If you enjoy the flavors of apple pie, you’ll love Appelflappen! These Dutch Apple Turnovers feature a flaky and buttery crust with a sweet and spiced apple and raisin filling. They’re easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Appelflappen (or Appelflap in their singular form) are popular and traditional Dutch pastries. Whether you call them turnovers or hand-pies, they are basically flaky crust wrapped around delicious filling, and you just can’t go wrong.
In addition to the diced apples, traditionally appelflappen also include plump raisins, cinnamon and sugar in the filling. They’re also finished with a generous sprinkle of sugar on the exterior of the pastry before baking.
The term appelflappen can actually be used synonymously for two different types of Dutch apple treats. The first is what you’ll find in this recipe, Dutch apple turnovers. The other appelflappen is also called appelbeignet and consist of slices of apple dipped in batter and deep-fried. They’re totally different yet the name is used interchangeably.
Ingredient notes
- Apples: There are many varieties of apples that are good for cooking and baking. A few recommended options include Honeycrisp, Granny Smith (pictured here), Fuji, or Pink Lady.
- Puff Pastry: There are many brands of puff pastry available on the market. Plan to use an all-butter puff pastry for optimal flavor (meaning it's made with butter and not shortening or other fats—I avoid Pepperidge Farm for these reasons). My usual go-to brand is Trader Joe's, but they only sell it seasonally in the fall, so it's best to stock up your freezer while you can!
How to make it
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack in the center, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add raisins to a heat-proof bowl and cover with very hot or just boiling water. Let it stand for about 3 to 5 minutes so they start to soften and plump up.
Carefully drain the water and blot the raisins with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and dice them into approximately ¼-inch pieces. Combine the diced apples with soaked raisins, sugar, and cinnamon.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry and cut it into 6 squares.
Place about 2 tablespoons of the apple and raisin mixture off center on one half of each square. Lightly brush the edges of the squares with a little beaten egg and then fold the dough over the filling diagonally to make triangles. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges closed.
Transfer the assembled turnovers to a prepared baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the turnovers with beaten egg and then evenly sprinkle half the sugar over the tops. Bake the first pan of appelflappen while you assemble the second pan–they will bake more evenly one at a time.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the appelflappen are puffed and golden brown.
While those are baking, repeat assembly with the remaining dough and filling, brushing with egg and finishing with sugar. Then bake the second pan. Cool (at least slightly) before enjoying warm or at room temperature.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
When dividing the filling over the puff pastry squares, avoid adding any of the accumulated juices at the bottom of the bowl. It will make the filling soggy.
Appelflappen are best enjoyed shortly after they’re baked. Otherwise, store leftovers in a non-plastic sealed container or wrapped in foil at room temperature. Keep in mind that the moisture of the filling will soften the pastry over time (so will storing it in plastic), so it’s best to enjoy these within a couple days.
Ideally, reheat leftover appelflappen in a toaster oven to warm them through and re-crisp the crust. They won’t taste as crispy as freshly baked, but they’re still good.
You can freeze appelflappen before baking them. Arrange raw apple turnovers (sans egg wash and sugar sprinkle) in a single layer on a piece of parchment (so they don't stick to the surface) and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for about a month. Bake them from a frozen state, with the egg wash and sugar sprinkled on top. Plan to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Although you could bake both pans of Dutch apple turnovers simultaneously in the oven by rotating the pans partway through cooking, baking them one at a time allows each to bake evenly. It also gives you the time to finish assembling the second half while the first pan bakes.
Other recipes you may like
- Apfelstrudel (Austrian Apple Strudel)
- Gâteau Invisible aux Pommes (Invisible Apple Cake)
- Tarte aux Pommes (French Apple Tart)
- Cranberry Apple Scones with Cinnamon Glaze
- Pastelitos de Queso y Guayaba (Guava and Cheese Pastries)
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Appelflappen (Dutch Apple Turnovers)
Ingredients
Turnovers:
- ¼ cup (40 grams) raisins
- 2 apples such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Pink Lady
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (17.3 to 18.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry thawed (contains 2 sheets; the size will depend on the brand)
- All-purpose flour as needed for dusting
Assembly and Topping:
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack in the center, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the raisins to a heat-proof bowl and cover with very hot or just boiling water. Let it stand for about 3 to 5 minutes so they start to soften and plump up. Carefully drain the water and blot the raisins with a paper towel to remove excess water.
- Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and dice them into approximately ¼-inch pieces. Combine the diced apples with soaked raisins, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry and cut it into 6 squares, each about 4-inches across. Place about 2 tablespoons of the apple and raisin mixture off center on one half of each square (if you were to fold it diagonally into a triangle). Avoid adding any of the accumulated juices at the bottom of the bowl, as it will make the filling soggy.
- Very lightly brush the edges of the squares with a little beaten egg and then fold the dough over the filling diagonally to make triangles. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges closed. Transfer the assembled turnovers to a prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the turnovers with beaten egg and then evenly sprinkle half the sugar over the tops. Bake the first pan of appelflappen while you assemble the second pan–they will bake more evenly one at a time. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the appelflappen are puffed and golden brown. While those are baking, repeat assembly with the remaining dough and filling, brushing with egg and finishing with sugar. Then bake the second pan. Cool (at least slightly) before enjoying warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Apples: There are many varieties of apples that are good for cooking and baking. A few recommended options include Honeycrisp, Granny Smith (pictured here), Fuji, or Pink Lady.
- Puff Pastry: There are many brands of puff pastry available on the market. Plan to use an all-butter puff pastry for optimal flavor (meaning it's made with butter and not shortening or other fats). My usual go-to brand is Trader Joe's, but they only sell it seasonally in the fall, so it's best to stock up your freezer while you can!
- Appelflappen are best enjoyed shortly after they’re baked. Otherwise, store leftovers in a non-plastic sealed container or wrapped in foil at room temperature. Keep in mind that the moisture of the filling will soften the pastry over time, so it’s best to enjoy these within a couple days.
- Ideally, reheat leftover appelflappen in a toaster oven to warm them through and re-crisp the crust. They won’t taste as crispy as freshly baked, but they’re still good.
- You can freeze appelflappen before baking them. Arrange raw apple turnovers (sans egg wash and sugar sprinkle) in a single layer on a piece of parchment (so they don't stick to the surface) and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for about a month. Bake them from a frozen state, with the egg wash and sugar sprinkled on top. Plan to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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