McDonald's Apple Pies (homemade + vegan)
These juicy, golden parcels are a homemade take on the classic McDonald's apple pies, but even better! They're crisp, customizable, and much easier to make and serve than traditional apple pie.
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 3-4 x (480g) medium-size apples of choice, peeled and chopped into 1/3 inch or 1 cm cubes (weighed after peeling)
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar or to taste
- ¼ cup (55g) vegan butter
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice to taste (or sub with water)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons (10g) cornstarch / corn flour (note 1 for a thinner sauce)
- ¼ cup (60g) water or as needed
- ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
To assemble and decorate
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed but cold
- 2-3 tablespoons (45g-65g) maple syrup for brushing as needed
- coarse sugar optional
Instructions
Prepare the apple pie filling:
- In a large saucepan over high heat, add the apples, brown sugar, vegan butter, lemon juice and cinnamon and stir until just combined. When the butter has completely melted, reduce the stove to medium heat. Cook the apple mixture for around 10 minutes or until the apples have softened and have released a lot of liquid.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan while stirring constantly.
- Cook the apple mixture for another 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the apples are tender. For a runnier mixture, add more water. For a thicker mixture, continue to cook. Keep in mind that the filling will thicken up as it cools. Set aside to cool completely.
Prepare the puff pastry:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F) and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Cut both sheets of puff pastry into rectangles. I got a total of 16 rectangles, but the number you'll get will depend on the size of your pastry sheets. Place half of the rectangles on your lined baking trays.
- Spoon around 2 heaped tablespoons of the apple mixture in the middle of each rectangle. If you have any filling remaining, set it aside for serving! Brush the edges of each pastry rectangle with maple syrup. Top each pastry with the remaining rectangles and press down the edges to seal them.
- Use a fork to crimp the edges of the apple hand pies. Use a small knife to cut 3-4 slits on top of each pastry. Brush the tops with maple syrup and, if desired, sprinkle some coarse sugar.
- Bake the apple pies for 28-32 minutes or until puffed and golden. Let them cool on their baking trays for around 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
To serve:
- Serve the apple pies warm. Be careful as the filling may be hot. The apple pies are incredible by themselves or served with a scoop of ice cream and extra apple pie filling drizzled on top!
- The pies are best enjoyed on the day of baking but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, bake the pies in an oven or air fryer until warmed through.
Notes
- This McDonald's apple pie recipe has a thick and gooey apple pie filling. If you'd like a runnier filling, please use only 2 teaspoons (5g) cornstarch and 2 tablespoons (30g) of water.
- Make ahead instructions: The apple filling can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also store it in the freezer, though its texture will slightly change. You can also freeze the assembled hand pies for up to 2 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator then bake until golden.