To be honest, I could eat a whole meal with just sides at the Cracker Barrel. But their fried apples are definitely my favorite. This copycat recipe is just as delicious as the original! Whoever thought of making apple pie filling and serving it without the pie deserves a medal! I like to make a big batch of these fried apples to go over oatmeal, on pancakes and waffles, and I’ve even paired them with pork chops. They hold really well in the fridge for a few days and re-heat just right. I love that the apples are sliced into wedges, giving you a nice bite rather than just a spoonful of applesauce. They are so easy to make and definitely qualify as a portion of fruit in your day!
Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
Fried apples are comforting, homegrown, and perfect for the winter months. Sweet, warm, and sticky, this recipe uses apple juice, golden delicious apples, apple pie spice, cornstarch, and sugar. Once the apples have become tender from cooking in the apple juice, you will make a delicious thick apple sauce to pour over before serving. Having these in the house will make breakfast a breeze, and will even speed up your next apple pie! You can serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or cold with your morning granola and Greek yogurt.
Ingredients
Apple juice – Using apple juice rather than just water will impart so much more flavor into your apples. Golden Delicious apples – The top choice for baking, these apples have a mild flavor and don’t break down as much when cooked. Cornstarch – This is used as a thickener for the sauce. Apple pie spice – If you don’t have apple pie spice, you can make a mix of your own using cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Sugar – This will help caramelization and add a touch of sweetness to the tart apple juice.
Tips for Making Fried Apples
Though this dish may seem simple, there are a few ways to make sure that it comes out perfect every time!
Even though golden delicious apples are known to hold up well to cooking, keeping the skin on will ensure they hold their shape.When cooking on a stove-top, use a heavy bottom pan to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed. A great and easy way to make these fried apples is to use a slow cooker! Combine everything in the pot and stir well before cooking on high for two hours. Check that the apples are done with a paring knife. You shouldn’t feel any resistance when you poke with the knife. Though this recipe calls for apple juice, you can use apple cider for a smoother sauce. If you want to use these for a cheeky dessert, try using alcoholic cider or adding a dash of Fireball whiskey.
The Best Apples for Frying
Cracker Barrel uses golden delicious apples for this recipe, and they work so well. Not only do they have a mild flavor, but they won’t turn to mush if you leave them to cook for a few minutes too long. But if you can’t find any or are looking for a slightly different flavor, fuji apples are a wonderful alternative. These apples are slightly sweeter, so you may need to cut back the sugar content. Granny smith apples would make another excellent choice, being both sweet and tart. They would work especially well if you’re thinking of adding fried apples to a savory pork dish.
Breakfast and Dinner Ideas for Fried Apples
Once you’ve seen how easy these fired apples are to make, you’re going to want to make a big batch and have them on hand at all times. Some great breakfast options to serve these with include:
Top your honey-nut and coconut granola with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a healthy helping of cold fried apples.Warm your fried apples and serve on top of some cinnamon oatmeal pancakes.Add some of the apples to the last five minutes of baking your French toast casserole.Vanilla overnight oats are even better with some added spiced apples.A quick breakfast galette made with fried apples and frozen puff pastry is divine.
The good news is, these fried apples don’t just elevate your breakfast. Some incredible dinner ideas for your friend apples are:
Add your fried apples in the last few minutes of cooking one-pan pork chops.Make brown sugar pork loin with roasted potatoes and warm spiced apples.Chop your fried apples and mix them into a cool walnut quinoa salad.Prepare skillet chicken with fried apples and cranberry rice.Apple-mustard chicken tenders will be a quick and delicious family favorite.
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