Puff Pastry Pumpkin Turnovers

Puff pastry pumpkin turnovers are a quick and easy dessert that everyone at your Thanksgiving Dinner table will love. Crunchy and flaky on the outside and sweet and creamy on the inside, these warm pumpkin treats are irresistible and super easy to make. 

Best Pumpkin Turnovers Recipe

Most pumpkin turnover recipes only call for mixing the pumpkin puree with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. I kick things up a notch in this easy recipe by adding egg yolk and condensed milk. It almost tastes like a pumpkin creme brulee wrapped in a flaky puff pastry casing!

And trust me, these easy pumpkin turnovers will make the Thanksgiving preparation effortless this year. The assembly process is super easy and can be done by a beginner in minutes. What's more, they also stay fresh for days, so you can have them for breakfast the following morning.

This is probably one of the easiest pumpkin desserts.

Katalin's Key Take on how to work with store-bought puff pastry

While making your own homemade classic puff pastry (or even rough puff pastry) is delicious, it does add considerable time and effort to your dessert. Store-bought puff pastry makes things a lot easier and means that a huge variety of puff pastry desserts are available to you!

The key to working with store-bought puff pastry is the temperature. Too hot? It will stick and tear. Too cold? It will break. I have two pro tips for you 1. Make sure your kitchen is cool, and 2. Be ready to put the pastry sheet in the freezer at any moment for a few minutes to chill it down again if it becomes too warm.

Some puff pastry comes frozen, and you will need to thaw it out before you begin so it can unfold and be rolled out easily, but it still needs to be cold. Remove the puff pastry sheet(s) from the box and outer wrapping and thaw at room temperature for no more than 40 minutes.

You can also thaw puff pastry in the microwave. Remove each pastry sheet from the box and outer wrapping and wrap it in a paper towel. Microwave one by one on high for 15 seconds, then turn the pastry sheet over and Microwave for another 15 seconds. Microwave for a further 5 seconds on each side if it still does not unfold easily.

Make the pumpkin filling

Pumpkin puree is the heart of pumpkin turnovers. However, depending on the type of puree you use and how much water it contains, the taste and texture of your bread can yield significantly different results. In this recipe, I use a can of Libby’s pumpkin puree (approximately two cup), but my homemade pumpkin puree works just as well.

Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice mix, granulated and brown sugar, egg yolk, and condensed milk to a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the ingredients together with a hand whisk until fully incorporated, then set it aside and refrigerate until needed.

Assemble pumpkin turnovers

Line two sheet trays with parchment paper. Then, thoroughly whisk together the whole egg with a dash of milk to create your egg wash. When working with puff pastry, you have to be fast, so it is best to be prepared.

I personally recommend rolling out each thawed puff pastry sheet (if using frozen puff pastry dough) on the baking sheet itself. This way, you can put it into the freezer to chill if it ever gets too warm/sticky to work with. Lightly flour the parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.

Roll the puff pastry sheets into a 28x28cm / 11x11-inch square. Divide and cut the square into 4 equal squares so each puff pastry sheet makes 4 turnovers.

Lightly brush a thin layer of egg wash over the edges of each square using a silicone pastry brush.

Fill the center of the square with about 1-2 tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture, leaving a ½ inch/1 cm margin around the edges. Do not add too much, or the pumpkin pie filling will seep out of the sides while baking.

Next, fold one corner of the filled pastry square over to the opposite side to create a triangle. Use your finger to press and seal the edges together, and use a fork to crimp the edges. 

How to bake

Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F (no fan). In the meantime, place your unbaked puff pastry desserts in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them cold.

Just before baking, lightly brush a thin layer of egg wash over the folded pastry, then sprinkle it with a small amount of granulated sugar. Using a toothpick, poke three small holes on top of the pastry.

Bake the turnovers for about half an hour or until the top is golden brown and the bottom is evenly baked.

If you notice that your pumpkin turnovers are browning too quickly on the outside, cover them with aluminum foil and then continue baking.

The pasties are baked when the bottom looks baked and golden brown. Always check the bottom of the pastries!

Decoration tips

Once the puff pastry pumpkin turnovers are done baking, let them cool for a few minutes on the baking tray before moving them to a cooling rack.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve them fresh, or make a simple glaze.

Whisk together half a cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream until it reaches a smooth consistency. Then, drizzle the glaze over the turnovers once they are cooled.

Storage and freezing

You can store them at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. To reheat them, put them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Puff pastry turnovers are the most delicious when served fresh. However, you can always assemble and freeze the turnovers in advance and then thaw and bake them on the day you wish to serve them. To freeze, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to two months.

Flavor Variations

Puff pastries are super versatile, and you can easily use different fillings (like in my mouthwatering puff pastry apple turnovers) or change up the pumpkin pie spice with something else.

You could try adding strawberry compote for a fresh berry taste or making a raspberry version. However, you will want to avoid too watery fillings, as they can make the pastry soggy. Always strain or cook down the filling first to remove excess moisture.

I love to serve these pumpkin puff pastries with a side of vanilla ice cream or my delicious cream cheese frosting. It's an excellent combination!

Ingredient Substitutions

Feel free to use gluten-free puff pastry sheets for the turnovers to make this recipe gluten-free. If you run out of eggs for the egg wash, you can use 3 tablespoons of any kind of milk instead.

If you want to substitute ingredients in the puff pastry with pumpkin filling, you will need to adjust the ratios and quantities of the other ingredients in the recipe. Unfortunately, I cannot provide instructions to accommodate every diet.

I have a whole section of baking guides to learn more about certain ingredients, possible substitutions, and how they may affect the recipe.

As we only use egg yolk in the pumpkin puff pastry turnovers filling, you can always save the egg whites for another recipe, such as a delicious meringue!

Expert tips

1. To avoid a soggy pastry, strain your pumpkin puree with cheesecloth to eliminate the extra water. Then, proceed with measuring the amount that you need. If you don't make your own, I recommend using a can of Libby's, as it has the best taste and texture.
2. If you want your pumpkin filling to have a deeper flavor, use dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar.
3. The puff pastry assembly process is easiest when the dough is cold. If the dough becomes too warm and sticky to work with at any point, place it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes, then proceed.
4. For a deeper color and additional shine, add a second layer of egg wash for ten minutes before removing them from the oven.

What equipment to use

Use a digital scale to measure your ingredients for the most accurate measurements and best results.

Cheesecloth is a helpful tool to help drain any of the extra water present in your pumpkin pie puree. If you don't drain the puree, it could result in a soggy pastry.

A hand whisk will help you quickly and effectively mix all the wet and dry ingredients for your pumpkin filling.

Puff pastry turnovers must be cooked quickly at a high temperature to achieve a flaky outside and thoroughly cooked inside. Since some oven temperatures can vary slightly, a digital oven thermometer ensures you have the correct baking temperature.

It can help to use a silicone baking mat versus a lightly floured surface and parchment paper. I also recommend a silicone pastry brush, which is very handy for ensuring your egg wash is distributed thinly and evenly.

Try some of my other pumpkin dessert recipes

If you loved these pumpkin turnovers, try some of my other recipes next.

• Pumpkin Blondies
• Pumpkin cream cheese pie
• Baked pumpkin spice donuts
• Pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting
• Double layer pumpkin pie

Visit also my fantastic puff pastry desserts round up where you can choose from 45 puff pastry desserts!

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