Flaky puff pastry, caramelized brown butter apple filling, and a hint of fresh thyme-these easy brown butter apple turnovers with puff pastry are an elegant twist on a cozy fall classic. They're easier than pie, bake up golden and crisp, and make the perfect fall dessert (or even breakfast with coffee!).
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There's nothing more comforting than a warm apple turnover fresh out of the oven-but these brown butter puff pastry apple turnovers take things to the next level.
By browning the butter first, you infuse the apple filling with rich, nutty caramel notes that pair perfectly with juicy apples and flaky puff pastry, while a touch of fresh thyme adds an aromatic savory balance to the sweetness.
Looking for more fruit-filled pastry ideas? Try my blueberry turnovers and strawberry turnovers next-they're just as easy and delicious as these apple turnovers.
Jump to:
- ⭐️ Why These Apple Turnovers are the Best
- 🍏 The Best Apples to Use
- 🧈 How to Brown Butter Perfectly
- 🥧 Ingredient Notes
- 📝 Turnover Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪 How to Make Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
- 👩🍳 Making Apple Turnovers in Air Fryer
- 💭 How to Prevent Turnovers from Leaking
- 🧊 Make Ahead, Freezing, & Storage
- 👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips and Tricks
- 🍏 More Apple Recipes
- Brown Butter Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry Recipe
⭐️ Why These Apple Turnovers are the Best
- Brown butter magic: Adds a toasted, nutty flavor you can't get with plain butter. Try it in my snickerdoodle cookies with brown butter and brown butter chocolate chip cookies!
- Flaky & foolproof: Using store-bought puff pastry keeps this recipe simple.
- Time for Thyme: The perfect foil for apples to make them taste bakery-worthy.
- Make-ahead friendly: Freeze unbaked turnovers and bake straight from the freezer
- This recipe works using homemade apple filling or using canned apple pie filling
- Cozy fall favorite: Just like apple pie, but faster and even flakier.
🍏 The Best Apples to Use
Use apples that are crisp and sweet-tart. I like to use a mix of Granny Smith for tartness, and Honeycrisp or Fuji for added sweetness.
🧈 How to Brown Butter Perfectly
Browning butter is simple but requires a little attention. Start by melting butter in a light-colored skillet (so you can see the color change). Melt it over medium heat, and once it begins to foam, stir occasionally as the milk solids turn golden brown.
Within a few minutes, you'll notice a nutty, caramel-like aroma and the butter will deepen to an amber color-this is your cue to pull it off the heat. Be careful not to overcook, as it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly.
🥧 Ingredient Notes
- Puff pastry (store-bought, thawed)
- Unsalted butter (for browning)
- Apples (Granny Smith for tartness + Honeycrisp or Fuji for sweetness)
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon, vanilla extract, thyme, pinch of salt (seasoning)
- Cornstarch (thickens filling)
- Egg wash (for golden crust)
- Powdered sugar & milk (optional glaze)
📝 Turnover Variations & Substitutions
- Canned apple pie filling: If you want to skip making the apple filling from scratch, you can use canned pie filling in its place, but it will be much sweeter.
- GF: Choose a gluten-free puff pastry (can usually be found at specialty grocery stores)
- Vegan: Many store-bought brands of puff pastry are naturally vegan, as they are made with oil, but check the label to be sure. Vegan butter can be used in place of dairy butter, but I have found that it does not brown well, so skip this step. You can also replace the egg wash with a non-day milk to get a similar golden shine.
🔪 How to Make Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
*See recipe card below for printable version.
Brown the Butter: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma.
Make the Filling: Add apples, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon juice, cornstarch, thyme, and salt to the butter. Cook 3-5 minutes until slightly softened and glossy. Cool completely (around 30 minutes).
Prepare Pastry: Cut puff pastry into four squares. Spoon cooled filling onto center.
Fold & Seal: Fold into triangles and press edges with a fork.
Chill: Place turnovers on a baking sheet and refrigerate 20 minutes (prevents leeks).
Bake: Brush with egg wash and cut small vents on top. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes, until golden.
Glaze: Optional-whisk powdered sugar & milk, and drizzle over warm turnovers.
👩🍳 Making Apple Turnovers in Air Fryer
If you'd rather skip the oven, these turnovers can be made in the air fryer for an even quicker bake. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F, then arrange the turnovers in a single layer, leaving space between them for airflow. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
💭 How to Prevent Turnovers from Leaking
One of the most common frustrations with turnovers is filling that oozes out during baking. To prevent leaks, make sure your apple mixture is completely cooled before adding it to the puff pastry-warm filling will melt the pastry layers and cause them to burst open.
Next, avoid overfilling; about 2-3 tablespoons per turnover is ideal. Seal the edges tightly with a fork, and for extra insurance, brush a little water or egg wash along the edges before pressing them together.
Finally, chilling the assembled turnovers in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking helps the pastry firm up, ensuring the seams stay closed while the turnovers puff beautifully in the oven.
🧊 Make Ahead, Freezing, & Storage
- Make-ahead. Assemble and refrigerate turnovers up to 24 hours before baking.
- Freeze unbaked. Shape turnovers on baking sheet as directed, and place baking sheet in the freezer for one hour. Transfer turnovers to a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, and add an extra 5 minutes to baking time.
- Storage after baked. Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat (covered with foil) in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes to warm and re-crisp.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Chill before baking. Keeps edges sealed and pastry extra flaky.
- Don't skip cooling the filling. Hot/warm filling will melt the pastry.
- Perfect brown butter. Look for amber color & nutty aroma (don't walk away-it burns quickly).
- Best apples. Use a mixture of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Honeycrisp or Fuji) gives the best balance of sweetness.
🍏 More Apple Recipes
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Brown Butter Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Turnovers
- 1 pound frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ⅓" pieces
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash
For the Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Make the Turnovers
- Remove puff pastry from the freezer and thaw according to package instructions. It should be ready by the time you make and cool the apple filling.
- Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once it begins to foam (1-2 minutes), stir occasionally as the milk solids turn golden brown. Within a few minutes, you'll notice a nutty, caramel-like aroma and the butter will deepen to an amber color (around 4-5 minutes)-this is your cue to pull it off the heat. Be careful not to overcook, as it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly. Let cool slightly while you peel and dice the apples.
- Make apple filling: Peel, core, and dice apples into ⅓" pieces, and add to pot with browned butter. Add in brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, thyme, and salt. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened and mixture has thickened slightly (around 5 minutes). Remove from heat, add fresh lemon juice, and set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Once apple filling is cooked, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Unroll thawed puff pastry onto parchment-lined baking sheets and very lightly roll with a rolling pin to smooth out dough into a square shape.
- Using a sharp knife, cut each pastry sheet into 4 equal-sized squares (you will have 8 total). Place 1-2 tablespoons of apple filling in center of each square.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash.
- Use a pastry brush or spoon to brush egg wash along the ½" edge of each pastry square. Fold opposite pastry corners together to form a triangle.
- Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges together by pressing down gently. Place prepared turnovers in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes (this prevents leaking and ensures a flaky pastry).
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush each turnover with egg wash, and use a fork to pierce the top of each pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes to avoid burning your mouth.
Make the Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. You should have a thicker consistency. Add more powdered sugar or milk to achieve your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over warm turnovers and serve with any remaining apple filling on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chill before baking. Keeps edges sealed and pastry extra flaky.
- Don't skip cooling the filling. Hot/warm filling will melt the pastry.
- Perfect brown butter. Look for amber color & nutty aroma (don't walk away-it burns quickly).
- Best apples. Use a mixture of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Honeycrisp or Fuji) gives the best balance of sweetness.
Barb says
Just in time for the apple orchards! This recipe looks amazing!
MaryAnne says
Totally! It's almost the best time of year!
Sean says
Just when I think classic apple turnovers can't get any better, you throw me a curve ball with brown butter and thyme. They taste just as good as you described, if not better!! Can't wait to share this recipe with my extended family this weekend!
MaryAnne says
Aww, that's so sweet, Sean! So glad you loved them. Thanks so much for the kind review! 🙂