Gluten Free Strawberry Turnovers

These gluten free strawberry turnovers are flaky, buttery, and filled with a sweet homemade strawberry filling. They taste just like the ones from a bakery, but without any gluten.

The pastry dough comes together easily and bakes up golden and crispy. Inside, you get that warm, jammy strawberry flavor with a hint of lemon.

If you’ve been missing turnovers since going gluten free, this recipe is going to make you really happy. They taste incredible and nobody will guess they’re gluten free.

The simple vanilla glaze on top adds just the right amount of sweetness. It makes them look pretty too.

They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even as a dessert. Let me show you how to make them step by step.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Flaky Buttery Pastry – The combination of cold butter and cream cheese creates a tender and flaky dough that rivals any traditional turnover.

Fresh Homemade Filling – The jammy strawberry filling made from real fresh berries tastes so much better than anything from a store.

You Would Never Know It Is Gluten Free – This dough bakes up so golden and crispy that nobody will guess these turnovers are gluten free.

Sweet Vanilla Glaze On Top – The simple powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the warm pastry adds the perfect sweet finishing touch.

Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough

• 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
• 4 oz Cream Cheese, cold and cubed
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tbsp Ice Water

For the Strawberry Filling

• 2 cups Fresh Strawberries, diced
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

For the Egg Wash & Glaze

• 1 Large Egg, beaten
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and cream cheese, then use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work them in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces.

Add the egg and ice water, then stir until the dough comes together. Shape it into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

While the dough chills, make the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the diced strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens into a jammy consistency. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough out on a well-floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out 6 squares or rectangles, roughly 5 inches each. You may need to re-roll scraps.

Step 4

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry filling onto one half of each dough square, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Fold the dough over diagonally to form a triangle or fold in half for a rectangle shape. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.

Step 5

Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each one with beaten egg. Use a fork to poke 2 to 3 small vent holes in the top of each turnover.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and deeply golden brown.

Step 6

While the turnovers cool slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until a smooth glaze forms. Drizzle generously over the warm turnovers and let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.

My Tips

Keep the Butter and Cream Cheese Really Cold

The butter and cream cheese need to stay as cold as possible while you work them into the flour. Those little pea-sized pieces of cold fat are what create flaky layers when the turnovers bake.

If your kitchen is warm or you feel like the dough is getting soft and greasy while you’re cutting in the butter, stop and put the whole bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes. Then come back and finish.

Gluten free dough doesn’t have gluten to hold it together, so those cold fat pieces are doing most of the structural work. Warm, mushy dough will bake up flat and dense instead of flaky.

Let the Strawberry Filling Cool Completely

This one really matters. If you spoon warm filling onto the dough, the fat in the pastry will start melting before it even gets to the oven. That means your turnovers will spread and lose their shape while baking.

Warm filling also makes the dough sticky and hard to fold and seal. You’ll end up fighting with it and the edges won’t stay closed.

Make the filling first and let it cool on the counter, or stick it in the fridge to speed things up. It should be room temperature or cooler before it goes on the dough.

Use Plenty of Flour When Rolling

Gluten free dough is stickier than regular dough, especially one with cream cheese in it. Be generous with the gluten free flour on your surface, your rolling pin, and even on top of the dough.

Roll from the center outward and rotate the dough a quarter turn every few rolls. If it starts sticking, peel it up gently and add more flour underneath.

If the dough keeps cracking or feels too stiff, let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften just slightly. It should feel firm but not rock hard.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Strawberry Toaster Pastries
• Gluten Free Apple Strudel
• Gluten Free Cheese Danish Pastries
• Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
• Gluten Free Fresh Fruit Tart

FAQ

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

You can, but make sure to thaw them first and drain off as much liquid as possible before cooking the filling. Frozen strawberries release a lot more water, so skipping this step can make your filling too runny and lead to soggy turnovers.

You may also need to cook the filling a minute or two longer to get that thick, jammy consistency you want.