These Easy Apple Turnovers are plump, full of juicy honey crisp apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and drizzled with a two-ingredient glaze. This turnover recipe utilizes store-bought puff pastry dough, making this delicious recipe uncomplicated and quick.
There are just so many amazing recipes that you can make and prepare with fresh apples. Make these turnovers with Honey Crisp Apples, but you could use Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Jonagold. Every year, they seem to come out with another fantastic apple.
With the help of frozen pastry puff, this scrumptious Apple Turnover Recipe comes together quickly and tastes much better and fresher than store-bought pastries. If you like this recipe, try these other puff pastry recipes: tomato tart, sausage rolls, pigs in a blanket, and apple strudel.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Frozen puff pastry: Puff pastry sheets are found in the freezer section of your grocery store.
- Butter: you can use salted or unsalted
- Apples: My favorite apple for this recipe are honey crisp, Braeburn, pink lady, Granny Smith
- Spices: ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg
- Powdered sugar: also known as confectioners sugar
What is puff pastry?
Puff pastry is ready-made dough that is buttery, light, and flaky. It is perfect for making pastries and appetizers. You thaw it, unfold it, cut or shape it, and bake it. Puff pastry sheets are found in the freezer section of your grocery store.
I have learned two things about puff pastry that are very important, though. After a short thaw (about 20-35 minutes), it is ready. If you wait much longer than that, you will lose some or most of its ability to rise. Also, don’t peek too much as it does not like oven temperature drops, and certainly don’t slam the oven door.
How to Make Apple Turnovers
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Start making the apple filling. Peel, core, and chop the apples. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and cook over low heat until soft. Mix cornstarch and water, add to the pan, and cook until slightly thickened.
Cut each sheet of puff pastry in fours. Scoop the apple turnover filling into the center of each square. Fold over and press edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork. Brush egg wash over the top of each turnover and bake.
Whisk milk and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled turnovers.
Preparation Tips
- If you prefer, you can sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar before baking.
- My go-to apples for this recipe are Honey Crisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Gala, and Granny Smith.
- Canned apple pie filling and other pie-filling flavors, such as cherry, blueberry, peach, and strawberry, can be substituted.
- If the powdered sugar drizzle is too thick, add a tiny bit of milk. Add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar if it is too thin.
Storage and Reheat
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze cooked turnovers, first fully cool. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or in a sturdy airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the air fryer. I do not advise freezing them unbaked, as the puff pastry will have less rise and crispiness.
More Apple Recipes
Easy Apple Turnovers
Ingredients
- 1 box 17.3 ounce puff pastry (2 sheets)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 honey crisp apple peeled cored and cut in small dice
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add apples and cook for 15 minutes or until they have begun to soften. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until fully softened. Stir water and cornstarch together and add to apples. Cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Puff pastry will need to be thawed for 20-30 minutes prior to use. Do not thaw too long (see instructions on box),
- Unfold each sheet of puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 equal squares. Place the squares on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Top each with a heaping tablespoon or so of apple mixture and fold over and press edges to seal, creating a triangle. Crimp edges with a fork dipped in flour. Beat egg until frothy. Brush on a light coat of egg wash with a pastry brush
- Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until turnovers are puffed and golden brown. Let turnovers cool on a wire rack.
- Whisk milk and powdered sugar until smooth and drizzle over cooled turnovers
Notes
- If you prefer, you can sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar before baking.
- My go-to apples for this recipe are Honey Crisp apples, Braeburn apples, Pink Lady apples, Gala apples, and Granny Smith apples.
- Canned apple pie filling and other pie-filling flavors, such as cherry, blueberry, peach, and strawberry, can be substituted.
- If the powdered sugar drizzle is too thick, add a tiny bit of milk. If it is too thin, add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Sammie
We love these apple turnovers, we have an apple tree in our garden and usually make these quite often as we get so many.
Deborah Miller
My husband and his friends are finishing our basement. So far, they have requested this recipe four times lol! It’s absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing it!
Beth Pierce
That is great! I am so glad that they enjoy the apple turnovers! Good luck with the basement!
Pam Francis
Can you use apple pie filling?
Beth Pierce
Yes you sure can!
Karisa
I tried this recipe mostly as written. They were easy and delicious. The only thing I did differently was to set aside half prior to baking in order to freeze and bake later.
I froze without egg washing those I’d save. I froze them first on a baking sheet, then in a zipper freezer bag. I’ve already eaten those too, though! Air fried those babies! Definitely returning to this recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Karisa! Thanks for the tips! The readers love great tips.
Sherri Brady
Made these this evening…easy peasy and oh, so good! I used granny smith apples for a more tart filling. Subbed half of brown sugar with Stevia and had to add a little more water to the filling. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Sherri! So glad that you liked them! Happy New Year!!
Rita
Could I make these with apple sauce instead?
Beth Pierce
In place of the apples?
Liz
These were very tasty! The color was quite uneven but I think that is due to our oven. Perfect for a fall evening!
Su
Recipe has powdered sugar listed twice but the directions mention it mixed with milk for the icing. Do you use 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar for the icing or does some go into the apples?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about that. I have corrected the recipe…. that 1 cup powdered sugar was not even supposed to be there. That must have been from my notes on a test run for the icing when I decided that 3/4 cup with one tablespoon of milk was the correct ration and the right amount for the turnovers.
Terry
Can I make the apple mixture a day ahead?
Beth Pierce
Yes it can be. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring it out and let it warm up to room temperature before starting the recipe.
Dahn
These look amazing, I just love how quick they come together with puff pastry
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Dahn! Yes puff pastry really comes in handy!
cindy mccarney
i froze some apples this fall, do you think those will work the same?
Beth Pierce
Yes I think that will work just fine.
Annissa
These look like a dream come true. So gorgeous! Im so glad fall baking season is here.