Four Sweet Ways to Enjoy
Mrs. Clay’s Skillet Fried Apples
❤️ One skillet of fried apples. Four completely different desserts. Endless reasons to gather around the kitchen.
One of my favorite things about cooking isn’t just finding a recipe my family loves.
It’s discovering all the different ways we can enjoy it.
That happened with these skillet fried apples.
I originally made them as a simple side dish for supper.
Warm apples.
Butter.
Brown sugar.
A little cinnamon.
Simple.
Comforting.
Delicious.
But before long, I found myself looking at the skillet and thinking…
“What else could these become?”
That’s one of my favorite questions to ask in the kitchen.
Not because I’m trying to make more work for myself.
Quite the opposite.
If I’m already taking the time to make something homemade, I love finding new ways to enjoy it over the next day or two.
Before I knew it, one skillet of apples had turned into four completely different desserts.
And honestly…
I’m not sure I could pick a favorite.
🍎 Start Here: Mrs. Clay’s Quick Skillet Fried Apples
Before making any of these desserts, you’ll need a batch of fried apples.
Ingredients
- 5–6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2–3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Tiny pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Quick Instructions
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add 5–6 sliced apples and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle with 2–3 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of salt.
- Continue cooking 5–8 minutes, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Yield: About 4 cups
For the complete story, extra tips, and serving ideas, see my full post: Mrs. Clay’s Skillet Fried Apples..
🍎 1. Mrs. Clay’s Fried Apple Hand Pies
❤️ Crisp, flaky pastry wrapped around warm cinnamon apples. These remind me of the kind of desserts you’d hope to find cooling on Grandma’s counter.
Makes
8 hand pies
Homemade Pie Crust (Makes 2 Crusts)
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
(or ½ cup butter and ½ cup shortening for an extra flaky crust) - 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Step-by-Step with Mrs. Clay
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Add:
- 1 cup cold butter
- Sprinkle in:
- 6 tablespoons ice water
- Divide the dough into 2 equal discs.
- Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll the dough about ⅛-inch thick before cutting your circles.
❤️ Mrs. Clay’s Shortcut
If today is one of those busy days, two refrigerated pie crusts work beautifully too. I almost always prefer homemade when time allows, but don’t ever let convenience keep you from making dessert.
Hand Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 2 cups Mrs. Clay’s Skillet Fried Apples, chopped into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (only if the apples seem very juicy)
Finish
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
For Frying
- Vegetable oil (about 2–3 inches deep in a heavy pot or Dutch oven)
Choose Your Finish
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
OR Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Step-by-Step
- Finely chop 2 cups fried apples into small bite-sized pieces.
- If they seem especially juicy, stir in 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
- Roll the chilled pie dough and cut 4–5-inch circles.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons apple filling into the center of each circle.
- Beat together:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Brush the edges with the egg wash.
- Fold each pie over and press the edges firmly with a fork.
- Refrigerate the hand pies for 15 minutes while heating the oil to 350°F.
- Carefully fry the pies 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels.
- While still warm, either:
- Toss in the cinnamon sugar
OR
- Cool slightly and drizzle with vanilla glaze.
Mrs. Clay’s Tips
• Don’t overfill the pies or they’ll be harder to seal.
• Chilling the pies before frying helps keep the filling where it belongs.
• They’re at their very best served warm, while the filling is still soft and the crust is wonderfully crisp.
🍎 2. Mrs. Clay’s Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
❤️ Crispy, buttery, cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips that are perfect for dipping into warm apples, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.
Serves
6–8
Ingredients
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Tiny pinch of salt
Step-by-Step
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush both sides of each tortilla with the melted butter.
- Stir together:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- tiny pinch of salt
- Sprinkle generously over both sides.
- Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter.
- Arrange on baking sheets in a single layer.
- Bake 8–12 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Cool for a few minutes.
They’ll become even crispier as they cool.
Serve With
- Warm fried apples
- Caramel sauce
- Vanilla ice cream
- Chocolate sauce
🍎 3. Mrs. Clay’s Apple Quesadillas
❤️ Cream cheese, warm fried apples, and buttery tortillas come together in just minutes for one of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make.
Makes
2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 flour tortillas
- 2 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup warm fried apples
- Butter for the skillet
- Powdered sugar (optional)
- Caramel sauce (optional)
Step-by-Step
- Mix together:
- cream cheese
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- Spread over one tortilla.
- Spoon the fried apples evenly over the cream cheese.
- Top with the second tortilla.
- Melt a little butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook 2–3 minutes per side until crisp and golden.
- Slice into wedges.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel.
Serve warm.
Mrs. Clay’s Tip
A scoop of vanilla ice cream turns this into an extra-special dessert.
🍎 4. Mrs. Clay’s Apple Nachos
❤️ This may be the most fun dessert of the bunch. Everyone gathers around the platter and builds their own perfect bite.
Serves
6–8
Ingredients
- 1 batch Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
- 2 cups warm fried apples
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream (optional)
- Chopped pecans (optional)
- Mini chocolate chips (optional)
- Cinnamon
Step-by-Step
- Arrange the cinnamon tortilla chips on a large serving platter.
- Spoon the warm fried apples over the center.
- Drizzle generously with caramel sauce.
- Add dollops of whipped cream.
- Sprinkle with pecans or mini chocolate chips if you’d like.
- Dust lightly with cinnamon.
- Add scoops of vanilla ice cream in the middle for an extra-special treat.
Set the whole platter in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in.
❤️ Which One Would You Choose?
Need dessert in 15 minutes?
🍎 Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Want something that reminds you of Grandma’s kitchen?
🍎 Fried Apple Hand Pies
Making dessert for two?
🍎 Apple Quesadillas
Family movie night or game night?
🍎 Apple Nachos
❤️ Mrs. Clay’s Kitchen Table
I’ve never believed homemade cooking has to mean making something completely new every day.
Sometimes one good recipe is all you need.
One skillet of fried apples becomes tomorrow’s hand pies.
Or an after-school apple quesadilla.
Or dessert nachos for family movie night.
Or simply another warm bowl of apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I’ve found that’s one of the sweetest lessons the kitchen teaches.
Not everything has to be used only one way.
Sometimes all it takes is looking at yesterday’s recipe with fresh eyes.
And if it brings everyone back into the kitchen one more time…
I’d call that a recipe worth keeping.
