Julie Clark
Updated:
Cinnamon Fried Apples
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These cinnamon fried apples will melt in your mouth! Softened apples in a butter, sugar and cinnamon mixture. A delicious side dish or dessert recipe.
Have you ever been to Cracker Barrel? It’s a restaurant that is popular across the south and midwest United States. Their menu is huge, and some of their most popular dishes are the side dishes, like hash brown casserole.
Cinnamon fried apples is another recipe that Cracker Barrel is famous for. This southern fried apples recipe is a copycat version of Cracker Barrel fried apples. So delicious, warm and sweet. Total time to make them is about 20 minutes, so it is quick and easy!
About this recipe:
- Flavor: Apple and cinnamon with a hint of butter are the key flavors. It’s like apple pie without the crust. That means it’s healthy, right? 😉
- Texture: Depending on the apples you use and how long you cook them, they could be very soft or still have a little crunch to them. It’s your preference. Otherwise they have a smooth, rich sauce that coats every apple.
Which apples are best for frying?
There are so many varieties of apples in the grocery store. How do you know what is the best type of apple?
Choose a tart apple that will hold up to the heat and not get mushy. Look for Granny Smith Apples, Fuji apples or Pink Lady apples. (source) These are all common apples that we have at your local grocery store.
How to Make Fried Apples
- Peel and core apples. If you have an apple peeler/corer, this will save tons of time. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on them as you go to prevent browning.
- Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large skillet with high sides, melt butter, then add sugar and cinnamon. Optional spices are nutmeg or apple pie spice. Cook over low-medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until melted. Then add the apples.
- Continue to stir and cook for about 12-14 minutes, until they are fork-tender. The exact timing will depend on how big the apple pieces are.
do you need cornstarch to thicken the apples?
Some recipes call for mixing a cornstarch slurry and drizzling it into the cinnamon fried apples to thicken the sauce. It ends up more like apple pie filling. I don’t find this is necessary, but if you think the apples are too “saucy”, it’s an option.
Serving Ideas
At Cracker Barrel you get cinnamon fried apples in a bowl and eat them with a spoon. They are also delicious served over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt. But if you’re looking for something a little different try serving fried apples on:
- Apple Waffles
- Apple Bread or even Apple Fritter Bread
- Homemade Pancakes
- Ice Cream
- Homemade Crepes
- Cheesecake
- French Toast
You can use them as filling for apple cinnamon rolls, too!
Cinnamon Fried Apples
These cinnamon fried apples will melt in your mouth! Softened apples in a butter, sugar and cinnamon mixture. A delicious side dish or dessert recipe.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped apples
- 1 lemon (for juicing on the sliced apples)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel and core apples. Squeeze lemon on them as you go to prevent browning. Chop into bite-sized pieces. 4 cups chopped apples, 1 lemon
- In a pan with high sides (or a cast iron skillet), melt butter over low heat and add sugar and cinnamon. 2 tablespoons salted butter, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Cook over low-medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until melted.
- Add apples. Continue to stir and cook for about 12-14 minutes, until softened. The exact timing will depend on how big the apple pieces are.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Store any leftover fried apples in an airtight container in the fridge.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4 people, with 1 serving 1 cup of apples. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
I’m having trouble, and I hope you can help me. I’ve made this recipe twice, and each time I put the apples in, the caramel seizes up. I wind up with chunks of hard candy.
can i make them the day before & reheat them
My mother always made this. I like cutting the apples into slices, frying them first in butter then adding the cinnamon add sugar. I serve them as a side for pork chops. Family can’t get enough. Also great at Thanksgiving with the turkey.
My mom has made these for years and they’ve always been one of my favorite side dishes!!!! Will be making them a lot with Apple season coming up soon for sure! Thanks for an awesome recipe
The Apple’s was real good thanks for the recipe.
Did those apples need refrigerated after cooking? And about how many days do they last?
Even better without the cinnamon. I’ve never measured my ingredients for this recipe but it always turns out great with the brown sugar and butter making a wonderful caramel sauce for the apples. And I would recommend peeling the apples to prevent a choking hazard.
I love to use honey crisp apples for about all my apple recipes.. These look very tasty.