Fried Apples

Fried Apples is the perfect dessert for many occasion. The cinnamon, brown sugar and buttery sauce makes this dish so delicious. It is ready in less than 15 minutes and makes a classic comfort dessert.

Southern Fried Apples can be served by itself, as a ice cream topping or as a pie filling. Make this easy dessert when you have a lot of apples. You family will thank you. Check out these Apple Fries, Grilled Apples and Baked Apples for another delicious apple recipe.

Why We Love This Recipe

If you are needing an easy recipe that is budget friendly, this fried apple recipe is the one to make. It doesn’t take long to peel and core the apples and place them in your cast iron skillet to cook.

From breakfast and lunch to dinner, it is the best side dish. My kids love it for dessert with ice cream. I can eat it by the bowl just for a snack. However you decide to eat it, you will definitely enjoy it.

Ingredients

• Granny Smith Apples – Use any type of apples you prefer
• Lemon – This gives the apples flavor and keeps them from turning brown
• Brown Sugar – Learn How to Make Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon – You can also add in Pumpkin Pie Spice

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Make Fried Apples

• Step 1 – Prepare Apples – Peel, core and slice the apples.  Place them in a bowl and coat it with the lemon juice from the lemon to keep them from browning. 

• Step 2 – Melt Butter – Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  

• Step 3 – Add in Sugars and Cinnamon – Then whisk in the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon.  

• Step 4 – Add Apples and Cook – Then stir in the apple slices.  Cook the apples until they are tender, 10-15 minutes.  Watch the apples closely while they are cooking and adjust the heat as needed.  Cooking time will vary.

• Step 5 – Simmer the Apples – You want the heat to be at a simmer.  Make sure to not over cook the apples as they will get mushy.  

• Step 6 – Serve and Enjoy – Serve warm and enjoy. 

Recipe Tips

• Watch the apples closely while they are cooking. You may need to adjust the heat as needed.  You want the heat to be at a simmer. 
• Don’t overcook the apples. Make sure to not cook the apples too long or they will get mushy.  
• Serve the apples warm. These are best served warm.
• Try apple pie spice. You can use this spice with fresh apples instead of the cinnamon.
• Salted butter. You can use the salted variety if you prefer.
• Fresh cut apples. Try to slice the apples right before cooking so they stay fresh and don’t turn brown. If you need to cut them sooner, make sure to soak them in lemon juice.
• Sugars – Since the apples have their own sweetness, you can easily reduce the amount of sugars that you add to the recipe.

How to Serve Fried Apples

Serving Fried Apples is the perfect fall dessert. The warm cinnamon flavor is perfectly served by itself or you can serve it with one of these favorites:

• Vanilla Ice Cream – We love to serve warm fried apples over the top of scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can even top with a drizzle of caramel sauce to enhance the flavor. Add chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch.
• Pancakes or Waffles – Add a serving to your favorite pancakes, French toast or waffles. It is a great way to jazz up your breakfast.
• Pie Filling – Add to you favorite pie crust for an easy apple pie recipe.
• Fried Chicken – I like to serve these Fried Apples when I make Fried Chicken or Fried Pork Chops. It balances well with these meats.

What are the Best Apples to Fry?

We suggest using Granny Smith Apples when making fried apples. We love the tartness that granny smith has and they cook up perfectly in the skillet. But you can always use these other suggestions:

• Golden Delicious Apples – These apples have a sweet flavor and work great in this recipe. But handle with care as they can bruise easily. Cracker Barrel uses this kind in their recipe.
• Fuji Apples – This apple choice also has a sweeter side to it. You may need to adjust your sugar ingredient. But having the extra sweetness is delicious with this recipe.
• Other Apple Ideas – Gala, Braeburn, Pink Lady Apples or Honeycrisp also make a great option.

While Granny Smith provides the perfect blend of tartness and sweetness, any of these types of apples would suffice. Anytime I have extra apples of any kind, I use them to make fried apples.

You can’t go wrong with this simple recipe that is always a crowd pleaser. It is the best.