If you love flaky pastry and cozy fall flavors, caramel apple turnovers hit every right note. These golden, handheld pastries are packed with tender cinnamon‑spiced apples and finished with a rich caramel drizzle — perfect for breakfast, dessert, or anytime you want a little seasonal sweetness.
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Apple Turnovers
These turnovers bring together a few of our favorite things: buttery puff pastry, warm apple filling, and caramel sauce you can drizzle or dip with. They’re:
- Easier than a big apple pie but just as satisfying
- Flexible — make with store‑bought pastry or try homemade rough puff pastry
- Great warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or coffee
- A cozy fall baking project that’s worth every bite
Start With Good Puff Pastry
The key to perfectly flaky turnovers is the pastry. You can use frozen puff pastry sheets from the store, thawing them overnight, or make your own rough puff — a shortcut version with cold butter folded into the dough for lots of layers. Either way, keep the dough cold so it puffs up beautifully in the oven.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try other quick puff pastry desserts — like easy caramel apple puff pastries or other handheld treats.
Spiced Apple Filling That Steals the Show
The filling is simple yet full of cozy fall taste. Here’s what goes inside:
- Tender chopped apples
- Cinnamon for spice
- A little cornstarch to thicken juices
- Vanilla extract for a warm aroma
- Sugar (white or brown) for sweetness
Cook the apples with these ingredients until they soften and the juices thicken into a gooey sauce. Let cool slightly so it doesn’t make the pastry soggy.
How to Assemble Perfect Turnovers
Once your dough and filling are ready:
- Cut the pastry into squares.
- Spoon a couple of tablespoons of apple filling into the center.
- Fold each square into a triangle and press edges with a fork.
- Chill the shaped turnovers — this helps them hold shape in the oven.
- Brush with egg wash for that glossy, golden look.
- Bake at 400°F until puffed and deep golden brown.
After baking, drizzle with caramel sauce. For salty‑sweet contrast, you can even pair it with a cream cheese caramel apple dip or scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Variations and Tips
- Add chopped pecans or raisins to the filling for texture and extra flavor.
- Turn these into bite‑sized treats for crowd‑pleasing appetizers.
- For a brunch spread, mix and match with mini apple pies or creamy apple dips.
Feeling extra fall? Serve them with a warm apple pie milkshake or cinnamon whipped cream. I’m not saying it’s over-the-top, but I’m also not saying you won’t crave it every week after that.
Storage and Make‑Ahead Ideas
Leftovers keep well:
- Store baked turnovers at room temperature for one day.
- Refrigerate for up to five days.
- Freeze unbaked turnovers on a tray, then transfer to a bag — bake straight from frozen when ready.
They’re excellent for meal prep or holiday make-ahead baking. The kind of dessert you make “for guests” but eat three of before they arrive. (Been there.)
In Case You Want More Apple Desserts…
If you’re looking for more ways to use up those apples, here are some easy ideas:
- Cottage Cheese Brownie Batter Protein Bites
- Easy Spinach Cottage Cheese Flagels – High‑Protein Flat Bagels for Breakfast
These all bring that same sweet-spiced energy that makes fall baking feel like a warm hug.
Print
Caramel Apple Turnovers
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 8 turnovers 1x
Description
If you love flaky pastry and cozy fall flavors, caramel apple turnovers hit every right note. These golden, handheld pastries are packed with tender cinnamon‑spiced apples and finished with a rich caramel drizzle — perfect for breakfast, dessert, or anytime you want a little seasonal sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 2 large apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp sugar (white or brown)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Caramel sauce, for drizzling
- (Optional) Chopped pecans or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a skillet, cook chopped apples with cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and cornstarch until softened and thickened. Let cool.
- Roll out puff pastry and cut into squares.
- Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each square.
- Fold into triangles, press edges with a fork, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.
- (Optional) Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
Notes
Add chopped pecans or raisins for extra texture. Freeze unbaked turnovers for later — just bake from frozen. Perfect with coffee or warm cider!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 turnover
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Caramel apple turnovers are what happens when buttery pastry meets apple pie filling and gets topped with a caramel drizzle that should probably be illegal. They’re flaky, sweet, perfectly messy, and honestly — kind of magical.