Apple Pie Turnovers
These apple pie turnovers fold tender cinnamon apples into flaky puff-pastry triangles. Briefly cooking the filling thickens the apple juices; cooling it before assembly helps the pastry stay firm enough to puff. Egg wash and a light cinnamon-sugar sprinkle give the crust a golden finish.
Serve the turnovers slightly warm. For a plated dessert, open one to show the apple pieces and add vanilla ice cream just before serving.
Ingredients for Apple Pie Turnovers
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, 2 sheets (about 490g), thawed until pliable but still cool
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups or 300g); Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (50g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- About 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for serving
How to Make Apple Pie Turnovers
- Cook the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cornstarch, and butter, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes. The apples should be tender but hold their shape, with thickened juices clinging to the pieces rather than pooling in the pan.
- Cool and prepare: Spread the filling in a shallow bowl and let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until no longer hot to the touch. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut and fill: Unfold each cool pastry sheet and cut it into four roughly equal squares, making eight squares total. Place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on one half of each square, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border. Use less filling if your squares are small.
- Fold and seal: Lightly brush the borders with egg wash. Fold each square diagonally into a triangle, press the edges together, and crimp firmly with a fork. Space the turnovers apart on the baking sheets and cut one or two small slits through the top layer of each to release steam.
- Finish and bake: Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Mix the granulated sugar with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle lightly over the pastry. Bake for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, beginning to check at 16 minutes. Rotate or switch the sheets if they brown unevenly. The turnovers are done when well puffed and golden, including at the seams and underside.
- Rest and serve: Let the turnovers rest for 8 to 10 minutes; the filling will still be hot. For a plated dessert, set an intact turnover beside one opened to show the apple pieces. Add vanilla ice cream just before serving.
How to Keep Turnovers from Leaking
Keep apples and syrup off the full 1/2-inch border so the pastry edges can meet. If a square looks too small for 3 tablespoons of filling, use less. Lightly brush the border, crimp firmly, and vent the top. Overfilling, filling caught in a seam, or trapped steam can cause a turnover to burst.
How to Keep the Pastry Flaky
Thaw puff pastry until it folds without cracking, but keep it cool as you work. Hot filling or overly warm dough can soften the layers before baking. If the pastry becomes greasy or limp, briefly chill it until cool and pliable again.
Don’t rely on the timer alone: pale seams or undersides need more time, even if the tops have puffed. For a full-size dessert made with similar pastry, try this puff pastry apple pie.
Can I Use Canned Apple Filling?
Yes. Chop any large apple pieces and use only enough filling to leave a clean border on each square. Skip the saucepan step and the fresh-apple filling ingredients; prepared filling does not automatically need more sugar or cornstarch.
Serving, Storage, and Reheating
Add ice cream only to turnovers you’re serving. The pastries can also be eaten plain as a handheld snack. For a version made by a different method, see these fried apple hand pies.
Cool leftover turnovers completely, then refrigerate them without ice cream in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pastry will gradually soften. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for a few minutes, until heated through and beginning to crisp again. Microwaving is faster but softens the crust.
To freeze baked turnovers, cool them completely, wrap them individually, and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven and add ice cream only after warming.
Nutrition
Approximate per turnover with one-eighth of the vanilla ice cream: 530 calories, 7g protein, 32g fat, and 55g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of ingredients before baking: 305 calories, 4g protein, 18g fat, and 32g carbohydrates. Values vary with the puff pastry and ice cream used; baking changes the finished weight.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Shallow bowl
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
For the turnovers
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, 2 sheets (about 490 g), thawed until pliable but still cool
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups or 300 g); Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (50 g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For serving
- About 1 pint vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cornstarch, and butter, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the apples are tender but hold their shape and the juices have thickened.
- Spread the filling in a shallow bowl and cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until no longer hot to the touch.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Unfold each cool pastry sheet and cut it into four roughly equal squares, making eight squares total.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on one half of each square, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border. Use less filling if the squares are small.
- Lightly brush the borders with egg wash. Fold each square diagonally into a triangle, press the edges together, and crimp firmly with a fork.
- Arrange the turnovers on the baking sheets and cut one or two small slits through the top layer of each to release steam.
- Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Mix the granulated sugar with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle lightly over the pastry.
- Bake for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, beginning to check at 16 minutes. Rotate or switch the sheets if they brown unevenly. Bake until well puffed and golden, including at the seams and underside.
- Rest the turnovers for 8 to 10 minutes before serving. Add vanilla ice cream just before serving, if desired.
Tips
- Keep filling and syrup off the full 1/2-inch pastry border so the edges can seal.
- Avoid overfilling; use less than 2 to 3 tablespoons if a square is small.
- Keep the pastry cool while assembling. Briefly chill it if it becomes greasy or limp.
- Check the seams and undersides for golden color; puffed tops alone do not mean the turnovers are done.
Variations
- Canned Apple Filling: Chop any large apple pieces, use only enough filling to leave a clean border, and skip the saucepan step and fresh-apple filling ingredients.