Are McDonald’s Apple Pies Vegan? | Find Out Now

Along with all the great burgers and fries, the desserts on McDonald’s menu are something that all customers love. One such dessert, which is a fan-favorite, is baked apple pie, but there is also a debate about whether this menu option is vegan. Let us find that out in this article! 

McDonald’s apple pie is vegan in all countries where it is served, at least in terms of ingredients. However, one factor that McDonald’s has mentioned that everyone should consider is that there are still chances of cross-contamination. 

McDonald’s, along with many options on their menu, also has reasonable prices. It is one reason most people prefer this fast-food restaurant chain over all others.

However, vegans always have doubts about the food that they offer. Let us clear all of these doubts once and for all! Happy reading! 

McDonald’s Baked Apple Pie Is Vegan

If you know how exactly apple pies are made, you may know that the pastry that encases the filling, more often than not, has an egg in it.

However, luckily at McDonald’s, the management did go for a vegan casing as well, so that is something that vegans and vegetarians are very pleased with. 

Moreover, the filling includes these ingredients: 

1. Water, 
2. Wheat Flour (contains Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, and Thiamin), 
3. Apple (22%), 
4. Sugar, 
5. Modified Starch (Maize, Corn), 
6. Vegetable Oil (Palm, Rapeseed), 
7. Dextrose, 
8. Mixed Spices (Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg, Cassia Extract), 
9. Salt, 
10. Raising Agent (Sodium Carbonates), 
11. Invert Sugar Syrup, 
12. Lemon Juice Concentrate, 
13. Flavouring, 
14. Thickener (Locust Bean Gum), 
15. Yeast Extract, 
16. Emulsifier (Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), 
17. Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid)

All of these ingredients are certified as vegan. So, that makes the baked apple pie vegan-friendly. However, the way this apple pie is made in various countries may differ.

So, although the ingredients are certified as vegan, specific preparation methods can cause changes in this situation.

 Is McDonald’s Apple Pie Vegan In Every Country?

So, one great thing about McDonald’s is that the ingredients are usually the same everywhere, at least for the internationally available menu items. Yes, in certain countries, they need to be extra careful and accordingly may change some of the ingredients. 

However, that is not the case with apple pie. Every country that serves this sweet treat guarantees that all the ingredients used to make this baked apple pie are vegan-certified.

But, as I mentioned before, the preparation method may bring about some changes to this factor. Let us look at a few countries that serve this sweet treat and the situation over there. 

• United States Of America – In the United States, as far as the list of ingredients goes for this apple pie, it can be qualified as a vegan menu item. However, McDonald’s has also mentioned that there is no guarantee that there might not be any cross-contamination, even though they are careful about these things. 
• Canada – Canada has a very similar story to the United States. All the ingredients mentioned in this sweet treat are perfect for vegans. However, although the management takes care that no cross-contamination happens, they don’t guarantee the same. So, it depends on whether you are willing to take the risk. 
• Australia – Unlike the US and Canada, Australia has mentioned one of the ingredients, whey powder, for their baked apple pie. Whey powder is made from cow’s milk, which is unsuitable for a vegan diet. Hence, the baked apple pie from Australia is not vegan. 
• United Kingdom – As far as the ingredients go, the baked apple pie from the UK is entirely vegan. Moreover, they also make sure that they use separate fryers to fry this. However, they use the same device to filter the oil used to make the apple pie as the oil used to fry fish and chicken. So, this can be considered cross-contamination by some. 
• New Zealand – Lastly, New Zealand is another country where McDonald’s serves their delicious baked apple pie. Here too, the ingredients used to make this pie are all vegan-certified. But, they use the same fryers for everything, so there are definite chances of cross-contamination, making this apple pie unsuitable for vegans. It can, however, be eaten by vegetarians. 

Are There Other Vegan Options In The McDonald’s Menu?

People who are hardcore vegans may not find apple pie suitable for them because of the chances of cross-contamination. However, that does not mean that there is absolutely nothing on the McDonald’s menu that vegans can enjoy! 

McDonald’s has a specially curated vegan menu. This menu includes options like apple slices, fruit & maple oatmeal, and most beverages. The McCafe beverages might have milk, but you can even consider using plant-based milk instead! 

Conclusion

As we have come to the end of this article, I hope all your doubts about whether the baked apple pie from McDonald’s is vegan have been answered. The baked apple pie luckily has ingredients that are all perfect for vegans, except in Australia. 

However, most of these McDonald’s outlets have also clearly mentioned that they don’t take the guarantee that there are no chances of cross-contamination with dairy products. Moreover, countries like New Zealand also use the same fryers for everything. 

So, it eventually depends on you and whether you are okay with the thought of cross-contamination or not. Other than this, we have also covered articles on debatable topics like if McDonald’s fries are vegan or vegetarian and if McDonald’s hash browns are vegan. If you are a vegan, check these out before your next visit to McDonald’s! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)