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These Vegan Apple Turnovers are crisp, buttery pastries stuffed with a spiced apple filling that’s just the right amount of tart and sweet! The perfect cozy fall or winter dessert.
Table of Contents
These Vegan Apple Turnovers are a veganized version of the classic apple-stuffed dessert! Sweet mounds of spiced caramelized apples tucked into crisp, buttery puff pastries and drizzled with a sweet glaze for the perfect handheld dessert 😊
A Comfort Classic, but Veganized!
If you’ve never had a turnover before, you’re in for a treat! It’s a classic pastry made by taking a square piece of dough, stuffing it with filling, and then folding it over, sealing, and baking it. While they can be sweet or savory, sweet fruit-filled turnovers like these Vegan Apple Turnovers have a special place in my heart (and my belly 😉).
Because turnovers are so portable, they are commonly enjoyed as an easy, on-the-go breakfast alongside a cup of tea or coffee. I made this recipe with that in mind, so the spiced, jammy apple filling has the perfect balance of tart and sweet. These can even be made without the glaze drizzle if you’d like an extra tart version!
What You Need For Vegan Apple Turnovers
Some bakeries will make their turnovers with dairy and eggs, but turnovers can easily be made vegan. In fact, most pre-made puff pastry dough in the grocery store is plant-based by default, just be sure to check the ingredients!
For these Vegan Apple Turnovers, I used Pepperidge Farm’s puff pastry dough and stuffed it with a tart apple filling made from Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples drenched in vegan butter and brown sugar and seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg! Because the apple filling is fairly tart, I really enjoy topping my turnovers with a plain glaze drizzle that gives them the perfect balance of sweetness, but this step is totally optional. If you are opting for the glaze, you’ll only need 2 simple ingredients: powdered sugar and water.
How to Make Vegan Apple Turnovers
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions. Line a baking sheet and preheat the oven.
- In a pan, melt butter and add the apples, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Mix everything and sauté until there’s liquid in the pan.
- Make a cornstarch slurry, add to the apple mixture, and stir rapidly. Remove apples from heat and set aside.
- Place the puff pastry on a dusted surface and roll into a square, then cut into 4 squares. Fill half of each square with apple mixture, brush with milk, then fold over into a triangle. Use a fork to pinch edges, then transfer to the baking sheet.
- Cut slits in the top of each pastry, brush with milk, and bake until golden.
- Mix powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until glaze forms. Drizzle glaze over each and serve.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Use Baking Apples: I used a combo of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples for this recipe, but you could use any of your favorite baking apples like Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Jonagold. Apples to avoid would be Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious, as they will end up too watery and mushy.
- Vegan Puff Pastry: Most puff pastry is vegan by default, but make sure to double-check the ingredients before buying. I used Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, which is available at most grocery stores in the US.
Serving Suggestions
Turnovers, whether they are sweet or savory, are typically enjoyed for breakfast, but can also be enjoyed as a dessert any time of day! These sweet, fruit-filled pastries are so delicious alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea in the morning, but also just as good as an after-dinner treat. Store them at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them in a tightly-sealed container or bag for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave or heat in the toaster oven.
If you’re looking for more fall and winter dessert recipes, you’ll love this No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Pie, these One Bowl Pumpkin Muffins, and this Cranberry Orange Bread!
FAQs
Turnovers are named after the way they are folded (turned) over to create an enclosed pocket of yummy filling! Among the most popular of all turnovers, apple turnovers got their name from their tangy apple filling.
While similar, pies and turnovers have different types of crust. Turnovers are made by folding dough over into a triangle or half-moon shape, and pies are made using a circular shape. Also, turnovers are typically made using puff pastry, while hand pies are usually made using pie crust.
Typically store-bought puff pastry dough is made from flour, water, and oil. I used the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets which are already vegan.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Apple Turnovers
Ingredients
For the Turnovers:
- 1 lb puff pastry (2 sheets) thawed according to package instructions
- 3 apples* peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted dairy-free butter
- 1/4 cup (48 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom and/or nutmeg optional
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour for dusting
- 3 tablespoons plant-based milk for brushing
For the Glaze (optional):
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Prep: Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and thaw according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400F and set a lined baking sheet aside.
- Cook the Apples: Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium pan. Add the apples to the pan along with the brown sugar, water, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well until the apples are evenly coated in spice. Sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and there is liquid on the bottom of the pan.
- Thicken the Filling: dissolve the cornstarch in water, add to the apples, and stir rapidly. Remove the apples from the heat and set aside while you prepare the puff pastry.
- Cut the Puff: Lightly dust a cutting board or large surface with half of the flour, then place one sheet of puff pastry on top. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry out into an 11″ by 11″ square, then cut into four equal squares.
- Fill the Pastry: Fill one half of each pastry square with the cooked apple mixture, leaving a 1/2″ border on the edges. Brush the edges of the pastry with milk, then fold the other half of the pastry over to form a triangle; use a fork to pinch the edges together, then transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have 8 turnovers.
- Bake: Cut 1-2 small slits in the top of each pastry with a knife to allow for ventilation, then brush the tops of each pastry with the remaining plant-based milk. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 22 minutes, until the pasty is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Make the Glaze (optional): Add the powdered sugar to a medium bowl and add 1 tablespoon of milk; mix well. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk in 1/2 teaspoon increments, until the glaze reaches your desired thickness.
- Glaze & Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the turnovers, then serve warm; leftovers will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat leftovers in the oven or toaster oven.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Apples: I prefer to use a mix of red and green apples for this recipe for a well-balanced flavor. I used 2 Honeycrisp apples and 1 Granny Smith apple; if you use more green apples, the filling will be more tart.
- Plant-Based Milk: I would recommend using a milk with a higher fat or protein content for better browning, like soy milk, full-fat oat milk, or canned coconut milk.
- Substitutions: butter can be replaced with a neutral-tasting oil. Brown sugar can be swapped with coconut sugar or cane sugar. Cornstarch can be replaced with arrowroot powder.
Which vegan puff pastry did you use? 😬
I used Pepperidge Farm brand, which is vegan
Made these tonight with apples picked from our local orchard. So easy and delish!
Thank you, Hannah!
These were so yumm!! Easy to make and reminded me of a breakfast pastry but better😀
Glad you enjoyed them, Malinda!