Fried Apple Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, butter and 1 tablespoon water. Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbling. Add the apples, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool completely. You can make this ahead of time and chill in the fridge a day or so in advance if needed.
• To make the pies, roll each biscuit into about a 5-inch circle that is about 1/8 inch thick. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling on each round of dough, just off center. Use your finger and run a little water around the edges to help them seal completely. Fold one half of each circle over onto the other half and seal in the apple filling, forcing out any air that you can. Press the edges together and crimp with a fork. Continue until they're all assembled.
• Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Fry the pies 2 or 3 at a time for about 5 minutes, carefully turning them halfway through. Remove them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• When all the pies are fried, sift the confectioners' sugar over top. Serve with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce or store-bought caramel sauce.
• Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking gently, until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and a second pinch of salt and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Chill if not using immediately.

Steps:

• Make the pie dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is well distributed throughout, and the largest pieces are no larger than a pea. (You can also do this by hand with a pastry cutter in a large bowl.)
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the ice water and toss the mixture with your hands to distribute the water throughout the flour. Once the mixture is very fine, press and knead it a few times until it comes together. If there are portions of the dough that are more hydrated, use your hands to break them up, then incorporate the drier portions of the dough. The dough should not be totally smooth, or overly wet. If needed, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together easily in a ball.
• Divide the dough in half and form each into a disk about ½-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Make the filling: In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples, tossing to coat in the butter. Add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the apples start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Add to the pot and stir well to combine. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. (If you'd like to make it ahead of time, the filling will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
• When the dough is chilled, and using a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk about ¼-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round biscuit cutter or cup to cut about five circles from the dough. (You can also use a plate or stencil as a guide and use a knife to cut.) Wrap the scraps in plastic wrap and chill while you fill the dough.
• Use a fork or small slotted spoon to transfer about 1 heaping tablespoon filling into the center of each circle. (Try to scoop just the apples, leaving behind most of the syrup.) Brush the outside edge of one half of the dough with cool water, then fold the circle in half to encase the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal, then crimp with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, while you shape the remaining pies. Repeat this process with the other disk of dough and combine the dough scraps with the others in the refrigerator.
• Re-roll the combined scraps to create about another 4 circles of dough and repeat the process with the remaining filling.
• Pour 3 to 4 inches oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil reaches 350 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, you're ready to fry. (You can also test the temperature with a scrap piece of dough; it should immediately rise to the surface.) Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Remove the pies from the refrigerator.
• Fry 3 to 4 pieces at a time (or fewer if necessary to avoid crowding) until evenly golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Watch the temperature of the oil. You may need to adjust the heat as you work. When the hand pies are evenly browned, use a spider or slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and transfer to the towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• After about 1 minute, while the pies are still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar to coat, then set on a serving platter. Repeat the frying and coating process with the remaining pies. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• For the pie dough: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the shortening and butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add in the ice water and vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press into a large disc. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the filling: Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and then saute the apples, stirring, until just starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and stir. Add the cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until some of the apples start to break apart (but most are still whole), about 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Fill a deep pot halfway with oil and heat to 365 degrees F. Roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick on a lightly-floured surface. Cut out eighteen 4 1/2-inch-diameter circles, gathering and re-rolling the dough if necessary. Beat the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling into the center of each dough round. Brush the edge with some egg mixture and fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press out the air and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.
• Place 4 to 6 pies at a time into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, flipping as needed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cook's Note: The pies can be frozen for up to 6 months before frying. Frozen pies will take about 8 minutes to fry. You can also refrigerate the pies for up to 2 hours before frying.