Flaky Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers with Fresh Cinnamon Filling

19 Reviews
Published Oct 23, 2020 ∙ Kristina Stosek

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These Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers are a perfect balance of a light, slightly crispy pastry and a warm, bubbly apple cinnamon filling. The texture of the dough sits right between a shortcrust and a puff pastry, providing a golden, buttery crunch that can compare to bakery-style.

Flaky Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers with Fresh Cinnamon Filling

The Perfect Spiced Apple Filling

Inside, the fresh apple chunks are cooked briefly in a buttery sauce with cinnamon and a splash of fresh lemon juice. This combination creates a thick, syrupy filling that stays tucked inside the pastry as it bakes. It’s an easy, from-scratch dessert that is much better than any store-bought frozen option.

Another outstanding apple dessert you may enjoy is the Gluten-Free Breakfast Apple Yogurt Cake.

The Key to Flaky Gluten-Free Pastry

Achieving a true flaky pastry without gluten requires a specific approach to handling the fats.

  • Keep Everything Cold: The butter must be completely frozen before grating, and the sour cream must come straight from the refrigerator. If the fat melts into the flour before baking, you will end up with a cookie-like texture rather than distinct, flaky layers.

  • Grate the Butter: Grating frozen butter directly into the flour mixture distributes small pieces of fat evenly without overworking the dough.

  • The Role of Sour Cream: Unlike water, sour cream adds both moisture and fat. The natural acidity relaxes the dough, making it more pliable, easier to roll out, and significantly less prone to cracking.

Kids love apples!

It is no secret that kids love apples, especially when they are paired with a little cinnamon like the apple cinnamon chips. 

Substitutions & Best Apples For Apple Turnovers

  • The Best Apples: Granny Smith is the top choice because they stay firm when cooked. Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Rome apples also hold their shape well.

  • Dairy-Free: A high-quality vegan buttery stick can be substituted, make sure it is very cold or even partially frozen before mixing.

  • Sweetener: Brown sugar provides a deep caramel flavor, but granulated sugar or coconut sugar can be used as a 1:1 swap.

sliced Flaky Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers with Fresh Cinnamon Filling showing the apple filling

Can I use store-bought GF pastry?

You can, but this homemade “half-puff” recipe is specifically designed to handle the moisture of the apples without getting soggy. 

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Filling?

Do I need to pre-cook the filling? Yes! Briefly sautéing the apples in the butter-cinnamon sauce ensures they are perfectly tender by the time the pastry is golden brown. The filling is sooo good! 

step by step assembling apple turnovers

Assembling the Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers

Assembling the turnovers is the most important part of getting that signature flakiness. The secret to success is keeping the pastry dough cold. You want those small, visible pieces of butter to stay solid in the flour; as they bake, they melt and create the steam that lifts the pastry into crisp layers.

  1. Prepare the Dough: On a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of parchment paper), roll your chilled dough out into two large squares.

  2. Cut the Squares: Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut each large square into four smaller, equal-sized squares. If the dough starts to feel soft or sticky at any point, pop it back into the fridge for 5–10 minutes.

  3. Add the Filling: Place a spoonful of the cooled cinnamon apple filling onto one-half of each square. Be sure to leave a small border around the edges so you can get a clean seal.

  4. Seal and Crimp: Fold the pastry over the filling to form a triangle. Press the edges together firmly with your fingers, then use a fork to crimp the seams. This not only looks professional but locks the bubbling apple juices inside.

  5. Final Touch: Cut two small slits in the top of each turnover to let steam escape, and they are ready for the oven!

gluten-free apple turnover cut in half

Serving Ideas

Enjoy these warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a classic dessert, or pair them with a sharp cheddar cheese slice for a savory-sweet snack. For a bakery-style breakfast, simply drizzle the turnovers with a powdered sugar glaze while they are still hot.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Because gluten-free pastry is delicate, storing it correctly ensures the crust stays crisp rather than soggy.

  • To Store: Allow the turnovers to cool completely on a wire rack. Place them in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

  • To Reheat: For best results, do not use a microwave, as it will make the pastry rubbery. Instead, place the turnovers on a baking sheet and heat in a 350°F (180°C) oven or air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes until the crust is crisply again.

  • To Freeze: You can freeze the assembled, unbaked turnovers for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F (200°C), adding an extra 3 to 5 minutes to the total baking time.

More Gluten-Free Apple Recipes to Love

If you have extra apples to use up, be sure to check out our collection of  34 Gluten-Free Apple Recipes for Beginners for more easy baking inspiration!

Hi, I’m Kristina I’m a professional gluten-free recipe developer, and every recipe on this site is created and personally tested in my kitchen. If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐ star rating and a quick review below, it helps other readers find my recipes!

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Flaky Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers with Fresh Cinnamon Filling

19 reviews
Published Oct 23, 2020 · Kristina Stosek
Prep Time:
30 min
Cooking Time:
25 min
Serves:
8

Ingredients

APPLE FILLING
 4 large Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped into small pieces
 3 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
 2 Tbsp. Coconut sugar or brown sugar
 1 tsp. GF ground cinnamon
1 tsp. Lemon juice
2 Tbsp. water
 1 tsp. arrowroot or tapioca flour
PASTRY
3 cups. (448 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, one that includes xanthan gum. (Otherwise, add 3/4 tsp.) My favourite flour for this recipe is King Arthur Measure for Measure
1/4 cup Sugar (I used fine coconut sugar)
1/2 tsp. Xanthan gum (this is in addition to the xanthan gum in the flour blend)
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter (place the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before using)
1 cup sour cream
 4 + Tbsp. Ice water or as needed
1 egg beaten, for eggwash
1 Tbsp. Coconut sugar for topping (optional)
FOR THE GLAZE
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (sifted)
1–2 tbsp milk or heavy cream
1/2 tsp pure anilla extract

Instructions

  1. APPLE FILLING
  2. Heat butter, sugar and cinnamon in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter starts to melt. Add apples and lemon juice, stir to combine and cook until the apples begin to soften but still holding shape. Stirring as needed, about 3 - 5 minutes. 
  3. Mix water with arrowroot/tapioca and add to the apples. Cook for about another minute until the sauce starts to bubble. Remove from the heat, bring to room temperature and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to use. You can make the filling a day in advance.
  4. PASTRY
  5. Using a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.
  6. Using a box grater, grate the chilled butter into the flour. Using a fork, mix the butter with the flour, and then using your fingers, work the butter into the flour until slightly crumbly.
  7. Add sour cream and mix. The dough will still be a bit dry. Add one tablespoon of ice water at a time and use your hands, knead the dough until it begins to come together. If the dough is too dry, keep adding 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time while working the dough until it holds together. I used 6 tablespoons.
  8.  Transfer dough onto a plastic wrap and form a compact disk. Wrap the dough and place it in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper
  10. Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough out on a lightly floured parchment paper into a square about 1/8-inch thick, using flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Cut into for squares.
  11. Add apple filling over half of each square and fold the pastry over apples. Wet the tips of your fingers lightly with water and moisten inside of the edges of the pastry dough. Press the edges to seal the filling. Transfer to a lined baking tray. The apple filling should fill eight pastries, I used about two tablespoons of filling per each pastry.
  12.  Using a sharp knife, cut three slits in the top of each pastry and brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
  13. Bake for 23 - 26 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place pastries on a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature
  14. FOR THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over warm apple turnovers.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving: Calories: 445 Total Fat: 24g Sodium: 260mg Total Carbohydrates: 54g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sugars: 18g Protein: 5g | Note: These values are estimates and can vary based on specific brands. Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Comments

  1. Cathy

    I made this recipe today and it was to die for! I added a bit of vanilla to the filling, as that’s my preference. The dough was easy to work with, I rolled it between two pieces of parchment because I was afraid of it sticking but it was nice and sturdy. It baked up soft and flaky without any gumminess. I was really impressed! This recipe is ten-stars in my book, thank you for this!

  2. Kristina

    Thank you Cathy for letting us know, you made my day!!!!

  3. Leslie

    I just made these and they turned outstanding!!! Thank you ☺️

  4. John

    My first experience with baking....I think I could be a vontrtstay on "Nailed It". Pastry was too dry which made the fill and fold kind of a nightmare. I'll mix it up richer next time.

  5. Kristina

    be careful when you measure your flour! It is important when you measure the flour to lightly fill the measuring cup with a spoon and then level it off with a knife. I found that often many people dip the measuring cup into the flour. This will give you more flour than you need making the pastry too dry. Thank you for sharing

  6. Kathy

    I made these for the 4th of July weekend, everyone loved them! I didn't have any sour cream on hand so I substituted with plain Greek yogurt 2%. It seemed to be fine.

  7. Kristina

    thank you Kathy for sharing!

  8. Ray Elisseos

    Can I make these and freeze them, and bake at a later date when needed.

  9. Kristina

    Yes Ray, bring them to room temperature before baking

  10. Andie Glasgow

    Since I'm dairy free, would coconut milk yogurt work as a replacement?

  11. Kristina

    Andie, in this apple turnover recipe you can use coconut milk (not canned) or rice milk. I don’t know about the coconut milk yogurt? Sorry

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