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Cinnamon Fried Apples

Cinnamon fried apples with a glossy cinnamon-brown sugar sauce are cooked in a skillet until just tender. This Southern-style side uses a quick cornstarch slurry for a spoon-coating texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apples
  • 6 firm apples Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, cored and sliced
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar coating
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.1 tsp salt pinch
Thickened sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup water

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Fry the apples
  1. Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Stir once so the butter fully melts and coats the pan surface.
  2. Add firm apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir to coat the slices. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender (you should see glossy coating and slight browning).
  3. Whisk cornstarch with water until smooth, then pour it into the skillet. Stir right away so no lumps form, then keep the mixture at a steady simmer.
  4. Simmer 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. You should see the syrup cling to the apples when you drag a spoon through it.
  5. Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat. Serve warm with a saucy scoop, with steam rising from the skillet.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice apples evenly so they reach “just tender” at the same time—if your apples are small, start checking closer to 8 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the apples soften too much after thawing. Dietary swap: use plant-based butter for a dairy-free version while keeping the same cornstarch slurry for the glossy sauce.