Air Fryer Strawberry Turnovers

If you’ve never tried making turnovers in the air fryer, you’re going to be surprised at how well it works. The puff pastry comes out perfectly puffed and flaky every single time.

I wanted a simple pastry recipe that uses fresh strawberries, and this one really hit the spot. The filling is bright, fruity, and not overly sweet.

The whole recipe uses just a handful of everyday ingredients. You probably already have most of them in your kitchen right now.

Once they come out of the air fryer, you drizzle them with a quick vanilla glaze and they’re ready to go. They honestly look and taste like something from a bakery.

Whether you make these for a weekend breakfast or an afternoon treat, they’re always a hit. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The Vanilla Glaze Takes It Over the Top – That simple three-ingredient glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla drizzled over the warm pastry adds just the right amount of sweetness. It makes these turnovers look and taste like they came from a professional bakery.

Impressive Enough for Guests – These look like something you’d order at a brunch spot, with their golden puffed layers and drizzled glaze. Nobody has to know they only took you about 15 minutes and an air fryer to pull off.

The Air Fryer Makes Puff Pastry Incredibly Flaky – Puff pastry in the air fryer puffs up beautifully and gets this amazing golden, crispy exterior that honestly rivals a bakery. The hot circulating air creates layers of flakiness that are hard to beat.

The Cornstarch Keeps the Filling From Getting Soggy – A lot of fruit turnover recipes end up with a watery mess inside, but the cornstarch in this recipe thickens the strawberry juices just enough so the filling stays perfectly saucy without making the pastry soggy.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
• 1 cup Fresh Strawberries, diced small
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tbsp Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

Toss the diced strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Roll out the puff pastry slightly and cut into 4 equal squares. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the strawberry mixture onto one corner of each square, leaving a border for sealing.

Step 3

Fold each square diagonally to form a triangle. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Brush the tops with beaten egg.

Step 4

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Place the turnovers in the basket in a single layer.

Step 5

Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes until the pastry is puffed, golden, and flaky.

Step 6

Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to make a glaze. Drizzle over the warm turnovers and serve.

Tips

Thaw the Puff Pastry the Right Way

Take the puff pastry out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or leave it on the counter for about 30 to 40 minutes. You want it cold but flexible enough to unfold without cracking.

If you try to work with it while it’s still frozen or stiff, the pastry will crack right along the fold lines and your turnovers will have holes in them. On the other hand, if you let it sit out too long and it gets warm and soft, it’ll be sticky and hard to handle.

A good test is to gently unfold it. If it bends without cracking, you’re good to go.

Dice the Strawberries Small

Cut your strawberries into small pieces, roughly the size of a pea or a little bigger. Big chunks of strawberry will poke through the pastry and make it harder to seal the edges properly.

Smaller pieces also cook more evenly in the short air frying time. If the pieces are too large, you can end up with a turnover that has some bites with undercooked fruit while others are fine.

Also, make sure you pat the diced strawberries with a paper towel before tossing them with the sugar and cornstarch. Extra moisture on the berries can make the filling too watery.

Don’t Skip the Cornstarch

The cornstarch in the filling isn’t optional. Strawberries release a lot of juice as they heat up, and without cornstarch that juice has nowhere to go but out the edges of your turnover.

That one teaspoon of cornstarch thickens all that liquid into a nice jammy filling that stays inside the pastry instead of leaking out into your air fryer basket. It also keeps the bottom of the pastry from getting soggy.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Cinnamon Apple Empanadas
• Air Fryer Crispy Peach Cobbler Rolls
• Air Fryer Mini Apple Pies
• Air Fryer S’mores Pastry Pockets
• Air Fryer Chocolate Hazelnut Pastry Twists

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

You can, but you’ll want to thaw them completely first and drain off as much liquid as possible. Frozen strawberries release a lot more juice than fresh ones, and too much liquid can make the filling soggy and leak out during air frying.

After thawing, pat them dry with a paper towel before dicing and tossing with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest. The cornstarch will help thicken things up, but starting with drier fruit gives you the best results.