Name: Glazed Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 cups peeled, cored and sliced granny smith apples ((about 6 medium apples)); ½ cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon; 1 tablespoon salted butter; 2 puff pastry sheets (17.3 ounces); 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon water; ¾ cup powdered sugar; 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Puff pastry pastries with a homemade apple pie filling inside. These apple turnovers are buttery and flaky. Perfect for a breakfast, brunch or dessert.

One of our most popular strawberry recipes are a simple strawberry turnover with a homemade sweet strawberry filling. When I think of turnovers, my mind usually goes to apple, so we took that strawberry turnover recipe and created an apple version. Just in time for fall. (And don’t forget our plum turnovers for the holidays!)

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a dessert after dinner.
Uses puff pastry for a shortcut, with a homemade apple pie filling.
Sweet, 3 ingredient vanilla glaze drizzled on top.
Great for sharing with neighbors and friends.

What are apple turnovers?

This apple turnover recipe is made from frozen puff pastry sheets. Puff pastry is dairy free and bakes up flaky and tender, perfect for a croissant like pastry. It’s delicious for apple turnovers, but also puff pastry cinnamon rolls.

Why is it called a turnover? Because you put filling on half of the unbaked pastry, then turn the top over and seal it up. It’s a portable, on the go snack.

Key Ingredients

Puff Pastry: Our favorite brand of puff pastry is Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets. You can find them in the freezer section of a grocery store by the desserts. Or, if you want to make your own, try Baking a Moment’s recipe.
Apples: Granny Smith apples are tangy, which pair perfectly with the sweet cinnamon sugar the apples bake in. They are firm apples, so they’ll hold their shape well. Don’t worry about them being too hard in the turnover. You’ll cook them until they are tender on the stovetop, then make the turnovers.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is a great choice, but you can also use brown sugar, or half of each type. Coconut sugar works as well.
Cornstarch: Tapioca starch or arrowroot starch work also.
Cinnamon: We’ve found Saigon cinnamon to be the best flavored cinnamon for baking. You can buy large canisters of it at Costco.
Heavy Cream: If you want your glaze to be extra creamy, use heavy cream. If you don’t have heavy cream, try half and half or whole milk. Using a lower fat milk will make the glaze thinner.

Apple Pie Filling for Turnovers

It’s important to note that you need to cook the apple pie filling ahead of making the turnovers because you want the filling to cool first. In order for the puff pastry sheets to bake up nice and flaky, the sheets should be very cold, so if you put hot filling on them, they’ll quickly warm.

Plan about 20 minutes to cook the filling, and at least 20-30 minutes for the filling to cool.

Peel, core and chop the apples, then put them in the sauce pan with the sugar. Cook and stir the apples for at least 10 minutes, until they start to soften.
Make the cornstarch slurry and add it to the apples. This is what will thicken the juice to make a nice pastry.
Add the cinnamon and butter. Stir it all together. *Some like to add vanilla at this point as well, but others say it takes away from the apple flavor. If you’d like to add a little, try ½ teaspoon.*
Allow the mixture to cool completely. I transfer mine to another bowl and then place them in the fridge to speed this up.

Shortcut Idea: Use store bought apple pie filling if you want this recipe to be a 30-minute dessert recipe.

puff pastry with apple pie filling on top

How to Fold a Turnover

Unfold each puff pastry and cut them down the center and across the center, making 4 equal squares on each sheet.
Place a spoonful of cooled apple pie filling on one half of each square, leaving about ½ border of puff pastry on the sides.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Fold the puff pastry squares to make triangles and then use the tins of a fork to press the pastries closed along the two open edges.
Use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash on top of the puff pastry triangles.

The pastries bake at 400º Fahrenheit for about 18-20 minutes. Then whisk up the easy powdered sugar glaze and drizzle it on. They are best served warm.

Storage Instructions

Once the pastries are cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can freeze them as well. I recommend using them within 2 weeks though.

Try our old fashioned apple pandowdy!

Glazed Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry

4.50 from 10 votes

Puff pastry pastries with a homemade apple pie filling inside. These apple turnovers are buttery and flaky. Perfect for a breakfast, brunch or dessert.

Servings 8

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 25

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Ingredients

For the turnovers:

6 cups peeled, cored and sliced granny smith apples (about 6 medium apples)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon salted butter
2 puff pastry sheets 17.3 ounces

For the egg wash:

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

For the glaze:

¾ cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the apples:

Place the sliced apples into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar.
Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until they start to soften.
In a small measuring cup, whisk together the water and cornstarch to make a slurry.
Pour the cornstarch slurry into the apples. Mix well.
Add the cinnamon and butter. Stir until the mixture starts to thicken, then remove from heat.
Allow the mixture to cool completely. I transfer mine to another bowl and then place them in the fridge to speed this up.
*The apples will cook down and make about 3 cups.
Allow the puff pastry sheets to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until you can unfold them without them breaking. They should still be very cold, just not frozen.

Make the turnovers:

Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick baking mat.
Unfold each puff pastry and cut them down the center and across the center, making 4 equal squares on each sheet.
Place a spoonful of cooled apple pie filling on one half of each square, leaving about ½ border of puff pastry on the sides.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water.
Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Fold the puff pastry squares to make triangles and then use the tins of a fork to press the pastries closed along the two open edges.
Use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash on top of the puff pastry triangles.
Place the puff pastries on the prepared pan, leaving 2-3 inches between each pastry so it has room to expand.
Bake 400º Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown and puffed up.

Make the glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream and the vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
Add another tablespoon of heavy cream if needed to get a drizzling consistency.
Serve immediately.
Once the pastries are cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.