How to Make Grandma’s Apple Turnovers

By Amanda Roland
apple turnovers

Fall is such a sweet time for families to gather and share all of their favorite recipes. This is the second fall that my family is spending without my great-grandma, and even though she isnโ€™t here anymore to share her recipes with me, my Mema, her daughter, knows them well enough to pass them down to me. These apple turnovers are one of my great-grandmaโ€™s signature dishes, and they are great for bringing the family together and creating new memories.

For the dough:

  • 2 cups of self-rising flour
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

For the filling:

  • 1 package of dried apples (4 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. For the dough, combine the flour, sugar and salt together. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk just until the mixture is moistened, and donโ€™t over mix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours.
  2. To start the filling, put dried apples in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the apples until soft, stirring occasionally. Let the apples cool completely.
  3. Drain off the excess liquid from the apples, transfer the apples to a bowl, and add in the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Gently mash the apples to combine all the ingredients together, cover and chill.
  4. Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or skillet, heat the oil to 350ยฐF.
  5. Take your dough and section it into 18 portions. Roll out each portion to be a 5-inch flat circle. Make one turnover at a time by spooning a heaping tablespoon of apple filling into a circle of dough. Brush water on the edges of the circle so that the dough will stick to itself. Fold the dough over filling and press down the edges with a fork to make crimp marks.
  6. Fry the turnovers in batches for 3-4 minutes. The apple turnovers should be a lovely golden color when they are done. Lay the turnovers on a cooling rack lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  7. Enjoy warm!

Giggle Tip: Try with different kinds of fruit, like dried peaches or pears, or sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar or powdered sugar!