This Fried Apples recipe is gonna be your Fall BFF boos. Fresh apple slices get sautéed up in a mix of rich butter, warm spices and sweet brown sugar making them super tender and caramelized to perfection. And the best part is these fried apples will be ready to devour in less than 20 minutes! Get at it!
My big mama made the best fried apples. In Mississippi, she would mix together butter, sugar, a little nutmeg and some vanilla over the stove and get those apples deliciously silky. That was good eatin y’all. This recipe has all of those amazing notes. If you are a fan of the Cracker Barrel fried apples, you will definitely get down on these!
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How to Make Fried Apples
Step 1: Prep the Apples and Butter Them Up
- Quarter those apples up, but don’t bother peeling them unless you want to (do you boo). Cut out the cores, slice ’em up longways into thick pieces, like 3 or 4 slices per quarter.
- Next get the butter melting in a big skillet (I love a cast iron) over medium heat. Once it’s all bubbly, toss in the apple slices and give them a good flip so they get coated in the buttery goodness.
PRO TIP: Need to cook the apples faster? Throw the lid on. That steam will get those apples all tender in no time.
Step 2: Sweeten and Spice the Fried Apples
- After about 10 minutes of softening up the apples, sprinkle in the brown sugar. Flip those babies letting that sugary coating get on every apple.
- Finally sprinkle in the spices and gently stir it all up.
- Once the apples are ready, squeeze a lil’ lemon juice on top and serve em up hot!
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Fried Apples Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 crisp apples such as Granny Smith
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon or more to taste
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg or more to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or more to taste
Instructions
- Cut the apples into quarter and cut out the cores but don't peel them. Slice the quarters the long way so you get 3 or 4 thick slices out of each one.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- When bubbling, add the apples slices and turn them with a spatula to coat with the butter.
- If you cover them with a lid for a couple of minutes, they will steam and cook a bit faster. However, uncovered they will turn a lovely golden brown even though they cook slower.
- Once the apples are soft, about 10 minutes, sprinkle the sugar over them or add more if you would like then turn them over again to be sure they have sugar on both sides.
- Sprinkle the spices on top and stir them a little.
- When the apples are smelling amazing and looking caramelized they are done and ready to serve. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top and serve em up hot y'all.
Notes
- Fridge: This fried apple recipe can be stored in an airtight container then popped in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: I wouldn’t recommend freezing this Fried Apple recipe y’all! They’re texture is never the same after that. It’s a no!
- Reheating: Place the apples in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. The microwave tends to make them mushy.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- You don’t have to peel the apples. The skin also helps retain structure so the slices don’t get too mushy.
- Grab an apple corer/slicer. It’s gonna save so much time! It also ensures that each slice is evenly cut so they cook up evenly too!
- Don’t Overcrowd: Make sure you don’t pile a bunch of apple slices on top of each other so they can cook evenly.
- Pop the Lid On: This will make the apples tenderize much faster due to the steam.
- Adjust the Sugar: Apples ain’t all the same so sometimes you gotta let them guide you. Adjust the amount of sugar based on how sweet the apples are y’all.
Serving Suggestions
- Easy Dessert: Drizzle some caramel sauce and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- Southern Side Dish: Y’all know that Cracker Barrel serves this as a side dish for supper so you know you can create an amazing meal with these. Serve them up with smothered pork chops (pork and apples are chef’s kiss) or glazed ham.
- Breakfast: These are great with a buttery biscuit or spooned on top of fluffy pancakes or buttermilk waffles.
Ingredient Notes
- Apples: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady Apples are great replacements.
- Salted Butter: You can swap in unsalted and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Bacon grease also works.
- Lemon Juice: Lime juice, orange juice or even apple cider vinegar works.
- Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar is totally cool to use here too.
- Spices: Swap in some allspice, cloves, ginger, cardamom or pumpkin spice.
Recipe Help
This recipe gets great results with granny smith apples. Granny smith apples are a super popular choice for baking pies, tarts and crumbles because of their firmness. It keeps its shape not breaking down too much as it continues to cook. Sometimes they can be a lil’ tart but we add enough sugar to offset this.
Totally up to you boo! I suggest keeping it on in order to keep the apples in tact. The peel also adds a bit of color and texture if that’s your thing. But if you want more of a smooth texture, go ahead and peel.
Yep you sure can boos! Just store in the fridge and when you are ready to serve, reheat gently on the stove until warmed through before serving up. Avoid the microwave since it makes them mushy.
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Also fried apple shortcake! I make sweet biscuits and split then layer on the apples and whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Yum-liscious!! Very easy. I used butter, the next time I cook some bacon I will try that! I also used honey with a little cinnamon instead of sugar.
Awesome recipe! I made these fried apples for a big family breakfast. They were delicious and very easy to make.
What are your thoughts on processing them in a canner?
I used just fry up grannies with not a lot of thought of added ingredients. This is a keeper. Works wonderfully with German pancakes.
Oh I LOVE fried apples! I haven’t had them in so long, so I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Oh wow! You had me at creamy butter and warming spices. These fried apples look absolutely fantastic.
I love apple season for recipes just like this! So easy and delicious; quite possibly the best way to enjoy apples, indeed!
The best over a big bowl of vanilla ice cream!
My grandmother made these, I probably had them the first time about 1942. Easy and delicious. Additionally Cracker Barrell makes a pretty decent version.
Love your recipes