Air fryer apple turnovers are one of those brilliantly simple bakes that deliver far more joy than their effort might suggest. Crisp, flaky layers of puff pastry give way to a soft, warmly spiced apple filling, with each bite offering that satisfying contrast of textures that makes turnovers so popular.
The filling is straightforward — just apples, demerara sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon — but it hits all the right notes. The apples soften just enough in the air fryer to become tender but not mushy, with the sugar and cinnamon creating a gentle caramel-like warmth that plays beautifully against the sharpness of the lemon.
To assemble, each rectangle of pastry is filled and then folded into a neat triangle, sealed firmly and pressed with a fork for that classic edge.
A quick brush with beaten egg gives a golden finish, and a final sprinkle of demerara sugar on top adds a lovely crunch as the turnovers puff and bake.
Using pre-rolled puff pastry keeps things quick and fuss-free, and the air fryer really shines here, helping the layers rise rapidly without needing to heat the whole oven. The result is light, golden pastries with crisp, sugary tops and soft, fragrant centres.
These are lovely eaten still slightly warm, once the filling has had a chance to cool a little. They’re also just as good cold, which makes them handy for packed lunches or weekend treats.
If you’ve never tried making turnovers in the air fryer before, this is a great place to start. It’s a tidy little recipe that offers a big payoff for minimal time in the kitchen.
Read on for the full recipe with detailed instructions and a helpful photograph for every step. And if you have any questions, just leave me a comment. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 crisp apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar (turbinado sugar)
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) cinnamon
- ½ tbsp (0.5 tbsp) lemon juice
For the pastry
- 320 g (11.3 oz) ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 medium free range egg
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar (turbinado sugar)
Instructions
Put the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon and 30g (2 tbsp) of the sugar in a bowl.
Mix until well combined.
Unroll one sheet of puff pastry.
Slice in half along the shorter edge and, three times along the longer edge to create six equal rectangles.
Place a little of the apple mix into the middle of each section of pastry - you might not need all of the apple.
Fold over to create triangles, then pinch along the edges to seal.
Press a fork along the seams, then transfer to a baking sheet. You can trim the edges with a sharp knife for a neater finish, if you like.
Brush with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with 15g (1 tbsp) sugar.
Preheat your air fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine defaults to 4 minutes at 205C.
Place the turnovers, two at a time, on the grill tray in your air fryer basket and poke a hole in the top of each to allow air to escape.
Set to 180C and bake for 10 minutes until golden and puffed.
Cool a little on a wire rack (don't bite straight from the oven - the filling will be extremely hot).
Repeat for the remaining turnovers. They can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Print this Air Fryer Apple Turnovers Recipe
Air Fryer Apple Turnovers Recipe
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 crisp apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar (turbinado sugar)
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) cinnamon
- ½ tbsp (0.5 tbsp) lemon juice
For the pastry
- 320 g (11.3 oz) ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 medium free range egg
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar (turbinado sugar)
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice, cinnamon and 30g (2 tbsp) of the sugar until well combined.
- Unroll one sheet of puff pastry and slice in half along the shorter edge and, three times along the longer edge to create six equal rectangles.
- Place a little of the apple mix into the middle of each section of pastry - you might not need all of the apple.
- Fold over to create triangles, then pinch along the edges to seal.
- Press a fork along the seams, then transfer to a baking sheet. You can trim the edges with a sharp knife for a neater finish, if you like.
- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with 15g (1 tbsp) sugar.
- Preheat your air fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine defaults to 4 minutes at 205C.
- Place the turnovers, two at a time, on the grill tray in your air fryer basket and poke a hole in the top of each to allow air to escape. Set to 180C and bake for 10 minutes until golden and puffed.
- Cool a little on a wire rack (don't bite straight from the oven - the filling will be extremely hot).
- Repeat for the remaining turnovers. They can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Nutrition
More apple recipes to try
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