Cinnamon Fried Apples Recipe. A must-have fall essential, these delicious spiced apples are ready in less than 20 minutes and are made with just four simple ingredients. Learn how to make these Fried Apples or try my Homemade Applesauce and Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, just in time for apple season.
Apple Pie…Simplified
What do you think of when you think about apples? pie, cinnamon, ice cream, cozy sweaters, ugg boots, hot chocolate…
What about plain, old, deliciously simple chopped apples cooked in butter and cinnamon? Ok, actually, there’s nothing plain about these apples. But don’t worry! Learning how to make fried apples at home is super easy!
Cooked in sugar, butter, and cinnamon, until soft, these fabulously sweet little apples are guaranteed to be your new cool-weather best friend.
Ingredients in Fried Apples
- Apples – you want apples that are crisp and hold up well when cooked or baked. In this case, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady will all work (plus several others I’m sure). Whether you decide to peel or keep the skin on your apples is entirely up to you.
- Butter – I almost exclusively use salted butter (shhh, don’t tell anyone). I do recommend salted butter for these apples, however, as a little salt helps intensify the sweetness of the apples.
- Lemon juice – Because apples like to brown.
- Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar, but pretty much any sugar will work. Use your family’s favorite.
- Ground cinnamon (and nutmeg – optional) – I love ground cinnamon. Nutmeg? Ehhh, I love it…sometimes. If you’re a nutmeg lover, start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
I should probably note that these apples are not deep fried. In other words, they are fried in butter, but they are not dipped in a batter and then submerged in oil to deep fry. Although, yes, those would also be fantastic.
How to Make Fried Apples
Learning how to make fried apples is incredibly easy! You’ll need a large skillet, spatula, and a handful of super simple ingredients…like apples! You may either peel or leave the skin on your apples – this choice depends entirely on you. I love apple skin, plus I’m lazy, so I will rarely peel mine.
- Melt your butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the apples, lemon juice, and sugar, tossing well to evenly combine.
- Cook the apples, stirring often, until soft, but not mushy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.
My favorite way to enjoy these apples (aside from straight out of the skillet) is with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh my word, you guys! You have to try it! Warm, buttery apples with sweet, ice-cold ice cream. I mean, c’mon. It’s like hot and cold perfection.
And my second favorite is definitely with a giant scoop (or two) of whipped cream. The creaminess with the tart apples? Pure magic.
What Are the Best Apples?
The best apples for this recipe include,
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Golden Delicious
- Pink Lady
Just like in homemade applesauce, apple pie, or even apple crisp, there are a million opinions when it comes to “the best” apple. Depending on the variety, apples may either be sweet, tart, or a combination of the two.
What everyone can agree on is that you want apples that are crisp, tart, and hold up well when cooked or baked. In other words, you don’t want apples that get grainy and fall apart the moment they get a little warm.
In this particular recipe, I used Pink Lady apples. Feel free to use any of the three above or mix and match!
Why I Love Fried Apples
- These soft, sweet, and buttery apples are completely irresistible. Any recipe that leaves me coming back for more…and more…and more…is always a keeper.
- I feel like I’m eating pie…minus the pie. In other words, while these apples are sweetened with brown sugar and fried in butter, they’re a much healthier alternative to the real deal.
- These little apples cook fast! That makes this recipe the perfect treat for anyone who doesn’t like to wait.
- They can be eaten with breakfast, dinner, AND dessert!
- Add your apples to a bowl of overnight oats or a hot bowl of oatmeal for an easy and much-improved fall-spiced breakfast.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or cauliflower and herb-roasted chicken thighs for a delicious twist on an already delicious dinner.
- And dessert? Well, that’s obvious. Grab some ice cream and whipped cream and call it a celebration!
- Safe for those with a sensitivity to gluten and are totally vegetarian.
More Apple Recipes,
- Turmeric Salad with Apples and Acorn Squash
- Autumn Rosé Sangria with Apples and Pomegranates
- Autumn Chicken Skillet with Apples and Sweet Potatoes
- Apple Balsamic Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Kohlrabi, Beetroot and Apple Salad with Feta
- Healthier Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Topping
If you try this recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Cinnamon Fried Apples Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 8 medium tart red apples - unpeeled and chopped into cubes
- 1/2 lemon - juiced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar - packed, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg - optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until melted. Add the apples, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Continue to cook the apples until they are soft, but not mushy (you want some bite left). Remove from heat and stir in the ground cinnamon.
- Best served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
