Homemade Cherry Turnovers

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Why You Will Love These Homemade Cherry Turnovers

If you love a good fruit-filled pastry, these Homemade Cherry Turnovers need to be on your list. They are made with buttery, flaky homemade puff pastry and a sweet cherry filling that is finished with a simple vanilla icing.

Whether you're looking for a homemade dessert for fall baking season, a sweet addition to brunch, or something to bring to a potluck, these Homemade Cherry Turnovers are a delicious option.

Ingredients

• Homemade puff pastry: I used my Homemade Puff Pastry to make these turnovers extra buttery and flaky. You can make the dough ahead of time so it is ready when you want to assemble your turnovers.
• Pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon: These simple ingredients cook down into a sweet and fruity strawberry filling. The lemon adds a little brightness and helps balance the sweetness.
• Powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract: This combination creates a simple vanilla icing that adds the perfect sweet finish.

How to Make Homemade Cherry Turnovers

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F.

Next, make the cherry filling. Add the pitted cherries to a saucepan and place it over medium-low heat. Add in the cornstarch and mix until the cherries are well coated. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon, then add the sugar. Stir everything together and let the mixture come to a gentle simmer.

As the cherries cook, they will begin to release their juices. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture turns into a thick, syrupy cherry filling.

Once the filling reaches that consistency, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely. Do not skip this step. I learned the hard way that hot filling is runny and can get messy very quickly. Once it cools, the filling thickens and becomes much easier to scoop into the pastry.

While the filling cools, grab your homemade puff pastry and roll it out if needed. Cut the dough into evenly sized squares.

Once the filling has cooled, add about one spoonful to the center of each square. Do not overfill them. Adding too much filling can cause it to leak out while the turnovers bake.

Take one corner of the pastry and fold it over to the opposite corner to create a triangle. Lightly press the edges together to seal the turnover. Repeat with the remaining pastry and cherry filling.

Place the assembled turnovers on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up, turned golden brown, and developed those beautiful flaky layers.

While the turnovers bake, prepare the icing. Add the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Whisk everything together until smooth. You want the icing to be thick enough to have some substance but thin enough to drizzle over the turnovers.

Once the turnovers come out of the oven, let them cool slightly. Drizzle the vanilla icing over the top, then serve and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Homemade Cherry Turnovers

• Let the filling cool completely. This is my biggest tip for this recipe. Hot strawberry filling is thin and runny, which makes the turnovers much harder to assemble. Once the filling cools, it thickens and becomes easier to scoop.
• Do not overfill the pastry. A little filling goes a long way. Adding too much can cause the filling to spill out while the turnovers bake.

Variations & Substitutions

• Use store-bought puff pastry. If you do not want to make puff pastry from scratch, you can use store-bought pastry instead.
• Try another fruit filling. This same method would work with strawberries, blueberries, or other fruit fillings.

Other Recipes You Will Love

If you loved this, you have to try my Homemade Strawberry Turnovers and Mixed Berry Cobbler!