Why It Works
- Using apple juice in the filling amplifies the fruity sweetness and mimics the bold flavor of the original McDonald’s apple pie filling.
- Cooking the apple filling before assembling the hand pies ensures the apples are perfectly tender and keeps air gaps from forming between the filling and the crust.
- Rolling the dough thinner than a traditional pie helps keep the fried pies crispy on the outside and light on the inside.
- Resting the dough at multiple points keeps it firm and manageable, making shaping and sealing the pies easier.
Few fast-food treats inspire as much nostalgia as McDonald’s fried apple pies. Golden, crisp, and filled with gooey apple filling, they were the chain’s first hot dessert and quickly became iconic. While many US locations swapped them out for a baked version in the 1990s, the memory of those shatteringly crisp hand pies still lingers.
McDonald’s is part of the backdrop of my childhood. I spent birthdays with Ronald McDonald, learned how to roll my first breakfast burrito at one of their events, and even volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House. But the apple pies? Somehow they weren’t part of my personal McDonald’s story, which only made me more curious about what I’d missed.
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Fried vs. Baked: What’s the Big Deal?
McDonald’s replaced their fried pies with baked ones in the early ’90s, citing health concerns during a wellness-focused era. But a family friend who worked at McDonald’s for 44 years believes the change had more to do with fryer logistics. One such explanation is that the restaurants needed space in their fryers for new menu items. Another logistical explanation is that the pies breaking apart in the fryer oil made it unusable for frying other foods, such as french fries. Whatever the reason, fans never stopped longing for the fried version. Nostalgia aside, it makes sense: Who doesn’t love a portable pocket of fried dough with gooey apple filling?
The baked pie is good in its own right—gooey filling, a sugary crunch on top—but it just doesn’t have the same flaky, blistered crust. J. Kenji López-Alt even wrote about trying to fry the baked pies at home, just to get closer to the original. I get it. Once you’ve had one fried, there’s no going back.
Some McDonald’s in Hawaii and a handful of legacy locations in California have kept the fried version alive, but for most McDonald’s customers, they’ve become a distant memory. That’s where this recipe comes in.
Tasting the “Modern” Pie
To set a baseline, I went to my local McDonald’s and ordered one of the baked apple pies. The filling was thick, glossy, and unapologetically apple-forward, with just a trace of cinnamon. The crust surprised me—it was thick and flaky on the outside, but denser and a little chewier than I expected, with a sugary coating on top that gave a nice crunch. Honestly, it was pretty darn tasty. But tasting it only confirmed what I suspected: The fried version would be even better, and well worth the effort.
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Cracking the Code on Copycat McDonald’s Apple Pies
Reverse-engineering a McDonald’s apple pie at home came down to three things: dough, filling, and frying. Here’s how I nailed it:
- Go thin and square. I started with Stella Parks’s buttery, flaky pie dough recipe. It’s reliable, bakes into gorgeous layers, and requires no special equipment. Store-bought pie crusts also work well if you’re short on time. Either way, roll the dough thinner than a traditional pie crust (about 1/16 inch) and cut it into five-inch squares. That’s the sweet spot for hand pies that fry up crisp throughout without being doughy.
- Boost the apple flavor. When I read the ingredients for McDonald’s baked apple pies, I noticed the bold apple flavor is bolstered with apple juice concentrate. To achieve the gooey, sweet filling, I thickened sweetened apple juice with cornstarch, similar to the method in Afton Cyrus’s apple hand pies recipe but with a higher juice-to-apple ratio and just a touch of cinnamon. This method mimicked the glossy mixture that suspends the softened apples.
- Fry—but not too hot. Frying at 350°F for 8 to 12 minutes is the sweet spot. Too hot and the crust browns before the inside cooks; too cool and the pies turn greasy. Frying them in batches of three is also crucial to ensure the oil temperature doesn’t drop too drastically, which can cause the pies to fall apart before the dough edges have time to set and seal in the hot oil.
- Optional upgrade: sugar toss. The original fried McDonald’s pies weren’t coated in sugar, though today’s baked version does come with a sugared crust. I love giving these copycat fried pies a quick tumble in cinnamon sugar after they come out of the oil. It adds sparkle and crunch and makes them even more irresistible while they’re still warm.
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Better Than a Drive-Thru
Not everyone lives near one of the rare McDonald’s locations that still fry their pies. But with this recipe, you don’t need to travel to taste one. Fresh from your own fryer, these hand pies deliver everything fans miss about the original: a gooey, cinnamon-sweet filling wrapped in a shatteringly crisp crust. Straight out of the oil, they might just be better than anything you could get from a drive-thru.
I Cracked the Code on Copycat McDonald’s Apple Pies (And They’re Even Crispier Than the Original)
Cook Mode
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1 recipe Buttery, Flaky Pie Crust, made through step 2, pressed into 2 (3- by 4-inch) rectangles, tightly wrapped, and chilled for 2 to 24 hours (see notes)
All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
2/3 cup (160 ml) apple juice
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (13 g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
2 medium Golden Delicious, Cosmic Crisp, or Jonagold apples (12 ounces total), peeled, cored, each cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise (2 1/2 cups prepared)
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
3 quarts neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, for frying
For Finishing the Pies (optional):
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Remove pie dough from refrigerator. If using homemade dough, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
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Generously flour work surface and use a rolling pin to roll 1 dough rectangle to a 16-by-11-inch rectangle with the long side parallel to edge of counter, adding additional flour to counter and dough as needed to prevent sticking. Using a bench scraper or knife, trim dough into a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut dough into six 5-inch squares (see note). Carefully transfer squares to parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover squares with second piece of parchment paper and refrigerate. Discard dough scraps or save for another use. (If using store-bought dough, see notes below.)
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Repeat rolling and cutting with second rectangle of pie dough for 12 dough squares total. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is well chilled, about 1 hour.
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Meanwhile, in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together apple juice, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved and mixture is smooth.
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In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until softened, 12 to 15 minutes.
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Whisk juice mixture to recombine and pour over apples. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Transfer apple mixture to a shallow rimmed dish or pie plate and let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
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When ready to assemble hand pies, line second baking sheet with parchment. Arrange 6 chilled dough squares on lightly floured work surface. (Return remaining dough squares to refrigerator.) Brush edges of squares with prepared egg wash. Place 2 tablespoons cooled filling in center of each square, leaving clear 1/4 -inch border around edges (do not overfill). Fold dough over filling to form rectangle. Using fingers, lightly press down to shape filling into an even layer, working from the center out, pressing out any air pockets. Press and crimp dough edges together to seal. (If dough squares become too soft, refrigerate until firm again.) Transfer assembled pies to parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
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Remove remaining dough squares and repeat filling and sealing. Transfer to sheet with other pies. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
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When ready to fry, add oil to a large Dutch oven or pot until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium heat to 350°F (175°C). Set wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with a triple layer of paper towels. Using a clean, dry pastry brush, brush off any excess flour from pies. Holding one pie at a time in your hand, pinch the edges of each pie to ensure a tight seal.
When oil is hot, gently transfer 3 pies to oil (refrigerate remaining pies until needed). Cook until deep golden brown on both sides, using spider skimmer or slotted spoon to flip occasionally for even browning, 8 to 12 minutes. Adjust burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature around 350°F (175°C).
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Transfer pies to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack. Let drain for about 30 seconds, then move pies to unlined side of rack. Return oil to 350°F (175°C) and repeat frying 3 pies at a time with remaining 9 pies (a total of 4 batches).
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For Finishing the Pies: Optionally, in a medium bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Working with 1 to 2 pies at a time, toss in sugar mixture until coated and return to unlined side of rack (see notes). Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature
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Special Equipment
Medium saucepan, 2 rimmed baking sheets, parchment paper, rolling pin, ruler, bench scraper, pastry brush, large Dutch oven or pot, instant-read or candy thermometer, wire rack
Notes
This pie can be made using 3 store-bought pie crusts (1 1/2 boxes). In step 2, generously flour work surface and use a rolling pin to roll one pie dough into a 13-inch circle. Using a bench scraper or knife, trim dough into a 10-inch square. Cut dough into four 5-inch squares. Carefully transfer squares to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with the remaining two pie crusts for 12 dough squares total.
To cut perfect 5-inch squares, mark the edges of the dough at 5-inch intervals and score the lines across the dough using the long side of your ruler. Then, using a bench scraper or knife, cut through the scored lines.
Variations
To bake the pies instead of frying: Assemble pies through step 8. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush off any excess flour from pies with clean, dry pastry brush. Cut 3 1-inch slits on top (do not cut through filling to the other side). Brush tops with remaining egg wash, then sprinkle each pie with 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake until pies are golden brown, 22 to 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let cool on sheet for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
To airfry: Assemble through step 8. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes. Brush off any excess flour from pies with clean, dry pastry brush. Cut 3 1-inch slits on top (do not cut through filling). Working with 4 pies at a time, spray both sides lightly with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Cook 4 pies at a time until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Repeat 2 more times with remaining 8 pies. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The apple filling can be made through step 5 and refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container before assembling the hand pies. Chilling it makes the filling firmer and the pies easier to shape.
The assembled hand pies, made through step 8, can be frozen on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, at least 8 hours, then transferred to a zipper-lock bag or other airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. You can fry them as directed straight from frozen for 10 to 15 minutes. They can also be baked or air fried from frozen; extend cooking time by 3 to 5 minutes as needed.
