The Story
I know, I know. Now that fall is “officially” here, people want to see pumpkin everything in recipes. I am just as big of a fan of pumpkin as anyone else, but I think it’s important to highlight another amazing produce that is in season during the fall-apples.
We used to live in Idaho, and we were able to fully enjoy apple season. We lived near orchards and every fall we would visit them. Picking apple straight from the tree was a lot of fun, and then we would turn our picks into apple treats. I can’t get enough of baked apple goodies!
We don’t live in Idaho anymore, so apple orchards are harder to come by. Although California has more than its fair share of fresh produce, I have looked and there are no apple orchards nearby. To keep the tradition alive, I just have to make apple treats instead. You won’t hear me complaining!
The Recipe
The idea for this recipe came from a variety of places. First, I wanted to celebrate apple season with one of my favorite desserts- apple pie and ice cream. Now, as we all know, pie isn’t the most macro friendly of all foods. I did a bit of research on the calorie count on a slice of apple pie. Although they will vary depending on the pie, they start at around 250 calories and can go way up from there! The filling isn’t it so bad, but that buttery crust is where the calories add up. I thought there could be a way to make it a little bit lighter using the two ingredient dough.
You’ve probably heard me talk about the two ingredient dough before. You’ve seen me use it for pizza, cinnamon rolls, bagels, and breakfast braids. It is super versatile and easy to throw together. You’ll need some non-fat greek yogurt and self rising flour (or see my notes for how to make your own). Those two combine to make a great base for many types of baked goods.
I’ve also been playing a lot with my air fryer lately and trying a variety of things in it. I began to wonder if it would work to air fry some two ingredient dough with cinnamon apples tucked in between. This past weekend I had the opportunity to try it, and my husband and I were both very pleased with the results. We loved the cinnamon apple flavor and the crispy exterior the “pies” took on in the air fryer.
I need to mention a few notes about this recipe. First, if you don’t have an air fryer, don’t fear! I have included instructions for how to make them in the oven. You won’t get the same crispy exterior, but they still will satisfy a craving for warm apple pie. Also, since this is a different texture than a traditional “pie,” you’ll need a knife and fork to eat it.
The Macros
The macros for one hand “pie” are rounded to 0F/42C/10P, or 216 calories. Of course, it is not exactly the same flavor or texture as a pie. After all, there is hardly any fat in the recipe. However, these hand pies taste pretty similar and fit a bit more easily into your macros.
We served ours with some vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Not optional in our books! I also think this would be awesome for breakfast, especially with a powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar + a tiny bit of milk to reach desired consistency). Kind of like an apple fritter, sans the grease! Either way, you’ll want to add a sweeter element to these, as they are not all that sweet on their own.
Air Fryer Apple Hand "Pies"
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 127 g Non Fat Greek Yogurt (1/2 cup)
- 60 g Self Rising Flour (or use 60 g of AP flour plus 3/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt) (1/2 cup)
- 5 g granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- milk, for brushing the tops
For the Filling
- 100 g finely diced apples
- 12 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cornstarch
For serving
- vanilla ice cream
- caramel sauce
- powdered sugar glaze (if serving without ice cream)
Instructions
- First, create the filling. Mix the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together until well mixed. Set aside.
- Mix flour, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and sugar together using a mixer with a dough hook. Start on slow and then increase the speed as dough starts to form. You may need to scrape down the sides to get all the flour incorporated. Keep mixing until it forms a soft, sticky dough.Note: If you don't have a mixer, you could also mix the ingredients together until combined. Then flour a surface and knead the dough until a dough forms. Continue kneading for a few minutes. You may need to add additional flour if dough is too sticky to work with.
- Take out a piece of parchment paper and lay it on your counter. Flour the parchment paper very well, and place half of the dough (about 85 g for me) on top. Flour the top of the dough and then roll it out into a 6 inch circle. Or, use your hands to create a 6 inch circle.
- Once rolled out to 6 inches in diameter, place about 50 g of apple filling into the center. Fold the dough over the apples, and then seal it shut with a fork around the edges. Brush tops with milk for color.
- Repeat with remaining dough and apples.
- Turn on your air fryer to 350 degress and allow it to preheat for a few minutes. Then, cook the "pies" one at a time for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Air frying times may vary. Repeat with remaining dough. Note: If using an oven instead, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the "pies" on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, or top with a powdered sugar glaze made with powdered sugar and milk.
