Cinnamon Apple Fries

Warm from the skillet and covered in cinnamon sugar, these apple fries have a lightly crisp coating wrapped around soft, tart apple slices. Serve them with caramel sauce for dipping, and they’re the kind of cozy apple treat that tends to disappear while they’re still warm.

There’s something especially good about apples and cinnamon when the weather starts to cool. Here, instead of baking the apples into a pie or crisp, you slice them thick, coat them lightly, and fry them until golden. The apples soften just enough in the skillet while keeping a little bite in the center.

But my favorite part is the cinnamon sugar. It goes on right after frying, when the coating is still warm, and gives every piece that sweet, spiced finish. If you have a bowl of caramel sauce nearby for dipping, even better.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These apple fries are all about texture. You get a warm, tender apple in the middle and a lightly crisp coating on the outside, with cinnamon sugar tucked into every bite. Granny Smith apples are especially nice here because their tartness balances the sweet coating, though Pink Lady and Honeycrisp work beautifully too.

I also love how simple the ingredient list is. Apples, milk, flour, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vegetable oil are all you need. There’s no complicated batter to prepare, and the apples only need a few minutes in the skillet.

And while you can absolutely eat them straight from the serving plate, a little warm caramel sauce turns them into an extra-cozy dessert. Add vanilla ice cream, and you have a fun alternative to a traditional baked apple dessert.

Apple Fries Ingredients

Here’s what each ingredient brings to these warm, cinnamon-sugar apple fries:

Apples – Tart, crisp apples are the star here. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp all hold their shape nicely as they fry, giving you a tender center without becoming too soft.
Whole Milk – Coating the apple slices in milk helps the flour mixture cling to the fruit and creates the base for that lightly crisp exterior.
All-Purpose Flour – This makes up most of the coating around the apples, giving the fries their golden outer layer as they cook.
Cornstarch – A little cornstarch helps the coating crisp up during frying.
Granulated Sugar – Sugar is used in two places: a small amount goes into the flour coating, while the rest is mixed with cinnamon and sprinkled over the warm apple fries.
Cinnamon – This brings that classic warm, spiced flavor that works so well with apples. Some goes into the coating, and the rest is mixed with sugar for the finishing sprinkle.
Vegetable Oil – For frying the coated apple slices until lightly golden on the outside and tender inside.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into slices measuring ½-inch to ¾-inch thick. Transfer the slices to a large bowl, pour the whole milk over them, and toss until coated. Set the bowl aside.
Next, make the coating. Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to a pie plate or another shallow dish. Mix until evenly combined.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Keep this nearby—you’ll use it to finish the apples while they’re still warm.
Now, coat the apples. Remove 6 to 8 slices from the milk at a time, allowing the extra milk to drip back into the bowl. Transfer the slices to the flour mixture and gently toss until every side is evenly covered. Set the coated apples on a large plate or tray. Continue with the remaining slices.
Pour ¼ cup vegetable oil into a medium-sized skillet and place it over medium heat. Set a rimmed baking sheet or large plate lined with paper towels beside the stovetop so the cooked apples have a place to drain.
Once the oil is ready, add 6 to 8 coated apple slices to the skillet at a time. Fry for 1 to 1½ minutes per side, until the coating becomes lightly golden. Move the finished slices to the paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
While the fried apple slices are still warm, sprinkle them with the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture. Transfer them to a serving plate.
Continue frying, draining, and coating the rest of the apple slices with cinnamon sugar until all of them are cooked.

Expert Tips

The thickness of the apples makes a difference here. Keep the slices between ½-inch and ¾-inch thick. Go much thinner, and they can become too soft in the skillet. If they’re close to 1 inch thick, they may still be quite crunchy when the coating is finished cooking.

It’s also worth choosing an apple with a naturally firm texture. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp can stand up to frying without quickly falling apart. If you like a stronger sweet-tart contrast, Granny Smith is a particularly good choice.

Work in batches of 6 to 8 slices instead of filling the entire skillet at once. And don’t worry if the oil starts looking darker as you cook. Little pieces of the flour coating naturally fall away during frying and collect in the pan.

Because there are quite a few apple slices to fry, you may need to discard the oil after cooking half—or even one-third—of the batch and add a fresh ¼ cup of vegetable oil before continuing.

Finally, don’t wait too long to add the cinnamon sugar. Sprinkling it over the apples while they’re freshly fried helps it cling to the warm coating.

Recipe Variations

I love the straightforward cinnamon flavor here, but there are a few easy ways to change how you serve these apple fries without changing the basic recipe.

For more warm spice, use apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon. It gives the apples a familiar fall-dessert flavor with a little more complexity.

You can also play around with the apple variety. Granny Smith makes the finished fries more tart, while Honeycrisp or Pink Lady gives them a sweeter fruit flavor.

And then there’s caramel. Serve warm caramel sauce on the side for dipping, or drizzle it right over the finished apple fries. For an even more dessert-like version, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside the warm apples.

Storage & Reheating

These are definitely a make-and-enjoy kind of treat. The contrast between the freshly fried coating and warm apple center is at its best soon after the slices leave the skillet.

As the apple fries sit, moisture from the fruit gradually softens the coating, so they don’t keep particularly well as leftovers. If possible, fry only the amount you expect to eat that day.

Freezing isn’t recommended either. Once thawed, the coating is likely to become soggy instead of returning to its original crisp texture.

If you do end up with leftovers, you can warm them again before serving, but keep in mind that reheated apple fries won’t have quite the same texture as a freshly fried batch.

Serving Suggestions

I’d start with caramel sauce. Put a small bowl in the middle of a plate of warm apple fries and let everyone dip their own. The buttery sweetness of caramel is especially good against a tart Granny Smith apple.

For dessert, serve the fries alongside vanilla ice cream. Warm cinnamon apples and cold, creamy vanilla make a simple combination that doesn’t need much else.

These don’t have to be reserved for dessert, either. Apples naturally pair well with savory meals, so you can serve the fries alongside roasted pork or grilled chicken when you want something sweet and fruity on the plate.

However you serve them, try to bring the apple fries to the table while they’re still warm. That’s when the apples are tender, the outside has its best texture, and the cinnamon sugar is at its most delicious.

Recipe FAQs

1. What are the best apples for apple fries?
Use a firm, crisp apple that will hold up well while frying. Granny Smith is a great choice if you like a little tartness, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady will give you a slightly sweeter apple fry. I would avoid softer apples since they can become mushy as they cook.

2. How thick should I slice the apples?
I recommend keeping the apple slices between ½-inch and ¾-inch thick. If you slice them too thin, they can get too soft while frying. If they’re too thick, the outside may be golden before the apple has had enough time to soften.

3. How do I keep the apple fries from becoming greasy?
Make sure you fry the apples in small batches of 6 to 8 slices. Adding too many at once can cool down the oil and prevent the coating from frying properly. Once they’re golden, transfer them right away to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain off the excess oil.

4. Why are my later batches coming out darker?
This is completely normal. As you fry the apples, little pieces of the coating will fall off and darken in the oil. If the oil gets too dark, simply discard it after frying half—or even a third—of the apple slices and add a fresh ¼ cup vegetable oil before finishing the remaining batches.

5. Can I make apple fries ahead of time?
I recommend making these right before you plan to serve them. They’re best warm from the skillet when the coating is lightly crisp and the apples are tender. As they sit, the coating will naturally soften, so these aren’t the best dessert to make ahead or freeze.

Cinnamon Apple Fries

Tender apple slices get a lightly crisp cinnamon coating in this simple stovetop treat. A final dusting of cinnamon sugar adds sweetness while the freshly fried apples are still warm.

Print Pin

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cinnamon Apple Fries, Easy Cinnamon Apple Fries

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 24

Total Time: 34

Servings: fries

Ingredients

4 large tart/crisp apples, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp
1 cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp granulated sugar, divided into 1 tablespoon and 3 tablespoons
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided into 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon
1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into slices measuring ½-inch to ¾-inch thick. Transfer the slices to a large bowl, pour the whole milk over them, and toss until coated. Set the bowl aside.
Make the flour coating. Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to a pie plate or another shallow dish. Mix until evenly combined.
Mix the cinnamon sugar. In a separate small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Set this mixture aside for finishing the fried apples.
Coat the apple slices. Remove 6 to 8 slices from the milk at a time, allowing the extra milk to drip back into the bowl. Transfer the slices to the flour mixture and gently toss until every side is evenly covered. Set the coated apples on a large plate or tray. Continue with the remaining slices.
Prepare for frying. Pour ¼ cup vegetable oil into a medium-sized skillet and place it over medium heat. Set a rimmed baking sheet or large plate lined with paper towels beside the stovetop so the cooked apples have a place to drain.
Fry in batches. Add 6 to 8 coated apple slices to the skillet at a time. Fry for 1 to 1½ minutes per side, until the coating becomes lightly golden. Move the finished slices to the paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
Add the cinnamon sugar. While the fried apple slices are still warm, sprinkle them with the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture. Transfer them to a serving plate.
Finish the remaining batches. Continue frying, draining, and coating the rest of the apple slices with cinnamon sugar until all of them are cooked.