High protein copycat McDonald’s apple pies, with the bubbly cinnamon-sugar crust you remember from the paper sleeve. The sneaky protein is in the dough: blended cottage cheese and flour, which gets each pie to 12g protein for 292 calories. Plan about 50 minutes, most of it cooling the filling, and make them for a fall weekend or an after-school treat.
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Firm apples: tart and firm like Granny Smith, so they hold their shape after cooking. Honeycrisp or Braeburn work if you want a sweeter filling; cut back on the brown sugar slightly.
- Light brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon: the classic apple pie base. The lemon keeps the filling from tasting flat.
- Cornstarch (cornflour): thickens the filling so it sets glossy instead of running out of the pie. Don’t skip it.
- Full-fat cottage cheese: the main protein source, around 20g across the batch. It replaces the butter and water in a standard pastry, which is why the dough needs no chilling. Blend it completely smooth; any curds show up as white flecks in the baked crust.
- All-purpose flour (plain flour): adds structure and roughly another 18g protein to the batch. Spoon and level it; packed flour makes a dry, cracking dough.
- Baking powder and salt: the baking powder gives the crust its light, slightly blistered texture.
- Egg and cinnamon sugar: the egg wash browns the crust and glues the topping on. Caster sugar sticks better than granulated if you have it.
How to Make Copycat McDonald’s Apple Pies
- Cook the filling. Simmer the diced apples with the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon for 5 to 6 minutes, until a knife slides in but the cubes still hold their edges. Splash in more water if the pan dries out.
- Thicken and cool. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30 seconds, until the liquid turns glossy. Spread it thin on a cold tray and leave 20 minutes. Warm filling softens the dough and leaks through the seams.
- Make the dough. Blend the cottage cheese until there are no visible curds, then mix it into the flour, baking powder, and salt. Knead for 30 seconds only, just until it comes together. More kneading makes the crust tough.
- Roll and cut. Roll the dough ⅛ inch (3 to 4mm) thick and cut four rectangles, about 4 × 5½ inches (10 × 14cm).
- Fill and seal. Spoon filling onto one half of each rectangle, leaving a ½ inch (1.5cm) border. Fold over and press the edges hard with a fork, all the way round.
- Finish and air fry. Brush with beaten egg, cut three slits in each top, and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Air fry two at a time at 350°F (180°C) for 9 to 12 minutes, until deep golden. Check at 9 minutes; air fryers vary.
Tips for Getting It Right
Burst seams and filling pooled in the air fryer basket are the most common problem with these, and it almost always comes down to warm filling or a weak seal.
- Let the filling reach room temperature before it touches the dough. Steam from hot filling pushes the seams open. It doesn’t take long!
- Leave the full ½ inch border and crimp firmly. A light press looks sealed but opens in the heat.
- Don’t skip the slits. They let steam escape through the top instead of the sides.
- Keep the filling to a spoonful per pie. Overfilled pies are the ones that split.
- If the dough feels sticky, dust the counter rather than working more flour in.
Variations
- Cherry pie: swap the apples for pitted cherries and drop the cinnamon for a splash of almond extract.
- Pear and ginger: firm pears with ½ tsp ground ginger in place of half the cinnamon.
- Pumpkin pie: use thick pumpkin pie filling straight from the can, no cooking needed. Mix it with a little powdered sweetener for some sweetness.
What to Serve With It
- Scoop of protein ice cream: vanilla from the high protein ice cream recipes turns one pie into a proper dessert and adds protein.
- A drink: a cinnamon roll protein shake leans into the same flavours.
- For a fall snack board: cottage cheese apple dip with sliced apples alongside.
FAQ
How much protein is in each apple pie?
Each pie has 12g protein and 292 calories. Most of the protein comes from the cottage cheese dough, with the flour adding the rest.
Can I bake these in the oven instead of the air fryer?
Yes. Bake on a lined tray at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 18 minutes, until deep golden.
How do I store leftover apple pies?
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 3 to 4 minutes; the microwave makes the crust soft.
Can I freeze them?
Freeze baked pies on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 6 to 8 minutes.
Why is my dough grainy or flecked with white?
The cottage cheese wasn’t blended long enough. Blend until it looks like thick yogurt, with no curds left.
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High Protein Copycat McDonald’s Apple Pie Recipe
Copycat McDonald's apple pies with a cottage cheese dough, cinnamon-sugar crust, and 12g protein per pie, air fried in 12 minutes.
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 Firm apples - diced ½ inch (1cm), like granny smith or braeburn
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- squeeze of lemon
- 1½ tsp cornstarch - cornflour slaked in 2 tbsp water
Dough
- 6 oz 180g full-fat cottage cheese, blended completely smooth
- 1½ cups 180g all-purpose flour (plain flour), spooned and levelled
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
To finish
- 1 egg - beaten
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar - caster sugar + ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cook the apples, water, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon 5–6 min, until just tender. Add more water if it gets too dry. Stir in the slurry, 30 seconds until glossy. Spread thin on a cold tray and leave 20 min to come to room temperature.2 Firm apples, 3 tbsp water, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, squeeze of lemon, 1½ tsp cornstarch
- Blend the cottage cheese completely smooth. Mix into the flour, baking powder and salt, then knead 30 seconds only as overworking makes it tough.6 oz 180g full-fat cottage cheese, blended completely smooth, 1½ cups 180g all-purpose flour (plain flour), spooned and levelled, ¾ tsp baking powder, pinch of salt
- Roll ⅛ inch (3–4mm) thick and cut four rectangles, about 4 × 5½ inches (10 × 14cm).
- Filling on one half, leaving a ½ inch (1.5cm) border. Fold over and crimp hard with a fork.
- Brush with beaten egg, cut three slits in the top, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.1 egg, 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 9–12 min, two at a time, until deep golden. Check at 9.
Notes
- Filling must be room temp. Warm filling = burst seams.
- ½ inch border, crimp hard all the way round.
- Spoonful of filling per pie. No more.
- Knead 30 seconds, then stop.
- Check at 9 minutes.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg
