Sweet potato turnovers recipe yields flaky pastries with warm sweet potato puree spiced with cardamom and bright orange zest. The brown butter crust turns crisp and a sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a light crunch.
This recipe tackles the issues of soggy pastry and bland filling, creating a crisp, flavorful treat that’s quick and easy to prepare.
I tried easy sweet potato turnovers on a busy weeknight after the kids begged for a snack. I’d battled bland filling and a soggy bottom before, so I fixed both problems for a warm, crisp treat.
And this one stays crisp thanks to a short chill and a dash of seeds, and the spice mix smells warm as it bakes for 20–23 minutes. I learned to seal edges in cold water (no leaks) and pop extras in the freezer, so I’m relieved.
If you enjoy hiding veggies in sweet baked snacks, check out my Gluten Free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Bread for an easy variation.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is not gluten-free due to all-purpose flour.
- This recipe suits dairy-free diets only when using 1/2 cup coconut oil instead of butter.
- This recipe is not vegan due to egg and butter.
- This recipe is vegetarian and nut-free.
- This recipe is not keto or low-carb due to sweet potatoes and flour.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flaky Layers This sweet potato turnovers recipe uses chilled brown-butter pastry to create crisp, airy pockets that hold filling without becoming soggy.
- Warm Spice & Citrus Pop A blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, plus a tablespoon of orange zest adds bright warmth throughout each mouthful.
- Quick Oven Crunch These turnovers need just 20–23 minutes at 400°F to develop a deep golden crust that’s crisp on both top and bottom.
- Stash & Go I often flash-freeze assembled turnovers on a tray, then store them frozen up to one month; bake from frozen with 5–7 extra minutes.
Sweet Potato Turnovers Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cool Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 turnovers 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Description
Flaky pastries filled with warm sweet potato purée spiced with cardamom and orange zest, featuring a brown butter crust and sesame seed topping.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tablespoons brown butter, chilled and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato (from about 2 medium baked or steamed)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 small orange)
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Begin by heating 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Keep an eye on it as the foam subsides—you’re looking for a golden-brown color and a nutty aroma. Once reached, strain the butter and allow it to chill until firm before cubing it.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Add the chilled cubes of cold unsalted butter and the pre-chilled brown butter pieces. Cut them in with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Remember, keeping everything very cold is key for a flaky texture.
- Drizzle in 6–8 tablespoons of ice water, adding just one tablespoon at a time while you toss the mixture gently. You want the dough to come together without becoming tough. Once it does, form it into a ball, split it in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups of mashed sweet potato with ½ cup of packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of orange zest, 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons of tahini, and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Chill this mixture while the dough rests.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into a rectangle approximately 12 x 10 inches. Cut this into six 5 x 4-inch rectangles. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto one half of each rectangle. Brush the edges with water, fold the dough over to create triangles, and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush the egg wash over each turnover. Then, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of black sesame seeds on top for added texture and sweetness.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20–23 minutes. Turn the sheet halfway through for even browning. Look for that deep golden color and a toasty smell before taking them out. For an extra crispy bottom, place the sheet on a preheated baking stone or an inverted baking tray.
- For freezing, flash-freeze the assembled turnovers on a tray before transferring them into a storage container. You can then bake from frozen, adding an additional 5–7 minutes to the baking time. To freeze the dough, wrap the disks tightly in plastic and store them for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Brown butter adds nutty aroma and improves crust color.
- Using cold butter and chilling tools ensures a flakier pastry.
- Chilling the dough and filling allows for easier handling and prevents melting butter.
- For a vegan option, substitute the butter with ½ cup coconut oil and use a non-dairy milk wash.
- Freshly grating spices like nutmeg or cardamom enhances flavor complexity compared to pre-ground.
- For maximum texture, the tahini and chia seeds enrich the filling, contributing to creaminess and crunch.
- Variations can include swapping sweet potatoes with pumpkin purée or using lemon zest for a different citrus note.
- Store any cooled turnovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 turnover
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: look for uniform off-white color, sift before use to lift dough, swap with gluten-free 1-to-1 blend for a lighter gluten-free option.
- Mashed sweet potatoes: bake firm orange-fleshed spuds until tender, mash until smooth to avoid gaps, canned pumpkin works in a pinch.
- Ground nutmeg: grate whole berries for bright warmth and even flavor; pre-ground is OK but fades faster.
- Vanilla extract: pick pure for added depth; imitation works when budgets are tight.
- Fresh orange juice: squeeze ripe, firm oranges for live acidity; bottled juice works but lacks fresh zip.
- Chia seeds: select glossy seeds to boost texture and absorb moisture; flax seeds bind similarly with softer crunch.
- Black sesame seeds: grab plump, glossy seeds for contrast; white sesame seeds replace if you want neutral look.
Recipe Baking Tips
- If dough becomes sticky 5 minutes into rolling, chill 10 minutes then dust with 1 tbsp flour to prevent tearing.
- When edges fail to seal, brush 1 tsp water along edges before folding and press firmly with fork to keep filling inside.
- For undercooked centers 20 minutes into bake, move sheet to lower rack and bake 5 minutes for crisp bottoms and filled centers.
- If pastry browns too quickly, tent with foil 15 minutes into bake to prevent overbrowning while keeping interior moist.
- When filling feels dry, stir in 1 tbsp fresh orange juice 5 minutes before rolling dough to boost moisture and sweet spice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with quinoa tabbouleh salad and carrot apple slaw dressed in lemon juice olive oil sea salt and black pepper. Place a scoop of cilantro lime rice beside sweet potato turnovers recipe topped with toasted sesame seeds and chopped parsley.
Use mashed sweet potato turnover filling to make chickpea flour empanadas with spinach onion mixture and ground smoked paprika spice. Turn sweet potato turnovers recipe into breakfast strata by layering pastry squares with egg cheese milk nutmeg and leek vegetables.
Top sweet potato turnovers recipe with yogurt tahini sauce drizzled over pastry then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds chili flakes. Serve alongside orange mint compote or drizzle citrus honey garlic syrup to highlight cardamom and orange zest in every bite.
Recipe variations
- You can use canned pumpkin purée instead of mashed sweet potato, measuring two cups, to create autumn-inspired turnovers enriched with warm spices and citrus zest.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground clove and ½ teaspoon extra cardamom to the filling, whisking into sweet potato purée for deeper spiced notes before assembling turnovers.
- Either 2½ cups cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend or almond flour replaces all-purpose flour for an allergy-friendly pastry, as featured in my Gluten-Free Pecan Pie crust.
- If using half dough yield for smaller batches, halve pastry and filling amounts to 1¼ cups flour, ½ cup butter, 1 cup sweet potato purée.
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your sweet potato turnovers recipe fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Arrange turnovers in single layer before sealing container.
Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 7 days. Chill turnovers in single layer then seal container tightly.
Freezing: Wrap turnovers in plastic wrap then place in freezer bag in freezer up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies
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