These easy apple turnovers are made with flaky puff pastry, a homemade cinnamon apple filling and sweet vanilla glaze. Ready in just 45 minutes, they have all the cozy flavor of apple pie in an easy handheld pastry.

More quick apple desserts we love include this apple dump cake and these apple dumplings!

Two puff pastry apple turnovers on a white plate with drizzled icing and whole green apples in the background, perfect for a fall dessert or snack.

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Key Takeaways: Easy Apple Turnovers

  • Easy shortcut: Store-bought puff pastry gives you crisp, flaky layers without making pastry dough from scratch.
  • Texture: The turnovers bake up golden and crisp on the outside with a soft, warmly spiced apple filling inside.
  • Seasonal favorite: They’re especially perfect for fall apple season, whether you serve them for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
  • Make ahead: Assemble and freeze the turnovers before baking, then bake them straight from frozen when you’re ready.

Why I Love This Recipe

Golden, flaky, and filled with warm spiced apples, these homemade apple turnovers are one of my favorite treats to make when fall rolls around. They have that bakery-style look and taste, but using puff pastry keeps them simple enough to make at home.

I love to serve them warm with a cup of my crockpot apple cider. For more cozy fall favorites, try my apple cider donut cake, make a classic apple pie when you have a little more time, or whip up my caramel apple cheesecake dip when you need something quick.

XO - Jamielyn

Recipe Ingredients

Apple turnover ingredients including puff pastry, Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, butter, vanilla, lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Granny Smith apples: Their tart flavor holds up well during baking and pairs perfectly with the sweet cinnamon spice. You’ll need about 3 medium apples, peeled and diced.
  • Lemon juice: Just a splash helps keep the apples from browning and brightens the flavor.
  • Butter and sugars: A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar adds the perfect balance of sweetness and richness to the filling.
  • Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give that signature apple pie flavor.
  • Vanilla extract: Adds depth and brings out the sweetness in the apples.
  • Cornstarch: Helps thicken the apple filling so it doesn’t leak out during baking.
  • Frozen puff pastry: Use both sheets from a 17.25-ounce package. Let them thaw just until pliable but don’t let them get too soft.
  • Egg wash: One egg combined with water gives your turnovers a golden, glossy finish.
  • Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla: For the 3-ingredient powdered sugar glaze. Optional a caramel sauce gives it a delicious fall-inspired finish.

Try this shortcut: In a pinch, you can use homemade apple pie filling instead of making it from scratch! You’ll need about 1 to 1½ cups of filling total.

How to Make Easy Apple Turnovers

Peeled and diced apples in a glass bowl for homemade apple turnover filling.

Step 1: Remove puff pastry sheets from the freezer to thaw slightly. It’s easier to work with cold pastry, so do not thaw completely. While pastry is thawing, dice apples and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Cooked cinnamon apple filling in a pot ready to spoon into puff pastry turnovers.

Step 2: In a saucepan, combine the diced apples with butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Let everything simmer until the apples are soft and coated in a glossy, spiced syrup. Stir in the cornstarch to thicken the mixture, then set it aside to cool slightly.

Puff pastry sheet cut into four squares for making apple turnovers.

Step 3: While the apple filling cools, roll out one sheet of thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a square, then slice it into four equal smaller squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.

Puff pastry squares filled with cinnamon apple filling and folded into homemade apple turnovers.

Step 4: Spoon a small amount of the apple filling onto one half of each square, keeping it away from the edges. Brush two edges with egg wash, then fold the pastry over to form a triangle. Press the edges with a fork to seal and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat.

Unbaked apple turnovers sealed with a fork and brushed with egg wash on a baking sheet.

Step 5: Brush the tops with more egg wash, then bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until the turnovers are puffed and golden brown.

Apple turnovers on a baking sheet drizzled with icing.

Step 6: Let the pastries cool slightly while you whisk together the glaze. Drizzle slightly cooled, but still warm turnovers with glaze.

Two golden brown apple turnovers on a white plate, glazed with a sweet icing and served with green apples in the background.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a different filling: Feel free to use any pie filling you like. This peach pie filling recipe or cherry pie filling are two other homemade favorites.
  • Glaze: Instead of the caramel sauce glaze, use a powdered sugar glaze, cream cheese glaze or maple glaze instead. Add a sprinkle of course sugar for sparkle!
  • Warm spices: Instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, use apple pie spice instead.
  • Air fryer apple turnovers: Place assembled apple turnovers in air fryer basket and air fry at 325°F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
  • Serving: Dunking slightly warm apple turnovers into soft homemade whipped cream is perfect although a scoop of vanilla ice cream works, too!

Apple Turnovers FAQs


Do I have to use puff pastry for apple turnovers?

No. Puff pastry gives the turnovers their light, flaky layers, but you can use my easy pie crust recipe instead if you want to make apple turnovers from scratch. The texture will be more like a traditional hand pie.


Should I bake the puff pastry before filling it?

No. Fill the uncooked puff pastry with the cooled apple mixture, seal the edges and bake everything together. There’s no need to prebake the pastry.


How do you keep apple turnovers from getting soggy on the bottom?

Let the apple filling cool before adding it to the pastry and avoid spooning in too much of the liquid from the pan. Don’t overfill the turnovers, and bake until the bottoms are crisp and the pastry is deeply golden.


Should I refrigerate apple turnovers before baking?

You don’t have to, but it can help if the puff pastry has gotten warm while you’re assembling them. Chill the turnovers for about 10 to 15 minutes before baking to firm up the butter in the pastry and help create those flaky layers.

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Close-up of flaky puff pastry apple turnover broken open to show gooey cinnamon apple filling, topped with a drizzle of glaze.

If you love sweet breakfast pastries try homemade donuts, this homemade Pop Tarts recipe or cruffins, too!

More Apple Recipes

Apple turnovers on a plate drizzled with glaze.

Apple Turnovers

4.88 from 8 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
These easy apple turnovers are made with flaky puff pastry and a warm cinnamon apple filling. They taste like apple pie but are ready in under an hour for a cozy fall dessert!
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Ingredients 

Apple Turnovers

  • 3 medium Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored, and diced
  • ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 (17.25-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets)
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon water

Glaze

Instructions

Apple Turnovers

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Toss apples with lemon juice. In a medium bowl, toss 3 diced apples with 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice until well coated. Set aside
  • Thaw puff pastry. Remove puffy pastry from the freezer and let thaw while making the apple filling.
  • Make apple filling. In a medium saucepan, melt the 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add the apple mixture, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened. Stir in the 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  • Cut pastry into shapes. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 sheet thawed pastry into a large square (about 11 inches). Cut into 4 smaller equal sized squares.
  • Assemble turnovers. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water to make an egg wash. On 1 side of each pastry square, add about 1 1/2 Tablespoons apple mixture, being sure to leave a border for sealing. Brush the egg wash along 2 edges on the side of the pastry where the apple mixture has been placed. Fold from corner to corner over the mixture, creating a triangle shape. Press or crimp the edges together with a fork to seal. 
  • Brush with egg wash. Place turnovers on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Repeat steps 5 to 6 with the second sheet of puff pastry. Brush the tops of the turnovers with egg wash.
  • Bake. Bake 20 minutes, or until the turnovers are puffed and lightly browned. Let the turnovers to cool slightly while making the glaze.

Glaze

  • Combine glaze. In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 Tablespoon caramel sauce, if using. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or milk (you want to be able to drizzle it).
  • Drizzle glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the turnovers and enjoy!

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Puff pastry: Be careful not to let the puff pastry thaw for too long. It is easiest to work with when it is thawed just enough to open and handle without it breaking the creases or breaking as you create the triangles.
Apple filling: Be careful not to let the juices from the apple mixture touch the border of the square. If the juices touch the edge, it makes it difficult to seal the pasty. Gently wipe the edges before sealing if needed.
To freeze before baking: Assemble apple turnovers up to the point of baking (no egg wash or glaze). Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. When ready to bake, brush the tops with egg wash and bake directly from frozen, no need to thaw.
To store leftovers: Baked turnovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15–20 seconds or warm them in a low oven.
To freeze after baking: Let turnovers cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm slightly if desired, then add the glaze.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 99mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 123IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.