Maybe he’s the normal one and I’m a little nutty but my husband’s hand-down favorite desserts always revolve around apples. Apple pie. Apple crisp. Pretty much anything that involves bits of baked apples and a sprinkle or two of cinnamon. You can imagine, then, his affinity for these easy apple turnovers. He’s a fan.
Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against apple desserts. Given the freedom, though, I’d almost always choose something pumpkin or chai this time of year. In spite of these differences, I like to satisfy his apple cravings without having to invest all the time a pie takes. And that, my friends, is how these apple turnovers came about.
If you don’t already keep a box of frozen puff pastry stocked in your freezer, can I make a recommendation? You should totally keep a box of frozen puff pastry stocked in your freezer. It’s super versatile and makes impressive desserts as easy as one, two, three.
These easy apple turnovers are a perfect example of an impressive dessert, don’t you think? Prep time for these is about fifteen minutes, assuming your puff pastry is defrosted. Another twenty-five minutes of baking time and you can put these sweet little turnovers on the table. In our house, we actually call them baby apple pies because they deliver similar flavors in a hand-held, individual portion size.
We tend to serve these for dessert, but they’re equally appropriate for brunch. You might also consider taking them to a fall potluck or bonfire party. Any way you choose to serve them, I hope you’ll whip up a batch of these easy apple turnovers for the apple fan in your house.
If you can’t get enough apple flavor, you might also consider trying my make-ahead pear cranberry and apple crisp.
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EASY APPLE TURNOVERS
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apples
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 17 oz box puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- sparkling sugar for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325º. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Dice the dried apples into 1/2-inch cubes. Place them in a medium mixing bowl. Add dried cranberries.
Heat the apple juice to a low simmer, about 175º. Pour the hot juice over the dried fruit. Set the bowl aside and allow the liquid to fully absorb. When liquid has absorbed, stir in applesauce and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.
Gently unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into nine squares.
Working with one square at a time, place one tablespoon of the fruit mixture into the center of the puff pastry square. Brush two sides of the square with lightly-beaten egg white. Fold the pastry over and press the edges together. Use a fork to gently crimp along the edges. Repeat with all eighteen squares of puff pastry. Arrange nine turnovers on each baking sheet and chill for thirty minutes.
Brush the tops of the turnovers with egg white. Sprinkle with dusting sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until turnovers are lightly golden brown. Cool before serving.
Notes
- Calphalon's baking sheets can't be beat if you're looking for a new set!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1 turnoverAmount Per Serving: Calories: 131
Curious about why you used dried fruit instead of regular apples – less liquid? I always have apples on hand, but not dried apples, so I’d love to be able to make this with on-hand ingredients! Looks yummy!
I admittedly haven’t tried using fresh apples, Leah, so I can’t say for sure, but my fear was that they’d produce too much liquid in the oven and leave the pastry soggy. If you do happen to give it a try that way, I’d love to hear your results!
Tried these and we loved them! I made a couple with fresh apples instead of dried and they worked fine, though we actually preferred the taste turnovers with the dried apples. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I’m glad you tested it both ways but even more glad that you took the time to share your results. Thanks, Leah. So glad you liked them!