Cherry Pie Turnovers turn everything you love about pie into a hand-held snack. With just two main ingredients, these portable cherry pies can be enjoyed at any time.
This post was originally published in October 2019 and has been fully updated.
Cherry Pie Turnovers
Do you love cherry pie but think baking a pie is too much work? Do you love sweet treats that can double as breakfast and dessert?
Yes? Then, these cherry pie turnovers are just for you. With a sweet fruit filling and a flaky crust, these hand-held pies are irresistible... and couldn't be easier to make.
Recipe highlights
- Just two main ingredients - Canned pie filling and store-bought puff pastry are readily available and keep these turnovers fuss-free.
- A sweet glaze adds a delicious finishing touch.
- Customizable - Use any flavor of pie filling such as blueberry, apple, or peach.
- So easy to assemble - No time-consuming prep work making puff pastry dough or cooking pie filling.
What is a turnover?
A turnover is a type of pastry - usually puff pastry - that is folded over a filling. The edges are then sealed and the pastries are baked until golden brown and flaky.
Sweet turnovers are often made with pie filling. A dusting of confectioner's sugar or a drizzling of icing is optional - but delicious! Savory turnovers may be filled with meat, cheese, or veggies.
Ingredient notes
- Puff pastry - Frozen, store-bought dough is one of my favorite short-cut ingredients. It's easy to use and bakes up buttery and flaky. I use Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets.
- Canned pie filling - This store-bought short-cut is another time-saving ingredient. Feel free to use any flavor you love. Homemade pie filling can also be used if preferred. You will need 1-1¼ cups of filling. Reserve the remaining for smoothies or shakes.
- Powdered sugar, butter, and half-and-half (or whole milk) are used to make a simple icing that is infused with vanilla and almond extracts.
- Almond extract enhances the cherry flavor, so this works beautifully in this recipe.
Step-by-step instructions
Please see the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Unfold each sheet of puff pastry and cut it in half cross-wise and in half again length-wise, creating 4 squares (8 squares in total). (Image 1)
- Spoon 2-2 ½ tablespoons of pie filling into the center of each square. (Image 2)
- Fold the dough in half to create a triangle. Press the edges of the dough to seal. Use a fork to seal the edges so the filling doesn't cook out. (Image 3)
◆TIP: For extra protection against the filling leaking out during baking, brush the edges of the dough with egg wash before folding and crimping with a fork.
- Chill the turnovers for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Brush the dough with egg wash. Cut a slit into the top of each pastry. (Image 4)
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool. (Image 5)
- Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, half-and-half, and extracts.
- Drizzle the glaze over the pastries. (Image 6)
- Store in an air-tight container for 2-3 days.
Tips for making turnovers
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Puff pastry should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight. Keep chilled until ready to assemble. I like to chill the filled pastries for 15 minutes before baking to ensure the dough bakes up light and flaky.
- Don't over-fill the pastries. While it's tempting to add lots of filling, about 2 tablespoons is the perfect amount. Too much filling will make it difficult to seal the edges of the dough.
- Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Inevitably, juices from the filling often ooze out, and the parchment will prevent burning and simplify clean-up.
- Drizzle with glaze. It's a delicious way to add complementary flavors and an extra touch of sweetness. And it looks so pretty, too!
Serving suggestions
These turnovers are perfect for dessert, an indulgent breakfast, or as an addition to a brunch spread. They are also the perfect accompaniment for a mid-afternoon coffee break.
FAQs about turnovers
Make sure the oven is well pre-heated. Chill the puff pastry for 15-20 minutes before baking to ensure the layers bake up flaky. Cut a small slit in the top of the dough before baking so the steam can escape.
A cherry puff is another name for cherry turnovers. Puff pastry is filled with cherry pie filling, folded and sealed, then baked until golden and flaky.
Keeping the puff pastry dough cold before baking will ensure the layers bake up light and flaky. Additionally, brush the dough with an egg wash to help the pastry bake up golden brown.
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Cherry Pie Turnovers with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Turnovers
- 1 box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets) (thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half (or milk)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Turnovers
- Unfold each sheet of puff pastry on a cutting board covered with parchment paper (to prevent sticking). Cut each sheet of dough into four squares.
- Spoon 2-2½ tablespoons of pie filling into the center of each square.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash around the edges of each pastry square. Fold the dough over the filling on a diagonal, creating a triangle. Using the tines of a fork, seal the edges. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the turnovers for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brush the top of each turnover with the remaining egg wash. Use a knife to cut a small vent on the top of each turnover.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Let cool before adding the glaze.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, half-and-half, and extracts.
- Drizzle the glaze over the turnovers. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Use extra pie filling in smoothies and shakes.
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Puff pastry should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight. Keep it chilled until ready to use. Chill the pastries for 15 minutes before baking to ensure the pastry bakes up light and flaky.
- Don't overfill the pastries. Approx. 2 tablespoons are enough. Too much filling makes it difficult to seal the edges and will likely ooze out during baking.
- Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
- Don't skimp on the glaze. While optional, it's a great way to add complementary flavors and an extra touch of sweetness.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
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