Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side

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This fried apples recipe is a total Cracker Barrel copycat. Coated in a deliciously sweet cinnamon-sugar sauce, these Southern fried apples make the perfect sweet side dish.

Growing up, Mama always let us choose the menu for a special meal on our birthdays. As you can imagine, these delectable fried apples were always on my list. This is how she made them and these are a striking twin to the Cracker Barrel fried apples. We also like to have them with our holiday meals, too. Fried apples are an excellent Thanksgiving side dish alongside family favorites like baked ham and sweet potato casserole.

Fortunately, this Southern fried apples recipe is a super easy fall recipe to make and a tasty way to prepare apples year-round (move aside, apple pie). All you need is some crisp fresh apple slices and then cook the delicious apple sauce. Featuring apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cornstarch, it’s the perfect combination of sweet and spice. Once you have one bite, I guarantee you’ll go back for seconds!

Enjoy your Southern skillet fried apples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Serve them with French toast for breakfast, roast chicken for lunch, and whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Ingredients for fried apples recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Apples (Golden Delicious)
  • Apple Juice
  • Sugar
  • Corn Starch
  • Cinnamon
  • Allspice

Add apple juice to slices in skillet.

Place apples in a single layer in a large skillet.

Pour apple juice over the apple slices.

Cook apples over medium heat. You want these to just simmer until the apples are fork-tender. Keep an eye on these while you do the next steps. You’ll need to be nearby to turn them a few times in order to have them cook evenly.

Add dry ingredients for fried apples recipe to mixing bowl.

While those are cooking, put corn starch, allspice, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.

Stir that up with a wire whisk.

Check apples are fork-tender.

Once your apples are fork-tender, remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon so the juice remains in the pan.

Remove apple slices from pan using a slotted spoon.

Now, you really do want these fork-tender, not cooked to the point of surrender 😉.

Place apple slices in large bowl.

Just set them aside in a bowl, big enough to stir a bit because we are about to pour a sauce over them.

Whisk apple juice and dry ingredients together.

That hot apple juice in your skillet is now going to be poured into your bowl of dry ingredients.

Whisk this together until smooth (until you get all of the lumps and such out).

Cook fried apple sauce in skillet until thickened.

Pour this mixture back in your skillet and cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

Let me tell ya, one minute it will be runny and then two seconds later it will be THICK. So pay attention!

Pour sauce over fried apple slices.

Pour this gooey goodness over your cooked apples.

Fried apples recipe in bowl.

Stir it up until you have this magnificent dish overflowing with cinnamon apples.

Fork piercing one piece of fried apple.

Enjoy! 

Storage

  • Store fried apple leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed.
  • Once cooled, you can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as instructed above.

Recipe Notes

  • If you’ve never used allspice in your apple dishes, you are missing out! What allspice does is make the cinnamon *pop* in your recipes. It simply amplifies the cinnamon flavor. I like to add a pinch of it (a generous pinch) whenever cinnamon is called for in addition to the cinnamon. 
  • Another option is to use cinnamon and nutmeg if you prefer, or apple pie spice.
  • Cut your apples in wedges but leave the skin on for a more traditional side dish. Don’t worry, it will be nice and tender when they are done!
  • Substitute the sugar for brown sugar (or use a combination of both) for a more caramelized flavor.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best apple variety to use for this Southern fried apples recipe?

While I used Golden Delicious, you can use any kind of tart apple variety, like Granny Smith apples, Jonathan, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady apples.

You might like these other appetizing apple recipes:

Easy Homemade Candy Apples

Apple Crisp in the Crockpot

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Apple Dapple Cake

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Apple Dumplings

Fried Apples

This fried apples recipe is a total Cracker Barrel copycat. Coated in a deliciously sweet cinnamon-sugar sauce, these Southern fried apples make the perfect sweet side dish.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple
Servings: 8
Calories: 235kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups apple juice
  • 4 large golden delicious apples unpeeled and cut into wedges
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 4 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, combine the apple juice and sliced apples. Heat on medium until apples are fork-tender, turning often to enable even cooking. Be careful not to overcook apples. Remove apples from the juice with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl.
    2 1/2 cups apple juice, 4 large golden delicious apples
  • In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour hot apple juice into the dry mixture. Whisk vigorously until all lumps are gone. Pour this mixture back into the skillet and heat on medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbly and thick.
    3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, 4 tablespoons sugar
  • Remove from heat and pour the sauce over the apple slices in the bowl. Stir until apples are evenly coated.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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88 Comments

  1. I would like to know about the “fried” pies that can be baked. I might have asked this question before, but I can’t remember – I am at that age and stage!!! I have all of your cookbooks – will you have more coming out. I love your cookbooks because I don’t have to go out and buy half the grocery store to fix the recipe.

  2. Christy thanks for sharing a copycat version of Cracker Barrells fried apples I do love them and I don’t get to cracker Barrell much as I use to so am gong to try these soonlHave a Happy Thanksgiving and you are a blessing to me/

  3. 5 stars
    These are even better than Cracker Barrel’s! My family loves Fried Apples❤️
    If you haven’t tried this recipe … and you love apples and cinnamon … you must whip this up soon!

  4. My mama grew up during the depression. Thus, as you might guess, she never wasted anything. When she peeled & cored apples, she put a little water over the peels in a saucepan & cooked til they released all their juices. She used this for cooking as well as for making apple jelly. I can remember her making fried apples using this juice.

  5. I do love fried apples but never thought to use apple juice in them. I’ll have to try this version. Thanks for another great recipe.

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