Fried Apples with cinnamon taste like warm apple pie! Serve caramelized apples as a side dish, dessert with ice cream, or breakfast topping.
Old-fashioned cinnamon apples are so easy to make, and everyone loves them! Cracker Barrel fried apples are a popular side dish that has been on the menu for years. They go really well with pork chops. But since caramelized apples are a lot like apple pie filling, they can be enjoyed as a dessert as well!
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Ingredients Needed For Caramelized Apples
- Butter: Grease the pan and create a caramel sauce with butter.
- Brown Sugar: Sweeten the caramel sauce with brown sugar.
- Spices: Add flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Granny Smith Apples: Use tart apples that hold up during cooking.
- Vanilla: Add a touch of vanilla for extra flavor.
How To Make Fried Apples
Start by melting the butter in a heavy-bottom pan such as a cast iron skillet. I like to cut my butter into pieces to help it melt faster.
Next, add the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice.
Cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly.
Add the apple slices and stir to coat them with the sauce.
Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the apples are softened and caramelized.
Remove the fried apple slices from the heat and serve them while they are still warm.
Best Apples For Fried Apples
When making our fried apples recipe, you want to choose crisp, tart apples to offset the sweetness. Also, make sure to use firm apples that will hold up to cooking and won’t turn mushy.
Granny Smith, Empire, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Honeycrisp are a few of the best apples for cooking and baking. I like using tart Granny Smith apples.
Some people prefer using two kinds of apples when making desserts for the combination of flavors as well as the optimal sweetness and tartness. So, that is something you can experiment with, and it is good to know if you have two kinds of apples on hand.
Other Ways To Make It
This fried apples recipe is made in the traditional Southern way, but so many things can be added to the apples depending on what your family likes. Additional ingredients are also a fun way to change up this cinnamon apples recipe occasionally. Here are a few suggestions:
- Dried Cranberries: Adds a pop of color and flavor! This option would be perfect for the holidays.
- Sliced Pears: Apples and pears go well together, but since pears are softer, add them halfway through frying the apples.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans are great options.
What Goes With Fried Apples
Caramelized fried apples can be served as a side dish, eaten for breakfast, or enjoyed as a dessert.
- Side Dish: Cracker Barrel apples are served as a side dish. They go well with pork, turkey, fried chicken, or ham.
- Breakfast: You can also serve for breakfast on baked oatmeal, waffles, pancakes, bisquick crepes, or French toast.
- Dessert: Another way to enjoy them is for dessert on top of vanilla ice cream or apple cheesecake. You can also allow them to cool and then use them to make apple pie milkshakes!
Frequently Asked
You can make fried cinnamon apples with or without the peels. We prefer them peeled, but that does take longer. If you are short on time, you can skip peeling the apples beforehand.
Yes, you can freeze fried apples. Allow the fried apples to cool somewhat, and then put them into a freezer-safe container or plastic zip-top freezer bag. Label the container or bag with the contents, date, and amount.
Store the container or bag of fried apples in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to a year. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave or a saucepan before serving.
As one would expect, fried cinnamon apples you make at home are so much better than canned fried apples! It only takes about 10 minutes to cook caramelized apples before they are tender, warm, and ready to enjoy.
What To Do With Apples
When it’s apple season, you may be wondering what you can make with apples! Here are some of our favorites, and be sure to check out all of our apple recipes.
- This four-ingredient Apple Cobbler Recipe is super easy to make!
- This Dutch Apple Pie has a fabulous crumble top and is simple to prepare.
- Easy Apple Crisp with sweet, tender apples and a crunchy crumb topping.
- Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole is the perfect breakfast for fall weekends!
- A Bloomin’ Baked Apple is a treat for one!
Fried Apples
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- 5 large granny smith apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice. Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sliced apples and stir to coat. Cook and stir for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
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