French Apple Turnovers (Chaussons aux Pommes)

These classic apple turnovers are a quintessential French pâtisserie — flaky, buttery, and just the right balance of sweet and tart. They are my all-time favorite breakfast indulgence.

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You will find apple turnovers or “chaussons aux pommes” in just about every bakery in France. The reason being, I think, is because they are not only incredibly delicious, but also so simple to make. You can use good-quality store-bought puff pastry, and have these assembled and in the oven in no time!

There is something so good about the elegance of traditional chaussons aux pommes. You can really taste and appreciate all of the flavor of the apples and the buttery pastry. Some people add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to the apples, but I tend to prefer the simplicity of the traditional version.

CAN I USE STORE-BOUGHT PUFF PASTRY FOR APPLE TURNOVERS?

You can definitely use homemade puff pastry for this recipe (click for my Traditional Puff Pastry recipe).

But, admittedly, I more often than not go for a really good store-bought version to make things easier for myself. Try to look for an “all-butter” puff pastry if you can find one; they usually have the best flavor and taste as close to homemade as you can get.

One thing I will note about store-bought puff pastry (at least in my area) is that they all seem to vary in size. Some brands come in one sheet, others come in two sheets, and all seem to come in different sizes and thicknesses. Just use whatever you can find and use your best judgment.

In any case, for puff pastry that comes in two sheets, one trick I like to do is cover one sheet with a light brushing of egg wash, then stick the other sheet on top, and roll them both out together. I’ve found this gives the right thickness and amount of “puff” that you are looking for when thinking of apple turnovers. I’ve found that one package of puff pastry makes about 6 to 8 chaussons aux pommes.

I made chaussons aux pommes in the classic shape, but you can just as easily make them by cutting out squares of puff pastry 5” by 5” and folding them into triangles.

WHAT KIND OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR APPLE TURNOVERS?

I use Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but you can really use whatever apples you like. Cook them in the same way; just be sure to account for the sweetness. Granny Smith apples can be quite tart — so, if you are using a sweeter apple, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar accordingly. You can always adjust the quantity of sugar and lemon juice to get the perfect balance of sweet and tart to suit you and your family’s taste.

One last note about the apples is that I’ve noticed different people prefer different textures for the apple filling. You can cook and mash your apples into a smoother texture, leave large firm chunks, or everything in between… whatever you prefer!

First, start preparing the apple purée, which will be used for filling the turnovers.

Wash, peel, and dice the apples to a ½” to ¼” thickness.

Then, in a saucepan, combine the apples with the water, sugar, butter, and lemon juice.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns into an apple purée. It should look and taste like a good-quality homemade applesauce.

Set aside the apple purée and allow it to cool completely before using.

Meanwhile, if frozen, thaw out the puff pastry. If using frozen store-bought puff pastry, unfold and lay out flat. If using homemade puff pastry, make sure it is well chilled before rolling it out.

In a small bowl, make an egg wash. This is just one egg beaten into one teaspoon of water.

As I mentioned earlier, if a “puffier” turnover is desired, stack multiple sheets of store-bought puff pastry one on top of the other, brushing the egg wash in between each layer to adhere the layers together.

Roll out the puff pastry to a square about 15″ by 15″.

Then, cut out your desired shape(s). Place each cut-out on a baking sheet or sheet pan (or multiple, if needed) lined with parchment paper.

With a spoon, fill the center of each cut-out with a generous tablespoon of apple purée.

With a pastry brush, brush the outside edge of half of the cut-out with egg wash. Fold over the other half and, with your fingers, gently press to seal. Note: try not to fuse the dough and butter layers together (or the pastry will not “puff” correctly).

Chill the turnovers (on the pans) in the fridge or freezer to allow dough to firm (at least 15 minutes). The turnovers can actually be stored like this for several hours until ready to bake.

When all ready to bake the turnovers, preheat the oven to 400℉.

Then, with a pastry brush, brush the top and sides of the turnover with the remaining egg wash. Score the top of each turnover to allow steam to escape during the baking process.

Bake in the preheated for 15 minutes. The turnovers will puff during this phase.

Turn down oven to 350℉ and rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking.

Bake the turnovers for another 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and crisp. Keep your eye on them to make sure they are completely baked through, but not burnt!

Remove the pans from the oven and allow the turnovers to cool for about 15 minutes.

Serve them warm, or allow them to cool completely before storing and refrigerating/freezing them, as desired.