Skillet Fried Apples

If you love the fried apples at Cracker Barrel then you’ll love this Fried Apples Recipe!

Cracker Barrel is a favorite restaurant for folks and fried apples with cinnamon are one of my favorite menu items as they are a classic southern side dish. These Cracker Barrel Fried Apples are about to become your new favorite thing!

With apple season around the corner, this is a great recipe to use up those Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples.

This delicious fried apple recipe with sliced apples truly shines when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for one of our favorite Dessert Recipes or when served as one of our Southern Side Dishes with pork chops.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy Recipe. These fried apples with cinnamon are easy to make because they are skillet fried!
• Delicious Treat. Tender apples are drenched in a sweet, sticky, cinnamon-y sauce making these fried apples a scrumptious apple dessert!
• Texture. The apple slices are tender but not mushy, but with all the cinnamon and sweetness you get at Cracker Barrel.
• Delicious Side Dish. Did you know these fried cinnamon apples are often served as a side dish to pork chops.

Why This Recipe Works

Tried and True Recipe. My grandmother first introduced me to this Southern fried apples recipe years ago as it was one of her favorites to share with the grandkids. So you can trust this recipe as it is a tried and true recipe that has been made for decades.

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

Equipment

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• Large Skillet
• Measuring Cups
• Bowls
• Spoons

Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Butter. Be sure and use real butter and not margarine for the best result. I used unsalted real butter, but you could use salted butter.
• Granulated Sugar.
• Brown Sugar. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
• Cinnamon. Use ground cinnamon in this recipe.
• Golden Delicious Apples. I used golden delicious apples because they have a sweet yet mild flavor, but if they are unavailable, you could also use Pink Lady, Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith apples.
• Apple Juice. If you don’t have apple juice, you can use apple cider as a substitute and it will still be delicious.
• Water
• Cornstarch

How To Make Fried Apples

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir constantly until the butter and sugars are melted.

Add the apples and coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place a lid on the pan and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender-crisp. Gently stir every few minutes to not break up the apples.

In a bowl or measuring cup stir together the apple juice and the cornstarch.

Slowly stream this into the simmering apples, stirring constantly. Cook for one minute until thickened.

Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Peel or No Peel. If you don’t want to peel the apples, you can still make them with the peel on. However, Cracker Barrel peels their apples, so we do it for this recipe. This recipe is spot on!
• Sugar. If you want the apples to taste like Cracker Barrel fried apples, then I recommend using light brown sugar. However, if you prefer a little more flavor depth, use dark brown sugar. If you really want more depth of flavor, then just use all dark brown sugar instead of 1/2 granulated and 1/2 brown sugar.
• Cinnamon. You can adjust the amount of cinnamon to your taste. You can add up to a tablespoon of cinnamon. Another option is to add other apple pie spices, such as ground nutmeg, ground clove, and ground allspice, or just use apple pie spice.

What To Serve with Fried Apples

• Ice Cream. Top the apples with vanilla ice cream or the ice cream flavor of your choice.
• Yogurt. Spoon a dollop of yogurt over the fried apples.
• Granola. Sprinkle granola over the fried apples.
• Pancakes and Waffles. We love to serve these apples over Buttermilk Pancakes and waffles, but they also make a delicious side with breakfast.
• Pork Chops. Serve these fried apples with pork chops, such as Instant Pot Smothered Pork Chops.
• Oatmeal. Serve as a side dish with a bowl of oatmeal.

FAQs

How Do I Store Fried Apples?

Place the fried apples in a freezer-safe, airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze Fried Apples

Yes you can freeze the fried apples. Place them in a freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Recipes

• Apple Maple Bacon Pancakes
• Cinnamon Apple Pie Bread Pudding
• Apple Dump Cake
• Dutch Oven Apple Cobbler
• Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad

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Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Skillet Fried Apples Recipe

Skillet Fried Apples are pan-fried in a sweet and sticky cinnamon sugar sauce that can be served as dessert with ice cream or as a side with pork chops or chicken.

Course Dessert, Side Dishes

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword Cinnamon Fried Apples, fried apples, Skillet Fried Apples

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 248kcal

Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2.5 pounds Golden Delicious apples (peeled and cored, 1/2 inch slices)
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch

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Instructions 

• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir constantly until the butter and sugars are melted.
• Add the apples and coat them in the mixture. Place a lid on the pan and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender-crisp. Gently stir every few minutes to not break up the apples.
• In a bowl mix together the apple juice and the cornstarch. Slowly stream this into the simmering apples, stirring constantly. Cook for one minute until thickened and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Peel or No Peel. If you don’t want to peel the apples, you can still make them with the peel on. However, Cracker Barrel peels their apples, so we do it for this recipe. This recipe is spot on!

Sugar. If you want the apples to taste like Cracker Barrel fried apples, then I recommend using light brown sugar. However, if you prefer a little more flavor depth, use dark brown sugar. If you really want more depth of flavor, then just use all dark brown sugar instead of 1/2 granulated and 1/2 brown sugar.

Cinnamon. You can adjust the amount of cinnamon to your taste. You can add up to a tablespoon of cinnamon. Another option is to add other apple pie spices, such as ground nutmeg, ground clove, and ground allspice, or just use apple pie spice.

Storage.  Place the fried apples in a freezer-safe, airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.4mg