Description
These homemade fried apple pies are a delicious McDonald’s copycat featuring a flaky puff pastry crust filled with a warm, spiced apple filling. The pies are deep-fried to golden perfection, coated in cinnamon sugar, and optionally served with caramel sauce for extra indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 17.3 ounce box puff pastry sheets thawed
Apple Filling
- 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
For Frying and Coating
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil recommended)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (from the reserved cinnamon)
- Caramel sauce for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Cut each sheet of thawed puff pastry into 4 equal pieces. Arrange the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to keep them accessible.
- Make Apple Filling: In a medium pan over medium heat, combine the diced apples, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes until the apples become tender. Stir in the butter to enrich the filling.
- Thicken Filling: Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Add this to the apple mixture and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the filling thickens and coats the apples well.
- Fill Pastry: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the thickened apple filling onto one side of each puff pastry piece. Moisten the edges with water, then fold the pastry over to create a rectangle, enclosing the filling.
- Seal Edges: Press the edges together and crimp with a fork to securely seal each pie and prevent filling leakage during frying.
- Chill Pies: Place the sealed pies on the parchment-lined sheet pan and chill them in the freezer for 20 minutes. This helps firm up the pastry for optimal frying.
- Heat Oil: Pour oil into a deep skillet or deep fryer to a depth of about 3 inches and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit using a frying thermometer for accuracy.
- Fry Pies: Fry 2 to 3 pies at a time for 5-6 minutes each or until they turn golden brown and the pastry is cooked through. Turn them carefully while frying to ensure even coloring.
- Drain and Coat: Remove fried pies using a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil. While still warm, sprinkle the pies generously with a mixture of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Serve: Let the pies cool slightly, then serve warm. Optionally drizzle with caramel sauce for a delicious finishing touch and enjoy!
Notes
- For convenience, canned apple pie filling can be used instead of making the filling from scratch.
- Use a frying or candy thermometer to ensure the oil remains at the correct frying temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain fried pies on paper towels to remove excess oil for a less greasy finish.
- Be cautious with oil quantity—enough to submerge the pies but not so much that it spills or bubbles over.
- Chilling the pies before frying helps maintain their shape and prevents the filling from leaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
