Whether they’re served on top of warm buttermilk biscuits, pancakes or waffles, in a bowl as a snack or by themselves topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, these Southern Fried Apples are a serious treat for the apple lover in your family. Some folks even serve fried apples along with pork chops, so they’re versatile, too.
You might remember these from your last trip to Cracker Barrel or your other favorite local diner or breakfast spot.
Tart and tangy apples are skillet-cooked in a mixture of real butter and brown sugar that is flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The result is tender, luscious apples and a sweet and sticky caramel sauce that’s perfect when poured over nearly anything or eaten all by itself.
What kind of apples should I use? I highly recommend using Granny Smith apples in this recipe. They are tart and firm and stand up well to the heat. That said, I do love Honeycrisp apples and have used them in fried apples as well. Regardless, you should pick an apple that is firm, tart and holds its shape when cooked. You could try Braeburn, Pink Lady or Evercrisp as well.
It’s been my experience that everyone’s idea of how soft the apples should be varies pretty wildly. Some folks want the apples to maintain their shape and just soften a bit. Others want them right near mushy. Regardless, you can achieve either texture based solely on the cook time. Cook them less for firmer apples or longer for softer apples. Cooking them even further down makes them the perfect filling for fried apple pies. I’m just saying.
For this recipe, I opted to use Minerva Dairy unsalted butter from America’s oldest family-owned creamery. The quality is top notch, and it’s one of my favorite butters to use.
Regardless of how you serve them, these Southern Fried Apples are sure to be a hit with the family. Y’all enjoy.
Southern Fried Apples
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel, core and thinly slice the apples — about 1/4-inch slices.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the apples and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the apples until tender to your liking, stirring frequently.
This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out ”The Southern Bite Cookbook.”
