These vegan puff pastry apple turnovers are so easy and quick to prepare! They are super flaky and stuffed with a sweet apple cinnamon filling. Includes store-bought pastry dough and fresh apples, plus they are completely dairy-free and plant-based.
I had a package of puff pastry in my freezer and a bunch of apples, so I made some vegan apple turnovers! And yum, how amazingly delicious they were.
They were so good and easy that I decided to make them again for the blog. I'm sure you will love them too! They are super crispy on the outside and the flaky dough on the inside paired with the sweet cinnamon-y apples is so so good.
They reminded me of my vegan pop tarts that I had so much fun to make for the blog, only this puff pastry version is much quicker and easier to make from scratch as it uses a store-bought dough.
Are you skeptical that you can make turnovers using puff pastry completely vegan? I was a little surprised too at first, but you can make turnovers without butter or animal fat because you can easily find store-bought puff pastry that are plant-based in any grocery store nowadays.
But, is this recipe healthy? Not exactly. That's not what I was aiming for here. Sometimes you just need something to impress your non-vegan guests, so these plant-based apple turnovers are going to be perfect for that.
And you know what, they are SO MUCH easier to make than it seems! The steps are so straight forward: simmer apple cubes with spices for a few minutes, then quickly roll and slice the pre-made dough in squares, stuff/fold with the apple mix and then bake!
They are the best treat to serve to your next coffee break, afternoon tea snack, family brunch for Easter or Mother's day or make them whenever you crave a yummy seasonal apple treat.
Let me know below if you give them a try! ✌️
What's a turnover?
Have you had the McDonald's baked apple pie? Well, these are apple turnovers!
They pretty much are a kind of pocket pie or a hand pie that are super "puffy" or "airy" and made by folding some dough over a fruit (or savory vegetable) filling. The edges are sealed to lock the mixture inside, so they are great to grab and go since you usually don't need a plate and fork to enjoy them.
They are usually made using a puff pastry that rises nicely while baking, making them super flaky with a juicy interior. They also typically are baked in the oven, although they can also be fried in oil.
What's to love about this recipe
- Uses a store-bought vegan puff pastry dough that's easy to work with for a quick and easy recipe.
- Perfect fall treat when it's apple season, but also great any time of the year.
- Great vegan baked good recipe for the beginner as it is very straight forward.
- They have a fun mini hand-held pie shape ❤️
- They are not deep fried, but baked in the oven instead.
- Perfect for brunch, snack or dessert and can be made ahead.
- Fully dairy-free, plant-based and low-in-added sugar.
Ingredients you'll need
- Vegan puff pastry: using store bought makes this recipe so convenient! You can easily find a plant-based brand in most grocery store, they often are accidentally vegan, so check the ingredients. I used the puff pastry from the brand Pepperidge Farm, which I think is the easiest to find anywhere.
- Apples: I used Cortland apples because that's what I had, but you can use other kind of apples such as Honeycrisp, Pink lady and even Granny smith for a more sour result.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg: they flavor the apple mixture, but feel free to also include cardamom, clove or chai spice mix.
- Maple syrup: also flavors and sweetens the apple filling, but you can also use any kind of sweetener.
- Cornstarch: will help thicken the apple filling to a silky and creamy consistency that holds a little better.
- Plant-based milk + Sugar: optional, used to brush over the pastry before baking to give them a nice sweet crust.
How to make vegan apple turnovers
Pre-heat the oven to 400º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Also, be sure to take the pastry dough out of the freezer about 20-30 minutes before starting the recipe so it has enough time to thaw.
Make the spiced apple filling
Clean and dice the apples in cubes and add to a small sauce pan. Add the sweetener, spices and 2 tablespoons of water.
Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes stirring often. You may have to add a little more water if it dries out, so watch carefully. The apple mixture is done when they are soft and a little caramelized with some moisture as well. I recommend to taste them after a few minutes to check for doneness.
Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small mug or bowl. Whisk well to remove all clumps.
When the apple looks done, then pour the cornstarch slurry over the simmering apples. Stir right away and remove from the heat when the mixture is thicker, which should only take a few seconds. Set aside to cool down.
Assemble and bake
Gently flour a clean surface and transfer the pastry dough over. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 10 x 10 or 11 x 11 inches square.
Slice the square in 4 smaller equal squares, then transfer them on the baking sheet.
Divide the apple filling in between the 4 pastry squares keeping the mixture on one half of the square so you can fold the second half over.
Use your finger to rub the edges with milk, all around the square of dough, then fold the dough over the filling doing your best to keep the apple tucked inside without squeezing out.
Use a fork to seal the edges being careful not to create holes in the dough.
Then, brush the top of the pastry with some plant-based milk and sprinkle some sugar over, any type will work.
Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, depending on your oven. They are ready when golden brown on top and nice and puffy.
Let them rest for about 8-10 minute before enjoying.
Watch how to make them
Baking tips
- This recipe only makes 4 large turnovers, so if you are making them for a bunch of people, then simply double the recipe. The box of puff pastry from the brand Pepperidge comes with 2 dough, which would give you 8 turnovers if you needed to have more. Simply double the apple filling or make a second fruit mixture using berries or peach for the second batch of turnovers.
- I recommend to dice the apples on the small side. They will keep their shape a lot while cooking and smaller chunks help to tuck them in the dough.
- Depending on the apples you have (and your taste), you might need to adjust the amount of sweetener to add to the apple filling mixture. Taste them before transferring on the dough!
- Be sure to let the apple mixture cool down before transferring over the dough so it does not turn soggy.
- The turnovers puff quite a lot while baking, so be sure to seal them well with a fork before baking so they don't open up while rising.
- Don't peel the apples! It adds color, texture and more nutrients. Just be sure to clean them nicely before dicing them.
Variations to the recipe
You can have lots of fun switching up the filling ingredients! I made them using fresh berries as well and they were amazing. Other fruits to try:
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pears
If you use juicier fruits than apples, such as berries or peaches, then you might have to use more cornstarch to compensate for the amount of liquid. You need to make a filling that sort of holds together a little when you scoop it so you can dollop some of it over the dough and have it not spread all over, which will ease the sealing process.
Storage tips
I love these vegan puff pastries right when they get out of the oven. They are super puffy and warmish, so delicious. But, they are great to make ahead and enjoy later too.
Simply let them completely cool down and then, transfer to an air-tight container. You can keep them on the counter for the day, but then I would recommend to transfer to the fridge for longer storage.
We like the leftovers cold, but you can also reheat them using a mini toaster oven.
Serving suggestion
I like to simply brush them with some plant milk and sprinkle a little sugar before baking them. It adds a nice golden brown finish and a sweet crust.
But once they are baked, you can drizzle a glaze over if you prefer. To make it healthier, I like to use a cashew vanilla icing that's 100% vegan and made without granulated sugar.
Other ideas includes a tahini maple caramel that's done within 2 minutes and without soaking or cooking at all.
FAQ's
I haven't tried it! I think it would work, although phyllo dough is much more picky and harder to work with. You cannot let it dry, which means layering with vegan butter, etc. And I am not sure how well it would seal. But, let me know if you tried it!
You can absolutely use a homemade pie crust to make them! You could follow my vegan pop tarts recipe, but fill them up with the apple mixture instead. The dough is made completely vegan using coconut oil!
Yes you can! Keep the cooled down turnovers apart from each other using a piece of parchment paper so they don't stick to each other. That way, you will be able to grab individual hand pies for a quick snack or breakfast. You can let them thaw at room temperature and feel-free to reheat them using a mini oven.
More pie recipes you might like
- Vegan cherry pie
- Strawberry hand pies (pop tarts)
- Coconut oil vegan pie crust
- Savory spinach quiche
- Vegan lemon coconut pie
- Gluten-free vegan pie crust
Try these vegan apple recipes next
- Kale crunch apple salad
- Vegan apple cinnamon bread
- Vegan Waldorf salad
- Beet, kale and apple smoothie
- Sweet potato and apple breakfast cookies
I hope you like these vegan apple turnovers as much as we do! If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Vegan Apple Turnovers
Ingredients
- 3 cups apples (about 2 large) - unpeeled and diced
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 4-6 tbsp water (divided)
- 1 sheet of vegan puff pastry - see notes
- plant-based milk - for brushing
- coconut, brown or turbinado sugar - for topping
Instructions
- Add the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of the water to a small sauce pan and warm up on medium heat. Stir often and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the apples are softened, but not too mushy. Add a little more water if the apples dry out while simmering.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of water with the cornstarch until smooth. Then, pour the slurry over the simmering soft apples while stirring vigorously. The mixture should thicken very quickly, within seconds. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside to cool down. You can taste the apple filling to make sure it is sweeten to your taste.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the puff pastry into a large 10 x 10 inch large square. Then, use a sharp knife to divide in 4 equal squares of about 5 x 5 inches each
- Divide the cooled down apple mixture equally in between the 4 squares of pastry on one half of their surface leaving about 1 inch free of filling on the edges. I like to cover the "triangle halves" of the squares so it makes triangle turnovers once I fold them (see pictures in the blog post and video).
- Use your fingers to brush the edges of the squares with some water or milk and then fold the dough over the filling. Use a fork to press the edges together and seal the turnovers.
- Transfer the turnovers over the prepared baking sheet and brush some more vegan milk over them. Then, sprinkle the sugar over and bake for about 15-17 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. Let them cool down for about 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
Video
Notes
- Let the pastries cool down before transferring in an air-tight container. You can keep them on the counter for 1-2 days, but then transfer to the fridge for longer storage. You can also freeze them!
- Feel free to use other fruits! Cherries, peaches, berries or pears also work well. If the fruit mixture is too watery, then add more cornstarch slurry to help get it thicker.
- I used the vegan puff pastry from the brand Pepperidge. You can find it in most grocery stores! Also, many store-bought puff pastry dough are accidentally vegan, so just check the ingredients if you cannot find that brand.
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