites: 

• Apple Cider Donut Cake
• Apple Crumble
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Southern Apple Pie Recipe
• Baked Apples
• Apple Cider