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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Celebrate Woman Today
This is an inspiration recipe for me. I’ve never made puff pastry turnovers. Now is the time.
Beth Pierce
Thank you! Enjoy!
Jaishree
These apple turnovers were absolutely delicious and the recipe was so easy to follow! I love using puff pastry to keep it simple but still give that flaky, buttery texture.
Laurie Ann
I’ve never tried to bake turnovers before but I will be sure to use the recipe for my first attempt. These look so delicious and I love that the recipe uses puff pastry. Thanks for sharing!
karen
So delicious and they’re very easy to make. Thank you so much for the wonderful and easy to follow recipe, I love them!
Michelle
This was my first time making apple turnovers and it was so much easier than I thought it would be! Using puff pastry helped a lot. Will make again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! I am happy that you liked them!
Catherine
I made the Apple Turnovers over the weekend, and they were absolutely scrumptious! The flaky pastry and sweet apple filling were a perfect combination. They made for a wonderful breakfast treat, and my house smelled incredible while they were baking.
Tammy
I just love these turnovers right out of the oven. Flaky and crispy with that sweet filling. This is one of the kids favorite treats.
Ben
These are so good! The crust is perfect, and that filling is everything I wanted it to be. I’m making these again for sure.
Krystle Smith
The honey crisp apples combined with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gave them the perfect warm, spiced flavor.
Nan Meunier
Taste just like store bought for fraction of the price. My Dad loves apple pie but this was way easier to make and he loved them!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Nan! I am so glad that your Dad loved the apple turnovers!
Alison Parker
These were delicious!!!
I also made a few with blueberries, ( berries, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, some lemon zest and juice, the corn start with water) oh man… def. Worth a try!!
Thank you for sharing!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks sounds delicious! Thanks for the tips, Allison!
Charo Toledo
Delish and easy to make. Shared with neighbors thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Charo!
Mary
I accidentally bought pastry shells instead of sheets. How would I use those?
Beth Pierce
My chicken a la king recipe is really delicious in those pastry shells. Or are you looking for something with apples?
Mary
Can I use apple pie spice instead of the nutmeg and cloves?
Beth Pierce
Yes you sure can. Sorry about the delay.
Diane
I cook and bake for a family for a living, they loved these apple turnovers, thank you so much for this recipe. Everyone in the family gave it two thumbs up 👍👍 even thier father who is 97 years old. Love them. Thank you so much.
Beth Pierce
Oh that is so sweet! I am so glad that they liked the apple turnovers!
Tammy
Oh I’ve always loved apple turnovers. They’d be my go-to at the bakery after church. Now I’m craving one with my morning coffee! These look delightful and perfect.