Fried Apple Pies With Dried Apples and Cinnamon

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/25/21
Fried Pies

Laurence Mouton / Getty Images

Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This old-fashioned recipe for fried apple pie is made with dried apples. It's a good example of a hand pie that features dough folded over a fruit filling. As a portable dessert, it's meant to be held in the hand when eaten and is perfect for a lunch box. While baking in the oven or frying in a cast-iron skillet are two methods of cooking hand pies, here they are fried until golden brown for a crisp crust.

In the days before refrigeration, drying apples, along with canning, was a method of preserving the fruit for use through the winter months and beyond. The dried apples can then be enjoyed as a snack or rehydrated using liquid. Heating up the liquid, whether it's water, fruit juice, or alcohol, makes it easier for the apples to absorb it.

Speaking of pastry, the case for a hand pie is more biscuit-like than flaky pie dough because it needs to hold the moist filling without it leaking out. So, if you want a shortcut, use refrigerated biscuit dough. If peeling fresh apples and making your own buttery, flaky pie crust is how you roll, try traditional apple hand pies.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried apples

  • 1 quart oil, for deep-frying

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted or stirred before measuring

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • Whipped cream, or ice cream, optional, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Add the dried apples to a medium pot. Cover with water and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes to rehydrate them. Drain, cool, and chop roughly. Set aside.

  3. Add the oil to a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or deep-fryer to 370 F.

  4. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter.

  5. Add the milk and egg, and mix to form a soft dough. Roll the dough out thin and cut into 4 circles about 5 inches in diameter.

  6. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.

  7. Place 1/2 cup of the rehydrated dried apples in the center of each circle and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the sugar mixture.

  8. Wet edges with a little milk, fold over, and seal with a fork. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

  9. Fry the hand pies until golden brown. Drain well.

  10. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

How to Store

  • Fried apple hand pies will last up to three days stored in an airtight container on the counter. They are best when enjoyed fresh.
  • Uncooked, assembled hand pies can be frozen and baked or fried later. Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze for at least an hour. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
  • Frozen hand pies can be baked from frozen or thawed in the fridge overnight and fried.

Recipe Variation

Just as a traditional apple pie can be jazzed up by adding a few complementary ingredients, the same is true of this recipe. Add 1/2 cup roughly chopped dried sweetened cranberries, 1/2 cup roughly chopped dark or light raisins, and 2 teaspoons orange zest to give it a fall flavor burst.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
617 Calories
29g Fat
82g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 617
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 38%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 457mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 82g 30%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 138mg 11%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 330mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)