Try this McDonald's Copycat Fried Apple Pies recipe
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups 1/2†diced apples peeled, cored and diced) approx 2-3 medium apples (i used 1 gala and 1 granny smith apple)
- neutral oil vegetable, canola or coconut oil
- Carbohydrate 12.3798307725275 g
- Cholesterol 3.7375 mg
- Fat 2.03891750001083 g
- Fiber 0.21632083141607 g
- Protein 0.547187639011912 g
- Saturated Fat 0.981860763890609 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (43g)
- Sodium 96.5572125170682 mg
- Sugar 12.1635099411115 g
- Trans Fat 0.206691013892462 g
- Calories 69 calories
Step-by-step
- Remove puff pastry from freezer, unwrap pastry and place on a floured work surface to thaw.
- Meanwhile; in a large saucepan over medium heat combine apples, lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Stir occasionally until mixture begins to bubble.
- Meanwhile combine water and flour in a mason jar or container. Shake to combine. Add to pot. Continue boiling, stirring constantly until apples are softened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan with deep sides, heat about 1" oil to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, using a sharp knife cut each pasty sheet into 3 equal long pieces. Lay pasty sheet strips out horizontally on floured work surface. Place ¼ cup apple pie filling on the left half of each dough strip. Moisten your clean fingers and wet the edge of the pastry. Gently pick up the right side of the dough and fold dough on top of the left side, encasing the filling (if any filling seeps out push it back in).
- Gently press along the edge with the tines of a fork. Once all pies are assembled fry them 2 at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes total, carefully flipping them over halfway through. Remove pies from oil when they are a nice golden brown. Place pies on a stack of paper towels. Sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon. Repeat until all pies are cooked.
The Mechanics of a Shattering Crust
Shredded butter layers trapped inside puff pastry create steam pockets during frying, resulting in an exterior that blisters into hundreds of fragile, crackling shards rather than turning into a dense bread. Maintaining the frying medium at precisely 350 degrees Fahrenheit ensures the butter melts and evaporates quickly enough to push the pastry apart before the fat has time to saturate the interior dough. When the oil drops below 325 degrees, the pastry absorbs excess grease instead of frying cleanly, turning the snack into an oily sponge.
Balancing Sugar, Acid, and Pectin
Combining firm apples like Granny Smith with softer varieties such as Gala provides both structural integrity and a balanced sweetness that prevents the filling from tasting cloying. Adding lemon juice drops the pH of the cooking liquid, which strengthens the fruit's cellular walls slightly so the pieces retain their shape instead of dissolving into mush while boiling. Whisking a cold water and flour slurry directly into the bubbling fruit mixture gelatinizes the starches instantly, thickening the juices into a glossy glaze that will not boil out and splatter violently when it hits the hot fat.
Frying Strategy and Heat Management
Crowding the skillet introduces too much cold mass at once, causing a rapid temperature crash that ruins the crispness of the crust and leaves the dough greasy. Fry the assembled pastries in small batches of two for roughly three to four minutes total, flipping them midway to ensure even browning across every ridge. Drain the finished pastries immediately on a thick stack of paper towels, then dust them with cinnamon sugar while the exterior oil film is still hot enough to anchor the granules firmly to the surface.
