Craving a dessert experience that's both familiar and surprisingly new?
These baked apple pie fries offer a delightful twist on a classic, delivering crispy, apple-cinnamon perfection.
But the real magic lies in the accompanying salted caramel dipping sauce—prepare for an irresistible sweet and salty indulgence!
About This Recipe
Apple pie's transformation into fries is a total game-changer! I love how this dessert combines comfort food with a fun, snackable twist. Visualize this: your favorite apple pie flavors, turned into crispy, golden fries. For the best results in flavor and texture, consider using a mix of apple varieties.
I think it's awesome, it's so creative, don't you think? Perfect for parties, snacks, or when you just want to treat yourself.
I'm telling you, it is a breeze to do this with frozen shortcrust pastry. The trick? Freezing the pastry after you've layered it with the apple pie filling. This prevents the filling from squirting out when you're cutting those perfect strips!
And let me introduce the super simple salted caramel sauce because it elevates the humble pie fries to a whole new level. Seriously, it's a match made in sweet heaven, I promise.
Ingredients
Let's dive straight into what we'll need to whip up these awesome Apple Pie Fries—trust me, it's simpler than you think!
For the Apple Pie Fries, I'm grabbing 1 1/4 cups of canned apple pie filling – or 1 3/4 cups if you're using US refrigerated pie crust. Next, we'll want 3 tablespoons of sugar; any kind will do – white, brown, or raw. Oh, don't forget 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon! To get things just right, consider using a traditional blend of spices to elevate the apple flavor.
You'll also need 2 sheets of frozen shortcrust pastry (25cm/10" square)—don't thaw them! Or, you could sub in 14 ounces of refrigerated pie crust. An egg and 2 tablespoons of sugar granules (optional – for sprinkling) are next. We'll need oil spray, too!
For the Salted Caramel Sauce? Easy! 1 cup of caster sugar, 1/3 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream – not whipped, okay? Then, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, and you're all set!
Instructions
First, I'm placing the apple pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon into a food processor—then whizzing it all until it's totally smooth! Now, grab one sheet of pastry and quickly spread the filling, leaving a thin border. Top with the other sheet.
Brush it with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar if you want, and freeze for at least an hour. I know, patience is hard!
Preheat the oven to 350F and spray your baking tray. Ready?
Take the pastry from the freezer. Let it soften for 5-10 minutes—not too much, or it'll be a mess. Cut into "fries"—I do about 12 strips vertically and 3 horizontally.
Carefully put them on the tray and let them sit while the oven heats up. Bake for 15-25 minutes until they're golden brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooking rack.
Time for the salted caramel sauce!
Recipe Notes
With the fries baking to golden perfection, I've got some extra notes for you—consider them my treasure trove of tips to make certain these Apple Pie Fries turn out great!
Now, remember, Aussie shortcrust pastry is like US refrigerated pie crusts. But, because I'm a bit of a food nerd, I figured out US crusts are bigger—so add a bit more apple filling! You could adjust the cinnamon and sugar too, but I don't think it's necessary.
My apple pie filling is kinda tart, hence the extra sugar. Don't worry, it's not much per fry! If yours is sweet already, skip it.
Freezing is key—it stops the filling from escaping when you slice!
Pastry cooking times? They vary—a lot! Watch closely. Also, warming before baking affects cooking—just so you know. Also, I stored them up to 2 days!
Nutritional Information
Now that we've chatted about getting these fries just right, let's peek into the nutrition side of things – because who doesn't want to know what they're munching on? Each "fry" clocks in around 75 calories. I know, I know, but it's worth it!
And the rest? Well, you're looking at about 10.9g of carbohydrates, 0.7g of protein, and 3.4g of fat. Plus, a smidge of cholesterol and sodium. The sugar content? About 3.9g. Not too shabby, right? Keep in mind, this is just an estimate, and it all depends on how big you cut your fries and how much caramel sauce you dunk 'em in! But hey, it's all about balance, isn't it?
- Imagine the joy of sharing these with your bestie on a cozy afternoon – pure bliss!
- Think about the look on your family's faces when you present these at dessert!
- Picture yourself, curled up on the couch, enjoying every single bite… yes, you deserve it!
Short Recipe Version
Baked Apple Pie Fries With Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce****
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 2 large apples, peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 package (14.1 oz) refrigerated pie crusts
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Toss apple slices with lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Unroll pie crusts and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips.
- Place apple slices on crust strips and fold the crust over to enclose the filling.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While fries are baking, make the caramel sauce. Melt better in a saucepan and bring to medium high heat. Cook for 7 minutes or light brown in color. Reduce heat to low, add heavy cream and salt, and stir.
- Serve fries warm with salted caramel dipping sauce.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sodium: 200mg
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Sugar: 25g
- Protein: 3g