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Apple Cheddar Hand Pies
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When I was a kid, the only thing I’d ever order from fast food was the dollar-menu apple pie from McDonald’s! I kept the habit well into adulthood. There was just something about that compact little pocket of warm, cinnamon-spiced apples that made it perfect for eating one-handed while driving.
These apple cheddar hand pies take that same nostalgic idea and elevate it. Think of them as a cross between a classic apple pie and a homemade Pop-Tart, with a savory twist. If you’ve never tried cheddar with apple pie, it sounds strange until you taste it — I used to tease my dad for doing it, and now I completely get it. The sharp cheese balances the sweet apple filling in the best possible way. One bite and you’ll understand. Apple fans should also give my favorite apple crisp recipe a try! If you have some left over apples, make some apple butter!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A nostalgic favorite, elevated. Inspired by classic drive-thru apple pies, but made from scratch with better ingredients and richer flavor.
- Sweet & savory perfection. The sharp cheddar on top balances the warm, cinnamon-spiced apple filling in a way that feels both surprising and so natural.
- Handheld and portable. Just like the original, these are meant to be picked up and enjoyed—no fork, no plate, no problem.
Why Apple and Cheddar?
For some reason a good sharp cheddar cheese brings out the sweet-tart flavor of apples, enhanced by the nutty cinnamon. From what I can tell it’s most commonly served this way in the Northeast. A 1999 law in Vermont even states that when serving apple pie a “good faith effort” must be made to serve it with a glass of milk and at least ½ ounce of cheddar cheese!
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Apples – When buying apples look for unblemished and unbruised apples. They last about 5 to 7 days on the counter and about 3 weeks in a pantry (or another cool, dark place).
- Cheddar cheese – Always use sharp Cheddar when cooking. If you use mild or medium Cheddar the flavor will cook out and the recipe will be lacking in that cheesy flavor.
- Turbinado sugar – Also known as sugar in the raw, it’s minimally processed, evident in the larger granules. It comes from the first pressing of sugar cane and thus retains that natural, richer flavor. Because of the bigger granules of sugar it’s often used for finishing desserts.
- Lemon juice – A bit of acidity helps to balance the sweetness of the apples.
- Cornstarch – This helps to thicken the sauce from the apples so it doesn’t leak out of the pies.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Cooking with Apples
Not all apples bake the same. For these hand pies, Honeycrisp is a great choice—they’re easy to find, naturally sweet, and hold their shape beautifully when baked. I also recommend Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, or Jonathan apples.
Want a little tartness? Granny Smith apples are a classic—but their sharp flavor can overpower, so they’re best mixed with a sweeter variety for balance.
Swaps and substitutions
- Pie Dough: Store-bought or homemade both work. If using store-bought, choose a standard pie crust (not puff pastry) to keep the texture tender and flaky.
- Apples: Try swapping the apples for pears for an interesting filling!
- Cheddar Cheese: Not into cheddar at all? Leave it off and these will still taste like cozy apple hand pies. You can also swap for a combination of Gruyère + pear filling!
- Egg Wash: No egg? Brush with heavy cream or just milk to help the crust brown.
How to Make Apple Cheddar Hand Pies (Step-by-step)
In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the cubes of butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Slowly pour ¼ cup of the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture forms a dough. Add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and gather with your hands. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the apples, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and cornstarch, salt and 2 tablespoons (30g) of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely.
Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Divide the dough in half and roll each half out into a rectangle about ¼” thick. Cut each rectangle into 8 pieces so each is 4” x 3”. You may have to re-roll the scraps to make enough. Lay the pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Use a slotted spoon to mound 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling into the center of the dough being sure to drain as much of the liquid as possible.
Top with one of the remaining rectangles of dough and use your fingers to gently press the edges together. Use the back of a fork to seal the edges together tightly. Repeat with the remaining pies.
In another small bowl stir together the sugar and cinnamon and top each pie with a sprinkle of the mixture. Use a knife to cut three small slits in the top of each.
Bake for 15 minutes then take out and sprinkle with the cheese over the top. Bake until golden brown and the cheese is melted, about an additional 10 minutes.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Store-bought pie dough works great and makes these even easier. If you have time to make homemade dough, it will add more buttery flavor—but either option works.
No, but I recommend it. The salty sharpness of the cheese balances the sweetness of the filling beautifully. If cheese on pie feels like too much, try a milder cheddar or skip the topping!
Use a firm, crisp apple that holds its shape when cooked like Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, or Jonathan apples. A mix of sweet + tart also works nicely.
Yes! You can assemble the hand pies and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking. Baked pies can also be stored and reheated at 350°F for 8–10 minutes to crisp them back up.
Yes! Freeze unbaked pies on a sheet tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen – just add 3–5 minutes to the bake time.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this apple cheddar hand pie recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Made these apple Cheddar hand pies? Be sure to rate the recipe and drop a comment below! Your feedback means everything (and helps others find it too)!
Apple Cheddar Hand Pies
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks/ 16 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup ice water
For the filling:
- 1½ pounds apples (about 4 medium apples). peeled, cored, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- ½ (packed) cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For assembly:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons demerera or turbinado sugar
- 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions:
For the crust:
- In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the cubes of butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Slowly pour ¼ cup of the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture forms a dough. Add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and gather with your hands. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For the filling:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the apples, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and cornstarch, salt and 2 tablespoons (30g) of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely.
For assembly:
- Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Divide the dough in half and roll each half out into a rectangle about ¼” thick.
- Cut each rectangle into 8 pieces so each is 4” x 3”. You may have to re-roll the scraps to make enough. Lay the pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Use a slotted spoon to mound 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling into the center of the dough being sure to drain as much of the liquid as possible.
- Top with one of the remaining rectangles of dough and use your fingers to gently press the edges together. Use the back of a fork to seal the edges together tightly. Repeat with the remaining pies.
- In a small bowl whisk together the egg and milk until combined. Use a pastry brush to brush each of the hand pies with the egg wash mixture.
- In another small bowl stir together the sugar and cinnamon and top each pie with a sprinkle of the mixture. Use a knife to cut three small slits in the top of each.
- Bake for 15 minutes then take out and sprinkle with the cheese over the top. Bake until golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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I’ll admit that I enjoyed those mcdonald’s apple pies too as kid…your version looks so much better though and I love the addition of cheddar! yum!
Thank you so much!! Yes the cheddar is great on there – I love that salty/ sweet combo!