Bring the taste of the carnival into your own kitchen with my Funnel Cake recipe. My easy recipe can be made in just 15 minutes on the stove–no funnel or deep fryer required! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Carnival-Worthy Funnel Cakes
If your annual summer checklist includes grabbing a funnel cake and some caramel popcorn from your local carnival or beachside snack shack, you’ll definitely want to save this recipe! While I’m not suggesting you skip your annual tradition, I am suggesting that perhaps you could enjoy this treat more than once a year. From the comfort of your own kitchen. In your pajamas. Okay, the last part isn’t necessary, but let’s be real, funnel cakes are essentially breakfast food…right (if fried donut holes count, these certainly do)?!
Despite the frying step, it’s actually very easy to make funnel cakes. If you’re not familiar with frying, I do suggest you watch the video included below for some helpful tips. But really though, this recipe is great for beginners, and it comes together so quickly too!
Why you’ll love my recipe:
- Tastes just like the funnel cake you get at the carnival (if not better!).
- Incredibly simple; you only need a handful of pantry staples.
- So fast! It takes just minutes from start to finish.
- NO funnel required–I’m sharing my favorite, funnel-free method!
What You Need
Funnel cake batter is similar to a pancake batter; in fact this recipe is a variation of my buttermilk pancakes. You’ll need a few ingredients, including:
- Flour. Regular, all-purpose flour works. Do NOT use self-rising flour.
- Milk. Pretty much any kind will work, but my preference is whole milk. You may need more milk than I call for to get your batter to the right consistency, I’ve never needed more than 1 cup but enough people have mentioned that they’ve needed to add more in their own kitchen that I like to mention that it’s OK to add more liquid if needed!
- Vanilla extract. This is optional, but it will make your funnel cakes taste sweeter and richer.
- Powdered sugar. For sprinkling on top. The more the merrier!
SAM’S TIP: Powdered sugar is a popular topping, but so it cinnamon sugar! To make some, simply combine 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and ½ cup granulated sugar and sprinkle/dust over your warm funnel cake.
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 Funnel Cake
- Whisk the dry ingredients until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, then gradually stir in the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth and no large lumps remain.
- Heat 2-3″ of oil over medium-low until it reaches the proper temperature, then slowly drizzle a thin stream of batter in a zig-zag pattern into the hot oil.
- Fry on each side until golden brown, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Dust your funnel cake with powdered sugar and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: It’s very important that you pour a thin stream while constantly moving; otherwise, you could end up with big clumps of batter that are golden brown on the outside and raw in the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy! Simply portion some of the batter into a measuring cup and pour it in a thin stream in a circular/criss-cross/zig-zag into the hot oil. This method is the easiest to clean up and has the smallest chance of spills–I love it!
If you are having trouble getting a thin stream, you can also pour your batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (½″ diameter). Plug the tip with your finger, portion the batter, and then pipe it into the oil.
I recommend using a neutral oil for in my funnel cake recipe. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil all work great for this recipe and are my frying oils of choice for frying everything from apple fritters to fried pickles.
Yes! You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
I hope this recipe inspires some sweet, summertime memories for you ❤
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Funnel Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (236 ml) whole milk¹ (or more, if needed, see note 1)
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for dusting funnel cakes
Recommended Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Measuring cup with spout
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla extract (if using) until well-combined.1 cup (236 ml) whole milk¹, 2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- While whisking, gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until mixture is smooth and combined. Set aside.
- Fill a medium-sized saucepan 2-3” deep with vegetable oil. Set on stovetop over medium-low heat and place a candy thermometer in the oil (make sure the tip of the thermometer is in the middle of the oil and not touching the bottom or it will read hotter than the actual temperature of the oil). Heat oil to 370-375F (187-190C).Vegetable oil
- Once oil is heated, portion about ⅓ – ½ cup of batter into a liquid measuring cup². Slowly drizzle batter into oil in a thin stream, swirling and criss-crossing the batter over itself. Fry on each side until golden brown (about 90 seconds per side) then remove to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.Powdered sugar
- Repeat with remaining batter but make sure that oil returns to temperature in between batches.
Notes
¹Milk
If your batter is too thick, add additional milk as needed until your batter reaches a pour-able consistency. Some people have needed to add as much as ½-3/4 cup milk.²Funnel
If you have a funnel, you can of course use that instead! You’ll need a clean funnel with a ½″ opening. Use your finger to plug the bottom of the funnel and then portion ⅓-1/2 cup of batter into the funnel. Hold funnel over oil, remove your finger, and then move the funnel in a circular/criss-cross pattern until all of the batter has been drizzled into the oil.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.
Kristen
I loved this recipe. Everyone loves fried bread! I made this for our 4th of July party last night.
(I didn’t love that the web page was slow to load because there are so many advertisements.)
Sandy Matza
Samantha , this is the best recipe. Just like the carnival. My sons and my neighbors love it and so do I. Good job. Keep up the good work. Thank-you.
Sam
Thank you so much for the kind feedback, Sandy! I really appreciate you trying my recipe <3
Sandy Matza
I try most of Yur recipes. So glad you have videos. I make them while ur making them Samantha.
Tonda Talcott
if you don’t have a candy thermometer can you use a regular thermometer
Julie
Has anyone ever used a deep fat fryer? We got on as a gift and would love to try this in it.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Julie! A deep fryer should work as long as you are careful and don’t burn yourself using it. The process will be the same 🙂
Crabby
Delicious! I like to pipe the batter in with a #10 tip. So easy!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for the review! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 😊
Jo Thomas
I needed to learn how to make funnel cakes so of course I turned to Sugar Spun Run to see if she had a recipe! Oh my yes she does and all the people at my church rushed to tell me what great flavor the funnel cake they tried had! I made it exactly like the recipe with the exception of adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. This recipe is a hit!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for the review, Jo! We really appreciate you using our recipe 🥰
Tina
Will milk substitutions work just as well?
Sam
Hi Tina! I’m not sure what kind of substitutions you are looking to use. I haven’t personally tried any so I can’t say for sure how it would go.
william
i love it
Jo
I love your recipes and I was looking forward to a video of how to make funnel cakes. You always have a video so I am shocked I can’t find it. Could you help direct me to it please? Thanks
Sam
Hi Jo! There is a video for this, right at the top of the recipe card. If you have an ad blocker enabled it will prevent the video from being displayed. If you ever can’t find one I always post them on Youtube as well. 🙂
Angela
Simple , easy recipe and tastes so good. We put strawberry and whipped cream on ours. It was delicious 😋. Thank you for a easy great tasting recipe
Kurt Gunther
We made these and they were really good. What I like most about this recipe is how in the instructions for each step you relist the ingredients to save the reader from having to scroll back up every time to get the measurements. THIS IS SO HELPFUL! GREAT WORK!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that the listing of the ingredients was helpful, Kurt! Thank you for trying my recipe and for the kind words, I really appreciate it and hope you’ll find more recipes you enjoy just as much on my website!
JUlius
yum
Auburn
I loved this recipe so much! A fellow young cook here but I made some, and it tasted exactly just like the funnel cake I remember eating last summer. It was shocking such a good recipe, my whole family loved it and forced me to make more! Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes 🙂
Teresa Parker
I Love an old fashioned funnel cake and I am excited to try your recipe 😀. Thank You So Much and May God bless you and your family 💗💝
Bonnie
It is the BEST
Cat
whole family loves it and was called “world’s best funnel cake!”
Heather W. Camerio
Absolutely delicious!
Ed
Great recipe. Used it half a dozen times and loved by all. Used the recipe I’m my waffle iron, they were great too.Thanks