Cinnamon-Sugar Fried Apple PIES
- 30m Prep Time
- 25m Cook Time
- 55m Ready In
These Southern-style fried apple pies feature a crunchy, golden brown pastry with a sweet-tart cinnamon apple filling. They are handheld and perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 2 large apples (preferably Gravenstein, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady) peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup lard or shortening
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp milk
- 4 cup vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
- sugar for dusting
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 12 of 15 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 49.7 mg
- Iron: 2.05 mg
- Magnesium: 13.6 mg
- Phosphorus: 70.6 mg
- Potassium: 97.9 mg
- Zinc: 0.43 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup lard or shortening
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp milk
- 4 cup vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
Prepare
- 2 large apples (preferably Gravenstein, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady), peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- sugar, for dusting
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Combine the diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a wok over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the apples soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, then set the filling aside to cool completely.
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Step 2.
While the filling cools, make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut the lard into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the fat is well incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand (no pea-size pieces). Stir in the milk and gather the dough together, squeezing until it forms a ball. If the dough seems too dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more milk, a little at a time, and squeeze again until it holds together.
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Step 3.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and flatten each into a small disk with the heel of your hand. On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk into a circle about ⅛-inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.
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Step 4.
Place a heaping spoonful of the cooled apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
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Step 5.
In a clean wok, heat the vegetable oil to 350°F, using a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature. Fry the pies a few at a time (about 4 without crowding) until golden brown on one side, about 2–3 minutes. Flip with a spatula and fry until the other side is golden, another 2–3 minutes.
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Step 6.
Transfer the fried pies to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While still hot, dust generously with sugar. Repeat with the remaining pies. Serve warm.