Fried Apples Recipe For The Perfect Sweet Side
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
Recipe Ingredients
- Apples (Golden Delicious)
- Apple Juice
- Sugar
- Corn Starch
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
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.
While those are cooking, put corn starch, allspice, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
Stir that up with a wire whisk.
Once your apples are fork-tender, remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon so the juice remains in the pan.
Now, you really do want these fork-tender, not cooked to the point of surrender 😉.
Just set them aside in a bowl, big enough to stir a bit because we are about to pour a sauce over them.
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).
Pour this mixture back in your skillet and cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.
Pour this gooey goodness over your cooked apples.
Stir it up until you have this magnificent dish overflowing with .
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 .
- 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:
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.
I was wondering if anyone has tried canning this recipe? Does anyone see a reason why it wouldn’t be ok?
These cooked up WAY too easy! I didnt have any allspice so I used some Chinese 5 spice powder. YUMMY! Thank you
Wow! These apples are soooo yummy and my house smells heavenly!! Thank you!!!! 🙂
I just HAD to print this one out – Fried Apples are my husbands favorite! When we get to go to Cracker Barrel there is no doubt in anyone’s mind what side he is going to get ……….. Fried Apples!
Now I just might be able to make them for him at home – Thanks so much.
I am always counting calories so I’m unable to try a lot of your recipes so I just drool at the pictures…hehe. However I made these yesterday with the local apples I bought at the farmers market. I was also out of cornstarch so I just used double the amount of flour. Now my sauce wasn’t as smooth but they were delicious with my french toast this morning. I may not be able to eat apple pie but this honestly helped my cravings for an apple dessert with around 90 calories a serving! I’m a UNA alumni so I hope to get to go to your program in November it sounds like fun.
I will have to try this recipe for sure…. I make mine with butter, brown sugar and let it caramelize and then add the apples to it….
I am so happy that I found this recipe! I live in California, the land without Cracker Barrel, so whenever I am lucky enough to visit I must buy fried apples. Now I can make them. (I am not sure if that is really a good thing) I like to put fried apples on my biscuit … it’s like dessert!