Apple Turnovers

Once you try my recipe for the easiest and tastiest apple turnovers, you will never be tempted by the store bought ones! Freshness is everything when it comes to pastry! Reach for store-bought puff pastry to keep things as simple as possible, and let the baking begin!

Looking for a savoury way to cook apples? Try this French Chicken Casserole a la Normande with Apples!

Our favourite grocery store sells apple turnovers all year round, not just in the autumn. And of course my kids have a weak spot for them, begging for one every time we walk by.

Ah who am I kidding? So do I! To make the temptation even stronger, they are very cheap, so we often grab a few to go with our afternoon tea.

That went on for a while until I stumbled upon one unfortunately underbaked batch. The pastry was pale and soft but what it also revealed was horribly under seasoned apples inside.

Adding flavour

I mean the apples were sweet but that’s about it. No cinnamon or nutmeg. None of the delicious spicing that enhances the flavour of apples.

So I thought to myself. What is stopping me from making my own apple turnovers? It’s just a bit of puff pastry and apples.

But what I will also add is cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar to make the most seductive apple filling! I will also dust my apple turnovers with cinnamon sugar for the fragrant, golden crust!

There is a reason why cinnamon and nutmeg are the perfect pairing for apples and found over and over again in apple baking recipes. The hint of bitterness in nutmeg and warmth of cinnamon balance perfectly with the sweetness of apples.

While cinnamon and nutmeg form the basis for the spicing of these turnovers, brown sugar plays no small part in the final flavour. Brown sugar not only adds more moisture to baking, it also adds a deeper, caramel taste that I find far more satisfying.

It’s best to choose a firmer apple for your apple mixture so the pieces hold their shape and don’t become mush. Some good options are

Some varieties to look for are: Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Braeburn and Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples.

Apple turnovers with puff pastry

As much as I am happy to put the effort into making the apple filling perfect, the crust is a different matter. I’ve found that a good quality store-bought puff pastry can be a fantastic timesaver without compromising on taste or flakiness.

You can certainly make your own but I don’t see the point, especially when high quality all butter puff pastry is available at reasonable price. Even better if it’s pre-rolled pastry sheets. It really cuts down on your own work.

If you are the sort of person to get an urge to bake at unexpected times, it can be worth keeping some puff pastry in the freezer, ready to go when you are. It’ll easily keep for 6-12 months! If you do freeze, let it thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Making the filling

Unlike an apple pie filling which uses raw apples, apples for turnovers are best when cooked first. That is necessary due to a shorter time in the oven, which doesn’t provide enough time for them to cook all the way through.

It’s also quite important to peel them first and slice into smaller and thinner pieces.

Flavour your apples mixture with any spices you fancy. As mentioned, I’ve used cinnamon and nutmeg for mine. Don’t forget to use a bit of cornstarch to keep the apple juices at bay.

From this point, it is just a matter of assembling. Don’t add too much of the filling to the pastry as you don’t want them to be bursting. And crimp the sides carefully with a fork so they don’t open when baked.

Serving suggestions

I get the appeal of having apple turnovers as a dessert, possibly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But for me they are pretty much perfect as an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

Storage and leftovers

Once cooked your apple pastries are safe to keep at room temperature for a couple of days. Store in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container.

Although keeping them is possible, the pastry will not be as light and flaky as when freshly baked. They are best eaten on the same day they are baked.

If you do keep them longer, it’s a good idea to reheat in an oven warmed to 180C/350F for 15 minutes, with the turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Or use an air fryer set to the same temperature for 5 minutes.