Baked McDonald’s-Style Apple Hand Pies

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the nostalgic fast-food pie vibes, but flakier, fresher, and loaded with real apples.
• Jammy, cinnamon–brown sugar–lemon filling that’s bright and buttery, not cloying.
• Bake or air-fry for a shatteringly crisp, blistered crust—no deep fryer needed.
• Freezer-friendly: assemble ahead and bake straight from frozen.

Grocery List

• Produce: 4 medium apples (Granny Smith + Honeycrisp mix), 1 lemon
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 large egg, milk (or water)
• Pantry: Frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, kosher salt, cornstarch, turbinado sugar

Full Ingredients

Spiced Apple Filling

• 4 medium apples (about 1.5 lb / 680 g), peeled, cored, and 1/4-inch dice (try 2 Granny Smith + 2 Honeycrisp)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice (optional)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (12 g) whisked with 2 tbsp water (30 ml)

Pastry and Finish

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (17.3 oz / 490 g total), thawed until pliable but still cold
• Flour for dusting work surface (as needed)
• 1 large egg + 1 tbsp milk or water (egg wash)
• 2 tbsp turbinado sugar (24 g) mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Parchment paper

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the jammy apple filling

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the apples release juices and begin to soften, 5–7 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Simmer, stirring, until thick, glossy, and jammy with tender apple pieces, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 2: Cool the filling completely

Transfer the filling to a shallow dish and let it cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. For speed, refrigerate 10–15 minutes. Cool filling prevents soggy pastry and helps the pies seal well.

Step 3: Prep the pastry

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Lightly flour your work surface. Unfold each puff pastry sheet. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut each sheet into 4 equal rectangles. You will have 8 rectangles total. Keep pastry chilled; if it warms, refrigerate the cut pieces for 5–10 minutes before filling.

Step 4: Fill, fold, and crimp

Beat the egg with milk or water. Brush a thin border of egg wash around the edges of each rectangle. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons (about 40–45 g) cooled filling onto one half of each rectangle, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border. Fold pastry over to enclose the filling, forming a pocket. Press edges firmly to seal, then crimp all around with a fork for that classic hand-pie look. Transfer to the parchment-lined sheet and chill 10 minutes to firm.

Step 5: Vent and finish

With a small sharp knife, cut three short diagonal slits on top of each pie to vent steam. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon–turbinado sugar. This creates a blistered, crunchy crust.

Step 6: Bake or air-fry

For oven: Preheat to 400°F (204°C). Bake on the middle rack until puffed, deeply golden, and blistered, 18–22 minutes. Rotate the pan at 12 minutes for even color. For air fryer: Preheat to 360°F (182°C) for 3 minutes. Arrange pies in a single layer (work in batches) and cook 10–12 minutes until golden and crisp; no flipping needed.

Step 7: Rest and serve

Cool the pies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack for another 5 minutes so the filling sets. Serve warm, with the vents showing jammy apple peeks and the crust audibly flaky.

Pro Tips

• Dice apples small (1/4 inch). Small pieces cook evenly and create that signature jammy filling without bursting the crust.
• Cool the filling fully. Warm filling melts butter layers and prevents proper puffing.
• Keep pastry cold. If it starts to feel soft, return assembled pies to the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
• Vent generously. Three short slits prevent blowouts and help achieve crispy, blistered tops.
• Use turbinado sugar on top. The large crystals caramelize into a crunchy, fast-food-pie style shell.

Variations

• Salted caramel apple: Add 2–3 tbsp thick caramel sauce to the cooled filling and finish pies with a pinch of flaky salt.
• Maple-brown sugar: Swap 2 tbsp brown sugar for pure maple syrup; add a pinch of cardamom for warmth.
• Pie-dough version: Use 2 refrigerated pie crusts, cut into 8 circles (4.5–5 inches). Fill, fold into half-moons, crimp, and bake 22–24 minutes at 400°F.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate baked pies in an airtight container for up to 3 days; re-crisp at 350°F (177°C) for 8–10 minutes or air-fry at 330°F (166°C) for 5–7 minutes. To freeze unbaked pies, place on a sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F (204°C) for 22–26 minutes (or air-fry at 360°F / 182°C for 12–14 minutes). The cooked filling also holds well in the fridge up to 4 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per hand pie: 340 calories; 18 g fat; 43 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 18 g sugars; 220 mg sodium. Values will vary by brand of puff pastry and sugar topping.