National Cherry Turnover Day
August 28
About National Cherry Turnover Day
National Cherry Turnover Day is celebrated every year on 28 August in the United States, dedicating one day on the calendar to one of the most satisfying hand-held pastries ever created. The day encourages bakers, food lovers, and pastry enthusiasts to celebrate the cherry turnover in all its golden, flaky glory.
How to Celebrate National Cherry Turnover Day
Whether you are an experienced baker or a first-timer, there are plenty of delicious ways to mark the occasion:
- Bake your own cherry turnovers – Pick up a sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry and a tin of cherry pie filling for a quick and satisfying homemade batch. Brush with egg wash and bake at 200C for 20 minutes for a golden finish. A dusting of icing sugar adds the perfect finishing touch.
- Visit a local bakery – Support your neighbourhood bakery by seeking out freshly made cherry turnovers. Independent bakeries often make seasonal fruit pastries with higher-quality fillings and handmade pastry, making for a far superior experience to the supermarket version.
- Host a pastry tasting – Pick up or bake several different versions: classic baked, deep-fried, almond-glazed, or cream cheese-filled. Invite friends or family over and vote on the favourite.
- Try a savoury twist – Turnovers are not exclusively sweet. Experiment with a cherry and brie filling, or a spiced cherry and duck combination for a more adventurous take on the format.
- Make cherry turnover ice cream sandwiches – Allow a freshly baked turnover to cool completely, slice it open, and sandwich in a scoop of good vanilla or cherry ice cream. A perfect summer dessert.
- Share with neighbours or colleagues – Bake a batch and distribute them at work, to neighbours, or to a local community group. Few things communicate goodwill quite like a homemade pastry.
- Explore cherry varieties – Use the occasion to investigate the differences between sour Morello cherries, sweet Bing cherries, and Rainier cherries. Each brings a distinct flavour profile to a filling, and experimenting with them is genuinely eye-opening.
- Post your creations on social media – Share your baking results with #NationalCherryTurnoverDay and inspire others to pick up a rolling pin and have a go.
What is National Cherry Turnover Day?
National Cherry Turnover Day is an annual food celebration observed in the United States on 28 August. It is a day dedicated to the cherry turnover: a folded pastry made from puff or shortcrust dough, filled with a sweet cherry compote or pie filling, and baked until the pastry is crisp and golden. The day has no single founding organisation but has become well-established through the US food holiday calendar, recognised across food blogs, bakeries, and social media platforms each August when stone fruits are at the peak of their season.
When is National Cherry Turnover Day?
National Cherry Turnover Day falls on Friday, 28 August 2026. It is observed every year on the same fixed date of 28 August.
The History of National Cherry Turnover Day
The turnover as a pastry format has remarkably deep roots. The concept of a portable, folded pastry filled with fruit or savoury ingredients dates back to antiquity. Small hand pies were a practical food for labourers and travellers long before modern bakery culture. In 15th-century England, when bakers faced restrictions on producing certain types of cakes, many turned to making folded hand pies instead, producing some of the earliest recognisable forms of the turnover.
The technique that gives cherry turnovers their signature flaky layers is puff pastry, a method developed and refined in France. Claude Gelee, a French pastry chef, is widely credited with perfecting the lamination technique around 1655. Puff pastry is made by repeatedly folding butter into the dough, creating layers that separate when baked as steam is released. A well-made puff pastry can contain hundreds of individual layers, which explains that characteristic lightness and crisp texture.
Cherries arrived in North America via European colonists, who brought cherry trees over by ship during the 1600s. The industry eventually took root across the Great Lakes region, with Michigan becoming the heartland of American cherry production. National Cherry Turnover Day emerged from the broader American food holiday tradition, where individual foods are given their own dedicated date on the calendar, encouraging people to seek out or make a specific item and celebrate it.
Noteworthy Facts About Cherry Turnovers
- The United States produces around 650 million pounds of cherries each year, making it one of the world’s leading cherry-producing nations.
- Puff pastry made through traditional lamination can contain up to 729 individual layers, all created through repeated folding.
- Tart or sour cherries (Morello varieties) are the preferred choice for baking because their acidity balances the sweetness of added sugar during cooking.
- Michigan produces approximately 75 percent of all tart cherries grown in the United States.
- Cherry turnovers are sometimes called “half-moon pies” in parts of the American South, referring to their semicircular shape after folding.
- The Traverse City National Cherry Festival in Michigan draws more than 500,000 visitors annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Cherry Turnover Day?
National Cherry Turnover Day is an annual US food celebration observed on 28 August, dedicated to the cherry turnover: a folded pastry filled with cherry compote or pie filling and baked until golden and flaky.
When is National Cherry Turnover Day in 2026?
National Cherry Turnover Day in 2026 falls on Friday, 28 August 2026.
What type of pastry is used in a cherry turnover?
Cherry turnovers are most commonly made with puff pastry, which produces the flaky, layered texture that is characteristic of the pastry. Shortcrust pastry can also be used, producing a denser, crumblier result.
Hashtags
Share your cherry turnover creations on social media using #NationalCherryTurnoverDay and #NationalCherryTurnoverDay2026. Tag your local bakery and celebrate the craft of pastry-making.
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