Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why are McDonald's apple pies so good? ›

Many pie fillings are made with a processed thickening agent that keeps the filling jelly-like and in place. But McDonald's uses a dehydrated apple powder. The powder not only thickens the filling, but it also adds that extra apple taste that you love.

If you want to mix and match for a balanced flavor, be sure to use both sweet and tart apples. For instance, these apple pie bars use both Granny Smith (which are tart) and Honey Crisp (which are sweet). Also consider balancing the texture.

Granny Smith.

Firm and very tart, this variety is the go-to for many when it comes to pie because it keeps its shape extremely well. But it isn't exactly known for its flavor, so Granny Smiths are best used in conjunction with sweeter and/or more flavorful apples.

The new version has fewer ingredients, a lattice crust, and sliced (not diced) apples. It's also healthier and is dusted with sugar on top rather than coated with brown sugar. Learn the secrets that make the McDonald's apple pie so tasty.

One major change to the apple pie is that, unlike when it first came out, it's no longer fried. In 1992, McDonald's switched from frying its apple pies to baking them to quell health concerns. Today, nearly every McDonald's in America serves baked apple pies that are somewhat "healthier" than the beloved fried version.

For more on all these apples, including what they look and taste like, see our baking apple guide below. There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed.

Apples, Cheese, and Law

According to law firm Nicolet Law, it's often cited that Wisconsin legally requires apple pie to be served with a slice of cheese. While that's not a bad idea and does sound very Wisconsin, it's not a law. But Wisconsin did come pretty close to it back in the 1930's.

Honeycrisp apples are known for their intense sweetness and crisp snap. They're a delicious apple to incorporate into either pie or crisp filling because they pack a bold punch in the flavor department and are neither too wet nor too firm when cooked.

If the only baking apple options at your market are Romes and Cortlands, get those. Macintoshes add sweetness, but they turn to mush when baked, so use only a few. Better yet are the older varieties of apples, the Golden Russet, Northern Spy and Winesap. If you can, add a few Macouns to the mix.

Is McIntosh apples good for apple pie? ›

Macintosh or Granny Smith apples are the best choices for apple pie because they are the least mushy apples.

Avoid using overripe apples to prevent your pie from becoming mushy and wet. Southern Living says choosing the perfect apple variety will be for naught if the fruit is overripe. Your pie will turn out very mushy and lack the flavor apple pie is known for.

Pink Lady^® apples are a perfect accompaniment for pies as they hold their shape and don't disintegrate when baked, creating beautiful layers within your pie. Slightly el dente and naturally sweet when baked make them the perfect pie partner.

Since you'll be cooking your apples down, your best apple picks for applesauce are softer varieties like Golden Delicious and Fuji. McIntosh has a tender flesh that easily breaks down when cooked, making it a great choice for sauce hausarbeiten schreiben lassen.

Absolutely—McDonald's apple pie has real diced apples. The exact variety can vary from season to season, but we look for apples that are sweet and slightly tart. Read a full ingredient list for our Apple Pies.

View Ingredients & Allergens

OR: Water, Apples (23%), WHEAT Flour, Vegetable Oils (Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil), Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Salt, Spices, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Cassia Extract. Prepared in the restaurants using non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Ingredients: Apples (apples, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Citric Acid), Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Modified Food Starch, Invert Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less: Yeast, Salt, Cinnamon, Sunflower Lecithin, ...

For more than 50 years, all the pies sold in US McDonald's have been made exclusively at Bama Companies in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Bama also makes biscuits and hotcakes for the fast-food chain.)