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Easy Homemade Apple Turnovers Recipe

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This Apple Turnover Recipe is a dream come true! Some people think that coffee is the best way to start the day, and in many cases, I agree. However, I really love to start the day with one of my homemade apple turnovers.

These easy apple turnovers are beyond delicious and so simple to make. 

Apple turnover cut in half on plate

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Easy Homemade Apple Turnovers Recipe

These apple turnovers are pure heaven! A flaky homemade pastry crust stuffed with an incredible apple pie filling, it’s impossible not to be hooked when you taste them. Don’t get me wrong, sausage and eggs make a lovely breakfast, but I can never get enough sweet breakfast foods.

These turnovers have the perfect ratio of crust and filling, are wonderful to prepare in advance, and will win over a crowd in mere seconds. 

Apple Turnover Recipe Ingredients

There are three sets of ingredients for these homemade apple turnovers. The pastry itself, the apple filling, and my favorite cinnamon-sugar topping. Don’t worry; this apple turnover recipe is so simple you can’t mess it up! Okay, let’s take a look at what you need. 

For the Pastry:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Pecan meal
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Unsalted butter – It’s important to use frozen butter for this recipe. 
  • Sour cream
  • Cold water

For the Apple Filling:

  • Granny Smith apples
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

  • Granulated sugar
  • Ground cinnamon

ready to eat easy apple turnover

How To Make Apple Turnovers

While I realize that it appears to have a lot of steps to making these turnovers, I promise it’s not hard at all. Even if you are a beginner in the kitchen, you can whip these up in no time and surprise everyone with your delicious breakfast idea. 

First Step: Start by preparing the pastry. Use a medium-sized bowl and whisk 2 cups of flour, pecan meal, salt, and baking powder together. Place the mixture in the freezer. Then unwrap the frozen butter sticks and press each end of the stick into some flour. Begin grating the butter using a hand grater with coarse holes on a box grater. You should have large flakes. 

NOTE: Sticking the butter into the flour will allow you to grip the butter as you are grating it more easily. 

Second Step: Mix together the sour cream and cold water in a small bowl. Take the dry ingredients out of the freezer. Toss together the cold flour and the grated butter pieces until they are evenly mixed. Add the sour cream and water mixture to the flour mixture. Take a spatula and begin folding the mixture until it starts to hold together and forms into a dough. 

Third Step: Take the dough and divide it in half. Carefully place each half in the center of a piece of plastic wrap. Then form it into a 6×6 inch square. Wrap up the squares with the plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Fourth Step: After 30 minutes, remove the dough squares from the fridge. Add the remaining flour to both sides of the dough squares. Roll out each dough into a large rectangle that’s 10 x 12-inches. On the opposite shorter sides that are 10-inches, fold the dough into thirds like you would a letter. Then take the rolling pin and flatten and widen the dough until it’s 5 x 12 inches. Start again working with the shorter 5-inch sides and fold the dough into thirds again, forming a 4 x 5-inch rectangle. Place the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the dough is firm. Do the same steps with the second dough square. You can store the dough in the fridge up to 2 days or in the freezer for 1 month. 

Fifth Step: Using a box grater, grate the apples into a large bowl. Place the sugar, lemon juice, and salt to the apples and stir. Let everything sit for 5 minutes, then drain the juices off of the apples and reserve the juice for later. 

Sixth Step: Next, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Gather a pizza cutter and ruler, apple filling, and 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. 

Seventh Step: Take the dough out of the refrigerator and flour both sides then roll into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. 

Eight Step: Using the pizza cutter, cut the dough into six 5-inch squares. Put 2 tablespoons apple pie filling onto the center of the dough. Then brush the edges of the pastry with some juice from the apples. Take the corner of the dough and fold it diagonally until it meets the opposite corner to form a triangle-shaped turnover. Lightly press the edges, so they are sealed then repeat steps with the remaining dough. 

Ninth Step: After putting all the prepared turnovers on the baking sheets, brush them with the reserved juice from the apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be golden brown when they are done. Then remove them from the oven. Serve warm and enjoy!

ready to serve homemade apple turnover

Do I Have To Use Granny Smith Apples?

When making these homemade apple turnovers, you can opt to use a different type of apple other than Granny Smith if you want to. Use any kind of apple that you have on hand, but keep in mind that the results will vary depending on the apples used. Some apples have more sweetness or tartness, and this can significantly affect the flavor. Plus, the water content in the apples can also affect how they cook too. 

How Do I Store Homemade Apple Turnovers?

For best results, you can keep the apple turnovers in an airtight container on the counter or put them in the fridge. Either way, they last around 2 days and should be frozen if you can’t eat them in 2 days. 

Freeze the turnovers by wrapping them in plastic wrap then place them in a freezer-safe bag or another freezer container. They will last 1-2 months in the freezer. Set them on the counter to thaw then microwave for 10-15 seconds to serve. 

freshly baked apple turnover

If you are on the hunt for even more breakfast recipes, check out some of these:

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Easy Homemade Apple Turnovers Recipe

Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 turnovers
This Apple Turnover Recipe is a dream come true! Some people think that coffee is the best way to start the day, and in many cases, I agree.
ready to serve homemade apple turnover
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Ingredients 

For the Pastry:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/2 cup [pecan meal]
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup sticks unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons cold water

For the Apple Filling:

  • 5 Granny Smith apples, about 1 1/4 pound, peeled and cored
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

  • 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

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Instructions

  • To make the pastry, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, pecan meal, salt and baking powder and place them in the freezer. Unwrap the frozen sticks of butter, and press the end of each stick into some flour. (This will help give you a grip on the butter while you’re grating it.) Grate the butter by hand on the coarse holes of a box grater into large flakes.
  • In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and cold water. Remove the dry ingredients from the freezer and toss the cold flour and butter together until they’re evenly mixed. Add the sour cream mixture to the flour and butter. Using a spatula, fold and pat the mixture until it starts to hold together.
  • Divide the dough in half. Place each half in the center of a piece of plastic wrap, and form each piece into a 6 x 6-inch square. Wrap the squares and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Remove one square of dough from the refrigerator and use the remaining ½ cup of  flour to heavily flour both sides. Quickly roll the dough into a large 10 x 12-inch rectangle. Working with opposite shorter sides (10-inch sides), fold the dough into thirds (like a letter). Use a rolling pin to flatten and widen the dough until it’s about 5 x 12 inches. Again, working with opposite shorter sides (the 5-inch sides), fold the dough into thirds to form a rectangle of about 4 x 5 inches. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until it’s firm. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. The dough may be prepared up to this point up to 2 days before using, or up to 1 month before, if kept frozen.
  • In a large bowl, grate apples on large holes of box grater. Add sugar, lemon juice, and salt to the grated apples. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then drain in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Reserve juices.
  • To assemble the turnovers, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Before removing the dough from the refrigerator have ready a pizza cutter and ruler for cutting the pastry; the filling, and parchment-lined baking sheets.
  • Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator. (If it’s been in the freezer, let it thaw, wrapped, till it’s pliable.) Heavily flour both sides, and roll it into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle.
  • Cut the dough into six 5-inch squares. Place 2 tablespoons of apple mixture in the center of the dough. Brush the edges of the pastry lightly with reserved apple juice. Fold one corner of the dough over the filling diagonally till it meets its opposite corner to form a triangle-shaped turnover. Press the edges very lightly to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  • Place all of the turnovers onto the prepared baking sheets. Brush them with reserved apple juice, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake the turnovers for 18 to 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve them warm.

Notes

Author: Laura

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More apple recipes to try:

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Instant Pot Apple Cake

Delicious Apple Crumb Cake Recipe – Made with fresh apples, this apple crumb cake is great for an easy great tasting dessert.

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Orange Apple Spice Cake Recipe – Using cake mix as the base, this is an extremely easy cake to make that has a one of a kind flavor. This is a great cake to make for fall.

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Apple Butter Apple Cinnamon Bread – If you love apple butter, wait until you try this apple butter apple cinnamon bread. 

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Three Layer Apple Spice Cake Recipe – Do you love Apple Spice Cake? Wait until you try this cake! 

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