These fried apple pies are a McDonald’s copycat recipe that feature a homemade apple pie filling encased in pastry and deep fried to flaky perfection. The pies are finished off with a dusting of cinnamon sugar for a unique and delicious dessert option.
I grew up eating fried apple pie at McDonald’s, and I have to say, this homemade version is WAY better than the restaurant recipe! The addition of cinnamon sugar really takes these pies over the top. These pies are one of my favorite ways to enjoy apples along with Dutch apple pie, caramel apple dip and apple fries.
These fried apple pies are an amazing dessert that kids and adults both love. You can enjoy them on the go or at a picnic or dress them up with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for an elegant dessert.
If you like this dessert, try some of my favorite fall desserts like pumpkin dip, baked apples and pumpkin bars.
Fried Apple Pies Ingredients
To make these fried apple pies you will need puff pastry sheets, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, butter, cornstarch, sugar, caramel sauce and oil for frying.
HOW DO YOU MAKE FRIED APPLE PIES?
Start this fried apples pies recipe by laying out thawed puff pastry dough. Cut each sheet into 4 pieces and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Make your apple filling by placing cut apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves in a pan and heating them. Cook them for 6-8 minutes until the apples become tender and stir in butter. Mix cornstarch in cold water and pour the mixture in with the apples and cook until thickened.
Next, spoon your delicious apple cinnamon mixture into the middle of each puff pastry. Brush the edges with water and fold over the the dough to make rectangles around the apple mixture. Crimp the edges with a fork. Allow the pies to chill in the freezer for a bit, then fry them in batches to golden brown perfection. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the cooked pies. Let them cool down to room temperature before devouring with caramel sauce!
Tips For The Perfect Fried Apple Pies
- While homemade apple pie filling is fantastic, if you are short on time or just don’t want to make your own apple filling, canned filling will work.
- I use Granny Smith apples because I like the tartness of the apples with the sugar in the filling. I recommend Granny Smith apples or other similar tart apples like Pink Lady apples or McIntosh apples.
- Make sure to allow the pies to cook the appropriate amount of time. If they don’t cook long enough, the pastry won’t cook all the way through and you’ll end up with gooey pastry in the middle.
- If you find that the outside of your pies are browning too quickly, turn the heat down.
- After they cook, place the fried pies on paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Be careful to use enough oil to submerge the pies but not too much that will spill or bubble over the side.
Quick Tip
Use a frying thermometer or candy thermometer to make sure that your oil stays at the correct temperature.
Recipe FAQs
The easiest way to fry hand pies is in an electric deep fryer. You can also fry pies in a pot or a pan on the stove. Just make sure that you have enough oil to submerge your pies and not too much oil so that it bubbles over the edge.
You can keep fried apple pies fresh on the counter in an airtight container up to 2 days. In the fridge, they will stay fresh up to 4 days. You can reheat refrigerated pies in a toaster or in an oven at 350 degrees F.
Follow Me
Flavor Variations
These fried apple pies are delicious as-is; however, you can change the recipe to suit your taste.
- Filling: You can fill these pastries with fruit fillings like my cherry pie filling, canned blackberry pie filling, canned blueberry pie filling or canned peach pie filling.
- Toppings: I recommend serving these pies with caramel sauce but you can also enjoy them with powdered sugar, whipped cream, ice cream or even chocolate sauce.
- Nuts: You can add chopped walnuts or pecans to your filling.
- Glaze: Feel free to drizzle your pies with the vanilla powdered sugar glaze from my cherry bars recipe.
These fried pies might look like they’re difficult to make but they take very little effort. They work great as a quick dessert or even as a treat for breakfast.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
Fried Apples Recipe
25 mins
Caramel Apples
17 mins
Apple Nachos
6 mins
Apple Pork Chops
30 mins
Slow Cooker Apple Cider
2 hrs 5 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Fried Apple Pies
Ingredients
- 17.3 ounce box puff pastry sheets thawed
- 3 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and diced
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon divided use
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- caramel sauce for serving optional
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 pieces. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Place the apples, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until apples are tender. Stir in the butter.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add to the apple mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until apple filling has thickened.
- Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture onto one side of each piece of puff pastry. Brush the edges with water and fold over to make a rectangle.
- Crimp the edges of each puff pastry rectangle with a fork.
- Chill the pies for 20 minutes in the freezer.
- Heat 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees F.
- Cook 2-3 pies at a time, for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and pastry is cooked through.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over each pie as it comes out of the oil.
- Repeat the frying and cinnamon sugar sprinkling process with all of the remaining pies.
- Let the pies cool and enjoy with caramel sauce if desired.
Notes
- While homemade apple pie is fantastic, if you are short on time or just don’t want to make your own apple filling, canned filling will work.
- Use a frying or candy thermometer to make sure that your oil stays at the correct temperature.
- After they cook, place the fried pies on paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Be careful to use enough oil to submerge the pies but not too much that will spill or bubble over the side.
I used fillo dough and canned apple pie filling and thought it would turn into a science project in the hot oil, but it didn’t! OMG, what a fantastic taste! So very quick and easy with the outcome being a to die for dessert! After a full Sunday lunch, my father could not stop with just one! Top it with powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream and you’ll be making them every weekend!
hi! these look lovely! can i half fry the pies, store them for a day and refry till theyre golden? will they stay good?
I’d probably just reheat them in the oven, you don’t need to fry twice!
Can you pre-make the filling and keep in refrigerator over night then finish in the morning?
Yes that’s fine!
Will this work with other apples, not just Granny Smith?
Yes other apples will also work!
So delicious! Love this recipe!
This was such an incredibly tasty recipe and we loved the caramel dip
Sooooo tasty and easy, even this old fool managed it.
can i do this in an air fryer?
I believe it would work but I haven’t tested it myself!
If i made big quantity at once? How long will it last?
They should last for 2 days!
Not very long at my house!
You did good when you posted these. I miss the pies from McDonalds but now I can eat them whenever i like. I made extra and froze them. No need to thaw before cooking and they come out delicious. Thank you so much.
Can I use flaky biscuits instead of Pastry dough?
Yes that should work!
instead of frying all at once can i save some of the pies in my freezer for another day?
Yes that should be fine!
Would you first thaw them from the freezer or do you think they can be thrown into the fryer frozen?
They can be fried from frozen.