Apple and Cranberry Turnovers are the ultimate fall dessert recipe. Serve these Apple and Cranberry Turnovers with a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
Nothing says Fall has arrived more than the abundance of apples available in the grocery stores.
Here in Florida where I live these are some of the varieties easily available at most grocery stores.
Red Delicious, McIntosh, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Fuji
If your lucky enough to live in the Apple mecca of the world I am jealous!
I would love to be able to find some heirloom varieties at a local farmers market but not many varieties will grow here in our hot and humid area.
I say not many because although I have read that there is a variety or two that will grow in Florida I am not sure it is my area of Florida where we rarely get below 40 degrees in the winter.
These mini Apple and Cranberry Turnovers are a perfect fall treat. The crust is tender and flaky and the filling is sweet and tart.
The filling does double duty and makes an excellent vanilla ice cream topping.
Dough Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 egg separated
- 3 tablespoons cold water divided
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
Filling Ingredients
- 5 Cups thinly sliced peeled granny smith apples (about 8 medium)
- ½ cup fresh whole cranberries
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- zest from one large orange
- pinch of salt
Make the dough first
Prep: Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften on the counter at least an hour before starting.
Step 1: Separate the egg white and yolk, set the yolk aside and refrigerate the egg white until your ready to bake the turnovers.
Step 2: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Step 3: In a bowl with a fork beat 2 tablespoons of the water into the egg yolk. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the cream cheese and butter, beat until smooth.
Step 4: Slowly add the flour ½ cup at a time, beating with the mixer until the batter becomes too thick, switch to a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining flour.
Once the flour is incorporated scoop the dough into a zip top bag, seal and chill for at least one hour. Over night is fine also.
Make the turnover filling
Step 1: Zest the orange. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice. Measure ¼ cup of orange juice. Put the zest and ¼ cup of juice into a large bowl.
Step 2: Peel and thinly slice the apples. Then cut the slices in half across the width. Add the apple slices to the bowl of orange juice and stir. Slice a couple of apples at a time adding the slices to the bowl and stirring to coat with juice. Slice apples until you have 5 cups of apple slices.
Step 3: Rinse the cranberries and add to bowl of apple slices. Toss to combine.
Step 4: Transfer the apple slices and cranberries to a large skillet. Add the sugars, cinnamon, cornstarch and salt to the skillet.
Step 5: Stir and cook on medium until the apple slices are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Making the turnovers
Step 1: Roll the dough out on a floured surface to ⅛th inch thickness. Using a 4 or 5 inch circle cookie cutter cut circles out of the turnover dough.
Move the dough circles to a cookies sheet covered with parchment paper or greased with butter.
Step 2: Add a tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle of dough, dampen the edges with your finger dipped in water, pull the dough over and gently press the edges together.
Step 3: Carefully press the tines of a fork into the edges to seal, being careful not to pierce the turnover dough.
Step 4: Beat the egg white with the reserved tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg white wash and sprinkle with some white sugar.
Step 5: Bake the apple turnovers for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden brown.
Recipe Expert Tips
- The orange juice will help keep the apple slices from browning as you slice them.
- Allow the turnovers to cool to room temperature before eating
More apple recipes
Try some of these apple recipes this fall.
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Apple Cranberry Turnovers
Ingredients
Crust
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 large egg separated
- 3 tablespoons cold water divided
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling
- 5 cups thinly sliced apples about 8 medium granny smith apples
- ½ cup fresh whole cranberries (dried cranberries can be used)
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from one large orange
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 Pinch salt
Instructions
To Make the Crust
- Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften on the counter at least an hour before starting.
- Separate the egg white and yolk, set the yolk aside and refrigerate the egg white until your ready to bake the turnovers.
- With a hand mixer beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until creamy and smooth.
- In a bowl with a fork beat the 2 tablespoons of the water into the egg yolk. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the cream cheese and butter, beat until combined.
- Slowly add the flour ½ cup at a time, beating with the mixer until the batter becomes too thick, switch to a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining flour.
- Once the flour is incorporated scoop the dough into a zip top bag, seal and chill for at least one hour. Over night is fine also.
To Make the Filling
- Zest the orange. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice. Measure ¼ cup of orange juice. Put the zest and ¼ cup of juice into a large bowl.
- Peel and thinly slice the apples. Then cut the slices in half across the width. Add the apple slices to the bowl with the orange juice and toss. Slice a couple of apples at a time adding the slices to the bowl and stirring to coat with juice. Slice apples until you have 5 cups of apple slices.
- Rinse the cranberries and add to bowl with the apple slices. Toss to combine.
- Transfer the apple slices and cranberries to a large skillet. Add the sugars, ground cinnamon, cornstarch and pinch of salt to the skillet.
- Stir and cook on medium until the apple slices are tender and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Making the turnovers
- Roll the turnover dough out on a lightly floured surface to ⅛th of an inch thickness. Using a 4 or 5 inch circle cookie cutter cut circles out of the turnover dough. Move the dough circles to a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or greased with butter.
- Add a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle of dough, dampen the edges with your finger dipped in water, pull the dough over and gently press the edges together.
- Carefully press the tines of a fork into the edge to seal, being careful not to pierce the turnover dough.
- Beat the egg white with the reserved tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg white wash and sprinkle with some white sugar.
- Bake the apple turnovers for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden brown.
- Cool to room temperature before eating.
Video
Notes
- Makes 4 inches turnovers or hand pies.
- If you have a little filling left over spoon it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. This filling made a delicious topping for the ice cream you see picture.
Baker Street
a cream cheese crust and the berry-apple filling both sound heavenly! 🙂
Laura Hunter
Welcome to SundaySupper! And what a fabulous dish you brought for your first time.
Flour On My Face
Thank you Laura!
Crazy Kwistin
Love the cranberries and cheese with the apples, this sounds so good and they look so tasty. Perfect treat for my daughter's Birthday PArty.
diabeticFoodie
I love apples and cranberries together. Great dish. Welcome to Sunday Supper!
Flour On My Face
Thanks so much!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen
Fantastic filling! Turnover are such a great dessert, especially when the filling leaks!
Jen @JuanitasCocina
Oh my gosh, I LOOOOVE the cranberries in this!
Renee
Homemade turnover dough with cream cheese? Oh my word I am so in on that. I'm bookmarking this.
Tora Estep
I have never heard of using cream cheese in the pie crust before. What does that do?
In any case, these look completely adorable. I bet they are just fun and delicious to eat.
Jennie @themessybakerblog
These look absolutely amazing! I love the combo of apples and cranberries. Happy #SS!
patsy
I've been wanting to make something like this for awhile... and you make it look so doable! Simply delicious!
megan @Irun4wine
Those look and sound unbelievable! Thank you so much for sharing
Carla
I love the little spillage because that makes them look even more delicious! It's like a tease to what's inside.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
These are so cute and look so yummy! I just pinned this recipe! Can't wait to try it! Yea #SundaySupper!
Katie
Wow - this combo sounds heavenly! I would love to have one of those turnovers right about now...
Bea
Apples and cranberries together are amazing. These turnovers sound absolutely amazing! Cream cheese in the pastry?! Yum!
Kim Bee
These turnovers look so good. I adore apple turnovers, adding cranberries is such a great idea.
Amy (Savory Moments)
These look delicious. I love all the fall flavor in these turnovers. Yum!
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time
I'm always looking for something sweet and home made to include in my daughter's lunch box. These look just perfect. The right size and something she'd love. Thanks for sharing!
Soni
These look divine!!Love the crust and the filling ingredients and so tempted to make it myself :)Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!!Great pics too 🙂
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Don't these little guys look cute and delicious! Welcome to #SundaySupper!
Flour On My Face
Thank you Erin I am happy to be a part of such a great group!
Tara
Oh my goodness, do those look great. They would be so good for Thanksgiving or even Christmas!!
Nicholle Olores
This is simply delicious. It's perfect for a rainy afternoon paired with hot chocolate drink!
Patti
These look sooo good! We love dried cranberries here - another great way to use them. I can use dried yes?
Faye Leong
Love the idea using cranberries with apples...lovely turnovers!
Tammi @ Momma's Meals
These look delish! What an awesome little dessert! Thanks for sharing!
Liz
Your turnovers look picture perfect! I love seeing the juices oozing out of them...YUM! Great #SS post 🙂
Conni Smith
Oh goodness, I am practically drooling over these! I have some wild cranberries in my freezer that I picked thi summer...might put them to use!
sunithi
That pic is amazing !! All those colors just pop up ! Looks yummy ! Apple & cranberries must be a winning combo. Maybe around thanksgiving when cranberries are in abundance, will make this !
Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories)
Cranberries are one of my favorites! These look so great and I love the little sprinkle of sugar on top.
Sarah
Perfect little hand helf apple pies. Love it. I bet I can eat a whole batch of them by myself.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Welcome to Sunday Supper! Isn't this the greatest group? I'm so glad to be introduced to your beautiful blog. These turnovers looks absolutely perfect. And the combination of apple and cranberries feels so autumn-y to me.
Flour On My Face
Nancy
Thank you I am happy to be here.
Hezzi-D
These little handpies are so cute. One of my favorite fall combinations are apples and cranberries so I'll be making these for sure!
Angie @ Big Bear's Wife
great turnovers!
Zana
I just made these this morning, and most of them are already gone! Incredibly delicious, and easy to make. It was my first time making the dough with cream cheese, and I really liked the outcome. Thank you for a great recipe!
Flour On My Face
Zana
Your very welcome. I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe. I love that crust.
Chelsea
These look so good! Perfect to dip in some ice cream!