What makes the McDonald’s Apple Pie a classic

Perhaps there is nothing simpler than apple pie. Heck, pie crust isn’t all that easy to make, no, but the simple down home effect that apple pie has is quite simple enough, and in this overcomplicated world of ours, simple is definitely good, which is perhaps why the apple pie at McDonald’s is still on the menu after all this time. But just what is it that makes the McDonald’s Apple Pie a classic—despite its simplicity?

According to readersdigest.com, the first McDonald’s apple pie was served in 1960, and at the 200th McDonald’s location located in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Now you must understand this was an era in which classic apple pie was perhaps being served at every single roadside diner up and down and across the United States and even Canada. Of course these mom and pop locations serving up meatloaf and beans and franks had other kinds of pies, but because of the readily available apples across North America and pretty much year round in some locations, and because of farming trade agreements set up, it was perhaps the cheapest choice. You were likely to find a rhubarb pie yes, but perhaps not as often as you would a freshly baked apple pie.

I can just imagine some weary road traveler in the fifties and sixties, sitting up at a roadside diner counter, the waitress lifting the glass cover off of the pie, the smell of the freshly baked apples and crust making their way to the weary traveler’s nose… ah, a match made in heaven, I’d say.

And is this a testament to that classic pie? In a sense yes, but also an ode to the wonder that is the McDonald’s apple pie!

Classic apple pie is great in general, but McDonald’s version of the classic dessert satisfies to the last bite

For the pie offered at McDonald’s to have done so well at that time, with so many other options out there, speaks volumes about its quality and its overall acceptance.

Let’s face it, McDonald’s gets a pretty bad rap, and really their burgers and fries satisfy millions the world over if not billions (as of 2020 there were approximately 7.753 billion people in the world, so we assume at least 1 billion of those individuals samples the goods at good old Mickey D’s). And their apple pie has been around for six decades and counting, and it obviously hasn’t slowed down.

The recipe was changed a tad, but that can be said of any single item on their menu over the years, and still there it is on the menu, and as cheap as can be in these crazy financial times.

Back in the day the pie was fried and not baked, and a small change was made to the crust according to that same aforementioned piece at readersdigest.com (link above). It was in 2018 that the pie’s crust was changed to a lattice crust and the apples were all of a sudden sliced and not diced as they once were. The sugar coating also changed. They say it’s healthier, but we’ll get into the macros in a tad…

Essentially it’s a staple, and one adored by many, hence the importance of this piece…an ode to the wonder that is McDonald’s apple pie.

Very often the franchise will try out new flavors, but in the end it’s this aforementioned staple that is there, tried, tested and true and consistent. Consistency is key, as they say, and McDonald’s understands the importance of standards and consistency.

This is perhaps why it’s so upsetting when you get a Big Mac that isn’t prepared properly, or unsalted fries, and a broken apple pie. But if you go to a location that treats its customers right and delivers with every go at the fryer of griddle, then it’s something special to behold for sure.

It’s that consistency that people depend on, and it’s that consistency that inspires such a piece as this one here. After all McDonald’s isn’t haute cuisine. Hardly, but it is there for us in times of need: That hard day at the office, the bad breakup, those times when frustration and anxiety take hold and eating a few cheeseburgers and an apple pie are all that’ll bring those nerves down…. Perhaps even that time when you’re on the road and these items are the cheapest to satisfy that hunger that cannot be named.

The Macros…

As promised, let’s get into the nutritional aspect of this epic McDonald’s treat, shall we? Okay, so the price may be perfect, but the calories are a tad high. Again, okay, I’m being lenient when I say ‘a tad.’ The apple pie will set you back 322 calories, folks. So that’s about a good half hour on the stationary bike on high speed, but in the end it’s worth it, and so are the 44 grams of carbs and 17 grams of sugar.

Hey! No one said it was healthy…or did they? Kind of isn’t, really. On the plus side, you get 3.1 grams of protein and 2 grams of dietary fiber with every pie. It doesn’t exactly balance out, but hey, sometimes you need to treat your soul to a guilty pleasure every now and again. You know a thing or two about that don’t you, dear Guilty Eaters?

How do you feel about the McDonald’s Apple Pie? Are you as gung ho about it as we are? Let us know.