Growing up, my mom would buy those frozen cherry or apple turnovers from the grocery store, and my brother and I would devour them. The flaky pastry, the sweet filling—we couldn’t get enough! Now that I make my own, I’ve realized that homemade turnovers, especially with fresh ingredients, are on another level. The best part? They’re just as easy to make but so much more satisfying. These cherry puff pastry turnovers bring back those memories, only better – especially when you use homemade cherry pie filling. They are delicious for breakfast, dessert, or just because they are a great way to satisfy your cherry pie cravings without much prep time!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
For these puff pastry cherry turnovers, you’ll only need a few simple ingredients, many of which you may already have in your kitchen. The puff pastry gives you that flaky, buttery texture without any hassle of homemade dough, and the cherry pie filling adds a sweet-tart balance that makes each bite pop.
In the printable recipe below, you can find a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Puff Pastry: Store-bought puff pastry sheets work great here and save time, but if you’re ambitious, we recommend making homemade puff pastry, which is similar to traditional puff pastry but so much easier.
- Cherry Pie Filling: You can use canned cherry pie filling, but homemade takes this treat to another level. You can use either fresh or frozen cherries for homemade cherry pie filling.
- Egg Wash: The egg wash helps create a beautiful golden-brown crust and makes the turnovers look extra professional.
- Granulated Sugar: A sprinkle of sugar on top adds a little crunch and sweetness to the puff pastry.
- Icing: Made from powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla extract, this simple glaze drizzles perfectly over the flaky turnovers.
How to Make Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers
Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
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Pro-tip: For the flakiest turnovers, chill the assembled pastries in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking to help keep the butter cold and create an extra puff in the dough.
1. Prepping the Puff Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Roll out your thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface until they form a 12-inch square. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into four equal squares. If the puff pastry gets too warm, stick it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to re-solidify the butter.
2. Filling the Pastry: Spoon 2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling into the center of each square. Do not overfill, or the turnovers may leak during baking.
3. Sealing the Turnovers: In a small bowl, mix the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create the egg wash. Brush the edges of each square, then fold them diagonally to form a triangle. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal them well.
4. Bake: Place the turnovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with more egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
5. Icing Drizzle: While the turnovers cool on a wire rack, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to create your icing. Once they’ve cooled, drizzle over the turnovers and enjoy them on their own or with a scoop of ice cream!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can assemble the cherry turnovers a day in advance and refrigerate them until ready to bake. Alternatively, you can bake them ahead of time and freeze the fully baked turnovers for up to 3 months.
How to Store: Once baked, store the turnovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: To reheat, warm them in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until crispy again. If frozen, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use cold puff pastry. Keep your puff pastry as cold as possible before baking. This ensures flaky layers.
- Don’t overfill. To prevent the turnovers from leaking, avoid putting too much cherry filling in the center of each square.
- Seal the edges well. Pressing the edges with a fork will keep the filling in and create a decorative crimp.
- Brush with egg wash. Please don’t skip the egg wash since that gives the turnovers their beautiful golden-brown finish.
- Cool before icing. Let turnovers cool on a wire rack before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s not necessary to thaw frozen cherries before cooking. Add them directly to the saucepan, but you may need to cook them slightly longer to account for the extra moisture.
No, phyllo dough and puff pastry are different. Phyllo dough is thinner and results in a crisp, flaky texture, while puff pastry has layers of butter that make it puff and become airy when baked.
This happens to us, too, when we overstuff the turnovers. Turnovers can also leak if they are not adequately sealed. Press the edges together tightly and crimp them with a fork for a secure seal.
More Dessert Recipes to Try
Looking for more decadent dessert recipes? Try these other favorites:
- Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pound Cake – This cake is bursting with blueberry and lemon flavors. It is moist and rich with the addition of ricotta cheese and is perfect with morning coffee or for an afternoon snack.
- Cast Iron Blueberry Peach Cobbler – Juicy peaches and tangy blueberries combine under a golden, buttery crust for the ultimate summer dessert. Easy to make and even easier to enjoy, it’s perfect straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Mini Puff Pastry Apple Pies – These are the perfect bite-sized twist on classic apple pie. Flaky, buttery, and filled with sweet homemade apple pie filling, they’re ideal for a quick dessert or special treat.
Let’s Connect! If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Casual Epicure, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are considering making our recipes and we love hearing about your cooking experiences. And if you snapped some shots, share them on Instagram, and be sure to tag @casual.epicure so we can feature them in our stories.
Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers
This recipe may contain paid affiliate sales links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclaimer policy for details.
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Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Small Bowl
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
Cherry Turnovers
- ½ cup cherry pie filling
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for sprinking
Icing (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry to a 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 equal squares.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cherry filling into the center of each pastry square. Be careful not to overfill.
- In a small bowl, mix the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
- Brush the edges of each pastry square with the egg wash. Fold each square diagonally to form a triangle, enclosing the filling. Press the edges together to seal, and crimp with a fork to ensure they are well sealed.
- Place the turnovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the turnovers are puffed and golden brown.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if needed to achieve a drizzling consistency.
- Cool the turnovers on a wire rack. Once cool, drizzle the glaze on top of turnovers (optional).