Cracker Barrel Fried Apples are a Southern classic. Apple slices are skillet-cooked in sugar and cinnamon for a buttery, incredibly delicious way to make the best of apple season. And they take just a few minutes to make!
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Pin RecipeIf you’ve ever eaten Cracker Barrel fried apples, you probably wished you had another portion after the plates have been cleared away.
Now you don’t have to long for just one more bite of luscious, cinnamon and sugar-infused apples—you can easily make them at home! With simple ingredients and a quick cooking method, you’ll be able to enjoy Cracker Barrel fried apples anytime.
Copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Apples Recipe
So what’s so special about Cracker Barrel’s fried apples? Well, for one thing, it’s like taking apple pie filling and eating it by the spoonful! You know what I’m talking about—buttery, soft apple slices coated in a silky sauce, but skip the crust. If you love apple pie, you’re sure to love this version of the Cracker Barrel menu staple.
You can serve this wonderful treat as a dessert with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or use it to top pork chops. I also love this fried apples recipe alongside roasted chicken and mashed potatoes in place of applesauce. It’s delicious served warm, but you can also spoon up leftovers cold, straight from the fridge.
This Cracker Barrel fried apples recipe is so easy to put together, too! You need just a few ingredients including, of course, fresh apples, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon, and apple juice, plus a little cornstarch to make a sauce to coat the apples as they cook. You’ll use butter to fry the apples, which makes them rich and decadent-tasting. Keep this recipe handy for those times you need to whip up a quick dessert or side.
For more of my favorite apple recipes, check out my Fried Apples, Apple Dump Cake, Skillet Apple Crisp, Apple Dumplings, and Apple Crumble!
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Ingredients for Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Apples – Choose a crisp, tart variety such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious.
- Butter – I like unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Ground spices – Cinnamon and cloves.
- Salt – I use kosher salt.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is best, but you can use bottled lemon juice.
- Apple juice – I use an unsweetened apple juice variety.
- Cornstarch – To help thicken the sauce.
Variations
You could use this recipe and method to make fried pears—choose Bosc pears because they are firmer and will hold up better during cooking, or use Asian pears, which are also firm, sweet pears.
For a different flavor note, substitute half of the brown sugar for maple syrup or honey, adding it to the skillet when you melt the butter.
How to Make Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
- Prepare the apples: Peel and core the apples, then cut into ½-inch thick wedges, and set aside.
- Cook the apples: Add the butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it has completely melted, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. After the sugar and spices have dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the apple slices in a single layer to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the slurry: In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, apple juice, and cornstarch with a fork. Add to the skillet with the apples and stir together. Continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until it forms a sauce and begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Quick Tip
These apples don’t just have to be served for dessert—you can serve them at dinnertime in place of applesauce. If you wish to make a slightly more savory fried apples dish, omit the vanilla.
How to Store Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
Store leftover Cracker Barrel fried apples in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving if you wish, or serve them cold.
Serving Suggestions
I love Cracker Barrel fried apples as a light, fruit-forward dessert or as a side for a main dinner meal. Here are some more ways to serve them:
- As dessert – Serve fried apples with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
- With meat – Meat is delicious with a bowl of Cracker Barrel fried apples. Try my Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff, Instant Pot Short Ribs, or pot roast recipes.
- With pork – A side of fried apples would be delicious alongside Instant Pot Pork Roast.
- With chicken – Add a side of Cracker Barrel fried apples to homey chicken dishes like my Chicken and Dumpling Casserole, Stovetop Chicken and Noodles, or Chicken Pot Pie Casserole.
FAQs
Cracker Barrel serves hot fried apples seasoned with cinnamon and sugar.
Yes! If you don’t wish to make homemade fried apples you can pick up a can of fried apples at the store.
Yes, this fried apples recipe uses brown sugar to bring out the natural sweetness of the apples.
More Tasty Dessert Recipes
Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
Ingredients
- 4-5 large apples (crisp, tart variety such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples, then cut into ½ inch thick wedges, set aside.4-5 large apples (crisp, tart variety such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it has completely melted, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Once the sugar and spices have dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the apple slices in a single layer to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are fork tender, about 15 minutes.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, apple juice and cornstarch with a fork. Add to the skillet with the apples and stir together. Continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes until it forms a sauce and begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ cup apple juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Yum yummiest can’t wait to try.
We hope you enjoy it, Jackie!
Love ur recipes. I don’t do all but some r awesome