Fried Cinnamon Apples are so simple to make! Made with crisp apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg; they make a fantastic side dish or dessert!
Fried apples are made with butter and brown sugar, they taste incredible with dinner or dessert. Make this cinnamon apples recipe any time of year, for any occasion, they are sure to be a hit with family and friends.
Fried Apples and Cinnamon
This is one of our favorite Fall recipes, and it’s easy to see why. Cinnamon and apples have been an amazing and popular combination for years. The fresh in-season fruit and the warm spice really do pair together perfectly. Cinnamon apples are a perfect way to use all those fantastic apples right now. They pair perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even served alongside fried chicken with dinner. There are so many possibilities for this simple dish, make it tonight and earn points with your kids for serving it up!
Why we think you will love this fried apples recipe
If you have not already made note of the ingredients to make these for dinner tonight, here are some reasons why we think you should.
- It is super versatile. Feel free to swap in your favorite apple or whatever variety you happen to have on hand. The increased heat at the end helps give the apples a deeper flavor too.
- Basic ingredients. Chances are high that you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand to make this recipe. Butter, cornstarch, spices, and sugar are all common kitchen ingredients.
- Quick dish. Whether you are looking for a quick late-night snack or a fast dinner side dish, this fried apple recipe comes together very quickly. In most cases, you can probably have it finished in 10-15 minutes.
Cinnamon Apples Ingredients
Apples– You will need 2 large apples. My favorites to use are Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith, but any good baking apple will work fine here.
Butter– Use 2 tablespoons of butter for a nice rich taste.
Lemon juice- Adding in a splash of lemon juice will help give your apples a great fresh taste.
Water– You will need ¼ cup of water to help cook the apples and get the most flavor out of them.
Cornstarch– Use ½ teaspoon of cornstarch to give the apple coating a little thickness.
Brown sugar– Use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar for nice sweet flavor and caramelization for the apples.
Spices– For warmth, you will want to use ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.
How to Make Fried Cinnamon Apples
Prep
Get started by peeling and slicing the apples into wedges. You can do this with an apple slicer or by using a knife.
Fry
In a large skillet, over medium heat, begin to melt the butter.
Then, add in the apples and the splash of lemon juice. Cook the apples for 10 minutes, and then increase the heat to medium-high.
Measure out the water and then dissolve the cornstarch into it, whisking until combined. Proceed to pour the water over the apples and stir together to combine.
After that, sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the top of the apples, stir to distribute.
Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the syrup has thickened and the apples are crisp and tender.
Serve and enjoy!
Best Apples for Cooking
Often times cooking with apples requires firm, crisp apples like Fuji, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp or Granny Smith. Remember that each apple varies in tartness! Granny Smith apples are most tart, whereas Fuji apples are very sweet. You can use softer apples such as Red Delicious or Golden Delicious, but you’ll drastically reduce the cooking time, or else your apples might turn to mush!
When to Serve Fried Apples
You can serve fried cinnamon apples as a side dish. They pair well with pork, chicken, or even turkey. The savory meat compliments the fresh sweet flavors of the apples! I love serving them more often in Fall and Winter, when apples are in season. You can also serve cinnamon apples for dessert, with ice cream or sweet cream on top. My kids even love to stir them into oatmeal for breakfast!
SKILLET CINNAMON APPLES
Ingredients
- 2 large apples my favorites are HoneyCrisp or Pink Lady
- 2 tbsp butter
- splash of lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- dash of nutmeg
Instructions
- Fry: In a large skillet, over medium heat, begin to melt the butter. Then, add in the apples and the splash of lemon juice. Cook the apples for 10 minutes, and then increase the heat to medium-high.
- Measure out the water and then dissolve the cornstarch into it, whisking until combined. Proceed to pour the water over the apples and stir together to combine. After that, sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the top of the apples, stir to distribute.
- Continue to cook for another 4-5minutes or until the syrup has thickened and the apples are crisp and tender. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
How long are fried apples good for?
These fried apples would be good for 2-3 days, if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will become softer when you reheat them, but still taste incredible.
What pan do you use to cook apples on the stove?
I like to use a cast iron skillet to make fried apples on the stove. It retains heat well, which means the apples cook evenly. A regular black cast iron skillet will sear the apples more, resulting in darker brown edges that have a wonderfully rich, buttery taste. Enameled cast iron pans heat more evenly and will not leave brown edges. I like both- the pan I use just depends on how large a batch I’m doing. See below for the full recipe and instructions on how to cook the apples.
Can you freeze fried apples?
You bet you can freeze fried apples! Be sure to let the fried apples cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and they will be good for 3 to 6 months. When you are ready to use them, thaw in the refrigerator and warm in a saucepan over medium heat.
Tasty fried cinnamon apple variations:
You can fry apples in butter and not add anything else, but I love adding spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavors blend well together and taste so good. I also like the sweet syrup the spices create. Drizzle it on top of the apples just before serving to add a lovely flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of spices if you’d like as well.
Here are more apple recipes you’ll love:
- Best Apple Crisp Recipe
- DUTCH APPLE MUFFINS
- Caramel Apple Bread
- CARAMEL APPLE FLUFF
- Country Apple Dumplings
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
- Caramel Apple Nachos
- APPLE CINNAMON OATMEAL COOKIES
- Dutch Apple Bread
- Toffee Apple Dip
Fried Cinnamon Apples are easy to make, well spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, they make an amazing side dish with any meal! This fried apples recipe calls for only a few ingredients and takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Felecia Arrington says
This turned out great
First time EVER posting recipe comment
I too omitted nutmeg just bc didn’t think my 93yr old fussy eater daddy would like. I like fried apples too (especially with pork) but make fried apples bc daddy LOVES them!!!! I generally make them for him using my whatevet eyeball” ingredient method…even using pure maple syrup to get the caramelized effect. But this time used this recipe. It is true on TYPE of apple/and thickness u cut..must taste as cooked!! to prevent soggy. I love honeycrisp anyway so def HC go into my fried apple cooking. Also another pointer is if u need to “softened-thickned” faster..reduce heat and cover with lid
Thanks Side of Bread. You know those initials (SOB) can make one go uhmmmm.
Lol
Lee S says
Your cinnamon apples were fantastic! The one suggestion I would like to offer is for those of us who are too lazy to peel the apples. I purchase large Fuji apples and I slice them without peeling them. They taste great and they keep their shape when cooked. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Nicole says
that’s great to know! Thanks for sharing.
Trish says
Made this, turned out awesome. I couldn’t find my cinnamon, so used nutmeg and pumpkin pie seasoning. Turned out amazing!
Nicole says
Sounds like a great variation!
A.Leigh says
Perfect. Delicious and simple!
Nicole says
Just the way we like it 😉
kenneth w wilson says
i love your recipes but i ordered your cook books and did not get them yet? it’s been at least 3 weeks.
Nellie says
I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll check our system and send you an email right away!
Camila says
Oh mama! This recipe is absolutely delicious and It was so easy to make!!!! I had to fight to have a bite!!! Definitely making it again very soon!
Taryn says
These remind me of the ones from Cracker Barrel – yum! Thanks for the recipe!