Cooking Lesson #1002: Air Fryer Apple Pies

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? I have another Instant Pot challenge for you. You can assume (from prior writings), I love working with my Instant Pot and I love PIE! I am overly fond of any kind of pies. As a kid, I grew up on pies from Du-pars and Knott’s Berry Farm. Pies are so typically American—every region in the United States has their own style of pie.
 
Growing up I was addicted to Hostess brand fried fruit pies that are still sold in grocery and convenience stores today. You probably know the ones that sit at the end of the junk food aisle along with the mini donuts. They are made with apple, cherry, lemon and even chocolate pie fillings topped with a sweet, powdered sugar glaze. As cheap as they may be, they’re still tasty and satisfying—just peel back the wrapper and take a couple of bites.
 
Recently on an episode of Somewhere South (PBS), Vivian Howard introduced the pie customs of the South including hand pies. Vivian’s schtick is to dig deep into the lesser-known roots of Southern food, Southern cooking, Southern hospitality and Southern living. Very entertaining!
 
So, in the following recipe I created a marriage of “fried” apple hand pies and my Instant Pot. For this recipe you need to have the Instant Pot air fryer lid (or any other air fryer). You can use most any fillings of berry, cherry and more, but for this recipe I have selected a buttery apple-cinnamon mixture. These pies bake in less than 10 minutes in an air fryer. So last minute, hot apple hand pies are possible in just a few minutes before sitting down to an evening dinner. Quick and easy hand pies will be in the mouths of your family in minutes! That makes a good evening even better! 
 
Start with a premade supermarket pie crust. You can also use a canned apple pie filling, or you can follow my recipe below. If you don’t have the Instant Pot air fryer lid you can use any brand of air fryer. Your almost-from-scratch air fried apple hand pies will have a light and flaky crust and a delicious, sweet cinnamon apple filling.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Bake time:  15 minutes
Yield:  4 small hand pies
 
Ingredients 
For the filling
2 diced medium Granny Smith apples
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
1/2 (14 ounce) package pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie (you can use any store brand)
cooking spray
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
 
For the glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk, or more as needed
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
Directions
To make the apple filling and assemble the pies

1. Combine the apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat until apples have softened, and the sugar starts to thicken; about 5 minutes.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Stir into the apple mixture and cook until it thickens, for about 1 minute.
3. Remove the apple pie filling from heat and set aside to cool while you prepare the crust.
4. Unroll the pie crust on a lightly floured surface and roll out slightly to smooth the surface of the dough.
5. Cut the dough into small rectangles so that two can fit in your air fryer at one time. Repeat with remaining crust until you have 8 equal rectangles, re-rolling some of the scraps of dough if needed.
6. Wet the outer edges of 4 rectangles with water and place some apple filling in the center about 1/2-inch from the edges. Roll out the remaining 4 rectangles so that they are slightly larger than the topped ones. Place these rectangles on top of the filling; crimp the edges with the tine of a fork to seal.
7. Cut 4 small slits into the tops of the pies.
8. Spray the basket of an air fryer with food release cooking spray. Brush the tops of 2 pies with vegetable oil. Using a spatula, transfer pies to the air fryer basket.
9. Insert basket and set the temperature to 385⁰F. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pies from the basket and repeat with the remaining 2 pies.

For the glaze

1. Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Brush glaze on warm pies and allow it to set.
2. Serve pies warm or at room temperature.

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ChefSecret:  I prefer to use tart green apples, but any firm tart apple will do.

​Quip of the Day:  Q. Why is it so difficult to work at an apple pie factory?  A. Because they have such a high turnover rate.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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