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If you've spent the last three decades insisting that McDonald's apple pie was better when it was fried, get ready for your victory lap.
The fast-food giant announced today that its original Fried Apple Pie—the crispy, bubbling-hot dessert that disappeared from most U.S. menus in the early 1990s—is making a comeback. Starting June 23, the nostalgic favorite will return to participating McDonald's restaurants nationwide for a limited time.
Before McDonald's swapped the dessert for a baked version in the early '90s amid growing concerns about dietary fat and cholesterol, the Fried Apple Pie was one of the chain's most beloved menu items. Encased in a blistered, golden-brown shell and filled with gooey apple filling, it had a reputation for being both delicious and mouth-scorching, if you weren’t careful.
The returning version stays close to the original formula. According to McDonald's, it features a filling made with American-grown apples wrapped in the same flaky fried crust that longtime fans remember. The chain is positioning the comeback as part of celebrations leading up to America's 250th birthday this year, calling the dessert a "bona fide national treasure."
The pie's history dates back to the late 1960s, when Tennessee McDonald's owner-operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local hit. The recipe eventually caught the attention of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc and turned into a nationwide menu staple. (According to the company, Cochran's wife, Jo, spent months refining the recipe that would eventually become the iconic dessert.)
To add to the drama, McDonald's is also unveiling what it claims is the world's largest Fried Apple Pie. The 35-foot roadside attraction will debut June 23 in Joliet, Illinois, along historic Route 66, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The oversized pastry monument will remain on display through July 4 at 920 N. Broadway Street and will be accompanied by souvenir maps, photo opportunities and a kickoff celebration featuring live music, Coca-Cola and complimentary gift cards.
This summer's most unexpected road-trip attraction isn't a giant ball of twine or a quirky roadside museum—it's a giant deep-fried apple pie. And, honestly, America has done stranger things.