The Best Sourdough Discard Apple Turnovers (Hand Pie)

Apple turnovers are a delicious treat that I grew up enjoying at my grandmas home. In fact, it was one of my favorite desserts! As I got older, she would often make a large batch and freeze some for me to bake whenever. The best sourdough discard apple turnovers (hand pie) recipe is my grandmas delicious recipe converted into a sourdough discard recipe. 

In addition, each year we can a massive amount of apple pie filling (check out the recipe - without pectin, here). In our home, this canned apple pie filling is a kitchen staple.

This recipe is the perfect way to utilize canned apple pie filling as well as sourdough discard. An added bonus, the best apples come from the tree my husband planted on out property when he was a small boy (we may be biased).

Jump to:

• Why Sourdough?
• Maintaining a Sourdough Starter
• Ingredients
• Simple Ingredients for Apple Turnovers Recipe
• Sourdough Discard Apple Turnover Instructions 
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storing the Apple Turnovers
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• Top Tip
• FAQ
• Related Recipes
• The Best Sourdough Discard Apple Turnovers (Hand Pie)

Why Sourdough?

Sourdough certainly seems to be growing in popularity due to the nutritional benefits. Using basic ingredients, sourdough makes one of the healthiest breads. Sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than whole wheat bread or white bread, and the baked goods typically contain less gluten than regular yeast breads. Sourdough is a fermented bread. Fermented bread is great for an anti-inflammatory diet, can improve gut health, and contains higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Sourdough starter discard recipes typically take no more time or effort than other similar recipes (recipes that do not contain the sourdough discard ingredient). We all know that most store-bought processed sweets contain preservatives and have almost a rubbery sort of texture, so definitely not the good stuff containing natural ingredients.

Maintaining a Sourdough Starter

I had dabbled in the world of sourdough over the years, but never fully jumped in until a client of mine had gifted me a sourdough starter. It is easiest to get started with sourdough by using an already established starter, however, it is possible to create a starter from scratch as well.

A sourdough starter takes a little bit of maintenance - feeding and discarding daily. Typically, it is a 1:1:1 ratio of an established starter, all purpose flour (unbleached) and distilled water. The consistency should be that of pancake batter, so sometimes less water is appropriate. 

For a sourdough beginner, I highly recommend starting with sourdough discard recipes, such as this one. Baking with leftover sourdough discard is a great way to keep any of the extra sourdough starter from going to waste. In my opinion, the sourdough starter discard recipes are much easier to follow than recipes calling for active starter.  

Recipes calling for active sourdough starter typically require multiple steps to ensure sufficient rising and proofing, which complicates the process and can be overwhelming for a beginner. 

Most discard recipes, on the other hand, do not. Also, to utilize active starter you have to catch the starter when it is in fact active. This can be intimidating to someone new to sourdough or in the beginning, so getting the hang of daily feeding and utilizing the discard in recipes can be a great place to get started. 

For more detailed info on maintaining a sourdough starter, check out this very detailed post here written by Farmhouse on Boone.

Another delicious recipe, perfect for using sourdough discard, is my sourdough discard pumpkin muffin recipe — check it out here! Or, for a delicious sourdough discard banana bread, find the recipe here! Or if you’re looking for another simple sourdough apple recipe, check out this simple sourdough discard applesauce muffin and bread recipe here!

Ingredients

Simple Ingredients for Apple Turnovers Recipe

Sourdough Discard Pie Crust Ingredients

• ¾ cup sourdough discard
• 1 ½ cups shortening (or butter at room temperature or softened)
• 3 cups flour
• 5 tablespoons water
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks (for egg wash)

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

• 1.5 Quart Jar of Canned Apple Pie Filling (or 32oz of store bought apple pie filling or apples peeled and sliced)
• 4 tablespoons of Brown Sugar (if using store bought apply pie filling or sliced and peeled apples)

See recipe card for quantities.

Sourdough Discard Apple Turnover Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a large baking sheet (or 2) with parchment paper.

Prepare the Sourdough Pie Crust

• Combine the dry pie dough ingredients (flour and salt) in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• Combine the beaten egg, water, vinegar, and sourdough discard in a separate large bowl. 
• Cut the shortening (butter) into the dry ingredients and then add in the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. 
• On a lightly floured work surface, fold dough into itself until all flour is combined.

• Roll the dough into a rectangle and trifold it into itself 3-4 times.
• Add flour to the work surface and roll the dough out into a 18x20 inch rectangle. 

• Divide the dough into 12 equal parts - square portions.

Add the Filling & Form the Apple Turnovers

• Add the apple pie filling to half of the dough square (in a triangle shape). 
• Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly across (unless using the pie filling).

• Fold the dough into half to form a triangle shape and seal the edges with a fork. 

• Brush the tops of the triangles with the egg wash (egg yolk) using a pastry brush.
• Bake the apple turnovers for about 25-30 minutes our until golden brown.

Substitutions

Try these other substitutions for the apple pie filling:

• Blueberry Pie filling
• Strawberry Pie Filling
• Pumpkin Pie Filling
• Pizza sauce, pepperonis, and cheese

Sourdough discard can be left out of this recipe completely, but what is the fun in that?!

Equipment

A kitchen aid mixer with a paddle attachment is a great investment for someone who loves to bake or does a lot of it! I have this one, and use it daily - from making butter to baked goods.

Storing the Apple Turnovers

The best sourdough discard apple turnovers (hand pie) are best enjoyed fresh, cooled slightly. However, the hand pies can be stored in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to a week.

For freezer storage, flash freeze first. Then store in a freezer bag or freezer safe container such as a vacuum sealed bag. To reheat the cooked then frozen apple dessert, simply thaw in the refrigerator first, then heat in the air fryer or the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes or until warm. 

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FAQ

Related Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these sourdough recipes: