This fried apple pie bursts with warm spices and is served on a pool of silky vanilla cream sauce. Rich, cozy, and elegant, it’s an ideal dessert for autumn gatherings and holiday tables.
There’s something irresistibly seasonal about apple pie—especially when the apples are cooked first, reducing their juices to a flavorful syrup and ensuring a perfect texture inside the crust.
Over the years I’ve baked the same trusted country apple pie many times, but frying—or more accurately sautéing—the apple filling before assembling the pie solves two common problems: sinking centers and overly runny fillings. Cooking the apples first concentrates flavor, reduces excess liquid, and lets you confirm the filling’s thickness before baking. If your apples are extra juicy you can add a touch more cornstarch while they cook, and you’ll be able to judge how many apples are needed because they’ll have already shrunk to their final size.
Below is a clear, step-by-step version of the recipe with ingredient notes, techniques for a butter pie crust (optional), and directions for a creamy vanilla sauce to serve alongside.
Ingredients for Fried Apple Pie
- 1 Double pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 large Granny Smith apples (or 5–6 medium)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Best apples for pie
Granny Smith apples are a reliable choice: they stay firm when baked and provide a pleasant tartness to balance the sugars. Braeburns bake well and hold texture, Pink Lady apples offer a balanced sweet-tart flavor and rosy color, and Honeycrisp are sweet and crunchy (reduce added sugar if using them alone). Other good options include Golden Delicious and Jonagold. Choose based on sweetness and juiciness and adjust cornstarch as needed.
How to make the fried apple pie filling
- Peel, core, and slice or chunk the apples. Toss them with the granulated and brown sugars in a large bowl so the pieces are evenly coated.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-soft.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, then add it to the skillet. Continue cooking until the apples are tender and the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Set the filling aside while you prepare the crust.
How to make a butter pie crust (optional)
A butter crust adds flavor; if you prefer a flakier texture, use a shortening-based crust. This butter crust yields a tender, flavorful pastry.
- Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a bowl. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) very cold, cubed unsalted butter.
- Use a pastry blender or fingertips to work the butter into the flour until pieces are pea-sized.
- Add 1 tablespoon cold white vinegar and 5–6 tablespoons ice water, mixing just until the dough holds together. Form into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Divide the disc in half. Roll one half on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim to about 1/2 inch beyond the rim and fold the edge under.
- Fill the prepared bottom crust evenly with the cooked apple filling.
- Roll the second half of the dough and cut strips to create a lattice top, or roll it as a whole top crust and vent it with slits. Trim and crimp the edges to seal.
- Brush the crust with an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk) and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake on the lowest oven rack at 400°F (200°C) for 45–50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the bottom is cooked through. If the edges brown too quickly, shield them with foil.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for about 3 hours. Chilling in the refrigerator makes slicing cleaner; reheat slices briefly before serving if desired.
Vanilla Cream Sauce Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
How to make the vanilla cream sauce
- Whisk the egg yolks lightly in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine the milk or half-and-half, heavy cream, sugar, and cornstarch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and temper the yolks by whisking in about one-third of the hot mixture, then return the yolk mixture to the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, and refrigerate until chilled. Warm slightly before serving if it has thickened too much; spoon onto plates and set a slice of pie on top.
Notes: Cook time includes both baking the pie and making the cream sauce. Prep time includes making the crust. The pie freezes well for up to 3 months—wrap tightly and thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm before serving.