Go Back

Cinnamon Fried Apples

Cinnamon fried apples with a glossy brown sugar-cinnamon sauce made in one skillet. Tender apple slices cook until just soft, then thicken with a quick cornstarch slurry for a spoonable finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Fry the apples
  1. Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until it turns glossy and lightly foamy, 1-2 minutes (visual cue: butter looks melted and fluid).
  2. Add the firm apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; stir to coat so every slice is evenly dusted (visual cue: sugar clings to apples).
  3. Cover the skillet and cook at medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender (visual cue: edges soften but slices still hold shape).
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with the water, then pour it into the skillet while stirring (visual cue: slurry disappears into the liquid).
  2. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy (visual cue: syrup coats the spoon and looks shiny).
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract and serve warm (visual cue: fragrant steam rises and the sauce clings to the apples).

Notes

For the best texture, slice apples evenly so they finish at the same time and don’t turn mushy. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; rewarm in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the apples can soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a brown-sugar-style sugar substitute in the same packed amount and monitor simmering until the sauce turns glossy.