Grandma’s Apple Tarts are crisp on the outside with a delicious homemade apple filling on the inside. Many people call these hand pies but we’ve always called them apple tarts.
When I think of Grandma, I can’t help but think of apple tarts, tea cakes, and hoecakes. You can find the hoecake recipe here.
My Grandma’s Apple Tarts
Grandma Elrod is my mom’s mother and we were very close. She passed away when I was 18. It was my first experience of losing someone that I dearly loved and it was difficult to say goodbye.
I’m so glad that I have so many fond memories to look back on and draw upon and that I will see her again one day!
Grandma suffered a stroke when I was just a wee toddler. My grandma was bedridden throughout my entire childhood and right up until she passed away. I do remember her being in a wheelchair a few times during the early days.
Precious Memories
Looking back, I never heard her complain or gripe about not being able to walk. And that’s the only way I had ever really known her, so it was natural to me.
Out of necessity, grandma had a housekeeper/cook. Grandma’s housekeeper was a sweet little old lady named Annie. Of course, when I was little, anyone over 30 was considered old!
We adored Annie and she was part of the family. That woman could cook! My favorites of Annie’s was apple tarts and tea cakes – just like Grandma used to make!
I remember it just like it was yesterday, running into the kitchen, telling Annie hello and grabbing an apple tart or a tea cake. Her apple tarts (some people call them turnovers or hand pies) were not made from canned biscuits (not that there is anything wrong with that). Those were the real deal – from scratch. If I close my eyes, I can almost taste them.
Ingredients for Grandma’s Apple Tarts
The complete recipe card is below. Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make these hand pies.
Dough
- self-rising flour
- granulated sugar
- shortening (I use Crisco)
- buttermilk
Apple Filling
- dried apples
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- fresh lemon juice
- ground cinnamon
- salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Note: Don’t be afraid of making the dough for these apple tarts. I say that because I used to be intimidated by the thought of making my own pie crust. But these turned over perfectly!
And her Tea Cakes Recipe
I had to try out several tea cake recipes before I found the ones that tasted like Annie’s. And where did I find the recipe? At Southern Plate, of course!
Writing this post has taken me back to the simpler days of my childhood, including weekend fish fries at grandma’s, along with all the aunts, uncles and cousins, and all the Chinaberry fights between the boy and girl cousins! I think I’ll have a tea cake, a cup of decaf coffee and reminisce for a few more moments . . .
Back to the hand pies aka apple tarts – Grandma’s Apple Tarts never, ever disappoint!
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Apple Tarts
Apple Tarts always remind me of grandma. These apple hand pies are just like grandma made.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening (like Crisco)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Apple Filling
- 1 (5 oz.) package dried apples
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Instructions
- (Prepare dough and filling the day before) Prepare the dough by stirring together flour and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moistened. Shape dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 12-24 hours.
- Filling: Bring apples and water (about 3-1/2 cups) to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and mash apples (use a fork or pastry blender) with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and the next four ingredients. Cover and chill for 12-24 hours.
- Prepare cinnamon sugar by stirring together the 1/4 cups sugar and 1 Tbsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.
- To fry: In a dutch oven, add 2 inches of oil. Heat to 350 (I use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil gets to 350.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 18 portions. Flatten each portion into a 3-inch circle and then roll into a 5-inch circle. Spoon 1 Tbsp. filling into the center of a circle. Brush the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling. Press edges with a fork to seal. Fry in batches (don't crowd). Watch carefully as it only takes 3-4 minutes to fry. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Note: When I made these last week, I made the filling per directions and let it sit for 1 hour. Then I stuck it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. It worked fine.
Nutrition Information
Yield
18Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 140Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 4mgSodium 201mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 2g
Originally published in September 2013 and updated in August 2020.
19 comments
Such a beautiful post! I love my grandma to pieces, so your post brought a little tear to my eye. Two days in a row!
I love mine to pieces, too. These two posts were so bitter sweet. Love the memories but miss the grandparents like crazy!
You have some sweet memories. My “MawMaw” made tea biscuits and my “Grandmother” made brown sugar cake. I look forward to sitting next to them in heaven some day and chatting about it. 🙂
I’m looking forward to that day, as well!
I truly enjoyed reading this lovely post about your grandmother! She sounds like she was a wonderful lady! And those apple tarts look delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
They are delicious! Grandmas are so special. Thanks for stopping by!
I saw your post on Anyonita Nibbles. I love apple pie and the tarts recipe is one I’m going to have to try.
Let me know what you think when you try them. They are so good and take me back to my childhood every time I eat them.
These apple tarts look beautiful! And they sound so good!
Thanks! They are so good!
What a sweet post about your Grandmother and Annie! Love how simple the tea cakes are…I bet they are delicious!
They are so simple! And I’m in love with them! 🙂
Beautiful post and wonderful recipes!
I especially like the apple-tarts.
Pinning it and saving the recipe
Thanks!
Thanks so much for pinning it. Those apple tarts taste divine. My family is already asking me to make them again.
So sweet! Recipes always taste better with a dash of memories!
Yes they do! Thanks for stopping by.
I love this post but I am sentimental. I miss my grandmother tremendously and not matter what I don’t I can’t recreate my fave recipes. Her gingerbread was… *faints* delish
I miss both of my grandmothers! They were such an important part of my life when I was growing up. I have such fond memories of them! Grandma’s are the best!
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