Description
Okay, so if you’ve never had a proper fried pie, you’re missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. These aren’t those sad, dry things you get at gas stations. I’m talking about the real deal – flaky, buttery hand pies stuffed with sweet, cinnamon-spiced fruit and fried until golden and crispy. My grandma used to make these every Sunday after church, and the smell would hit you before you even walked in the door. They’re basically handheld heaven, and once you make them from scratch, you’ll never go back to store-bought anything.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (don’t even think about using cake flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (the real stuff, not margarine – grandma would roll over)
- 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening (I know, I know, but it makes the flakiest crust)
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water (literally put ice cubes in the water)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash – makes them golden and gorgeous)
For the Peach Filling:
- 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced (about 6–8 medium peaches)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed tight)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (keeps things from getting soupy)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (trust me on this one)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (keeps the peaches from browning)
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 cups apples, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work best)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (be generous)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice (the secret ingredient!)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Frying:
- Vegetable oil for frying (enough to fill your pot about 3 inches deep)
- A candy thermometer (seriously, get one – guessing oil temperature is a recipe for disaster)
For Finishing:
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional but recommended)
- Or cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon)