These fried apple pies have a golden brown exterior and a sweet, fruity interior. They are the perfect treat to take with you. Bring them along to potlucks and picnics. Or, fry up a batch whenever you want a portable pie.
What’s better than an apple pie with a sweet taste? You can carry a hand-held apple pie anywhere you go! The fried apple recipe was adapted from Amish fry pies. These delicious little hand pies can be found at bakeries, roadside stands and in Amish Country.
They are filled with apples that have been precooked and resemble apple turnovers or southern fried pies. They are not made from biscuit or puff pastry, but a flaky, pliable dough. After they are fried until golden, the cinnamon sugar is sprinkled on top or a glaze drizzled over them for an extra tasty touch.
These fried apple pie can be served as individual desserts or arranged on a table. You could also take one to a picnic, grab one before you leave the house, and eat it on the way. There’s no better breakfast than a pie. Learn how to prepare fried apple pie.
Fried Apple Pie Ingredients:
- Dough: The dough for our fried apple pies is made with self-rising wheat flour, egg, milk and sugar.
- Butter: The butter helps to cook the apples down so that they are soft and rich in buttery flavor.
- Apples: Then finely chop the apples. The apples will cook faster and better if they are finely chopped.
- Brown Sugar The caramel-like flavor of brown sugar is reminiscent of warm, cozy autumn pastries. Granulated sugar will not give you the same taste.
- Cornstarch: Apples expel lots of juice. All that liquid will be thickened with cornstarch into a cinnamon brown sugar sauce.
- Cinnamon: The perfect fall combination is cinnamon and apples.
- Lemon Juice These fried apple pies are enhanced with a splash of lemon juice.
- Vanilla extract: Spend as much money on vanilla extract as you can. This makes a huge difference when baking.
- Oil for deep-fat frying: Canola, corn, avocado, and sunflower oils are the best oils to use for frying.
- Cinnamon sugar As soon as the apple pies come out of the frying pan, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar to ensure that it sticks.
Directions
First, make the dough
Combine the sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening and mix until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the milk and eggs to another bowl and then add the mixture of crumbs. With a fork, toss the mixture until it forms a ball. Refrigerate for several hours.
Step 2: Prepare the apple filling
In the meantime, melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, add the apples to the pan and let them cook for 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar and cornstarch to the apples. Stir frequently to prevent the apples from sticking to the pan. Cook for seven or eight more minutes until they begin to caramelize and soften.
The filling should be cooled down.
Removing the mixture from heat. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Spread on a baking tray and cool completely in room temperature or place it into the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or freezer for 10 minutes.
Filling and shaping the mini-pies
SARAH TRAMONE FOR A TASTE HOME
Divide the dough in 25 equal portions. Roll each portion to a circle of 4 inches on a floured work surface. On the half of each circular, spoon 2-1/2 teaspoons of filling. Do not overfill the pie, as it may burst when fried. Wet the edge of the circle and fold over the remaining half. Seal the edges by pressing them with a fork.
Step 4: Cook the apple pies
Heat 1″ of oil in a cast iron or electric pan to 375degF. Test one pie, and then cook pies by batches for about three minutes, rotating once. Drain onto paper towels.
Roll each pie while still warm in the cinnamon sugar.
Variations on a Recipe
- Add baking spices: Why should fried apple pies differ from the best apple pie? Add ground cloves (in tiny quantities), nutmeg, and/or ginger to the filling for an extra cozy touch.
- Glaze the surface: Amish fried pie is traditionally finished with a thin glaze. (Think: Hostess Apple Pies). Make a glaze using powdered white sugar, milk and vanilla instead of cinnamon-sugar. Pour the glaze on the pies after they have slightly cooled. Let it sit for several minutes and then serve.
What to do with Fried Apple Pies?
Frozen apple pies, like regular apple pies, can be kept at room temperature up to 2 days. Cover loosely with a cloth and place in the fridge for two days.
Is it possible to freeze apple fried pies?
The apple pies can be frozen before or after they are fried. Spread the raw pies on parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze them. Store the frozen pies in an airtight container or bag. You can put them straight from the freezer in the oil when you are ready to serve, though you might need to extend the cooking time.
If you want to freeze fried pies that have already been glazed or coated with sugar, store them in an airtight container or bag. If you want to heat up the pies before eating them, use an oven at 350deg (or air fryer), rather than deep-frying again. This will prevent them from absorbing more oil.
How to Make Fried Apple Pies
Which apples work best in fried apple pie?
For these apple mini pies we recommend using a tart apple like Granny Smith. You can also use something sweeter, such as Braeburn. These are some more apples that make great apple pies.
Do I need to buy pie crust for making fried apple pies or can I make them at home?
You can, but the texture will be different. It’s more like a dough that has been fried than a crust. You can bake the pies if you are using store-bought crust.
How much oil do I need to use for frying the pies and pies?
You can use any neutral oil that has a high smoking point like peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Use a thermometer for the correct frying temperature. The pie’s exterior can be overcooked if the oil temperature is too high. You’ll get greasy pies if the oil is not heated enough.
What can I do if my apple pie burst when it was frying? What should I do?
It is best to fry one pie first before you try the rest. In the event that your test pie did not hold together properly, moisten all remaining pies with water before you fry them.
Enjoy a delicious apple pie.
Preparation Time
35 Min
Cook Time
15 Min
Yield
1-1/2 dozen
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups of self-rising Flour
- Sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup 2% milk
- FILLING:
- Butter 2 Tablespoons
- Five cups of finely diced peeled tart apples
- 34 cup brown sugar packed
- Half a teaspoon of cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Oil for deep-fat frying
- Optional: Cinnamon sugar
Directions
- Combine flour, sugar and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Cut the shortening into mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Add milk and eggs to the crumb mix, then toss with a fork to form a ball. Refrigerate several hours.
- In the meantime, melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir apples for 5 minutes. Add apples. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Continue to cook and stir the apples until they begin softening and caramelizing, about 7-8 more minutes. Removing from the heat, stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Let cool completely.
- Divide the dough in 25 equal portions. Roll each portion to a 4 in. circle. Filling: Spoon 2 1/2 tablespoons on each half circle. Wet the edges of each circle. Fold half over and seal with a fork.
- Heat 1″ of oil in a cast iron or electric pan to 375 degrees. Frying pies is done in batches. Fry them for about three minutes and turn once. Drain the pies on paper towel. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.
Nutrition Facts
One pie contains 272 calories and 13g of fat, including 3g saturated fat, 25mg of cholesterol, 397mg of sodium, as well as 34g carbohydrates (10g sugars with 1g fibre), and 4g proteins.