The Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe (Homemade)
Try my Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe! These homemade, old-fashioned, Amish-style fried apple pies feature a tender, flaky, buttery, made-from-scratch pie crust, a cinnamon sugar apple pie filling, and a sweet powdered sugar glaze.
The Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe (Homemade)
Happy First Day of Fall!
In true Cara fashion, I couldn’t resist but to share one of my favorite classic Fall desserts with you today- Fried Apple Pies!
But not just any plain ol’ fried apple pies recipe, THE BEST fried apple pies recipe made completely homemade from scratch.
Because, just like my 3-Ingredient Biscuits, Easy Poptarts, and Best EVER Chocolate Chip Cookies, some things are just better made homemade!
When it comes to these fried apple pies, I truly believe that you don’t want to cut any corners by using canned biscuits or pre-made pastry dough.
These homemade, old-fashioned, Amish-style fried apple pies feature a tender, flaky, buttery, made-from-scratch pie crust, a cinnamon sugar apple pie filling, and a sweet powdered sugar glaze that looks similar to Mcdonald’s fried apple pies, but are WAY better.
These fried apple pies are super delicious, and best of all they’re SUPER easy to make!
The Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe
Fried Apple Pies are that classic Fall dessert you can’t resist making on a cool Fall day.
That’s exactly what happened this past weekend and eating these homemade fried apple pies warmed us right up!
Reasons You’ll Love Them:
Despite being completely homemade, these Amish-Style Fried Apple Pies are super easy to make and the end result is a tender, flaky, buttery pie crust, filled with a delicious cinnamon sugar apple pie filling, and a sweet glaze that hardens to perfection.
Although these fried apple pies are a little different from many fried apple pie recipes out there that use canned biscuit dough, they’re truly the best fried apple pies you’ll ever eat, and they’re not hard to make.
I found the recipe a few years ago in an old Amish cookbook and I’m so glad I did!
These Southern fried apple hand pies are great for making when you have guests over and you really want to wow them.
You’ll have a hard time not wanting to make multiple batches of these delicious fried apple pies, and trust me when I say everyone will be begging you for the recipe!
Try These Apple Desserts Next:
Homemade Fried Apple Pies Recipe
My old fashioned fried apple pies have three main components – a buttery pie crust that’s made from scratch, a perfectly sweet/tart apple pie filling, and a powdered sugar glaze that makes these pies delicious and beautiful!
Pie Crust
The homemade pie crust is perfection with a super tender and buttery inside and a flaky/crunchy outside.
Apple Filling
The diced apple pie filling is made from a combination of granny smith apples and red delicious for the perfect balance of sweet/sour and flavored to perfection with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Glaze
Lastly, these fried apple pies are coated in a sweet powdered sugar glaze that hardens and looks so beautiful!
Must-Have Tools to Make Fried Apple Pies:
To make my best fried apple pies recipe you don’t need any crazy fancy tools, but I’ve included a list of all my favorites below that make these fried pies a breeze to make!
Deep Fryer or Pot
To make these fried apple pies, make sure you have a deep cast iron pot or deep fryer.
If you’re short on space or don’t deep fry a lot, go with a dutch oven pot.
On the other hand, if you frequently deep fry foods, this 4-quart deep fryer is the best!
Apple Corer
For quickly de-coring your apples, I recommend using this apple corer.
It works great and has held up for years since first purchasing it.
Dough Blender
For easily cutting your butter into the dough, this dough blender is a must-have.
It also comes with a set of biscuit cutters, which you can use for my Canned Biscuit Donuts.
Rolling Pin
Another must-have is a good quality rolling pin for rolling out your fried pie dough.
This will really help make it easier to get the right thickness of dough.
Pastry Wheel
If you want your fried apple pies to look like mine in the photos, grab this affordable pastry wheel for creating perfectly crimped/cut edges.
Pastry Brush
Last but not least, I love using this pastry brush for glazing the pies with ease.
I also use pastry brushes all the time when making homemade biscuits.
Other Tools You’ll Need:
Homemade Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe FAQ’s
What are the best apples for fried apple pies?
My favorite combination for fried apple pies and other apple desserts is granny smith and honeycrisp.
It gives the pie filling a perfect sweet/tart flavor!
Below I’ve included a list of the best baking apples that will hold their shape when cooked.
Granny Smith – My #1 choice for apple desserts is the delicious granny smith apple. The tart flavor is the perfect balancer in sweet desserts and the shape holds up very well when baked.
Honeycrisp – Another favorite for baking is honeycrisp. Just as the name implies, it has a crisp, juicy texture, and a sweet flavor that has a slight hint of honey to it. Delicious to eat fresh and they bake up wonderfully.
Braeburn – A slightly sweeter version of a granny smith apple with a beautiful red, pink, yellow, and green outside that makes for beautiful presentation.
Jonagold or Golden Delicious – When you want a sweet apple for a dish, I definitely recommend Jonagold or Golden Delicious apples. They’re crisp, juicy, sweet, and hold up their shape nicely when baked.
What is the easiest way to fry these fried apple hand pies?
There’s a couple different ways you can make these fried apple hand pies, but I’ve personally found the two easiest methods are to use either a deep dutch oven pot or a deep fryer.
Both of these methods will help you achieve perfectly golden, flaky, and delicious fried apple pies.
If you’re short on space or don’t deep fry a lot, go with a dutch oven pot.
You can also use it for making my delicious Dutch Oven Apple Crisp and Canned Biscuit Donuts.
On the other hand, if you frequently deep fry foods, this 4-quart deep fryer is the best!
Are homemade fried apple pies better/healthier than store-bought?
Yes, absolutely! Once you make a batch of these fried hand pies you’ll never want to eat another store-bought fried apple pie again.
They also totally put McDonald’s fried apple pies to shame!
Not only do they taste better, but they’re way healthier and not loaded with a ton of preservatives and unknown ingredients.
Because you’re making them from scratch, you control the ingredients and can easily adjust based on your dietary needs.
How do I store fried apple pies?
Leftover fried apple pies can be wrapped in a paper towel or tea cloth and stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
You can also refrigerate them and re-heat in the microwave if desired, although they will be softer than when they were freshly made.
How to Make Fried Apple Pies (Amish-Style)
Below I’ve included all the ingredients you’ll need to make these delicious homemade fried apple pies.
Ingredients Needed:
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I recommend 1 granny smith and 1 honeycrisp for balance)
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- vanilla
- apple cider (or apple juice)
- cornstarch
Pie Dough
Pie Glaze
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Step 1: Prepare Apple Pie Filling
First, peel, core, and dice 2 large apples into small cubes.
I recommend using 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honeycrisp for the perfect sweet/sour combo.
Next, combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until juices start to form for about 3 minutes.
Next, combine the apple cider (or apple juice) and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Pour into the saucepan and turn the heat up to high and cook for an additional 3 minute, stirring constantly, or until the mixture has thickened up. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare Homemade Pie Dough
Next, it’s time to make the homemade pie dough.
Start by sifting the flour in a large mixing bowl. Next, cut the cold butter into cubes and using a pastry cutter begin to work the flour until all the butter is tiny lumps.
In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks and salt together. Microwave the milk for 30 second intervals until steaming hot.
A little at a time, begin to pour in the hot milk with the egg mixture and stir constantly.
Step 3: Knead Dough and Separate
Lastly, pour the milk and egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until your dough has formed.
Next, place the dough onto parchment paper and knead for about 1 minute or until the dough is smooth-looking.
Next, divide the pie dough into 6 equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
Using a rolling pin or a glass, roll each ball out into circles.
(Don’t worry about your circle not being perfectly round, we will be cutting away the excess once it is folded.)
Step 4: Make the Fried Apple Pies
Fill each circle with 2 tablespoons of apple pie filling and fold the dough in half.
Next, pinch the edges together to seal, and if desired cut away the excess with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter.
You can always use your excess to make another pie.
Crimp down the edges with a fork to ensure all the filling stays intact when frying.
Step 5: Fry the Fried Apple Pies
Next, heat up oil in a deep fryer or a deep sauce pan to 350 degrees.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can always use the wooden spoon trick by sticking it in the center of the pot. If small bubbles form around the handle, then it’s ready.
Add your pies into the hot oil one at a time and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until a light golden brown.
Place fried apple pies on a paper towel to dry.
Step 6: Prepare Homemade Powdered Sugar Glaze
While your pies are frying, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until it is smooth.
You will want to glaze the pies pretty quickly after they’ve fried and while they are still warm.
I recommend using a pastry brush to create a beautiful glaze on both sides, but you can also drizzle the icing on top or dip it into the glaze in a shallow bowl.
No matter which way you glaze these pies, they are absolutely delicious!
How to Make Fried Apple Pies Homemade Recipe
The Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe (Homemade)
Craving fried apple pies this Fall season? Then try my Best Fried Apple Pies Recipe! These homemade, old-fashioned, Amish-style fried apple pies feature a tender, flaky, buttery, made-from-scratch pie crust, a cinnamon sugar apple pie filling, and a sweet powdered sugar glaze.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I recommend 1 granny smith and 1 honeycrisp for balance)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons apple cider (or apple juice)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Pie Dough
- 2 cups self-rising flour, sifted
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup HOT milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Pie Glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Instructions
- To make these delicious fried apple pies, you’ll start first by making the homemade apple pie filling. First, peel, core, and dice 2 large apples into small cubes. I recommend using 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honeycrisp for the perfect sweet/sour combo.
- Next, combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until juices start to form for about 3 minutes. Next, combine the apple cider (or apple juice) and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour into the saucepan and turn the heat up to high and cook for an additional 3 minute, stirring constantly, or until the mixture has thickened up. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Next, it’s time to make the homemade pie dough. Start by sifting the flour in a large mixing bowl. Next, cut the cold butter into cubes and using a pastry cutter begin to work the flour until all the butter is tiny lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks and salt together. Microwave the milk at 30 second intervals until steaming hot. A little at a time, begin to pour in the hot milk to the egg mixture and stir constantly.
- Lastly, pour the milk and egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until your dough has formed. Next, place the dough onto parchment paper and knead for about 1 minute or until the dough is smooth-looking.
- Next, divide the pie dough into 6 equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin or a glass, roll each ball out into circles. (Don’t worry about your circle not being perfectly round, we will be cutting away the excess once it is folded.)
- Fill each circle with 2 tablespoons of apple pie filling and fold the dough in half. Next, pinch the edges together to seal, and if desired cut away the excess with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter. (You can always use your excess to make another pie) Crimp down the edges with a fork to ensure all the filling stays intact when frying.
- Next, heat up oil in a deep fryer or a deep sauce pan to 350 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can always use the wooden spoon trick by sticking it in the center of the pot. If small bubbles form around the handle, then it’s ready.
- Add your pies into the hot oil one at a time and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until a light golden brown. Place fried apple pies on a paper towel to dry.
- While your pies are frying, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until it is smooth. You will want to glaze the pies pretty quickly after they’ve fried and while they are still warm. I recommend using a pastry brush to create a beautiful glaze on both sides, but you can also drizzle the icing on top or dip it into the glaze in a shallow bowl.
- Let glaze set for a few minutes and then enjoy your delicious fried apple pies!
Notes
How to Store Leftover Fried Apple Pies
Leftover fried apple pies can be wrapped in a paper towel or tea cloth and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them and re-heat in the microwave if desired, although they will be softer than when they were freshly made.
More Pastry and Bread Recipes You’ll Love:
- Homemade Pop Tarts
- One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy 3 Ingredient Biscuits
- Better than Hardee’s Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
- Biscuit Donuts
Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for my Homemade Fried Apple Pies! Have you ever made fried apple hand pies from scratch? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by! – Cara
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I had problems with the dough. It did not stay together very well and cracked when trying to fill them. I was so excited for these today but I will have to try them again one day
Hi Stacie! I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with your dough. It sounds like it could have been too much flour which is what caused a crumbly consistency. I would recommend using the spoon and level method when measuring out your flour, or use a food scale if you have one and measure the flour by weight. 2 cups of self-rising flour is 250 grams by weight. Hope that helps and you’ll give them another try!
What do I add if I’m using all purpose flour?
Just like I remember from my childhood!! Awesome recipe, thank you!!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Best fried apple pies I ever tasted.
Thanks PJ!
I absolutely love this recipe!!! I made some on Sunday, My husband and I devoured them in 2 days! I highly recommend this wonderful recipe ?
Thanks Sonya! So glad you and your husband enjoyed them. Appreciate the 5 star rating!
Oh wow so good !!! My first time making these. I did add a splash of nutmeg. I need a thermometer. To control the grease being too hot at the end but in all great directions. Thank you!!! ?
You’re very welcome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Very sorry for such a late response…
I have only a single worry about fried fruit pies (or any fried pies I suppose).
Why don’t they ‘explode’? What’s the secret?
Even baked cornish pasties can open along the seam and let the contents spill onto the baking tray.
I’ve found the key is to not overfill them and to make sure you seal up the edges really well. You can use your fingers to pinch the edges or you can use a fork which also gives it a nice crimped edge. Thank you for the 5 star review!
Can you use store bought pie shells for this also?
I haven’t personally tried it, but I’m sure you could with adjusting baking times, of course.
These look really yummy, but how do I add hot milk to egg yolks without cooking the eggs?
Hi Kathryn, great question! The process is actually quite simple and it’s called tempering eggs. What you want to do is add in the milk with your egg mixture a little at a time. Doing it slowly will ensure that the eggs don’t scramble, so I usually recommend adding in a little splash of milk, stirring, and continuing the process until everything is incorporated. Hope that helps, and I hope you enjoy them if you give them a try!
Loved the apple pies would like to try frozen blueberries would you use regular sugar instead of brown and would you leave out the cinnamon
Hi Paula, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes, I’d recommend using regular sugar with blueberries and omitting the cinnamon. You could even add a little bit of fresh lemon juice if you’d like. Let us know how they turn out!
Hi your recipe is very simple and so delicious just enough tart and sweet thank you.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your comment and 5 star rating!
This is my first time to visit your blog. Wow!! This fried pie dough is so different from anything I have ever read. I am intrigued by the hot milk and egg yolks. They look delicious!
Thank you, Charlotte! Glad to have you here!
What does the “asterisk” after the milk represent? does it need to be a certain kind of milk?
Hi Anna, I think I was just trying to emphasize the importance of the milk being hot. You can use any kind of milk you like. Enjoy!
Can you use preserves as the filling? My husband wants me to use the Damson Plum preserves I made.
Yes, that would work. Any type of fruit filling or even puddings/custards will work. Enjoy!
Congrats! It looks delicious! But I’d like to see it from the inside.
Thank you! I’ll have to take a picture of that next time I make it.
I just made a batch of apple fried pies and they were delicious! So easy to make too. From now on when my husband wants fried pies this is the recipe I’ll use?
Thanks Carla! So glad you all enjoyed them!
Hello I tried making these last night but it seems like something went wrong. The apples hardly made any juice and it wasn’t sweet enough. I would like to try again today could you help in details letting me know how to make enough juice and make it more sweet or can I just use apple filling from can store brought?
Hi Mrs. Stacy! I’m happy to help. Several things could impact your apple filling including the ripeness/freshness of your apples, how long you cooked the filling, and the level of sweetness will depend on what type of apples you used. I typically use 1 Granny Smith apple and 1 Red Delicious apple for a balanced flavor, but if you prefer a sweeter flavor, I might recommend using only red delicious or something similar, since Granny Smith is going to be more tart. Also, make sure the apples you are using are fully ripe and fresh since older apples can sometimes not produce as much juice in them. I’d also recommend following my step-by-step instructions for cooking the apple filling so that you avoid cooking the filling too long. And of course if you want even more of a “saucy” filling you can always double the amount of filling ingredients, minus the apples. Hope these tips help and I hope they turn out great this time for you!
Please can you explain why the milk needs to be hot? Im not really following the need to temper eggs in a pie crust..
Does it change the texture of the dough when fried? Thanks for your insight!
Hi Maggie! From my understanding it helps the flour absorb more liquid, creating a more moist, smoother, and softer crust. This consistency is a lot easier to roll out and handle and helps ensure your crust doesn’t tear when fried.
Can you bake these instead of frying?
Hey Larissa! I’ve never personally tried baking them, but it should work just fine. They just won’t be as crispy as when fried. If you end up baking them, let us know how they turn out. Enjoy!
Can you use evaporate milk
Hi Kittee, I haven’t ever tried it, but you probably could.
This is a nice apple recipe. I use the air fryer. The came out great. Next time of going to add one extra apple.
So glad they turned out great for you, Meme!
Looks amazing can you freeze the raw apple hand pies until you want to use them?
Thank you! Yes, you can freeze them up to 3 months. Just take them out of the freezer and fry whenever you’re ready to make them and they should turn out perfect. 🙂
Can you do these in an air fryer to cut down on the fat content?
Yes, you probably could but I haven’t ever tried it. If you end up giving it a whirl, let us know what time/temperature worked for you. 🙂
Yes i did and thank you very much could you do fried pies tpeach the same way
So glad to hear that Kathy! Yes, you could fill these pies with any fruit you’d like and I bet peaches would taste wonderful!
Hot milk, how hot and enlighten us if you put in microwave or put in pan and how you determine when it is hot enough. Thanks
Hi Patti, Apologies for not clarifying this in the recipe – I will update it. I usually microwave the milk in a microwave safe bowl or glass for 30 second intervals until it is steaming hot. How long will depend on your microwave, so make sure you stir it each time you check it so that it doesn’t burn. I hope that helps and I hope you love them!
Could you make these with almond flour and add baking powder to make it self rising? Just asking for a friend who doesn’t like to bake with regular flour. I didn’t have self rising flour I had to add baking powder to make it self rising wasn’t sure if almond flour would work.
Hi Cheryl, great question! You should be able to replace the Almond Flour, although the texture of the crust will be different. I recommend using 2 cups almond flour, 4 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Hope that helps!
Could these be assembled. Then put in the freezer till ready to fry?
Hi Teri, I haven’t personally tried making them ahead, but I don’t think it would be a problem. I recommend assembling them, placing them on a cookie sheet or tray and freezing them for 30 mins-1 hour, then placing in a freezer safe bag (that way they don’t stick together). If you try, let me know how it turns out and I’ll add it to the recommendations for other readers. Enjoy! 🙂
I actually decided to use sour apple pucker instead of apple juice or cider. I must say they turned out excellent.
That sounds delicious! Glad they turned out awesome! 🙂
Could you use applesauce instead of apple cider or juice?
Hmm, I haven’t tried that but it would probably work. It’s mostly just for adding extra flavor. Let me know if it turns out! 🙂
Why do my fried pies get soft and lumpy after a couple hours! Why???
Hi Karen, sorry to hear that’s happening. It could be that you’re storing them in a way that’s creating moisture to occur on the pies. I recommend that leftover fried apple pies be wrapped in a paper towel or tea cloth and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also set them in your microwave.
Do you use self rising flour or all purpose?
Hi April, I personally used self-rising flour, but you can use either one.