Woman in Real Life: Easy Vegan Apple Turnovers (Recipe)

These easy vegan apple turnovers made with puff pastry are so simple to prepare and they make delicious little "pies" that you can eat right from your hand!

Honestly I don't know why I didn't start making apple turnovers sooner. These easy vegan apple turnovers are so simple to prepare and they are delicious! Little "pies" that fit in your hand, turnovers make a beautiful dessert for guests, especially warm and crispy, not long out of the oven (just wait for the filling to cool sufficiently). Apple turnovers with puff pastry are so easy to prepare that you need not reserve them for guests - homemade apple turnovers are a great everyday treat for you and your family too.

For the apple turnover filling, I used lovely, fresh Cosmic Crisp Washington apples. This large, juicy apple variety has a firm, crisp texture. Cosmic Crisp® apples are crispier and sweeter than other varieties, and naturally slow to brown. The Cosmic Crisp was classically bred at Washington State University and is non-GMO. Cosmic Crisp apples are perfect for snacking, cooking and baking, due to their sweetness and crispy texture.

*This post is sponsored by Cosmic Crisp Washington apples. All opinions are authentic and my own. Thank you for supporting the awesome companies that partner with Woman in Real Life.*

This apple turnover recipe calls for a short and simple list of ingredients. The apple turnovers come together easily with the help of frozen puff pastry. What's great about puff pastry (besides that it produces a flaky, delicious crust) is that you can keep it in your freezer to use anytime the mood to make turnovers comes upon you. Store-bought puff pastry may or may not be vegan. If it's called "Butter Puff Pastry," odds are it contains real butter and is not vegan. Read the ingredients on the label to be sure you get a product that is dairy-free.

To prepare the apple turnover filling, peel and dice three Cosmic Crisp apples (just try to resist eating them as you go - it's impossible!) Melt vegan margarine in a skillet, add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Make a slurry with cornstarch and water and add that to the skillet to thicken the apple juices a bit. And that's all! Your apple turnover filling is ready in under 10 minutes. (You could also use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar for a slightly less sweet turnover.)

To prepare the apple turnover crust, unwrap frozen puff pastry sheets. (If you find that the pastry sheets are stuck together, skip the unwrapping and proceed to the rolling.) On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll one puff pastry sheet into a 10” square. Cut the larger square into four small squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. (If the squares are not perfectly equal in size or perfectly square that's fine. You can adjust their shapes when you form the triangles.) Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Divide apple filling equally over the eight puff pastry squares, leaving half an inch to an inch around the edges of each square. Brush non-dairy milk onto the edges of the pastry to help them stick together. Fold each square over from one corner to another into a triangle, pushing in any stray apple cinnamon filling as you go. Use a fork to crimp the edges together. Cut three small slits into the top of each pastry. Brush non-dairy milk over the surface of each turnover. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired (if you don't intend to make the icing sugar glaze).

Place the apple turnovers onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the turnovers are lightly browned and puffed up. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the optional and super easy glaze by combining icing sugar and non-dairy milk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Adjust icing sugar or milk as needed to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled apple turnovers.

I find that these apple turnovers are best on the first day (still slightly warm) as that's when they are most crispy. They are good the next day too. From them on they start to soften some. If you don't plan to eat eight of them in two days, freeze some of the prepared turnovers uncooked and tightly wrapped or covered and bake them later.

The combination of sweet apple and spicy cinnamon with a flaky crust and a sugar glaze is so delicious! And the aroma coming from the oven during baking is so cozy, perfect for a fall or winter day tucked up at home. This apple turnover recipe with puff pastry is so much easier to prepare than a traditional apple pie yet still looks complicated enough to impress your friends and family.

About Cosmic Crisp apples

Store Cosmic Crisp Washington apples in your refrigerator to best preserve their crispness. Cosmic Crisps are a cross between the "Enterprise" and "Honeycrisp." The Cosmic Crisp flavour profile is surprisingly sweet, making it an excellent eating apple. The Cosmic Crisp is also naturally slow to brown when cut and maintains its texture and flavour when stored in your refrigerator.

Questions for you

Have you made apple turnovers at home before? What other apple recipes do you love?

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Easy Vegan Apple Turnovers With Puff Pastry

Easy Vegan Apple Turnovers Recipe

(8 turnovers)

Ingredients

3 Cosmic Crisp apples, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
⅓ cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 (397gm) package frozen puff pastry sheets (2 sheets), thawed
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Coarse sugar (optional)

For optional glaze:
½ cup icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered sugar)
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Dice apples into ¾ inch cubes.

In a large skillet, melt vegan margarine. Add diced apples and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Saute for 1 more minute. Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add to the skillet and stir together.

Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool some.

Unwrap puff pastry sheets. (If you find that the pastry sheets are stuck together, skip the unwrapping and proceed to the rolling.) On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll one puff pastry sheet into a 10” square. Cut into 4 squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Divide apple filling over all 8 squares, leaving half an inch to an inch around the edges of each square. Brush non-dairy milk onto the edges of the pastry.

Fold each square over from one corner to another to form a triangle. Use a fork to crimp the edges together to seal. Cut 3 small slits into the top of each pastry. Brush non-dairy milk over each turnover. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Place turnovers onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed up. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the optional glaze by combining icing sugar and non-dairy milk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Adjust icing sugar or milk as needed to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled apple turnovers.