A Family-Owned Pie Shop Shares Their Fried Apple Hand Pie Recipe

Inspired by Woodruff’s Pie Shop in Monroe, Virginia, a family-owned café where the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Angela Scott resurrected her parents’ shop—which they ran for 30 years—and now her twin sisters, Darnelle and Darnette, and husband Larry work alongside her. Their apple pie is renowned, including this handy eat-on-the-go version. A hint of lemon renders a fruity filling that tastes as crisp as a sun-dappled afternoon. They're equally delicious still warm, or cooled and packed up as a picnic snack.

Related: Delicious Apple Recipes for Any Season 

Yields: 6 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Total Time: 5 hours 45 mins

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 3 c.

  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for work surface

• 1 1/2 tbsp.

  granulated sugar

• 1 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 1 tsp.

  baking powder

• 1/2 c.

  (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 3/4

  to 1 cup cold milk

For the filling:

• 1/2 c.

  granulated sugar

• 1/4 c.

  packed light brown sugar

• 1 tbsp.

  cornstarch

• 1/3 tsp.

  freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp.

  ground cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 4 c.

  sliced Golden Delicious apples (from 2 to 3 apples)

• 1/2 tsp.

  pure lemon extract

• 1

  (40-ounce) bottle canola oil

Directions

1. Make the crust: Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal with several pea-size pieces remaining. Add 3/4 cup milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, using a fork to pull dough together into a crumbly pile. (Add up to an additional 4 tablespoons of milk if needed.) Wrap dough in plastic wrap, using the plastic to flatten and press dough into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.

2. Make the filling: Meanwhile, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Combine apples and 1/2 cup water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until thickened and apples are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in lemon extract. Cool to room temperature.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured work surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. Use a 5-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles. Reroll and cut scraps once. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup filling in the center of each circle. Fold dough over filling, creating a half-moon shape, and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet and chill 15 minutes.

4. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven, with a deep-fry thermometer attached, to 350°F. Fry pies, in batches, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on prepared wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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