Peach Turnovers with Homemade Puff Pastry

This recipe makes 8 large peach turnovers and is one of my favorite ways to use fresh peaches during peach season. If you'd like to make a more traditional laminated pastry, try my Cherry Turnovers with Homemade Puff Pastry.

Why You'll Love These Peach Turnovers

• Quick homemade puff pastry. Traditional puff pastry takes several hours and involves multiple rounds of rolling, folding, and chilling. This shortcut version gives you buttery, flaky layers in much less time.
• Fresh peach filling. Fresh peaches are tossed with brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and lemon juice for a simple filling that tastes like summer.
• Flaky and buttery. The secret is keeping the butter cold and leaving some larger pieces of butter in the dough. Those butter pockets create flaky layers as the turnovers bake.
• Only 8 turnovers. This recipe makes eight generous 5-inch turnovers, making it perfect for a family dessert or small gathering.
• Great for peach season. If you have a basket of ripe peaches to use, these turnovers are an easy way to turn them into something special.

Tips for Making Flaky Peach Turnovers

• Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is the most important part of making flaky pastry. If the butter starts getting soft while you're working, put the dough back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
• Don't overwork the dough. The pastry dough should look rough rather than perfectly smooth. Overworking it can make the finished turnovers tougher and prevent the butter from creating distinct flaky layers.
• Leave some butter in larger pieces. Don't cut all of the butter into the flour. The larger pieces create pockets of butter that help form flaky layers when they melt and release steam in the oven.
• Use cold water. Cold water helps keep the butter firm while you mix the dough.
• Chill the dough. Don't skip the refrigeration step. Chilled dough is easier to roll and gives you a flakier finished pastry.
• Don't overfill the turnovers. It can be tempting to add lots of peach filling, but too much filling makes the turnovers difficult to seal and increases the chance of leaking.
• Seal the edges well. Press the edges together with your fingers before crimping them with a fork. This gives the filling less opportunity to escape.
• Cut vents in the tops. A few small slits allow steam from the peaches to escape as the turnovers bake.
• Let them cool before serving. The peach filling stays extremely hot even after the pastry comes out of the oven.

Ingredients for Peach Turnovers

• Cold butter: Cold butter is essential for creating flaky layers in the quick puff pastry. Use real butter rather than margarine.
• All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for this pastry dough.
• Cold water: Keep the water cold so the butter stays firm while you mix and shape the dough.
• Salt: A little salt balances the richness of the butter.
• Fresh peaches: Peel and dice ripe peaches into small pieces. Choose peaches that are ripe and flavorful but aren't so soft that they turn to mush when diced.
• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor to the peach filling.
• Cinnamon: A small amount of cinnamon gives the peaches a warm, classic pie flavor.
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the juices released by the peaches so the filling doesn't become too watery.
• Lemon juice: Brightens the peach filling and balances the sweetness.
• Egg and water: This simple egg wash gives the turnovers a beautiful golden finish.
• Coarse sugar: Adds a little sparkle, sweetness, and crunch to the tops of the turnovers.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Peach Turnovers with Homemade Puff Pastry

The secret to successful homemade puff pastry is simple: keep the butter cold, don't overwork the dough, and give it time to chill.

Make the Quick Puff Pastry

Step 1: Chill most of the butter. Cut two sticks of cold butter into small pieces and place them on a plate. Return them to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

Step 2: Cut butter into the flour. Cut the remaining half stick of butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour and use a pastry cutter or two butter knives to work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or sand.

Step 3: Add the cold butter pieces. Remove the refrigerated butter from the refrigerator and add it to the flour mixture. Toss the butter pieces in the flour until they're coated. Don't cut this butter into the flour. Leaving larger pieces of butter in the dough is what helps create flaky layers.

Step 4: Add the cold water. Mix the cold water and salt together, then pour it into the flour and butter mixture. Gently mix until the water has been absorbed and a rough dough forms. The dough will look crumbly and you'll still see pieces of butter. That's exactly what you want.

Step 5: Flatten the dough. Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it flat. Roll over the dough with a rolling pin until the butter pieces have flattened into the dough.

Step 6: Roll and fold the dough. Remove the plastic wrap and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a ball, then flatten it slightly. Roll it into a 6x18-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like folding a business letter.

Step 7: Chill the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can prepare the peach filling while the dough chills.

Make the Fresh Peach Filling

Step 8: Prepare the peaches. Peel and dice the fresh peaches into small pieces. Add them to a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and lemon juice.

Step 9: Toss the filling. Gently stir everything together until the peaches are evenly coated. Set the filling aside while you finish preparing the pastry.

Assemble the Peach Turnovers

Step 10: Roll out the chilled pastry. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Gently pound it a few times with a rolling pin to soften it slightly, then roll it out until it is about ¼-inch thick.

Step 11: Cut the pastry squares. Trim the dough into a 10x20-inch rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into eight 5-inch squares.

Step 12: Fill the pastry. Use a slotted spoon to place a small amount of peach filling in the center of each pastry square. Don't overfill them or the filling will be difficult to seal inside.

Step 13: Fold and seal the turnovers. Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges of the pastry. Fold each square diagonally over the filling to create a triangle. Press the edges together with your fingers, then crimp the edges firmly with a fork.

Step 14: Cut vents in the tops. Use a sharp knife to cut a few small slits in the top of each turnover. The vents allow steam to escape while the turnovers bake.

Step 15: Add the egg wash and sugar. Place the turnovers on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together the egg and water, then brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Step 16: Bake the peach turnovers. Bake at 400°F for 22-24 minutes, or until the turnovers are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool for several minutes before serving.

The peach filling will be very hot straight from the oven, so give the turnovers time to cool slightly before eating.

How to Serve Peach Turnovers

These turnovers are delicious slightly warm when the pastry is still crisp and flaky and the peach filling is soft and juicy. For an extra-special dessert, serve a warm peach turnover with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let the ice cream melt over the flaky pastry.

How to Store Peach Turnovers

Store cooled peach turnovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For the best texture, reheat them in a 350°F oven or toaster oven until warmed through and crisp. The oven will restore some of the flaky texture lost during storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

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