You'll love Apple Turnover With Pie Crust! These flaky hand-held turnovers are created with pie crust and a sweet apple cinnamon filling. This is one of those easy apple recipes that simple to prepare and oh-so-good. My family loves these for breakfast or dessert!
Once you try this delicious apple turnover with pie crust, you'll want to make it all the time since it contains all your favorite apple pie flavors. If you love this, be sure to try our Easy Apple Crisp and our Apple Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Braid.
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These easy apple turnovers with pie crust were inspired by my apple crescents, and are similar to my apple pie muffins using crescent rolls.
These hand held pies are popular because they are crisp and flaky on the outside and filled with tender sweet apples on the inside. They are a great way to use fresh apples, which are found in abundance in the fall.
Why You’ll Love These Apple Turnovers
- Great for make-ahead. Prep them in advance and bake when ready—your kitchen will smell amazing, just like it does when making this Apple Pie Fried Wonton Recipe!
- They’re incredibly easy to make. Store-bought pie crust keeps things simple without sacrificing flavor. You can also use pie crust to make this Blueberry Turnover Recipe.
- Perfect for any occasion. From brunch to dessert, they fit in just about anywhere.
- Big flavor, minimal effort. You get that classic warm apple pie taste in a handheld, flaky pastry.
- Kid-friendly and adult-approved. Sweet enough for little ones, nostalgic enough for grown-ups.
Apple Recipes
Apples are easy to add to almost any recipe you can dream up. Whether you're baking a classic apple pie or whipping up a cozy apple crisp, apples add just the right amount of natural sweetness and crunch. Here are some of our favorite ways to use apples:
- Apple Pie Muffins Using Crescent Rolls
- Apple Butter Recipe
- Apple Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Braid
- Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie
Apple Turnover With Pie Crust Ingredients
- Pre-made Pie Crust: Using a pre-made pie crust is a great time-saver. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before unrolling to prevent cracking.
- Apples: Use firm and slightly tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. They'll hold their shape during baking.
- Butter (Salted or Unsalted): Both work well, but if using salted butter, you might want to reduce the salt you add later.
- Salt: A pinch balances the sweetness, bringing out the natural taste of the apples and spices.
- Brown Sugar: Provides a deep, caramel-like sweetness that works with the apples.
- Cinnamon: Give that warm apple turnover flavor.
- Vanilla: Just a splash adds depth to the flavor.
- Egg: Beat the egg and use it as a wash on the turnovers.
- Sugar: For dusting. Adds a touch of sparkle and sweetness to the crust.
Best Baking Tools
When you want to bake some delicious apple turnovers, having the right tools can make all the difference! Of course, you'll need a good baking sheet and a cooling rack. A pastry brush will come in handy for the egg wash. You can get all these supplies on Amazon.
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Natural
Amazon Basics Silicone, Non-Stick, Food Safe BakingCooling Rack for Baking 2-Pack, 16x10 InchesSMARTAKE 200 Pcs Parchment Paper Baking Sheets,
How To Make Apple Pie Turnovers
1. Prep the oven and apples
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Peel the apples, then slice them into quarters. Cut each quarter into three equal pieces.
2. Choose your apple size
Decide how chunky you want your apple filling—larger pieces work well since they shrink during baking, but you can chop them smaller if you prefer a softer texture.
3. Cook the apple filling
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir everything together until well combined.
4. Simmer the apples
Stir the apple mixture and let it simmer until the apples start to soften (about 5 minutes).
5. Cool the filling and prep the crust
Once the apple pie filling is prepared, allow it to cool while you work on the pie crusts. Two pie crusts come in the package. Separate them and unroll the pie crust.
Homemade Apple Turnovers Tip
To make these apple hand pies, I used 4-inch round cookie cutter.
6. Cut the dough circles
Cut three circles from each pie crust. If you can't make three circles, gather the scraps and roll them out until you have enough to create an additional circle.
7. Add the filling
Ensure the apples are cooled before adding the apple filling to the middle of the dough. Spoon ¼ to ⅓ cup of cooked apples into each dough circle.
8. Fold and seal
To fold the dough, gently bring the top portion down over the bottom and press it down with your fingers. Some people push the dough down with a fork, ensuring it is sealed.
9. Double fold and place on baking sheet
After sealing the dough, fold it once more like an envelope and pinch the edges to secure it. Place the apple hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can also top a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
10. Vent and brush with egg wash
Using a sharp knife, create three small slits at the top of each mini apple pie. Crack an egg and whisk it in a small bowl. Then, using a pastry brush, glaze the top of each hand pie with the egg mixture on the parchment paper.
11. Sprinkle and Bake
Before placing homemade apple turnovers in the oven, sprinkle them with coarse sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until the tops are a beautiful golden brown color.
Allow these apple hand pies to cool for 15 minutes before indulging, as the filling will be quite hot.
When you slice open these easy apple turnovers, you can see all the juicy chunks of apple in there. It is so good and one of my favorite easy desserts!
These mini apple hand pies make a delicious portable meal or dessert. If you prefer the flavor of strawberries, give our Strawberry Turnovers With Pie Crust Recipe a try!
Substitutions And Variations For Apple Turnover Recipe
If you don't have pre-made pie crust to make this apple turnover with pie crust recipe, you can make the same yummy treats with puff pastry dough. The directions are similar; you use the pastry dough (which you can find at any grocery store) instead.
Don't have apples? No problem. You can use cherry pie filling to make cherry turnovers. Or if you are in a mood for a fall treat, try these pumpkin turnovers.
Tips For Apple Turnover With Pie Crust
Tip 1: Make small slits on top of each turnover to allow steam to escape, which helps prevent them from bursting.
Tip 2: Ensure the apple filling is cooled before placing it on the dough to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
Tip 3: Let the pre-made pie crust sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before unrolling to prevent cracking.
FAQs for Easy Apple Turnovers
These are best served as soon as they are made, after cooling off. Homemade apple turnovers can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Granny Smith apples are ideal for this dish since they are what is typically used in classic apple pie filling. You can also use Honey Crisp or Gala apples.
Yes, you can! To do that, combine 1 cup of confectioner's sugar with three teaspoons of milk and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. If the glaze is too thick, add another teaspoon of milk. Drizzle the icing over the turnovers in a zig-zag pattern
Pie Crust Recipes
Pie crusts are very versatile and surprisingly easy to whip up! So, if you don't have a pre-made pie crust, you can easily make your own. Here are some of our favorite pie crust recipes:
Making apple turnovers with pie crust is something you will do again and again because they are super simple make a great breakfast, snack or dessert. With their flaky crust and sweet apple cinnamon filling, these turnovers will surely be a hit!
📖 Recipe
Apple Turnover with Pie Crust
Video
Ingredients
- 1 package pre-made pie crust contains 2 pie crusts
- 2 apples large, I used Granny Smith
- 2 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon white sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel the apples and slice them into quarters. Cut each quarter of apple into three pieces.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla to the pan and stir to combine.
- Cook the apple filling over medium heat and let it simmer until the apples start to soften (about 5 minutes).
- When the apple pie filling is done, let it cool while you prepare the pie crusts.
- Separate the two pie crusts that come in the package and unroll them.
- Cut 3 circles out of each pie crust. If you can't get 3 circles out of the the pie crust, you can gather the scraps and roll them out until you have enough to make another circle.
- Make sure the apples are cooled before adding the apple filling to the middle of dough. Fill each dough circle with ¼ to ⅓ of a cup of the cooked apples.
- Now it's time to fold the dough. Fold the top part of the dough over the bottom part and press down with your fingers. Once the dough is sealed, you can fold it again like an envelope and pinch it.
- Place the turnovers on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Make 3 small slits at the top of each of the mini apple pies with a sharp knife.
- Crack an egg and beat it in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg to the top of each hand pie.
- Before placing in the oven, sprinkle coarse sugar over the top of the apple turnovers.
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes, until the tops have turned a golden brown.
- Let these sweet apple hand pies cool for 15 minutes before eating as the filling will be very hot.
Notes
- Granny Smith apples are ideal for this dish since they are what is typically used in classic apple pie filling. You can also use honey crisp or gala apples.
- Slice a few small slits on top of your turnovers. It lets the steam out and keeps them from popping open in the oven.
Rosalee Adams says
Can I use one store-bought pie crust, which has been thawed sufficiently to roll out?
After it is rolled out, place the filling on one side, and then fold over the crust and crimp, ie a large turnover?
After baking, simply cut in 3 pieces?
Thanks for any advice.
Vicky says
Yes, you can definitely use one store-bought pie crust that has been thawed and rolled out for this recipe! Simply place the filling on one side, fold over the crust, crimp the edges to seal it, and bake as directed. Cutting it into three pieces after baking will work perfectly too—enjoy your delicious turnover!
Rachel says
I believe the 4" cutter you mention in the explanation is incorrect. I used the same brand/size of pie crusts as you show in the pictures at the top and, with a 4" cutter, I was able to get all 6 circles out of one sheet of pastry. They ended up way too small to fit the 1/4 - 1/3c. filling you used. I think you must have used a 5 - 6" cutter to have only gotten 3 circles out of each sheet and to hold that much filling each. This probably contributed to Carol's confusion below.
Despite the trouble I had deciphering this discrepancy, the end result was tasty but they won't win any beauty pageants lol
Vicky says
Thank you so much for your feedback! It's great to hear that the end result was tasty, even if it took a bit of tinkering with the cutter size. Your observation is really valuable, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It sounds like there might be some variation in pastry brands or thickness that could affect the number of circles people get. I'll make a note to revisit this and see if any additional tips can be added to help clear up any confusion.
I'm glad you still enjoyed the recipe, and thanks again for your insight!
Caroline says
Can I freeze them then cook them another time.
Vicky says
I have not tried that so I am not sure. If you do try it, please report back the results. Thank you for stopping by!
Carol says
All good, I cut my dough to small to use up my apple mixture. They came out tasty just need to tweak on my end.
Vicky says
Glad you enjoyed them! Happy Fall!