Golden Flaky Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers

Fall is about apples and baking apple desserts! These gluten-free apple turnovers are loaded with sweet apple filling. The crust is perfectly flaky and buttery. Assembly is easy, and I share easy-to-follow directions and photos to walk you through making this delicious handheld dessert.

For more apple goodness and inspiration, check out all of my best gluten-free apple recipes. One of my favorites is this classic Gluten-Free Apple Pie. My rough puff pastry was a huge hit in these Gluten-Free Cherry Turnovers as well.

I am sharing three dough options for making homemade gluten-free apple turnovers. Use one of my easy puff pastry recipes or buy pre-made puff pastry.

• Gluten-Free Rough Puff Pastry Dough
• Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Rough Puff Pastry Dough
• Store-Bought Gluten-Free Puff Pastry. Both Sweet Loren’s, Sprout Market, and Schar make gluten-free puff pastry dough. Sweet Loren’s is currently only available in Target stores in the refrigerated section. I have not seen the Schar product in any of my local stores, but I was told it is usually in the freezer section. Sprout’s private label gluten-free puff pastry is new, I suspect it is made for Sprout by Sweet Loren’s.

Ingredient Notes:

For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.

• Gluten-Free Puff Pastry Dough – Make one of my recipes listed above, or buy gluten-free puff pastry at your local grocery store.
• Apple Filling – Use canned apple pie filling, or use 1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped apples.
• Brown Sugar – If you are making pie filling, use brown sugar.
• Egg – Use a medium egg for the egg wash. This will help the pastries turn a beautiful golden color.

Using Fresh Apple Filling for Gluten-Free Turnovers:

• To use fresh apples instead of pie filling, peel and slice the apples into thin slices. You will want 1 1/2 cups of total.
• Apple Tip: If using fresh apples, cutting them into smaller pieces ensures they soften quickly without leaving raw, crunchy spots.
• Add the apples with 2 TBSP melted butter, and add 1/2 cup of brown sugar to a bowl and toss to coat. Coating them in sugar not only adds sweetness but also draws out juice, which combines with the butter to make a natural caramel sauce inside the turnover.

A Note From My Kitchen

This homemade gluten-free apple turnover recipe was fun to test. I tested both canned apple pie filling and fresh apples, and both versions tasted delicious. I prefer the flavor of using fresh apples, but the convenience of pie filling was a huge timesaver. If you make homemade pie filling, use that.

Folding over the turnover dough can be a bit challenging when trying to prevent the fruit filling from leaking out. Give the upper half of the dough triangle a little stretch to add more room for the filling. I mentioned it in the tips below, but you can use a knife or fork to gently push the filling back away from the edges of the dough. This will help you seal the edges cleanly.

How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers (Step-By-Step)

This recipe assumes you made my Gluten-Free Rough Puff Pastry, my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Rough Puff Pastry, or you are using store-bought puff pastry like the one by Sweet Loren’s. My two rough puff recipes are linked above.

Step 1: Place the pastry dough on a silicone mat and roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Dust the silicone mat if needed.

Step 2: Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry dough into six even squares.

Step 3: Place some fruit filling on half of the dough square. Leave room around the edges for sealing. If you are not using pie filling, use the chopped apple mixture.

Step 4: Gently stretch and fold the dough over the fruit filling to form a triangle-shaped turnover. Stretching the top half slightly helps give the filling more space. This keeps steam from forcing the seal open.

You will notice that the fruit filling can get pushed to the edges and even overflow a little. Use a butter knife or fork to gently move the fruit back in towards the middle of the pastry dough.

Step 5: Use a fork to crimp the edges together. This will prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.

Step 6: Whip an egg with two teaspoons of milk or cream. Brush this egg wash mixture over each turnover. The proteins in the egg wash help give the pastry a shiny golden finish. Adding a splash of milk or cream provides extra sugars and fats, which deepen browning.

Step 7: Bake the turnovers at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes until the outside is golden. The actual baking time will vary depending on the size of your turnovers.

Step 8: Remove the turnovers and gently place them onto a cooling rack. The filling will be very hot, so wait until they have cooled before biting into it.

Tips for Success

• Make sure the puff pastry dough is cold, and do not overwork the dough. You want the flecks of butter in the dough to make steam pockets in these easy gluten-free apple turnovers. This is how the flaky layers are formed.
• Dust the silicone mat with a bit of flour to prevent the dough squares from sticking.

Storage and Freezing Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These gluten-free turnovers with apple will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
• Freeze the cooled turnovers in an airtight container or freezer-safe zipper bag.
• Thaw on a plate, or microwave for 25-30 seconds. If you prefer to recrisp them, let them thaw for 15 minutes, then bake them in the oven at 325ºF for 15 minutes or air fry them for 8-10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions:

More Gluten-Free Pastry Recipes:

If you are making my rough puff pastry dough, use my Gluten-Free Pastry Flour to get the best flaky layers.

• Easy Gluten-Free Pastries – Shape this dough into a variety of pastries.
• Gluten-Free Cheese Danish – With a creamy, sweet cheese and jam filling.
• Gluten-Free Pie Crust – Use my crust or puff pastry dough for the flakiest of pie crusts.