Easy Apple Turnovers with Biscuits

Apple season always gets me excited about baking, but I don’t always have time for making pie dough from scratch. That’s when I discovered the magic of using refrigerated biscuits for apple turnovers. They give me all the flaky, buttery goodness I crave without the extra work.

These apple turnovers became a game-changer in my house. I can throw them together on a busy weeknight when the kids are asking for something sweet, or prep a batch on Sunday for easy breakfasts all week. The biscuits do most of the heavy lifting, so I just focus on getting those apples perfectly spiced and tender.

Want something that tastes homemade but doesn’t require rolling out dough? These turnovers are your answer. They’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and filled with warm cinnamon apples that taste like fall in every bite.

What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

For apple turnovers, you’ll want to stick with cooking apples that hold their shape well when baked and won’t turn to mush. Granny Smith apples are probably your best bet since they’re tart, firm, and won’t get too soft during baking. Honeycrisp and Braeburn are also great choices if you prefer a slightly sweeter flavor while still maintaining that nice texture. Avoid softer apples like Red Delicious or McIntosh, as they tend to break down too much and can make your turnovers soggy. When prepping your apples, slice them about 1/4-inch thick so they cook evenly and fit nicely inside your biscuit pockets.

Options for Substitutions

This simple turnover recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Refrigerated biscuits: If you’re out of canned biscuits, you can use puff pastry sheets (thaw first and cut into squares) or even pie crust rolled thin and cut into circles. Puff pastry will give you a flakier result.
• Cooking apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn work great, but really any firm apple will do. Just avoid soft varieties like Red Delicious that might turn mushy when cooked.
• Light brown sugar: Regular brown sugar or even white sugar mixed with a pinch of molasses works fine. You can also try coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor.
• Ground nutmeg: Don’t have nutmeg? Skip it entirely or add a tiny pinch of allspice or cardamom instead. The cinnamon is really the star here anyway.
• Apple schnapps: If you don’t have apple schnapps, stick with vanilla extract, or try a splash of apple juice or even rum extract for the glaze.
• Powdered sugar glaze: You can skip the glaze altogether and just dust with powdered sugar, or make a simple cinnamon-sugar topping to sprinkle on before baking.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making apple turnovers is overfilling them with the apple mixture, which causes the filling to leak out during baking and creates a messy situation – stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per biscuit to avoid this problem. Another common error is not sealing the edges properly, so make sure to press the biscuit edges firmly with a fork and brush them with a little water first to help them stick together. Don’t skip letting the cooked apples cool slightly before assembling, as hot filling can make the biscuit dough too soft to work with and more likely to tear. Finally, keep an eye on your turnovers during the last few minutes of baking since the sugar in the filling can cause them to brown quickly – if they’re getting too dark, cover them loosely with foil.

What to Serve With Apple Turnovers?

These warm apple turnovers are perfect on their own, but they’re even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts slightly from the heat of the pastry. A hot cup of coffee or spiced apple cider makes a great drink pairing, especially on a cool morning or evening. If you want to make it a more complete breakfast or brunch, serve them alongside some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage to balance out the sweetness. You can also drizzle a little extra caramel sauce on top or dust them with a bit more cinnamon for an extra treat.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These apple turnovers are best enjoyed fresh and warm, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The biscuit pastry might soften a bit, but they’ll still taste great for breakfast or a snack.

Freeze: You can freeze baked turnovers for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. I like to freeze them before adding the glaze, then drizzle it on after reheating for the best texture.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, pop them in a 350°F oven for about 5-8 minutes until warmed through. You can also use the microwave for 20-30 seconds, but the oven will help crisp up the outside again.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15 minutes
Total Time	25-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1550
• Protein: 10-14 g
• Fat: 28-34 g
• Carbohydrates: 290-320 g

Ingredients

For the turnovers:

• 1 tbsp melted butter (cooled slightly)
• 4 tbsp light brown sugar (packed)
• 3 cooking apples (Granny Smith preferred, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 can refrigerated biscuits (Pillsbury or similar, 8 count)

For the glaze:

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• Water as needed (1-2 tbsp, for desired consistency)

Step 1: Prepare the Apple Filling

• 3 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp melted butter

In a medium bowl, combine the sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Stir gently to coat the apples evenly with the spices and sugar.

The apples will release some juice as they sit, which is perfect for the filling.

Add the cooled melted butter and toss once more to combine.

Set aside while you prepare the biscuits—I like to let the apples macerate for a few minutes so the flavors really meld together.

Step 2: Preheat Oven and Prepare Workspace

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.

This gives you time to work with the biscuits while the oven reaches temperature.

Step 3: Shape and Fill the Turnovers

• 1 can refrigerated biscuits
• apple filling mixture from Step 1

Remove the biscuits from the can and gently separate them.

On a clean, lightly floured surface, flatten each biscuit into a thin circle about 1/8-inch thick using your palm or a rolling pin.

Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the apple filling from Step 1 in the center of each circle, being careful not to overstuff.

Fold the biscuit in half to create a half-moon shape, then press the edges firmly with a fork to seal and create a decorative pattern.

I press pretty firmly along the sealed edge to ensure they don’t pop open during baking.

Step 4: Bake the Turnovers

• shaped turnovers from Step 3

Arrange the sealed turnovers on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and the edges are lightly darkened.

The bottoms should also turn golden.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a serving plate.

Step 5: Make and Apply the Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp water

While the turnovers cool slightly, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl until combined.

Slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until you reach a pourable but still thick consistency—it should drape over the turnovers without running off immediately.

Drizzle the glaze generously over each warm turnover, allowing it to set slightly as it cools.

The warmth of the turnovers will help the glaze adhere and create a light, sweet coating that complements the spiced apples perfectly.