My fried apples recipe yields soft, buttery, perfectly spiced apples. Enjoy them plain or use them as a topping for pancakes or ice cream. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Best Fried Apples Recipe
I’m not sure that there’s a better, easier way to prepare apples than by slicing them up and cooking them in butter, sugar, and cinnamon on the stovetop. This fried apple recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up excess apples (second is my apple butter), a predicament I find myself in year after year (I’ve accepted that I simply have no self-control when apple picking).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Saucy, caramelized perfection. The apples get nice and tender without turning to mush, thanks to a careful cooking method and the perfect balance of butter, sugar, and acid.
- Not too sweet, but with incredible depth of flavor. Yes, they’re sweetened and buttery, but with just enough salted butter and cinnamon to keep it from being cloying. Reminds me of the cinnamon apples you get at Cracker Barrel, but better!
- Versatile enough for breakfast or dessert. They’re great plain, but divine with vanilla ice cream. Or add a fall twist to your breakfast; we love serving them warm over buttermilk pancakes or brioche French toast.
- Perfected cooking method/a few carefully selected ingredients. A little acid (a splash of lemon) brightens the flavors and keeps the sauce balanced and the apples from tasting flat. And while the flavor is certainly reminiscent of apple pie, the apples still taste like apples because we let the natural flavor of the fruit shine.
What You Need
My fried apples recipe requires just seven ingredients. Let’s talk about a few of them before we get started…
- Apples. I recommend a firm, tart apple for this recipe. I use Granny Smith apples, but Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Cortland would also work. If you opt for a sweeter apple you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.
- Sugar. We’ll use a blend of light brown and granulated sugar for a touch of sweetness and depth of flavor. Dark brown sugar could also work, but it will be richer.
- Butter. We’ll use just a few tablespoons of butter to create a lovely sauce with lots of flavor. I used to use ½ cup of butter in this recipe, but I’ve recently discovered that I prefer it with less butter (so the apple flavor can shine and so the sauce is thicker!). I use salted in this recipe, but unsalted will work so long as you add a pinch of salt.
- Lemon juice. This brightens our apples and keeps them from being too rich. I always recommend fresh lemon juice, but since we are using such a small amount, bottled will work too.
- Cinnamon. Of course! Apples and cinnamon go together so nicely. You could even add a pinch of nutmeg too, if you want even more spice.
SAM’S TIP: Try not to cut your apples too thin, or they will become mushy. I aim for about ½” thickness!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Them
- Prepare your apples by peeling, coring, and slicing them into ½” slices.
- Melt the butter in a skillet, then add the sugar and cinnamon and stir well.
- Add the apples and stir well.
- Cook until they have softened to a fork-tender texture, then serve and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: Your apples will cook evenly if you cut them all to be about the same thickness; otherwise you may be left with some that are still too firm while the rest are tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just like when making applesauce or apple cobbler, I definitely recommend peeling your apples for this fried apples recipe. While the apples themselves tend to soften and become juicy while cooking, the peels actually become tough and chewy.
If you opt to not peel your apples, this recipe will still work, and some people may not even mind the texture of the peels. For me though, it’s much better to take the extra few minutes to remove the peels.
The flavors are pretty similar, but my cinnamon baked apples recipe is a little more hands off. Today’s recipe also tends to be a little bit richer than the baked version. You really can’t go wrong with either though!
We love serving them on their own, as a side dish, or on top of breakfast foods like crepes, waffles, sourdough pancakes, or French toast. I also especially love serving them over my apple pancakes.
Or save them for dessert and serve with ice cream! The “sauce” thickens as the apples cool, and it’s perfect for spooning over vanilla ice cream (or my no-churn ice cream).
More Apple Recipes
Enjoy!
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Fried Apples
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons (42 g) salted butter
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 lb firm, tart apples (see note¹) peeled, cored, and sliced to be about ½” thick (about 10mm).
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Recommended Equipment
- Johnny peeler (makes quick work of peeling and slicing!)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet (I use a 10" cast iron) over medium heat.3 Tablespoons (42 g) salted butter
- Add sugars and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly, until all sugar is absorbed by the butter (about 30-60 seconds).¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Add apples and lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, until apples are softened, coated in the sauce, and tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).2 lb firm, tart apples (see note¹), 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Serve warm as you'd like, we enjoy them served with vanilla ice cream or over pancakes, though they're also delicious served by themselves!
Notes
¹Apples
This was 4 large apples for me. Weigh the apples before measuring. I prefer Granny Smith but any firm, tart apple will work well here.Butter
May substitute unsalted butter, just add ¼ teaspoon salt when you add the sugar!Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Original recipe
The original fried apple recipe can be found here.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally published September of 2019. I’ve been tweaking it over the years and found that I actually like it with less butter than when I first published it. Sounds crazy, but using less butter actually gives us a more flavorful sauce that thickens nicely. In this updated recipe, we use 3 Tbsp butter (instead of ½ cup), a bit more cinnamon, and a bit more lemon juice. If you were a fan of the old version, don’t panic! I still link to it in the recipe card.
RW
I was raised on a farm with apple trees so I’ve had a lot of variations of fried apples over the years. This one is a nice balance. Not too sweet and not too tart. I tweaked it and mixed white 1/8 c white sugar plus 1/8 c cane sugar (to equal the 1/4 c) plus 1/4 c light brown sugar as called for to equal 1/2 c of sugar total. I use Fuji apples and they turn out great!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Laura
When you put the sugar in the pan at the very end once your apples are as tender as you want them, it doesn’t make a sticky mess and the cast iron pan washes up easy. I did my 8” pan and it held 2 green apples just right, so I halved this recipe and used my 2 apples and it was absolutely delicious. I will make them again soon. We had ours with pork chops 😋
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Laura! 🙂
Leslie
These fried apples were delicious! I served them over vanilla ice cream to guests (4 total). I used the left overs for morning French toast for two of us. My experience was using Fuji apples. I fried them for double the time listed, the apples kept their shape and a bit of firmness– just how I like them! I would cut the sugar next time if using Fuji apples; they must be a sweeter apple. I added extra spices, maybe a bit too much, but it was so good! My guests wanted the recipe so I gave them your site.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Leslie! 🙂
Pamela Shaw
Do you think I could “can” these as your recipe reads for winter use?
Sam
Hi Pamela! Honestly I am not very familiar with the canning process so I can’t say for sure whether or not it will work here.
Elisha Cyr
I don’t have any lemon juice do I have to use it or can I use something else
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Elisha. You can just skip the lemon juice if you don’t have it. We hope you enjoy these fried apples! ❤️
Nan
I’m thinking of making these in celebration of Fall 🙂 Do you think Ginger Gold apples would work? Should I reduce the cinnamon since Ginger Gold apples have spicy undertones?
Sam
Hi Nan! That’s totally a matter of personal preference, I would not reduce the cinnamon but if you think you might like it with a bit less spice they would still be delicious if you do want to cut it back a bit! Enjoy, and Happy Fall! 🙂
Alex
Hi Sam! I loved your recipe and mine turned out great with your easy steps. Ill be making these more frequently and will definitely try them paired with pancakes. ♡
Alex
Also, whats your best bet on reheating from cold in the fridge? Just nuking in the microwave or would warming on the stove be better and not overcook them?
Sam
I would just place them in the microwave for a few seconds. 🙂
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Michelle
We love the fried apples, I actually used it as a side with pork chops instead of using applesauce….which while we also love applesauce it gets boring always having the same thing all the time,so I try and switch it up sometimes.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoys them so much, Michelle! 🙂
Shenaya
SO good!! I used it as a filling for your crepes (left another comment there!) and they just got demolished! I added a spot of nutmeg too just because 🙂 YUM!
Sugar Spun Run
A perfect filling for homemade crepes for sure, Shenaya! Yum! I am so glad that you enjoyed both recipes. 🙂
Carol Moffett
I have enjoyed all your recipes. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Carol! I am so glad that you have enjoyed them. 🙂
Pam
Loved these apples. Really easy to make. Taste great with ice cream on top.
Larry
Made these apples tonight. Very easy and very good.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Larry! I am glad that you enjoyed the fried apples. 🙂
Pauline
How many servings does this make?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Pauline. The Fried Apple recipe makes approximately 8 servings. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
patty watson
Cracker Barrell restaurant does not peel the apples and they are good
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Patty! I appreciate the feedback. I find that if you do not remove the skin, they get tough. If you prefer to leave them on, that is fine. It’s just my personal preference. I hope that you enjoy the fried apples. 🙂
alivia knapp
ok, I have made fried apples, but not like this! it is so amazing, even with fried ice cream on top!
Sugar Spun Run
I hope that you enjoy this fried apple recipe. 🙂
alivia knapp
i did. it was good.