Healthier Apple Puff Pastry Turnovers (Light Puff)

These apple puff pastry turnovers use the same light rough-puff dough I make for savory spirals: grated frozen butter over paper-thin sheets for flaky layers without a heavy butter block. The filling is thick shredded apple with a tiny bit of starch to catch juices. Folded into triangles and baked until puffed and golden. Perfect for holiday trays, brunch, after-school treats, and lunchboxes. Serve alongside these savory cheese puff pastry pinwheels (spirals) for a sweet-savory board.

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 laminated logs of Healthy Puff Pastry (Grated-Butter Method) , yields about 8–10 turnovers total (4–5 per log), depending on size.

Apple Filling (for ~8–10 turnovers / 2 logs)

• Apples, thick shreds (mandoline) or small dice: 5–6 cups (about 5–6 medium / ~600–720 g);
• Sugar: 4 to 6 tbsp (48-72 g), or to taste;
• Cinnamon: ½ tsp;
• Lemon juice: 1½ tbsp;
• Starchy flour: 2–3 tsp (use less if apples are thicker-cut & not very juicy), I’m using arrowroot powder.

Finish (optional)

• Egg wash: 1 egg, beaten
• Coarse sugar to sprinkle

Apple notes (what works best): Firm, baking-friendly apples that hold shape and bring flavor: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Jazz. Avoid extra-soft or watery types (e.g., Red Delicious).

Step-by-Step (Same Day vs Fast Day)

If today is a “fast day”: start with pre-made dough (chilled overnight or thawed in fridge), or bake raw-frozen turnovers straight from the freezer.

1) Make the filling: combine apples (thick shreds mandoline or small dice), sugar, cinnamon, lemon, starch only if needed, and a pinch of salt.

Why not box-grate? The finer grate releases more juice, which leads to more leaks and scorching. Thick shreds or small dice hold better shape with less starch.

2) Roll dough paper-thin: re-roll 1 chilled laminated log at a time on a lightly lightly oiled surface until paper-thin; Side note: If you’re using a store-bought puff pastry dough, there is no need to roll it thin, use the full thickness as is. Just cut into squares, and fold with filling into a triangle.

3) Cut long strips about 4–5 inches (10–12 cm) wide and 20 inches (~50 cm) long.

4) Fill: place small mounds of thick-shredded or small-diced apple near the top edge of each strip.

5) Flag-fold into triangles: starting at the top, fold one corner diagonally over the filling to form a triangle. Continue flag-folding the triangle down the strip (like folding a paper flag) to fully enclose the filling until you reach the end. Repeat with the remaining strips.

6) Vent + egg wash
Cut a small steam vent. Brush with egg wash if using.

7) Bake
Transfer to a cold, parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 390°F / 200°C for 20–30 minutes, until puffed and golden.

8) Cool
Cool 5 minutes on the pan, then move to a rack. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

Make-Ahead & Freezer Notes

• Best workflow: Make dough on Day 1; chill overnight. Assemble and bake Day 2.
• Freeze raw: Assemble turnovers on a sheet pan, freeze solid, bag, and bake from frozen at 390°F; add a few minutes.
• Dough only: Freeze laminated logs; thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.

Apple Types

• Structure + tart: Granny Smith (holds shape, bright tartness).
• Sweet + crisp: Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Jazz (great flavor; mix with tart).

Tips for Best Texture (Read if Yours Leak)

• Use thicker shreds or small dice (not fine box-grates)+ minimal starch, this will provide a great balance of texture and leak control without pre-cooking.
• Squeeze lightly only if apples are very juicy.
• Starch is optional, add 2–3 tsp only when apples are extra wet.
• Seal + vent well; bake hot on a cold sheet.
• Mix apple types (tart + sweet) for flavor + structure.

Tried This version Of apple turnovers? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Tap ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate it or leave a quick comment below! your feedback helps other readers (and keeps me creating new treats).

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