Name: Southern Fried Apples
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 4 medium Apples, red or green apples will work; 1 stick Butter, salted; ½ cup Granulated sugar; ½ cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon; 1 tablespoon Water (to thin sauce if needed)

Jump to Recipe

Southern fried apples are enhanced with warm spices and fried in butter for a sweet, caramelized treat. Serve this mouthwatering dish as a snack, dessert, topping, or side dish.

Enjoy these juicy apples right on top of a stack of fluffy Homemade Pancakes!

When it comes to a simple fried apple recipe, this one is top tier! It gives Cracker Barrel fried apples a run for their money. Cooked apples are even sweeter than fresh apples and take on caramelized flavor when fried with butter.

Super juicy and always flavorful, these tart apples taste like apple pie without the crust. I love Cracker Barrel’s fried apples and now I finally have a copycat recipe to rival it! These are the best fried apples and the ultimate comfort food.

Why you will love Fried Apples

Quick and Easy! Have a sudden craving for something sweet? This is a simple snack you can whip up with just a few ingredients in less than 20 minutes.
Delicious topping! Add this fried apples recipe over some vanilla ice cream, over pork chops, waffles, or even pancakes!
Great as Leftovers! Enjoy it all now, or save for later because these store well!
Versatile! You can eat these as a yummy side with a savory meal or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients for Southern Fried Apples Recipe

To make these pan fried apples, you will need the following ingredients:

Medium Apples: Red or green apples will work for this recipe.
Butter: Use salted for mouthwatering buttery flavor.
Sugar: Use a blend of granulated white sugar and brown sugar for a sweet balance.
Vanilla extract: This enhances the overall taste of this dish.
Cinnamon: Add ground cinnamon to create another delicious layer of flavor.
Water: This will thin the sauce if it gets too thick. You can also use apple juice or apple cider.

overhead view of fried apples ingredients

How to make Fried Apples

Begin by slicing your apples into wedges, and be sure to remove the core and seeds. You can slice apples with an apple slicer to make it easy.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice over the sliced apples to help prevent them from turning brown too quickly.

Add the butter into a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When it is almost completely melted, sprinkle in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Gently add your apples into the butter mixture. Stir them around until they are fully coated with the butter and sugar.

skillet full of fried apples cooking in butter

Lower the heat to medium-low, place a lid on the large skillet, and allow the apples to simmer and fry in the butter mixture for 5-7 minutes.

Stir the apple mixture, they should be getting super tender. If the butter sauce is too thick, slowly add in the water until it starts to thin out a bit.

Continue frying the apples for another 5-7 minutes, or until the butter sauce turns into a thick-like caramel, and the apples are very tender.

The best fresh apples to use to make southern fried apples

There are so many varieties of apples but here are some of our favorites:

Golden delicious apples: they make for some juicy apple slices
Granny smith apples: these are the best for this recipe because they are naturally tart.
Pink lady apples: the sweetness of these are delicious as cooked apples.
Fuji and gala: these are another great option for fried apple recipe.

Tips and variations for Fried Apples

Shapes: I slice the apples but you can dice or cube them into any shape you prefer.
Brown sugar: Use a little more if you crave more depth of flavor. Dark brown will do this more than light brown can.
Spices: Apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, ground clove, and ground allspice all come with more flavor.

a bowl of fried apples over ice cream with a skillet filled with more in the background

Leftovers

Store leftover fried apples in an airtight container. They’ll keep in a fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, microwave in 30-second intervals or over low heat on the stove until warmed through.

FAQ

What goes best with fried apples?

I recommend pork and chicken as the main dish to your delicious apples. For a true Southern meal, serve this as a side to fried pork chops. The savoriness complements the sweetness in the best way.

Can you freeze fried apples?

You absolutely can! Once they have cooled completely, store them in a sealed container and freeze them for up to 3 months. To thaw them, warm them up in a saucepan before enjoying them. However, freezing can affect the texture.

Do you need cornstarch to thicken the apples?

Cornstarch will make your apples a little more like an apple pie filling. While it’s not totally necessary, add at your own discretion.

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2 cups