These Air Fryer Apple Turnovers have a deliciously crunchy puff pastry shell with a warm caramelized apple filling wrapped inside.
» You might also like these Easy Air Fryer Baked Apples and Easy Air Fryer S’mores.
You won’t be able to resist these super easy to make and incredibly aromatic fall pastries. The air fryer is great at making breads and pastries that have a golden, crunchy exterior. That’s why it excels at making these turnovers. I love how easy it is to make these.
Need a quick but impressive dessert or brunch item? These turnovers definitely fit the description. They’re so tasty and you can actually make them, start to finish, in under 20 minutes. You should also try substituting the apple for cranberry with this cranberry turnover recipe.
Ingredients You Need
- Apples – Buy apples that you like to eat, with a sweet, crunchy texture. The quality of the apples really makes a difference in the way the filling turns out. I use Honeycrisp apples.
- Butter – I always use salted butter to add an extra boost of flavor.
- Brown sugar – I use a light brown sugar that has a mild sweet caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – These two spices add tons of warming spice flavor to the filling.
- Lemon – A spritz of fresh lemon juice really brightens up the filling.
- Puff pastry – This recipe needs just one sheet of puff pastry to make 4 turnovers. If you want to use both sheets, you can double the amounts for the filling.
- Egg – Mix an egg with water to make an egg wash that will help seal together the ends of the pastry.
- Powdered sugar, Cream, Vanilla – These three mixed together will make a nice sweet frosting drizzle for the turnovers.
Equipment Information
- Air fryer: I use this 4-quart basket-style air fryer. It’s large enough to fit 2 apple turnovers at a time, but not 4. Give each once enough space in the air fryer basket, so they cook evenly.
- Kitchen tongs: It’s very easy to remove food from your air fryer with kitchen tongs. I use these kitchen tongs that are silicon coated so they don’t scratch the interior.
- Cooling rack: Once the turnovers are done, you’ll want to cool them quickly on a wire rack so the bottom doesn’t get soggy.
- Pastry brush: It’s easiest to brush on the egg wash with a pastry brush. You can also use the back of a spoon or your fingers, if you don’t have a brush.
How to Make Air Fryer Apple Turnovers
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples and the butter. Coat the apples with the butter and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes, until slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Spread out the puff pastry sheet and cut it into 4 squares.
Beat together the egg and water in a bowl.
Scoop 1/4 of the apple mixture onto each puff pastry square. Brush the egg wash around the edge of each square. Fold it over and press the edges to seal. Press the edges with a fork.
Brush the tops of each turnover with the egg wash and use a sharp knife to cut three slits in the top.
Turn the air fryer on to 350° F and preheat for 3 minutes. Place as many turnovers as you can fit without overlapping. Cook for 12-15 minutes in the preheated air fryer, just until the tops are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
For the optional glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla until smooth. Add additional cream to reach your desired consistency. Pour over the turnover before eating.
How to Keep Them Crisp
You want these apple turnovers to turn out super crisp and not soggy, and there are a few ways to ensure they do.
- Make sure the filling has cooled completely before putting into the puff pastry.
- Keep the pastry cold. Pull it out of the fridge right before you fill it.
- Preheat the air fryer so you’re putting the cold pastry into a hot air fryer.
Tips & Suggestions
- Use good baking apples to make these. Some good ones to try are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cortland, McIntosh, and Jonagold. I always say, use an apple that you would enjoy eating. Avoid soggy, tasteless apples.
- If you’re allergic to egg, you can spray the tops of the pastries with a light spritz of oil spray instead of the egg wash.
- Be sure to thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator over night before you use it. It shouldn’t be frozen when you use it or it won’t fold or cook properly.
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
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Air Fryer Apple Turnovers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium apples peeled, cored, and cubed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
For the optional glaze:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples and the butter. Coat the apples with the butter and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes, until slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Spread out the puff pastry sheet and cut it into 4 squares.
- Beat together the egg and water in a bowl.
- Scoop 1/4 of the apple mixture onto each puff pastry square. Brush the egg wash around the edge of each square. Fold it over and press the edges to seal. Press the edges with a fork.
- Brush the tops of each turnover with the egg wash and use a sharp knife to cut three slits in the top.
- Turn the air fryer on to 350° F and preheat for 3 minutes. Place as many turnovers as you can fit without overlapping. Cook for 12-15 minutes in the preheated air fryer, just until the tops are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- For the optional glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla until smooth. Add additional cream to reach your desired consistency. Pour over the turnover before eating.
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
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Laura spends a lot of her time cooking and creating recipes to share. She loves traveling and learning about new foods around the world to bring into her own recipes at home.