These apple pie turnovers are humble in appearance but far from it when it comes to flavor. A golden, flaky crust wraps around a sweet and tangy apple pie filling and is baked to perfection, creating the perfect handheld treat for fall!
Why you’ll love these apple pie turnovers:
Perfect for fall and the holidays, this apple pie turnover recipe is a humble dessert that never disappoints. Here are a few reasons why it’s a hit with every crowd:
- Easy – With simple steps and basic ingredients, you’ll be ready to eat in just an hour.
- Handheld – Unlike apple pie, which can be difficult to serve, these turnovers are perfect for single-servings and to take on the go as guests roam around a party.
- Make Ahead – You can easily prepare in advance, or store leftovers for later, making these apple pie turnovers perfect for busy holidays.
If you’ve ever been intimidated to work with pie dough, these turnovers are a great place to start. They’re basically failproof and are the perfect way to use up fresh apples in the fall!
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Apples – I like to peel and shred the apples for the best texture. Any type of apple will work, though you will have varying degrees of sweetness depending on which you use. I prefer sweet varieties like Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji!
- Brown sugar – Light brown sugar is the best type of sugar to sweeten the turnovers, adding a subtle caramel-like taste to the filling.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter to cook the apples. If you use salted, just be sure to adjust the amount of added salt.
- All-purpose flour helps thicken the filling.
- Spices like ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add warmth to the turnovers. If preferred, you can substitute a pre-made apple pie spice blend.
- Lemon juice brightens the flavors perfectly.
- Pie crust – Make your own 9-inch pie crust, or pick one up at the grocery store. Again, if needed, feel free to use a gluten-free crust.
- Heavy whipping cream creates the beautiful golden, flakey exterior we want. You can also use an egg wash instead.
How to make apple turnovers with pie dough
1. Prepare the filling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine the apples, brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.
- Mix in the lemon juice, remove the pan from from heat, and let the mixture cool completely.
2. Assemble the turnovers
- Divide the pie dough into 8 equal parts, and roll each piece into 5-inch (12cm) disks.
- Divide the apple mixture into 8 equal parts, and place a portion in the center of each dough disk.
- Fold the dough over to create a half-moon, and use a fork to press down and seal the edges of the dough.
- Place the apple pie turnovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
3. Bake
- Brush heavy cream on each turnover, and sprinkle them with brown sugar, if desired.
- Make 3 cuts on top of each turnover to allow the steam to escape.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. (Frozen turnovers should be baked for 25-30 minutes.)
- Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tips for Success:
- Cool the filling completely. This not only makes it easier (and safer) to handle, but it also prevents the butter in the crust from melting. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a soggy crust! Plus, the filling thickens as it cools, meaning it’s less likely to ooze out of the dough while baking.
- Chill the dough. If the dough gets too soft and difficult to handle, place it in the fridge for a few minutes before assembling your turnovers.
- Crimp the edges well. Poorly crimped edges may result in the apple mixture leaking out while the turnovers bake.
Make-Ahead Tips:
When hosting a party or holiday meal, I love to prepare a large batch of apple pie turnovers ahead of time. Then, all I have to do is pop them in the oven, and they’re ready to go!
- Prepare the filling and pie dough up to 3 days in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, and bring the dough to room temperature. Then, assemble, and bake as normal!
- You can freeze the unbaked apple turnovers for up to 3 months. Follow the instructions, preparing the turnovers up to step 10. When you’re ready to serve, there’s no need to thaw! Simply arrange the turnovers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, brush the heavy cream on top, and bake for 25-30 minutes. They’ll taste as good as new!
Storing Tips:
Once cool, transfer any leftover turnovers to an airtight container, and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze cooked apple pie turnovers for up to 2 months! To do so, let them cool completely. Then, wrap them with plastic wrap, and transfer them to a sealable bag or airtight container.
When you’re ready to serve, thaw frozen turnovers in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat them in the oven or microwave just until warmed through.
FAQs:
Yes, puff pastry works well with this recipe! Allow it to thaw in the fridge. Then, assemble the turnovers as normal, and adjust the baking time as needed so as not to burn the pastry.
Make sure to let the filling cool completely before assembling the turnovers, and keep the dough cold. Allow the dessert to cool completely before storing to prevent the heat from turning into condensation and causing the dough to become soggy.
Sure! Feel free to substitute the apples with any pie filling you like best. Berries, pears, and cherries all taste great, or you can use a combination of fruits for a unique taste.
More Pie Recipes:
Apple Pie Turnovers
Ingredients
- 4 (700 g) medium apples shredded (about 4 cups of shredded apples)
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 9-inch pie crust dough
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a medium saucepan, combine shredded apples, brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and cool completely.
- Divide the pie dough into 8 equal parts.
- Roll out each piece into 5-inch (12cm) disks.
- Once the apple filling is completely cooled, divide it into 8 equal parts.
- Place the filling on each pie crust and fold it over, creating a half-moon shaped pies.
- Using a fork, press the edges of the pies.
- Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or silicone mat. (At this point, you can go ahead and freeze them.)
- Brush heavy cream on each pie. And sprinkle some brown sugar, if desired.
- And then make 3 cuts on top with a sharp knife for the steam to escape.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.( The frozen turnovers should be baked for 25-30 minutes.)
- Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Store leftover turnovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– Freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to serve.
– Reheat in the microwave or oven just until warmed through.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 12th, 2014.
Should the apples be peeled before grating?
Hi, Polly. It doesn’t really matter, it’s up to you! I don’t peel them.
Really delicious recipe. And thank you for the clarity of how to bake when frozen too!
You’re welcome, Helen. I appreciate your feedback!
You’re welcome. Thank you for your feedback, Helen.
Can the frozen, uncooked pies be deep fried?
Hi, Beverly Ann. I’ve never deep fried these pies, so I have no advice.
Hello! Can these be frozen after baking and reheated (e.g. with a toaster oven or microwave)?
Hi, Anna. Yes, absolutely. I wouldn’t recommend microwaving, because it may become soggy. But toaster oven would work great.
YUM! So obsessed with these. Home-y and delicious AND they can be taken on the go! Gotta try them soon!
Yes, they’re so portable!! Thanks, Karly!
Hi Shinee..love apple turnovers! I never failed to pick them up in the grocery store but i am not much a of a baker so these are still on my ‘to try’ list..looking forward to trying these out soon!
Hi, Pragati! Let me know how they turned out. Good luck!
Wow, these look amazing! I’m going to try this recipe soon. How do you get such pretty edges on the turnovers?
Hi, Navah. I create those edges, you first just simply pinch the edges, then go over them again folding a small portion over and pinching.
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