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    You are here: Home / Seasonal / Fall Recipes / Fried Apples

    Fried Apples

    September 30, 2019 By Sam 24 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    A simple recipe for Fried Apples! This is the perfect way to use up extra apples from apple picking and yields soft, buttery, perfectly seasoned apples! Recipe includes a brief how-to video!

    Fried apples on white plate with scoop of vanilla ice cream

    Fried Apples

    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.

    It’s officially apple-picking season and I know I’m not the only one who has absolutely NO self control when it comes to this task. Every year I bring home way, way more apples than Zach and I could possibly eat by ourselves and I end up transforming the extras into blog recipes.

    We’ve done Apple Crisp and Apple Butter (a popular, easy favorite!) and Apple Fritters (a different kind of fried apple recipe) and this year I’ve been obsessed with Fried Apples! They’re great to enjoy plain, or topped with vanilla ice cream, and they add a great Fall twist to your favorite indulgent breakfast, too. I love serving them warm over Buttermilk Pancakes or French Toast.

    Ingredients for fried apples

    What Kind of Apples Should I Use for Fried Apples?

    I recommend a firm, tart apple for making fried apples. In this recipe I used Granny Smith apples.

    Other apples that would work well include Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Cortland. If you opt for a sweeter apple you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe a bit.

    How to make fried apples: combine all ingredients in cast iron skillet

    How to Make Fried Apples

    1. Start by melting your butter in a large skillet (make sure it’s a big one, the apples will shrink as they cook but you want to give yourself plenty of space for stirring in the beginning).
    2. Add apples, sugars, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
    3. Stir well and cook until apples are softened and tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce is thickened.

    That’s it, just three simple steps!

    Making fried apples in a cast iron skillet

    Should I Peel My Apples When Making Fried Apples?

    I definitely recommend peeling your apples when making fried apples. While the apple slices 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 5 minutes to remove the peels.

    Fried apples on white plate with ice cream on top

    Enjoy!

    More Apple Recipes You Might Like:

    • Apple Pie
    • Apple Crumb Muffins
    • Baked Apples
    • Apple Turnovers
    Fried apples topped with ice cream on white plate

    Fried Apples

    A simple recipe for Fried Apples! This is the perfect way to use up extra apples from apple picking and yields soft, buttery, perfectly seasoned apples! Recipe includes a brief how-to video!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 51kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb granny smith apples¹ peeled, cored, and sliced ½” thick.
    • ½ cup unsalted butter 113g
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
    • ¼ cup light brown sugar firmly packed (50g)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Melt butter in 10” cast iron skillet over medium heat.
    • Add apples, sugars, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice.
    • Cook, stirring frequently, until apples are softened and tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).

    Notes

    ¹This was 4 large apples for me.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 117mg | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 1mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elisha Cyr

      September 24, 2021 at 8:09 am

      I don’t have any lemon juice do I have to use it or can I use something else

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        September 24, 2021 at 9:34 am

        Hi Elisha. You can just skip the lemon juice if you don’t have it. We hope you enjoy these fried apples! ❤️

        Reply
    2. Nan

      September 28, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 28, 2020 at 10:13 pm

        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! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Alex

      September 22, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      5 stars
      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. ♡

      Reply
      • Alex

        September 22, 2020 at 10:37 pm

        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?

        Reply
        • Sam

          September 23, 2020 at 11:00 am

          I would just place them in the microwave for a few seconds. 🙂

      • Sam

        September 23, 2020 at 10:59 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Michelle

      September 20, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 20, 2020 at 9:31 pm

        I am so glad everyone enjoys them so much, Michelle! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Shenaya

      May 19, 2020 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        May 19, 2020 at 1:26 pm

        A perfect filling for homemade crepes for sure, Shenaya! Yum! I am so glad that you enjoyed both recipes. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Carol Moffett

      April 20, 2020 at 11:50 am

      I have enjoyed all your recipes. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        April 20, 2020 at 11:57 am

        Thank you so much, Carol! I am so glad that you have enjoyed them. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Pam

      March 22, 2020 at 7:05 pm

      5 stars
      Loved these apples. Really easy to make. Taste great with ice cream on top.

      Reply
    8. Larry

      October 02, 2019 at 7:49 pm

      Made these apples tonight. Very easy and very good.

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        October 03, 2019 at 7:35 am

        Thank you so much, Larry! I am glad that you enjoyed the fried apples. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Pauline

      September 30, 2019 at 2:55 pm

      How many servings does this make?

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        September 30, 2019 at 4:18 pm

        Hello, Pauline. The Fried Apple recipe makes approximately 8 servings. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
    10. patty watson

      September 30, 2019 at 1:20 pm

      Cracker Barrell restaurant does not peel the apples and they are good

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        September 30, 2019 at 2:21 pm

        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. 🙂

        Reply
    11. alivia knapp

      September 30, 2019 at 11:15 am

      ok, I have made fried apples, but not like this! it is so amazing, even with fried ice cream on top!

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        September 30, 2019 at 12:34 pm

        I hope that you enjoy this fried apple recipe. 🙂

        Reply
        • alivia knapp

          September 30, 2019 at 12:39 pm

          i did. it was good.

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