Homemade fried apple pies are crisp, golden, hand held pastries filled with cinnamon apples and finished with a simple vanilla glaze. They are a Southern style treat that tastes like a fair or a church supper, but you can make them on a regular afternoon.
The dough comes together with self rising flour, butter, egg yolks, and hot milk, and the filling cooks in one saucepan in about six minutes. The recipe makes six pies, so it is a manageable project, and the pies taste great while they are still warm.
Table of Contents
Why This Homemade Fried Apple Pies Recipe Works
Self rising flour already contains leavening and salt, so the dough needs no extra ingredients and fries up light and flaky instead of dense. Hot milk poured over the yolks makes a smooth, pliable dough that rolls without tearing.
Cooking the apples first means the filling is thick and jammy before it ever meets the dough. That prevents soggy pies and keeps the pastry crisp, and the cornstarch and cider give the filling a glossy finish.
Ingredients for Homemade Fried Apple Pies
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced (1 Granny Smith and 1 Braeburn work well)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the filling
- 2 teaspoons apple cider or apple juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups self rising flour, sifted
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup whole milk, heated until steaming
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, for the glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the glaze
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Granny Smith and Braeburn apples. The tart apple adds structure and tang, and the sweet apple adds juiciness. Dice them small so the filling stays tender in a thin pastry.
Cornstarch and cider. Stirred together and added to the pan, they thicken the filling quickly. Let the mixture cool before filling so the dough stays easy to seal.
Self rising flour. It supplies the flour, leavening, and salt in one ingredient, so no added salt is needed. If you only have all purpose flour, whisk in baking powder and salt before using.
Egg yolks and hot milk. Yolks make the dough rich and tender, and the heat from the milk helps the dough come together smoothly.
How to Make Homemade Fried Apple Pies
1. Cook the filling. Simmer the diced apples with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until juices begin to form.
2. Thicken it. Stir the cider into the cornstarch, add it to the pan, and cook over high heat for 3 minutes, stirring, until thick. Cool completely.
3. Make the dough. Cut the cold butter into the self rising flour until small lumps remain. Whisk the egg yolks, slowly pour in the steaming milk, then stir the mixture into the flour until a dough forms.
4. Knead and rest. Knead the dough on parchment paper for about 1 minute until smooth, cover, and rest for 20 minutes. Divide it into 6 pieces and roll each into a circle about 6 inches wide.
5. Fill and seal. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cooled filling onto each circle, fold in half, and press the edges firmly. Crimp with a fork to seal.
6. Fry. Heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the pies about 2 minutes per side, until light golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
7. Glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Brush over the warm pies and let the glaze set for a few minutes.
How to Serve Homemade Fried Apple Pies
Serve the pies warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or enjoy them with coffee. They are a fun contrast to apple hand pies if you want to compare baked and fried versions. For more apple recipes, try apple pie egg rolls for a crispy snack, double crust apple pie for a classic, and stovetop apple pie filling when you want extra filling on hand.
How to Store and Reheat Homemade Fried Apple Pies
Cool the pies completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of frying. They keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a hot oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes to bring back the crisp crust, and add the glaze fresh if it has softened.
Tips and Variations for Homemade Fried Apple Pies
Keep the oil steady. Hold the oil near 350 degrees F with a thermometer. Oil that is too cool makes greasy pies, and oil that is too hot browns the crust before the dough cooks through.
Cool the filling. Warm filling softens the dough and makes sealing difficult. Chill it for a few minutes if you are short on time.
Seal well. Press out air pockets and crimp firmly with a fork so the filling stays inside while frying.
Fry in batches. Cook only two or three pies at a time so the oil stays hot, and rest them on paper towels.
Try other fruit. The same dough works with peaches or cherries cooked down into a thick filling, but homemade fried apple pies are the classic.
Handle oil with care. Let used frying oil cool completely before storing or discarding it, and keep children away from hot oil. The FDA also has general guidance on food safety.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Fried Apple Pies
What apples are ideal for homemade fried apple pies?
A combination of Granny Smith and Braeburn works well because it balances tartness and sweetness. Dice them small so the filling cooks quickly.
Can I bake homemade fried apple pies instead of frying?
You can bake the filled pies on a parchment lined sheet pan until golden, though the texture will be more like a hand pie than a crisp fried pie.
Can I make the filling ahead for homemade fried apple pies?
Yes. Cook and cool the filling, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to roll and fill the dough.
Why did my pies open while frying?
Most often the edges were not sealed tightly or the pies were overfilled. Use about 2 tablespoons of filling and crimp with a fork.
Can I use all purpose flour?
Yes, but add baking powder and salt to the flour first, because self rising flour already contains both.
Homemade Fried Apple Pies
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Pastry cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- deep fryer or heavy pot
- kitchen thermometer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 large apples peeled, cored, and diced; 1 Granny Smith and 1 Braeburn work well
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract for the filling
- 2 tsp apple cider or apple juice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 cup self rising flour sifted
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup whole milk heated until steaming
- ½ cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 1 tbsp milk for the glaze
- ½ tsp vanilla extract for the glaze
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil for frying
Instructions
Cooking
- Cook the filling. Simmer the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tsp vanilla over medium heat for 3 minutes, until juices form. Thicken. Stir the cider into the cornstarch, add to the pan, and cook over high heat for 3 minutes until thick. Cool completely.
- Make the dough. Cut the cold butter into the flour until small lumps remain. Whisk the yolks, stream in the steaming milk, and stir into the flour until a dough forms.
- Knead and rest. Knead on parchment about 1 minute, rest 20 minutes, then divide into 6 pieces and roll each into a circle.
- Fill and seal. Spoon about 2 tbsp filling onto each circle, fold in half, and crimp the edges with a fork.
- Fry. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and fry about 2 minutes per side until light golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla, then brush over the warm pies.
