There's just something about McDonald's food. Whether it's the refreshing taste of a McDonald's co*ke, the shoestring French fries, or the heavenly apple pie, customers have been loving Mickey D's for over 65 years.
We've all experienced the moment under the Golden Arches when you bite into your meal or sip your drink and think what makes McDonald's food taste so good? And, believe it or not, most of the time there's actually a real answer.
You probably already know that McDonald's co*ke is better than other fast-food restaurants. But what about the apple pie?
Why McDonald's Apple Pies Taste So Good
The mystery behind what makes the warm, gooey, and flaky baked apple pie so great has been revealed.
The famous apple pie joined the McDonald's menu in 1968 (the same year as the Big Mac) as the chain's first dessert. It has since skyrocketed into a staple menu item with a cult-like following. It has such a strong fanbase, that when McDonald's changed the pies from fried to baked in 1992, there was a national uproar.
The pies we know and love today are packed with apple flavor, baked, and topped with a lattice crust. And the reason customers can't get enough of the apple pie is based on two factors: the apples and the thickener used in the filling.
A-Plus Apples
Unlike the apple pie that you make at home, McDonald's doesn't just use one or two types of apples. So you can put away your Granny Smiths and Red Delicious if you think you can just whip up McDonald's signature dessert at home.
Instead, Mickey D's makes their pies with six different types of apples — Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red, all of which are homegrown in the U.S.
And the apples are sliced instead of diced, so you'll notice big chunks of apple in every bite.
Phenomenal Filling
So yes, McDonald's fills their pies with a lot of apples, but it's not just those six varieties that give the pie an apple-y taste. McDonald's uses a special thickening agent that adds an additional apple flavor to the filling.
Many pie fillings are made with a processed thickening agent that keeps the filling jelly-like and in place. But McDonald's uses a dehydrated apple powder. The powder not only thickens the filling, but it also adds that extra apple taste that you love.
McDonald's has rolled out many different varieties of pies over the years — including cherry pie, strawberry and crème, and holiday pies — but none have ever been as popular as the traditional apple pie. What can we say, if it ain't broke, right?
Another McDonald's mystery solved. Now that your mouth is watering (and so is ours), we'll see you at the Mickey D's drive-thru.
FAQs
Phenomenal Filling
How good are McDonald's apple pies? ›
McDonald's Baked Apple Pie
The pie looks like a pie. It looks like care was put into making it. Plus, it has subtly brown edges that make it look carefully baked and it smells of warm cinnamon. The taste: I'm not sure what this pie tasted like when it was fried, but it's hard to believe it was once better than this.
What is the apple pie at mcdonalds made of? ›
Ingredients: Apples (apples, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Citric Acid), Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Modified Food Starch, Invert Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less: Yeast, Salt, Cinnamon, Sunflower Lecithin, ...
What is the difference between the old and new McDonald's apple pies? ›
The new version has fewer ingredients, a lattice crust, and sliced (not diced) apples. It's also healthier and is dusted with sugar on top rather than coated with brown sugar. Learn the secrets that make the McDonald's apple pie so tasty.
Why do McDonald's apples taste weird? ›
The McDonald's apple slices are NOT the same apples you find in a grocery store. They are tree-ripened for higher fructose content and then sprayed in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) making them taste tangy. Also, they have nothing to do with the apples in the apple pies.
Are McDonald's apple pies made with real apples? ›
Absolutely—McDonald's apple pie has real diced apples. The exact variety can vary from season to season, but we look for apples that are sweet and slightly tart. Read a full ingredient list for our Apple Pies.
Are McDonald's apple pies baked or fried? ›
McDonald's made the decision to discontinue the fried pies in 1992, opting instead for a baked version to appeal to customer preferences and dining trends.
Who supplies McDonalds apple pie? ›
All of the pies sold at US McDonald's are made in Tulsa. For more than 50 years, all the pies sold in US McDonald's have been made exclusively at Bama Companies in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Bama also makes biscuits and hotcakes for the fast-food chain.)
Does McDonalds use potatoes in apple pies? ›
Does McDonalds put potatos in their Apple Pie? ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Not according to the listing of ingredients at their website, unless some of those Greek words mean “potato.” The starch product in the delectable crust is based on wheat and the thickener in the apple filling is corn starch.
Did McDonalds ever fry their apple pies? ›
And then there's the long forgotten fried apple pie at McDonald's, which made the switch to baked in 1992 due to health reasons and has tasted inferior ever since.
And then there's the long forgotten fried apple pie at McDonald's, which made the switch to baked in 1992 due to health reasons and has tasted inferior ever since. Unless you're over 40 and/or live in Hawaii (more on that soon), you've probably never tasted a McDonald's fried apple pie.
Why did McDonald's change their apple pie? ›
McDonald's Fried Apple Pie had a long initial run from its debut in 1968 (the same as the Big Mac) until September 1992. So what happened in September 1992? Our beloved McDonald's Fried Apple Pie was permanently removed from the regular menu for “health concerns.”
When did McDonald's stop frying their apple pies? ›
There are a lot of things that McDonald's does wrong, but deep-frying isn't one of them. Then, in 1992, the unthinkable happened: Ronald replaced his beloved fried apple pies with the vastly inferior, modern baked version.
Does McDonalds use real apples? ›
McDonald's Apple Slices are a wholesome, tasty side made from real apples. Specially selected varieties mean our apple slices are always crisp and juicy, making for a tasty snack with 15 calories per labelled serving.
What does McDonalds soak their apples in? ›
Packaged apples found at McDonalds or in your local produce section are usually treated with a solution of calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C) or citric acid (found in citrus fruit) to maintain freshness and color. Both are very safe to use on fruit that will be consumed.
Why do McDonalds fries taste weird? ›
"It's because McDonald's cooks their fries with beef flavoring mixed within their vegetable oil, right," Howlett continued. "So, that's why the fries taste so good but also so different from everybody else's." Howlett noted that the cooking method might be "bad news for vegetarians."
Are McDonald's apple pies good the next day? ›
In most cases, yes, assuming a few conditions are met. The pies are considered fine to eat if they are cooled to a safe temperature, specifically in a refrigerator, after the time on their stickers. The pies must also be thoroughly reheated.
Why do McDonald's apples taste better? ›
The McDonald's apple slices are NOT the same apples you find in a grocery store. They are tree-ripened for higher fructose content and then sprayed in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) making them taste tangy. Also, they have nothing to do with the apples in the apple pies.
Are McDonald's apple pies made with choko? ›
In Australia, a persistent urban legend is that McDonald's apple pies were made of chokos (chayotes), not apples. This eventually led McDonald's to emphasise the fact that real apples are used in their pies. This legend was based on an earlier belief that tinned pears were often disguised chayotes.
Does Mcdonalds bake their pies? ›
Every pie sold in all 14,000 U.S. McDonald's restaurants is baked by a single company in Tulsa, Okla. Bama Companies produces more than 2 million pies per day as McDonald's exclusive pie supplier.
