Puffed Apple Turnovers

Nothing beats homemade apple turnovers! Especially when they are light and flaky, sweet and tangy, like these ones! Only 2 tablespoons of sugar is needed to make this addictive apple dessert. Ready in 40 minutes!

Two people. Eight apple turnovers. All gone in one day.

Every time I make these homemade apple turnovers they are gone in less than 24 hours!

I think people like the fact that they aren’t too sweet nor too dense. They are the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, flaky and airy. And they are so easy to make!

No one has to know this apple turnover recipe requires little to no baking knowledge – it will be our little secret 😉

Using Puff Pastry

Puff pastry is a gift for bakers and non bakers like me. It’s easy to use, delicious, buttery and looks incredibly professional. And it’s what I’m using to make these apple treats.

Every time I use puff pastry my kitchen smells like a French bakery and I somehow believe, for a few seconds, that I can bake really well (I can’t).

I use puff pastry all the time because it never fails to work. I’ve made mini pizzas with it, strawberry banana puff shells for dessert and poured creamy chicken and vegetable sauce over it for a delicious vol-au-vent dinner. So yummy!

And why wouldn’t I, it’s all prepped and done for me! I just need to let it thaw, cut it, fill it with some type of fruit, veggie or meat, and bake it. Voilà!

How To Make Apple Turnovers

You will need 10 ingredients to make this apple turnover recipe:

• Ready-to-bake puff pastry (like Pepperidge Farms)
• An egg
• Butter
• Apples
• Sugar
• Honey
• Ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper (optional)
• Chopped Walnuts

Which Apples Are the Best for Turnovers?

My absolute favorite apple is the Honeycrisp because it’s always on point flavor wise. It’s the perfect apple in terms of texture – light and crispy – and flavor – very sweet, juicy and tangy.

If you cannot find Honeycrisp I suggest going for the second best, Pink Lady apples. And if you can’t find Pink Lady, go with Fuji apples.

It’s important to use good apples to make delicious apple desserts. The natural sweetness of an apple is much more complex than just pure sugar and because of that, it’s very hard to replicate the taste with anything else.

I’m sure you’ve had plenty of cloyingly sweet apple desserts that didn’t taste like apples. It happens to me all the time and my mother complains about this often because she loves apple pie. She cannot find a good apple pie in Japan because according to her, they all taste like sugar. And that’s exactly why it’s essential that you use good apples to make the best apple baked goods and desserts.

What you want is the perfect balance of natural apple sweetness and tanginess.

Making the Filling

Now that you know which apples to use for your turnovers, you’ll need a few more ingredients to make the filling. Melt butter in a pot and add sugar, honey, apples, walnuts, cinnamon, salt and pepper (optional).

Wait. Pepper? As in black pepper?

Yup! There is something magical about adding black pepper to desserts – it doesn’t change the basic flavor but does add a little oomph. Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes until the apples have softened and the color turns a beautiful dark gold. Now here comes the hardest part – try not to eat that over ice cream.

Cut the puff pastry into eight equal size squares and lay them on a cooking tray covered with parchment paper. Add a little apple filling in the center of each square and fold into triangles.

Brush the top of each pastry with egg and sprinkle a little sugar. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the pastry is flaky and a golden brown color. Done!

I may not be making the dough from scratch but these apple turnovers taste like the real thing – homemade comfort food from the heart.

An Apple Turnover Your Whole Family Will Love

This is one apple dessert your family will be asking for again and again. I made this for my mom once and now every time I go to Japan for a visit, she asks for my homemade apple turnovers, and I’m happy to oblige.

I’ve had many apple turnovers in my life but I have to agree with my mother – puff pastry turnovers are a step above the rest!

Other yummy apple recipes:

• Baked apples with walnuts and cider
• Olive oil, honey and apple cake
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Sweet and tart strawberry apple compote
• Thai spicy mango and apple salad

Did you like this Apple Turnover Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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