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Fried Apple Rings

Fried apple rings with a lightly bubbly batter fried to deep golden and rolled in cinnamon sugar right after draining. Quick 15-minute cook for crisp edges and tender apple, finished with powdered sugar and caramel sauce for a classic American dessert.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apples
  • 3 large firm apples Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
  • 0.5 small round cutter or knife
Batter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold sparkling water or beer
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frying and coating
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying for deep frying
  • 3 tbsp sugar for coating
  • 1 tsp cinnamon for coating
Serving
  • 1 caramel sauce
  • 1 powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the apple rings
  1. Peel the apples and slice into 1/2-inch rings, then remove cores with a small round cutter or knife.
  2. Pat the apple rings completely dry so the batter sticks and fries crisp.
Make the batter
  1. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. Stir in the sparkling water (or beer), egg, and vanilla extract until just combined, leaving some lumps.
Fry and coat
  1. Heat 2 inches of oil to 375F in a Dutch oven.
  2. Dip apple rings in the batter, letting excess drip off, then fry 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden.
  3. Drain on paper towels, then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Serve
  1. Dust the fried apple rings with powdered sugar and serve with caramel sauce.

Notes

For the cleanest rings, dry the apple slices thoroughly and roll in cinnamon sugar immediately after draining so it adheres while the coating is still hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer to re-crisp (freezing not recommended for best texture). If you want a lighter option, use sparkling water instead of beer for the batter.