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.