Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side (2024)

Dessert

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This fried apples recipe is a total Cracker Barrel copycat. Coated in a deliciously sweet cinnamon-sugar sauce, these Southern fried apples make the perfect sweet side dish.

Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side (1)

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Growing up, Mama always let us choose the menu for a special meal on our birthdays. As you can imagine, these delectable fried apples were always on my list. This is how she made them and these are a striking twin to the Cracker Barrel fried apples. We also like to have them with our holiday meals, too. Fried apples are an excellent Thanksgiving side dish alongside family favorites like baked ham and sweet potato casserole.

Fortunately, this Southern fried apples recipe is a super easy fall recipe to make and a tasty way to prepare apples year-round (move aside, apple pie). All you need is some crisp fresh apple slices and then cook the delicious apple sauce. Featuring apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cornstarch, it’s the perfect combination of sweet and spice. Once you have one bite, I guarantee you’ll go back for seconds!

Enjoy your Southern skillet fried apples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Serve them with French toast for breakfast, roast chicken for lunch, and whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

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Recipe Ingredients

  • Apples (Golden Delicious)
  • Apple Juice
  • Sugar
  • Corn Starch
  • Cinnamon
  • Allspice

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Place apples in a single layer in a large skillet.

Pour apple juice over the apple slices.

Cook apples over medium heat. You want these to just simmer until the apples are fork-tender. Keep an eye on these while you do the next steps. You’ll need to be nearby to turn them a few times in order to have them cook evenly.

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While those are cooking, put corn starch, allspice, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.

Stir that up with a wire whisk.

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Once your apples are fork-tender, remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon so the juice remains in the pan.

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Now, you really do want these fork-tender, not cooked to the point of surrender 😉.

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Just set them aside in a bowl, big enough to stir a bit because we are about to pour a sauce over them.

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That hot apple juice in your skillet is now going to be poured into your bowl of dry ingredients.

Whisk this together until smooth (until you get all of the lumps and such out).

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Pour this mixture back in your skillet and cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

Let me tell ya, one minute it will be runny and then two seconds later it will be THICK. So pay attention!

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Pour this gooey goodness over your cooked apples.

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Stir it up until you have this magnificent dish overflowing with cinnamon apples.

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Enjoy!

Storage

  • Store fried apple leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed.
  • Once cooled, you can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as instructed above.

Recipe Notes

  • If you’ve never used allspice in your apple dishes, you are missing out! What allspice does is make the cinnamon *pop* in your recipes. It simply amplifies the cinnamon flavor. I like to add a pinch of it (a generous pinch) whenever cinnamon is called for in addition to the cinnamon.
  • Another option is to use cinnamon and nutmeg if you prefer, or apple pie spice.
  • Cut your apples in wedges but leave the skin on for a more traditional side dish. Don’t worry, it will be nice and tender when they are done!
  • Substitute the sugar for brown sugar (or use a combination of both) for a more caramelized flavor.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best apple variety to use for this Southern fried apples recipe?

While I used Golden Delicious, you can use any kind of tart apple variety, like Granny Smith apples, Jonathan, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady apples.

You might like these other appetizing apple recipes:

Easy Homemade Candy Apples

Apple Crisp in the Crockpot

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Apple Dapple Cake

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Apple Dumplings

Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side (13)

Fried Apples

This fried apples recipe is a total Cracker Barrel copycat. Coated in a deliciously sweet cinnamon-sugar sauce, these Southern fried apples make the perfect sweet side dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple

Servings: 8

Calories: 235kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups apple juice
  • 4 large golden delicious apples unpeeled and cut into wedges
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 4 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, combine the apple juice and sliced apples. Heat on medium until apples are fork-tender, turning often to enable even cooking. Be careful not to overcook apples. Remove apples from the juice with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl.

    2 1/2 cups apple juice, 4 large golden delicious apples

  • In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour hot apple juice into the dry mixture. Whisk vigorously until all lumps are gone. Pour this mixture back into the skillet and heat on medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbly and thick.

    3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, 4 tablespoons sugar

  • Remove from heat and pour the sauce over the apple slices in the bowl. Stir until apples are evenly coated.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal

Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side (2024)

FAQs

What are the best apples for dessert? ›

Which apples bake best? For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

Is honeycrisp a good baking apple? ›

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

What to do with all my apples? ›

You could also make applesauce, apple butter or apple jelly. You could put them in muffins, crumbles and cakes. You could layer them in sandwiches. You could roast them with sausages or toss them into kale salad.

Does Luck's still make fried apples? ›

Today, Luck's offers a wide array of premium quality Beans, Chicken and Dumplings, Fried Apples and Fried Peaches, delivering the authentic Southern flavor that made them famous.

What to put on apples? ›

9 Things to Pair with an Apple
  1. Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
  2. Almond Butter + Orange Marmalade.
  3. Plain Yogurt + Honey + Cinnamon.
  4. Cream Cheese + Sweet Pickle Relish.
  5. Ricotta + Lemon Zest + Chopped Pistachios.
  6. Balsamic Vinegar + Brown Sugar + Ground Pepper.
  7. Berry Vinaigrette + Walnuts.
  8. Arugula + Bacon.
Sep 10, 2020

What are 5 ways to enjoy apples? ›

18 Easy and Delicious Ways to Enjoy Apples
  1. Make Apple Butter. ...
  2. Dip Slices in Honey. ...
  3. Snack on Apple and Quinoa Salad. ...
  4. Try Apples on Pizza. ...
  5. Add Apples to Pork Roast. ...
  6. Bake an Apple Ginger Galette. ...
  7. Throw Them in a Grilled Cheese. ...
  8. Dip Slices in Almond Butter.

Which apple is the sweetest? ›

Apple Sweetness Chart
Types of ApplesSweetest LevelBest For
Fujithe sweetest apple varietysnacking, applesauce and salads
Galahighly sweetsnacking, applesauce and salads
Golden Delicioussweet, rich and mild in flavorsnacking, baked apples and applesauce
Red Delicioussweet-tart mix but very mild in flavorsnacking and salads
7 more rows
Aug 9, 2022

What is a sweet dessert apple? ›

Colours range from red, to yellow and green, but all varieties fall into one of two categories: eating, also sometimes called dessert apples (including Cox's Orange Pippin, Golden Delicious, Granny Smiths, Braeburn, Gala, Pink Lady and Jonagold) or cooking, with the latter being more tart in flavour, a result of their ...

What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

What are the cons of Honeycrisp apples? ›

The 'bad' refers to col- oring problems, appearance defects, and susceptibility to an undiagnosed leaf dis- order. The 'ugly' refers to bitter pit, scald, soft scald, and a tendency to ferment due to skin permeability problems.”

What is a good crispy apple? ›

Some may attest that Honeycrisp and Pink Lady® are the crunchiest, while others would shake their heads pointing to Cosmic Crisp® and SweeTango.

Can you freeze fresh apples? ›

Yes, you can freeze fresh raw apple, however because of the high water content, you'll find that the apple will be soft when defrosted (the water inside the fruit expands when it freezes into ice and the crystals breaks the delicate cell structure). Therefore, it's best to use frozen apple for cooking or smoothies.

What do farmers do with fallen apples? ›

Apples that end up on the ground are not wasted. Many times farmers come to collect the apple drops to feed to livestock. If apples are not picked up, they are mowed at the end of the season and help to fertilize next year's crop.

What can I do with two bags of apples? ›

Apple Recipes
  1. Applesauce. Homemade apple sauce is so much better than what you find in the jar. ...
  2. Apple Butter. Contrary to what some think, there is no butter in apple butter. ...
  3. Poached Apples. ...
  4. Apple Pie. ...
  5. Apple Muffins. ...
  6. Apple Cake. ...
  7. Caramel Apples. ...
  8. Apple Stuffing.
Aug 29, 2022

Why don t Red Delicious apples taste good anymore? ›

These grafted apples developed some undesirable qualities as well, such as a more open-celled texture that contributed to the fruit's mealiness. And that same thick skin that helps the Red Delicious withstand shipping and sitting in cold storage for up to a year doesn't create the most pleasant eating experience.

How long can Fried Apples sit out? ›

How long can fried apples sit out on the counter? These apples can stay at room temperature for up to 2 hours. After that time period, you will need to freeze or refrigerate the apples.

What seasoning taste good on apples? ›

Cinnamon & Spice: Mix equal parts sugar and cinnamon with a dash of nutmeg and sprinkle on apple slices for a bitesize flavor of apple pie. Have little helpers in the kitchen? Let them mix everything in a Ziplock bag.

What pairs well with apples? ›

Apple: Pairs well with almonds, apricots, caramel, cardamom, chestnut, cinnamon, citrus, cranberry, currant, ginger, hazelnut, lychee, mango, maple, orange, rosemary, and walnuts. It mixes particularly well with brandy, kirsch, Madeira, rum, and vermouth.

Can dogs eat apples? ›

Can dogs eat apples? Yes, apples are a fantastic addition to your dog's diet. They provide vitamin A, vitamin C and dietary fibre. They also provide a way to keep your dog's teeth clean and can help freshen their breath.

What makes some apples sweeter than others? ›

We found that sorbitol content correlates (similarly to SSC) with perceived sweetness better than any other single sugar or total sugar content. The single sugars show no differentiable importance in determining apple sweetness.

Do apples calm you down? ›

Apples. If you haven't had an apple a day in awhile, it might be a good time to start. The high levels of antioxidants may help lessen the symptoms of anxiety (anxiety is thought to be correlated with a lowered total antioxidant state).

What makes apples taste good? ›

The cells of apples are filled with flavorful juices composed of water, sugar, acids, and aromatic esters (compounds made of one acid and one alcohol molecule). The spaces between the cells are filled with air, which accounts for as much as 25% of the volume of a ripe apple (that's why apples float).

What are the best apples for pie and why? ›

Go with Granny Smith apples. Known for its vibrant green color, this apple is tangy and tart and features firm flesh that won't get too mushy when cooked down.

Which apples are best to eat directly and not bake? ›

Hawaiian apples are crisp, firm, and very sweet. They are better for eating than for baking, and they are perfect for those who like sweet, rather than tart, apples.

What apple makes the best candy apple? ›

The Best Type of Apples to Use

You want to choose an apple that will hold up when dipped into the hot sugar. In addition, you want an apple that is a little more tart than sweet, since the sugar coating provides plenty of sweetness. We love Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala apples.

Which types of apples are best for making applesauce? ›

The Best Apples for Applesauce
  • Cortland.
  • Golden Delicious.
  • Gala.
  • McIntosh.
  • Granny Smith.
Nov 18, 2022

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