Southern Fried Apples

Perfectly tart, delectably sweet, and wonderfully cinnamony, these classic Southern fried apples are an absolute autumn dream! Rich and warm, they can be served as a dessert with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream, or with breakfast, on top of warm oatmeal or fluffy waffles. Easy to make paleo, vegan, or refined-sugar-free!

How to Make This Recipe

Make the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Sauce.

Melt ¾ of a stick of unsalted butter, then stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. You’re welcome to use more of any or all of these ingredients depending on your preferences. I like a lighter cinnamon flavor so I only use 1 teaspoon, but you might want to double that!

Fry the apples.

Make sure the apple slices are well-coated in the brown sugar butter sauce, then let the skillet do the rest of the work. Flip and stir them as needed so that all of the apple slices cook completely, and only cook them until they start to break down. You want to maintain some of that crisp texture!

What I Love About This Recipe

• Cinnamon fried apples are basically the embodiment of autumn, especially if you’re not so much a pumpkin spice girlie. They’re warm and sweet and so rich, and with apple season typically peaking in September, this is the perfect recipe to use up some of your apple-picking haul. Trust me, if you’ve ever had the cinnamon apples from Cracker Barrel, you’ll this homemade version.
• They’re versatile – you can literally enjoy them for breakfast, dinner, AND dessert. Top your morning oatmeal or a stack of fluffy waffles with fried apples and plenty of cinnamon brown sugar sauce. Serve them on the side of a juicy pork chop or pan-seared chicken thighs. Plop them in a bowl and add a giant scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. THE BEST!

Recipe Variations

• Sweetener Options: I really prefer the richness and depth of dark brown sugar here. Since the recipe’s so simple, that flavor really shines. You’re welcome to use whatever you like – white sugar, light brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, Brown Swerve, etc.
• Go Dairy Free: A plant-based butter work for fried apples! If you only need a lactose-free option, you can replace the butter with ghee.
• Spice Up Your Life: Can’t get enough fall flavor? I hear you! Try a touch of nutmeg or apple pie spice on your fried apples instead of only using cinnamon. Apple pie spice is most commonly a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but you may find some variations that include cardamom and ginger, too.

Southern Fried Apples

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cook 15 minutes minutes

Total 25 minutes minutes

Classic fried apples smothered in cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter are delicious on vanilla ice cream, waffles, oatmeal, or on their own.

Cook Mode(toggle on to prevent screen dimming)

• Place large skillet on stovetop over medium heat. Add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter to skillet and let butter melt completely, swirling and tilting pan occasionally to distribute butter across entire surface.

• Once butter has melted, add ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamonand 1 large pinch salt to skillet. Whisk to incorporate, stirring constantly until brown sugar and salt have dissolved completely, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.

• Add slices of 4 large Granny Smith apples to skillet. Flip apple slices to coat fully in brown sugar cinnamon mixture.

• Let apples cook approximately 5 to 8 minutes or until apples just begin to break down, flipping apples as needed to ensure all slices cook completely.

• Transfer apples to serving bowls with vanilla ice cream or warm oatmeal, or enjoy apples on their own. Serve warm.

• Dark Brown Sugar: You can replace this with light brown sugar, coconut sugar, Brown Swerve, or maple syrup.

Nutrition Info

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 230calProtein: 0.3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 16mgPotassium: 91mgTotal Carbs: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 32gNet Carbs: 33gVitamin A: 376IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 0.3mg

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best type of apple for fried apples?

Granny Smith! They’re the perfect combo of tart and sweet, and their texture really holds up to the high heat of the skillet.

Can you freeze fried apples?

You can absolutely freeze fried apples! Let them cool completely, then pop them in an airtight container and place them in the freezer. If stored properly, they’ll keep up to 3 months. Just keep in mind that the texture will change a bit when they’re defrosted and reheated.

How do you reheat fried apples?

If your fried apples are frozen, defrost them overnight in the fridge before reheating. Refrigerated fried apples are best reheated on the stovetop, just until they’re warmed through and the butter sauce is melted.

What do you serve with fried apples?

Honestly, anything! They go well with sweet AND savory dishes. Roast chicken or turkey, juicy pork chops, oatmeal, French toast, waffles, vanilla ice cream. You can even enjoy them all on their own.

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