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Apple fries are one of my favorite sweet treats! Crisp apple wedges are lightly battered and fried in a pan, then sprinkled with a cinnamon-sugar mix. Pair with our creamy, caramel-infused dip.
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I originally created this recipe because my husband and I both developed an allergy to raw apples. Apparently it was a virus that went around a few years back that made it so neither of us could eat a raw apple without our throats starting to swell and get itchy. The only silver lining is that we could still eat apples if they were cooked.
Fall came around and I was depressed that I couldn’t eat caramel apples so I decided I was going to find a way to make it work. And that is how these apple fries were born.
Apple fries with caramel dip are like eating your own little apple pie with every bite. The fried apples are lightly battered and fried in a shallow pan, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. The dip is creamy and rich with caramel flavor. The two together are a delicious combination and a must-try for apple season.
This light and tasty dessert is a perfect weeknight treat that is so simple to make! It is so simple to make and always a family favorite. Slice your granny smith apples and get ready for a sweet and savory delicious treat!
Ingredients to Make Apple Fries
Homemade apple fries come together quickly in just a few steps. These ingredients are all pantry staples and great to have on hand to make these over and over again. Take your apples and turn them into dessert with
- Granny smith apples – Wash and slice the green apples.
- Buttermilk – This gives the apple flavor, and helps the flour coat and hold firm to the apples.
- Sugar – A two-part ingredient. Use for part of the coating and then used again for sprinkling over top of the slices once they are hot.
- Wondra flour – Helps coat the apples and gives them a thickness before frying them. They will fry up better with this flour.
- Oil – Fill the pan with either vegetable or canola oil to fry the apples.
- Cinnamon – Sprinkle overtop the hot apples with sugar.
How to Make Apple Fries
Take your apples to the next level with sweetness and fried to-perfection apples! This fall dessert recipe is so simple and comes together quickly for all of your favorite fall gatherings. Make these in batches and enjoy a sweet treat your family will love!
- Prepare – In a frying pan, or deep fryer, heat vegetable oil for frying. Mix together the buttermilk and sugar in a medium size bowl. Peel and slice apples and add them to the buttermilk mixture as you go to prevent browning.
- Coat – Spread Wondra flour evenly in a shallow dish. Pull the apples out of the buttermilk mix, one at a time and lightly coat all sides in the flour.
- Fry apples – When the oil is nice and hot, gently place coated apples into the oil so they are not touching, when the bottom side begins to turn golden brown, flip them over and brown the second side.
- Let cool – Quickly remove to a lined baking sheet with paper towels to soak up excess grease and cool. Sprinkle immediately with cinnamon and sugar while they are hot.
Tips and Modifications for the Best Apple Fries
These apples are fried to make a great dessert, side dish, or garnish and are always a huge hit! Change the ingredients to what you have at home and best for your family. These are some suggestions and ways to make your apple fries even better!
- Flour mixture – Substitute cornstarch or all-purpose flour for the Wonda flour. They are both thicker compared to Wonda flour but will help for frying.
- Slicing fruit – Cut them into long slices for fried apple sticks or slice them into small bite-sized squares.
- Apples – A tart, crisp apple, such as a Granny Smith, is the best combination for a sweet and savory dessert. This is perfect blend with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Spices – For a more desired flavor add apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or ginger and nutmeg separately.
Homemade Caramel Cream Dip for Apples
You can’t make these apple fries without also making the delicious dip that goes with it! It’s a bit different than the usual caramel apple dip recipe. This crowd favorite is a simple combination:
- Cream cheese – an 8 ounce package, softened.
- Cool whip – one 8 ounce tub to whip into the cream cheese mixture. You can also whip heavy cream and half a cup of sugar and mix with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Caramel sauce – I like the flavor of Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel as an option. You can also make this with our homemade caramel butterscotch sauce. It’s so delicious and is a perfect dessert dip. If you’re in a hurry you can just use this caramel sauce without adding the Cool Whip or cream cheese layer. Store it in the refrigerator until time to serve.
- Add ins (optional) – Add toffee bits, crushed candy bar, or Heath bar bits to the dip to add a little crunch.
Use this caramel cream dip for as a dipping sauce for not just apples, but all sorts of things. It’s a delicious after school snack. Just pile a serving dish with all kinds of fruits, crackers and pretzels and a pot of homemade caramel apple dip. Try it with these snacks:
- Sliced pears
- Pretzels
- Bananas
- Graham crackers
- Bread stick dippers
Storing and Reheating
Store the extra apple fries in an airtight container in the fridge for five to seven days. When ready to reheat, place in an air fryer, oven, or microwave. Heat up until they are all warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any kind of apple for this apple fries recipe but the best apples we prefer are tart and honeycrisp, fuji, granny smith or pink lady apples. Braeburn and galas work great for this recipe too. Never make it with a really sweet and soft apple like a red delicious, though. These types of softer apples cannot withstand the frying process. They will get mushy and the flavor is not as good.
Use a cutting board and set the apple upright. Slice it in half and place the half cut-side down. Cut it in half and into thinner slices by cutting at an angle. You can also use an apple slicer that is round and has several sharp dividers to cut and slice the apple into sections.
We love to dip our apple fries into the caramel cream dip, butterscotch caramel, or homemade caramel. You can also scoop vanilla ice cream on top and drizzle with caramel for an extra special treat or make it simple and top with whipped cream.
READ NEXT: 100+ Snack Ideas for Kids
More Apple Recipes
If you have an abundance of apples this year or are just looking to try some new recipes, we have several to share with you! From baking to cooking, each recipe is simple and delicious!
Apple Fries
Video
Ingredients
For the Apples:
- 4 to 5 tart apples Granny Smith or Pink Lady
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup Wondra flour
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup cinnamon
For the Dip:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces Cool Whip or 1 cup whipping cream with ½ cup sugar- whipped until stiff
- 1 cup caramel sauce store bought or homemade (see above)
Instructions
- In a fry pan, or deep fryer heat vegetable oil for frying. Mix together the buttermilk and sugar in a medium size bowl. Peel and slice apples and add them to the buttermilk mixture as you go to prevent browning.
- Spread wondra flour evenly in a shallow dish. Pull the apples out of the buttermilk mix, one at a time and lightly coat all sides in the flour.
- When oil is nice and hot, gently place coated apples into the oil so they are not touching, when the bottom side begins to turn golden brown, flip them over and brown the second side.
- Quickly remove to a tray lined with paper towels to soak up excess grease and cool. Sprinkle immediately with cinnamon and sugar while they are hot.
For the dip:
- Mix together the the cream cheese and cool whip until completely blended then stir in the caramel sauce. Place into a bowl for dipping and drizzle a little extra caramel sauce over the top.
Notes
- Flour mixture – Substitute cornstarch or all-purpose flour for the Wonda flour. They are both thicker compared to Wonda flour but will help for frying.
- Slicing fruit – Cut them into long slices for fried apple sticks or slice them into small bite-sized squares.
- Apples – A tart apple is the best combination for a sweet and savory dessert. This is perfect blend with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Spices – For a more desired flavor add apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or ginger and nutmeg separately.
Love this recipe
Big fan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have the weird allergy that I can’t eat some fruits raw. If it’s cooked or canned I’m in the clear. I can’t do apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums and strawberries.
But can do oranges, pineapple, banana, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, lemon and kiwi.
It’s just the strangest thing to me and I was so excited to read someone else had a similar problem. Haha.
Just curious, did you ever live in California? That is where Emily and her husband picked up the allergy.
Do I have to use cool whipped or whipped cream? I can’t stand the texture or taste of the stuff
We haven’t tried to make it without the Cool Whip, so I can’t say. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
I’m not sure if this was asked, but can any flour be used or only this specific Wondra flour?
If you use regular flour, I would suggest mixing a little bit of water in with it to form a paste. That way the flour will stick to the apple as well as the Wondra flour would. Hope this helps!
My daughter used to eat 3-4 raw Honeycrisp apples a day from our local orchard and she too has developed a severe allergy to apples, as well as peaches, plums, cherries, and pears. Thanks for the great recipe!
SO GOOD I KEEP MAKING IT
I mean mix bread crumbs and cinnamon and sugar together and you would probably have to spray the apples first roll in crum mixture and lightly spray., with the coconut oil. Sorry ladies I get to rethinking and realize that I didn’t explain myself correctly. My bad this happens when I’m making a new recipe that fits my keto way of life.
haha no you are totally fine! We haven’t tried it that way before but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work really well. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!