Funnel Cake-Inspired Apple Hand Pies

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups finely chopped, peeled tart apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup chopped dried apples
• 1 recipe Buttermilk Dough for Fried Fruit Pies, chilled
• 2 cups canola oil for frying, or more as needed
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or as needed

Step 1

Combin fresh apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over high heat. Keep stirring as it comes to a boil, then let it cook until the apples begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Toss in the dried apples, give it a good stir, and set it aside to cool completely.

Step 2

While the filling cools, take the chilled dough out and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. When you’re ready, lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Use a round cutter to cut out twelve 4-inch circles.

Step 3

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture onto the center of each dough round. Fold the dough over the filling to make a half-moon shape, then press the edges together firmly. Use a fork dusted with flour to crimp the edges well so the filling stays inside.

Step 4

Heat about an inch of oil in a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Carefully slide in 3 pies at a time. Fry them for around 3 minutes, turning every 30 seconds to make sure they brown evenly and don’t burn. Once golden and crispy, transfer them to paper towels to drain.

Step 5

Let the pies cool for a few minutes before dusting them generously with powdered sugar. Enjoy!