Fried Apple Pies
These delicious Fried Apple Pies are made with a thick and perfectly spiced homemade apple pie filling encased in a crispy, flaky, golden brown crust!
A HANDHELD APPLE PIE DESSERT
Do you remember the old fried apple pies at McDonald’s? When they actually deep fried them? This recipe will take you back to those days! Everything you love about an apple pie all squished into a handheld easy to eat treat. If you’re feeling like a glazed piece of pie, that’s an option. Maybe you just want a sugar and cinnamon dusted pie (like they did at McDonald’s), that’s an option too!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Typically this happens if you overfill the hand pies with the pie filling. You really need to resist the urge to do that, otherwise, it makes it harder to seal them and that risks them overflowing. Be sure to double check the seal before you fry them to help prevent any spilling or burning.
When the pie crust stops being cool to the touch, it can get harder to work with and tear easier as you handle them. Pop the filled pies on a plate and store them in the fridge while you are heating the oil.
These pies are best eaten fresh. The cinnamon sugar dusted pies can be served warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Yes, you can! Please see my recipe for Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies on instructions for how to do that.
Yes, it’s possible to make these in the oven. But, again, be warned that these won’t get as crispy as they would be if made frying in oil. They won’t look like the pictures below.
Assemble your pies as normal, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Start to check about 15 minutes into the baking process to ensure that they aren’t going to burn. If you need to, tent them with foil to prevent them from burning while still giving them some time to bake. You may need to flip while baking.
Yes, instead of making your own homemade Apple Pie Filling, you can use a canned version. Additionally, you can change the apple pie filling to other canned fruit fillings if desired.
You’ll see in my pictures below, I give a couple of options. You can dip them in cinnamon sugar as soon as they come out of the fryer (this will help the coating stick better if it is done immediately after) or you can coat them with a sweet glaze or even just dip them in some caramel sauce!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can freeze them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven or Air Fryer.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- Granny Smith apples– peeled, cored, and diced. If you prefer, other apple varieties can be used.
- brown sugar – for a richer flavor, you can use dark brown sugar. I just used light brown sugar here.
- water
- butter – you want real butter here – not margarine.
- cinnamon and nutmeg – I love the combination of both of these together. You could also substitute both of them for apple pie spice.
- cornstarch
- vanilla extract
- salt
- ready-made pie crusts– you can also use homemade pie crust or other options discussed in the Frequently Asked Question section above.
- powdered sugar
- milk
- granulated sugar
HOW TO MAKE FRIED APPLE PIES
In a medium saucepan, combine the diced apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the water until completely combined. Add the slurry to the apple mixture and cook until thickened about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside and let the filling cool. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the ready-made pie crusts. We used a 4-inch round glass but you can use a cookie cutter if you have one. If you would like larger pies use a 5-inch cutter. Cut out circles from the pie crusts. Re-roll the pie crust if necessary. Place about 1 Tablespoon of the apple filling in the center of each dough circle.
Fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape and press the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the edges with a little water before pressing with a fork to ensure the pies seal well. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place about 2 pies at a time (if you have a larger skillet you can fry more. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes flipping at the halfway mark. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pies and drain them on paper towels.
To glaze pies: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk (and vanilla extract, if using) until smooth, and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pies.
To dust the pies: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon.While the pies are still warm, sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Fried Apple Pies
Ingredients
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and diced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For the Pies:
- 2 ready-made pie crusts (you can also use homemade pie crust)
For Glazing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
For Cinnamon Sugar Dusting:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Frying:
- oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil work just fine)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the diced apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.
- Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a small bowl, create a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the water until completely combined.
- Add the slurry to the apple mixture and cook until thickened about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside and let the filling cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the ready-made pie crusts.
- We used a 4-inch round glass but you can use a cookie cutter if you have one. If you would like larger pies use a 5-inch cutter. Cut out circles from the pie crusts. Re-roll the pie crust if necessary.
- Place a 1 tablespoon of the apple filling in the center of each dough circle.
- Fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape and press the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the edges with a little water before pressing with a fork to ensure the pies seal well.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully place about 2 pies at a time (if you have a larger skillet you can fry more. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes flipping at the halfway mark.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the pies and drain them on paper towels.
- To glaze pies: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk (and vanilla extract, if using) until smooth, and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pies.
- To dust the pies: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. While the pies are still warm,sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
These are awesome and can’t wait to make them again