Keto Apple Turnover recreates the classic baked treat without apples — instead it uses chayote (choko) to deliver the same warm, spiced flavor and surprisingly authentic texture.
As a kid I loved coming home from school and making boiled fruit with sugar and cinnamon. The sweetness was irresistible, but it was also a lot of sugar in one sitting. In high school cookery classes we learned simple desserts like baked apples and blancmange, and those memories inspired this low-carb twist on an autumn favorite.
The ketogenic diet discourages apples due to their high fructose content. Fructose is processed by the liver first and can quickly interfere with ketosis. For that reason I wanted a substitute that imitates apple texture and flavor while keeping carbs low.
Chayote turned out to be an excellent stand-in. When simmered with erythritol and mixed spice (or pumpkin spice), it holds its shape and avoids the mushy result that apples sometimes give when cooked. The small cubes stay intact and absorb the spice and sweetener beautifully, creating an authentic “apple” filling that works wonderfully in turnovers.
If you enjoy mock-apple keto desserts, there are other recipes on this site that pair well with this idea — from cobblers to crumbles — and more variations are coming.
Recipe
Keto Apple Turnover – Keto Apple Desserts For Fall
293kcal
FatForWeightLoss (Aaron Day)
10 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Sized Chayote (Choko here in AUS)
- 90 g Erythritol (granular) (3 oz)
- 1/4 tsp Mixed spice (or pumpkin spice)
- 1/4 tsp Ginger Omit if using pumpkin spice
- 300 g Grated mozzarella (10 oz)
- 1 medium Egg Room temperature
- 2 Tbsp Coconut flour (20 g / 0.8 oz)
Instructions
-
Peel the chayote and dice it into small cubes.
-
In a saucepan combine the diced chayote, erythritol, mixed spice and ginger (or pumpkin spice). Add enough water to cover the ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer the cooked chayote to a bowl.
-
Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
-
Place the grated mozzarella in a large glass bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes to soften (or melt the cheese over a pot of simmering water).
-
Mix the hot mozzarella with the egg until combined, then stir in the coconut flour. The mixture should form a pliable dough ball. If too wet, add a little more coconut flour.
-
Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough into a wide sheet. Cut into two sections. Place half the chayote filling in the centre of each section, fold the edges over and seal on one side to form turnovers.
-
Bake for 5 minutes, flip them, then bake another 5 minutes. These turnovers are lovely served cold or at room temperature.
Need A Keto Shopping List?
Check out the keto foods list on this site with a free printable and a flavor-pairing guide.
Do You Know Your Macros?
Use the site’s free personalised macro calculator for tailored guidance.
Mention @FatForWeightLoss or tag #Fatforweightloss for a chance to be featured.