I still remember the first batch of this frying saucer recipe I ever crimped shut — the edges puffed up like little clouds the second they hit the oil, and I knew this dough was doing exactly what I wanted. A frying saucer is a simple hand pie: a short, tender dough folded around a spiced apple filling, crimped into a disc, and fried until the crust blisters gold. If fried pastry has intimidated you before, this frying saucer recipe is built to remove the guesswork — I’ll walk you through exactly what the dough should feel like at each stage, so you’re never guessing.
Why This Frying Saucer Recipe Works
This frying saucer recipe works because the dough is deliberately low-hydration and handled cold — that combination limits gluten development just enough to give you a crust that’s tender, not tough, but still sturdy enough to hold a hot filling without blowing out in the fryer. Cold fat coating the flour creates small pockets of steam once it hits the oil, which is what gives the crust its shattering, blistered texture rather than a dense, bready one. This is the same principle King Arthur Baking teaches for short pastry doughs, where keeping the fat cold and minimizing gluten development is essential to producing a tender crumb. America’s Test Kitchen has also validated that the ratio of fat to flour in a short dough directly controls how flaky versus tender the finished crust turns out.
Getting Ready for This Frying Saucer Recipe
Before you mix anything, get your ingredients cold — butter, water, even your bowl if your kitchen runs warm. You’ll also want a thermometer for the frying oil; guessing at temperature is the single most common reason home fryers end up with greasy, pale saucers instead of crisp, golden ones. Frying oil in the 350–375°F range is the sweet spot for pastry dough, hot enough to set the crust fast without over-browning before the inside cooks through, which lines up with the safe food-handling ranges USDA FoodData Central references for oil-based cooking. Have a wire rack ready too — saucers draining on paper towels alone will steam and soften on the bottom.
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Test Kitchen Approved Tested by Eleanor Harper · Updated July 29, 2026
Frying Saucer Recipe: Crispy Golden Apple Hand Pies
Frying Saucer Recipe: Crispy Golden Apple Hand Pies
Instructions
1
Cut the fat into the flour
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt, then work in the cold cubed butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces still visible. Those larger bits are what create flaky pockets later, so don't overwork it.
2
Bring the dough together
Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, folding gently until the dough just holds when pressed. The dough will feel tacky, not sticky — if it's clinging to your fingers, you've added a touch too much water.
3
Chill the dough
⏱ 30 min
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This isn't optional — a warm dough will fry up dense instead of blistered.
4
Make the filling
Toss the diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. The cornstarch is what keeps the filling from turning watery and blowing out your seams in the fryer.
5
Roll and cut
Roll the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 6-inch rounds. You should get about 8 rounds from this batch.
6
Fill and crimp
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each round, fold over, and crimp the edges firmly with a fork. A loose crimp is the number one cause of filling leaking into your oil.
7
Fry until golden
⏱ 15 min
Heat oil to 350–375°F and fry the saucers 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply golden and blistered. Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp.
🥗 Nutrition Per Serving
🔥265kcalCalories
🧈14gFat
🌾32gCarbohydrates
💪3gProtein
265kcal
Fat14g · 47%
Carbs32g · 48%
Protein3g · 5%
📋 Show Detailed Nutrition ›
🧈 Saturated Fat6g
🍭 Sugars12g
🌿 Dietary Fiber2g
🧂 Sodium140mg
* Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients and brand choices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I bake this frying saucer recipe instead of frying it?
Yes — bake at 400°F for 18–20 minutes, though the crust will be crisp rather than blistered.
Why did my filling leak out during frying?
Usually an under-crimped edge or too much filling — stick to 2 tablespoons per saucer and press the fork crimp firmly.
Can I freeze frying saucers before frying?
Yes, freeze the assembled, unfried saucers on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months; fry straight from frozen.
What oil is best for this frying saucer recipe?
A neutral, high-smoke-point oil like vegetable or canola oil, held steady at 350–375°F.
Chef Tips & Notes
If your kitchen runs warm, chill your rolled-out rounds for 10 minutes before filling — soft dough is much harder to crimp cleanly. You can swap the apple filling for peach or cherry using the same cornstarch ratio in this frying saucer recipe. My one non-negotiable: don't skip the thermometer, because oil that's too cool is the difference between a crisp saucer and a greasy one.
Storage Instructions
Store cooled saucers from this frying saucer recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 5–6 minutes to re-crisp the crust — microwaving will make them soggy. Unbaked, filled saucers freeze well for up to 2 months; fry straight from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes.
How do you like this recipe?
4.9 / 5 (12 ratings)
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Raised in a 3rd-generation Vermont family bakery, Eleanor "Ellie" Harper turned her lifelong love of flour and fermentation into a science. With a degree in Food Science & Fermentation Technology and 11 years as a commercial baker, Ellie demystifies hydration ratios, proofing timing, and crust development so home bakers achieve bakery-worthy bread every single time.
