Once fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s, began serving apple pies in the late 1960s, apple pies soon entered the hands of millions of Americans. (The phrase is, “As American as apple pie” after all!) Growing up, I loved this treat because it always brought me instant gratification. After a long day of college, I was crossing the street to get my hands on it, spending a few dollars from my weekly allowance. The pies were often two for $4, so I couldn’t resist the urge to double down, sometimes saving one for later or giving one to my newest school crush. The delicious hand-held desserts were also staples from my parents’ childhood, although the ones they enjoyed were fried instead of baked.
Apple pies always make me extremely nostalgic for the food that nurtured my young self because, ultimately, those dishes and flavors are what inspired my current love of cooking and recipe writing. Memories and moments like these sparked personal joy and motivated me to continually seek out new flavors. They also got me to recreate family favorites, like these apple and chai fried pies. When they talk to my parents about sweets from their childhood, including McDonald’s apple pies, they often remember when they were fried and the distinct flavor change that happened once the fast -foods have switched to baking their apple pies. This recipe captures the traditional flavors of the fried hand pies my parents knew and loved, while considering shortcuts to maintain the convenience of this flavorful dessert.
When creating my version, I kept in mind 3 main elements that make this famous treat what it is: the apple filling, the crust and the sugar filling. I also wanted to create an elevated version of the dessert I loved as a kid. It was important to let my own memories inspire me when making these delicious treats. Here are some key points to keep in mind when baking a delicious batch of these apple pies yourself.
Hand pies are often filled with some sort of fruit filling; for this recipe, apples were the obvious choice. When making these pies by hand, I suggest using an apple that has a balance of tart and sweet flavors and a firm texture. I tend to look for Honey Crisp, Cosmic Crisp, Pink Lady or Granny Smith, all apples that can be found at your local supermarket.
Pro tip: Do not overcook the apple filling. It may be tempting to cook the apples until they are completely broken down and jammy. however, I find cooking the apples until fork tender to be superior. It’s important to remember that the apples will continue to cook once you hand fry the pies.
Homemade pie crust reminds me of my childhood because I remember spending hours mixing, kneading and rolling out pie dough in my family’s kitchen. These moments sparked joy; nevertheless, I’d be foolish not to remember the level of work that goes into making homemade pie crust. To save time, I picked up a store-bought puff pastry here; However, feel free to use store-bought pie crust as well. I enjoy hand fried pies for their flaky, light texture, and I’ve found that using puff pastry provides me with just that, with a fraction of the time and attention to detail.
Pro tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan when hand frying your pies. To ensure the pies bake evenly, keep the hand pies about 2 inches apart. Allow the pies to drain sufficiently before serving. Hand pies can sometimes have a greasy flavor, and it’s never delicious! Place the pies on a wire rack to remove excess oil.
My favorite part of making these fried apple pies from scratch was liberally sprinkling spiced sugar over the piping hot pies. Traditionally, a mixture of cinnamon and sugar is used to amp up the flavor of the apple. However, other personal memories of enjoying the aromatic flavors of chai inspired me to combine cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and cloves in my sugar mixture. As a result, you’re rewarded with a sweet, fragrant coating that puts this handcrafted dessert above all else.
Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to generously coat the pies. Once the pies are out of the oil, immediately coat them in the sugar mixture to make sure the coating sticks well.
Will Coleman is a chef, television personality, food writer and food stylist who is inspired by connecting with people and adding a spark of diversity, adventure and joy to the screen and off. It focuses on infusing American cuisines with Southern and global avenues. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Will spends time experimenting and writing about all things food and culture. Besides being obsessed with Jeni’s ice cream, he’s an advocate for puff salt and hot sauce on almost everything.