Peach Fried Pies

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie dough, or a double batch of homemade dough
• 2 cups thick cooked peach filling (peaches, sugar, cornstarch, cooked down until thick)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C).
2. Roll out the dough and cut into 5-inch rounds (or squares).
3. Spoon a small amount of the 2 cups thick cooked peach filling (peaches filling onto one half of each round, leaving a border, then fold over and crimp the edges shut with a fork.
4. Fry the hand pies in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
5. Cool slightly before serving.

The Tale of Peach Fried Pies

Story updated September 19, 2026

Peach fried pies are especially associated with the American South and Appalachia, where settlers combined old-world hand pie traditions with abundant peach orchards. Because fresh peaches were only in season briefly, rural households dried sliced peaches in the sun as a cheap way to keep fruit through the winter. Rehydrated and cooked down into a thick, sweet filling, dried peaches became a classic base for fried pies, sealed in a biscuit-like dough and fried in lard or shortening, which produced a sturdy, portable food. The tradition remains strongest in Southern and Appalachian home cooking today.