Apple Cranberry Turnovers

Apple Cranberry Turnovers are the ultimate fall dessert recipe. Serve with a bowl of vanilla ice cream or with coffee.

This recipe was originally shared on September 23, 2012 and has been updated on October 22, 2021 with text and photos.

Nothing says Fall has arrived more than the abundance of apples available in the grocery stores. And when apples are in season you need a delicious way to enjoy them for dessert.

Red Delicious, McIntosh, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Fuji apples are available almost everywhere. Any of these apples varieties can be used to make turnovers.

These mini 4 inch Apple Cranberry Turnovers or hand pies as they are sometimes called are a perfect apple dessert to make in the fall.

The pastry crust is tender and flaky while the apple filling is sweet and tart from a combination of diced apples and cranberries.

The filling does double duty and makes an excellent vanilla ice cream topping so save any leftover apple filling.

Turnover pastry dough ingredients

This apple turnover pastry dough is made with a combination of butter and cream cheese. A cream cheese pastry dough is tender and flaky.

It is a delicious crust for apple turnovers.

• 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 egg separated
• 3 tablespoons cold water divided
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Apple Cranberry Filling Ingredients

The ingredients to make cranberry and apple turnovers are a combination of favorite fall flavors.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredient amounts.

• Apples: Granny Smith or any favorite apple variety
• Cranberries: whole fresh cranberries or dried cranberries.
• Oranges: The juice and zest from one large or two medium oranges.
• Sugars: dark brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
• Spices: ground cinnamon
• Thickener: I use corn starch as my favorite thickener.
• Salt: a pinch of salt to balance the sweet and tart flavors.

How to make turnover pastry dough

Prep: Make the pastry dough first to allow for chilling. A soft cream cheese based pastry dough will need to be refrigerated before rolling.

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.

• Step 4: Add the egg yolk mixture to the cream cheese and butter, beat until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

• Step 5: Beat again until combined well.

• Step 6: Slowly add the flour about ⅓ at a time, beating with the mixer until the batter becomes too thick, switch to a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining flour.

• Step 7: Once the flour is completely mixed in scoop the pastry dough into a zip top bag or wrap in plastic wrap tightly, and chill for at least one hour so it can firm up.

The dough can be chilled overnight if needed.

Make the apple cranberry turnover filling

• Step 1: Prep all of the filling ingredients and measure them out. Peel, core and dice or slice the apples. You can toss the apple pieces with Fruit Fresh or the orange juice to keep them from browning.

• Step 2: Rinse the cranberries if you are using fresh berries before adding them to the bowl.

• Step 3: Transfer the apple pieces, cranberries, sugars, and cinnamon to a large skillet.

• Step 4: Stir and cook the filling on medium until the apple pieces are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

• Step 5: Add the cornstarch to the skillet and cook until the juices have thickened. Once thickened remove from heat and set aside to cool before making the turnovers.

Making the apple turnovers

Assemble the turnover filling, sprinkling sugar, pastry dough, egg white and rolling pin on a work surface.

• Use a fork to beat the reserved egg with with a tablespoon of water.

Prep the work surface with a dusting of flour and place the chilled dough down on the flour.

• Roll the dough out on the floured surface to ⅛th to ¼ 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.

• Add a tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle of dough, dampen the edges with your finger dipped in water.
• Gently fold and pull the dough over the filling and gently press the edges together.
• Carefully press the tines of a fork into the edges to seal, being careful not to pierce the turnover dough.
• 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 F. degrees oven until golden brown.
• Cool on a rack before serving.

• Store leftover turnovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dough will soften from being refrigerated.

If you love apple desserts you are going to want to also try this Apple Rings recipe.

Recipe Expert Tips

• The orange juice will help keep the apple slices from browning as you slice them. Or you can use a product like Fruit Fresh to keep them from browning while you are cutting them.
• Today I am dicing the apples. You can also cut the apples into thin slices. I've done both and both ways work well.
• You can use dried cranberries or fresh cranberries to make this recipe.
• If you are worried about adding the dried corn starch to the filling you can mix it with a tablespoon of water before adding it.
• 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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