• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Red Spatula logo
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Best Breakfast
    • Awesome Appetizers
    • Drink Ideas
    • Healthy Salads
    • Soup Recipes
    • Always Snacking
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Beef Dishes
    • Fish Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipe Ideas
    • Delicious Desserts
  • Travel And Hiking
    • International Travel
    • Travel- United States
    • Exploring National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Hikes In The USA
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Best Breakfast
    • Awesome Appetizers
    • Drink Ideas
    • Healthy Salads
    • Soup Recipes
    • Always Snacking
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Beef Dishes
    • Fish Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipe Ideas
    • Delicious Desserts
  • Travel And Hiking
    • International Travel
    • Travel- United States
    • Exploring National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Hikes In The USA
  • Contact
×

Home » Always Snacking

Simple Ham and Cheese Turnovers

Published: Dec 17, 2019 · Modified: Oct 23, 2021 by Amy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Jump to Recipe

If you’re looking for a simple appetizer for your next gathering, you’ll love these Ham and Cheese Turnovers. They are made with scrumptious puff pastry, ham, cheese, and mustard for an instant favorite.

Why These Are a Party Favorite!

If you need a party appetizer, these ham and cheese turnovers are a wonderful option. You can use any type of cheese as a filler to make a rich and delectable treat. Some options include gouda, gruyere, or even parmesan. To make the turnover even more customized, you could change the type of mustard you use, as well.

I opted to use store-bought puff pastry for these little treats to make them easier to prepare. Of course, you could always make your puff pastry if you prefer. I’ve even made a partial wheat version in the past.

Ham and Cheese Turnovers in a bowl.

Ingredients

  • Puff Pastry - you can buy puff pastry from the store or make your own
  • Ham - Sliced works best
  • Mustard - Stone ground, yellow, dijon, or spicy
  • Cheese - Cheddar, parmesan, gouda, or gruyere

How to Make Them

Start by thawing your puff pastry. You’ll need to keep the puff pastry covered while it thaws to prevent it from drying out. You can either do this in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for about 30 minutes.

Next, open up a sheet and roll it out a little thinner. It doesn't need to be really thin, but I like to roll it out until it is about 2-3 inches larger all the way around.

Cut the puff pastry sheet into 9 pieces, 3x3. You will be folding these into a rectangle, so add the ingredients into the center. Start with a touch of mustard, then the ham, then grated cheese. Brush 2 of the edges with egg wash, and fold it over to form a triangle.

Pinch the sides closed and press gently with a fork. Move it to your prepared baking sheet.

I highly recommend that you use parchment paper to make cleanup easier. Brush the outside with egg wash as well.

Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown. They will cook quickly, so keep an eye on them.

That’s it, enjoy them right after they come out of the oven.

Woman holding Ham and Cheese Turnovers in a bowl.
Ham and grated cheese on a white cutting board.
Woman brushing ham and cheese turnovers with egg wash.
Woman adding cheese on top of ham and puff pastry.

What Is Puff Pastry?

Puff pastry is a flaky, layered pastry that’s created by layering dough and butter to create what is called a laminated effect. The butter is the magic ingredient that makes the pastry puff up in the oven as the liquid evaporates. It also makes the pastry flaky and golden.

Puff pastry is usually only made with flour, butter, salt, and water, making it very versatile.

Puff pastry is pretty difficult to make by hand because it requires a lot of time and effort. You start with a block of butter wrapped in dough and it’s rolled out and folded again and again making hundreds of layers.

The dough must be kept chilled after every fold, complicating the process. Because of this, I recommend using store-bought puff pastry to make these appetizers simpler to make.

Notes

  • You can always reserve one of the sheets for later if you like. My family loves these, so I need all 18 to feed them!
  • Any type of mustard can be used in these turnovers. My family loves a classic yellow, or stoneground, but use what you like!
  • Make sure your puff pastry is thawed before using. It is really hard to work with and roll it out if isn't thawed.
  • These are best eaten right away. You can chill them and keep them in the fridge, but they lose the crispness over time. I think they are best eaten right away.
  • I love using these for an easy breakfast, a quick snack, appetizers, or even a light meal. They are so simple and so versatile.
How big are the finished ham and cheese turnovers? 

You start with about a 5-inch square and fold it in half.

How many turnovers does one sheet of puff pastry make?

You can make 9 with each sheet.

Can I use sauces other than mustard in my turnovers?

Yes, you can use any kind of stone-ground or dijon mustard or any other sauce you like.

Other Breakfast Ideas

  • Red White and Blue Overnight Oats
  • Strawberries and Cream Porridge
  • Whole Wheat Waffles
  • Potato and Gruyere Galette
  • Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Whole Wheat Popovers
Ham and Cheese Turnovers in a bowl.
Print Pin
4.5 from 2 votes

Simple Ham and Cheese Turnovers

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, ham, mustard, puff pastry
Servings 18
Author Amy- A Red Spatula

Equipment

  • 2 baking sheets
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
  • 1 ½-2 cups chopped ham
  • 2 cups grated cheese
  • mustard
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. You don't have to do this, but it makes for easy cleanup.
  • Remove the puff pastry from the package. Roll one sheet out to about 2-3 inches larger than what it was originally.
  • Cut it into 9 squares. They don't need to be perfect, so don't stress.
  • Add a touch of mustard to the center of each square, then about 2 tablespoons chopped ham and 1-2 tablespoons grated cheese.
  • Mix your egg and milk together to make your egg wash. Brush 2 edges of the square, then fold it over to form a triangle.
  • Move it to the baking sheet and press the 2 open edges with a fork to ensure they stay closed.
  • Repeat with all the squares. When they are all done, brush the tops with egg wash and bake until they are golden brown.
  • They are best eaten fresh while it is still crispy and delicious.
  • Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
« Orange Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Stunning Shortbread Linzer Cookies with Cranberry Filling »

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Amy! I am a culinary school graduate working to create a balanced approach to healthy recipes. My recipes are ones that the whole family can love.

More about me →

Popular

  • Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
  • Oat Groats Instant Pot Recipe
  • Virgin Pina Colada Recipe- with Coconut Milk
  • The Best Thick Lemon Curd
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe

Are Whole Grains and Carbs the Big Bad Wolf?

Subscribe and find out. I will be sending out weekly or biweekly updates on recipes I am creating!

Thank you for subscribing!

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 A Red Spatula