Sweet cinnamon apples, maple and buttery phyllo pastry make for an irresistible reinvention of the classic apple pie. These Apple Cinnamon Turnovers are flaky, golden and full of fall flavor.
Nothing screams fall quite like the warm and cozy smell of baked apples and cinnamon.
This recipe is a fun twist on a classic apple pie. A not-too-sweet apple filling is enveloped between layers of buttery phyllo pastry with a hint of maple for a deliciously flaky treat.
Trust me, you won’t be able to eat just one!
Which Apples are Best for Baking?
To avoid a mushy filling, choose a firm apple that will hold its shape during baking. During testing, both Granny Smith and Gala apples worked well for this recipe and are easy to find at most grocery stores. Pink Lady and Honey Crisp varieties are also a great choice, with a sweet-tart flavour that is perfect for baked goods.
Save the softer apples – like Red Delicious, Fuji or McIntosh – for snacking.
Ingredients for Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Phyllo pastry: you can find phyllo in the frozen aisle at most grocery stores. Transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight before using.
- Melted butter & maple syrup: are brushed between the layers of Phyllo, makes these turnovers deliciously golden and crispy.
- Apples: a combo of tart Granny Smith and sweet Gala apples were used in this recipe. See the section “Which apples are best for baking?” for more.
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Lemon Juice
- Cornstarch
How to Make Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers
This first step in making these Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers is prepping the apples. Peel, core and chop into bite-sized pieces!
Throw the apples in a small saucepan with the rest of the filling ingredients and cook until the apples are soft, but still have a bite. Thicken the mixture with a cornstarch slurry and allow to cool.
To assemble the turnovers, lay out a sheet of phyllo. Brush carefully with a mixture of melted butter and maple syrup, then lay another phyllo sheet on top and brush again.
Next, cut six even strips along the long side of the phyllo sheets. Place a tablespoon of apple filling at the end of each strip. As if folding a flag, grab the bottom right corner of the strip and fold it over the filling to meet the left edge, making a triangle. Continue folding in this manner, retaining the triangle shape. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets.
Finally, place the folded turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush with remaining butter-maple syrup mixture. Bake at 375F for 18-20 minutes until golden and crispy. Enjoy!
Serving & Storage Tips
These Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers are best served fresh from the oven! Store leftovers (if you have any!) in an air-tight container in the fridge.
To retain the phyllo pastry’s characteristic crispiness during reheating, warm leftover turnovers in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
What are your favourite fall dessert recipes?
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Easy Apple Cinnamon Turnovers with Phyllo Pastry
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 30 pieces 1x
Description
Sweet cinnamon apples, maple and buttery phyllo pastry make for an irresistible reinvention of a classic apple pie. These Apple Cinnamon Turnovers are flaky, golden and full of fall flavor.
Ingredients
- 10 sheets phyllo pastry (thawed)
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Apple Filling
- 4 cups finely chopped apples (peeled and cored, about 4–5 medium )
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare the Apple Filling:
- In a small saucepan, combine all filling ingredients except the cornstarch and 2 tbsp of the water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the apples are softened, about 5 – 7 minutes.
- Mix together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tbsp of water. Stir into the apple mixture and continue to cook another minute until thickened.
- Transfer the Apple Filling to a bowl, cover and chill for 15 minutes.
Assemble the Apple Cinnamon Turnovers:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the melted butter and maple syrup. Set aside.
- Place the sheets of phyllo pastry on a flat surface and cover with a damp dish towel to prevent from them drying out.
- Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry on your work surface. Carefully brush with the butter and maple syrup mixture. Place another sheet of phyllo on top and brush again. Cut into 6 even strips along the long end.
- Place one tablespoon of Apple Filling at the end of each strip. As if folding a flag, fold the bottom right corner over the filling to meet the left edge, making a triangle. Continue to make triangular folds until you reach the end of the strip. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo.
- Place the folded pastries seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with remaining butter and maple syrup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the turnovers are golden brown and crispy. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Can confirm that these were absolutely delicious!!
Thank you, Courtney! 🙂
Made these today. They are super yummy! We lessened the apple and substituted frozen blueberries and they turned out so delicious! Can’t wait to share them with friends.
Thank you Yanna for your kind comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Adding blueberries sounds like a delicious idea! 🙂
30 servings? That’s means 30 turnovers right?
Yes, 30 pieces total! 🙂
put up a video of this please.
Stay tuned! 🙂
Turned out great! She’s right you can’t eat just one!
Thanks, Yve! So glad you enjoyed them.