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    See More:   Comfort Food Desserts Gluten-Free Holiday Meals Raising Foodie Kids Recipes for Beginners Side Dishes Snacks Vegetarian

    Last Modified: Oct 2, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 22 Comments

    Copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Apples

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    Copycat Cracker Barrel fried apples make a delicious side dish for any brunch, breakfast, or dinner or a rich dessert over ice cream or custard. This is a simple & easy recipe that can be prepared in under an hour.

    PIN IT FOR LATER!

    a close up of fried applesPin

    On the way home from church last week, Grace said, You know those apples we get when we're at a restaurant?

    "No, what apples?" I asked.

    You know, those apples with the sauce? And they're thick like apple pie?

    "Oh, right. Yes, I know those apples," I said.

    Can we have those for supper tonight?

    I knew there was a bag full of apples on the kitchen table, so I said "Yes, of course," before I even considered that I didn't know how to make said apples.

    When we got home, I tried to Google said apples, but I didn't even know what to call them. Cooked apples? Baked apples? Fried apples?

    Instead of spending an hour surfing the web, I asked on Twitter. Fortunately, my friends Lisa and JessieLeigh came to my rescue and told me they're called Fried Apples and explained how to make them.

    I have trouble with calling them Fried Apples since they are not batter-dipped and fried, but I'm trying to get over that. I guess that's what they're called since you cook them in butter in a skillet.

    The apples were delicious, and my kids ate every morsel of the tender, saucy apples over the next couple of days. Both of them requested the leftovers at every meal until they were all gone.

    a white dish full of fried applesPin

    What you'll need to make this Cracker Barrel fried apples recipe

    Equipment

    If you want your fried apples to be like Cracker Barrel's, you will need to peel them. I suppose you could use a paring knife if you were really talented, but more than likely, you'll need a vegetable peeler for that task. You'll probably also want an apple wedger to core and slice the apples, although you will still have to slice those wedges in half or thirds as the wedges are too big to cook quickly. Alternately, an apple slicer (everyone should have an apple slicer - they're so handy!) or an apple corer and paring knife will also do the trick.

    Incidentally, as my kids have grown up, I think our apple wedger is one of our most often used kitchen tools. It's so easy for the girls to core and cut their own apples with this handy tool.

    You'll also need a very large skillet, like a 12-inch cast iron skillet. I like cast iron because it's heavy and distributes the heat evenly across the whole surface.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make fried applesPin
    • 8 large apples - This is about 12 cups once they're cored and sliced into thin wedges. I have found the best apples for this recipe are baking apples, including Granny Smith apples, Jonagold apples, honeycrisp apples, pink lady apples, and/or golden delicious apples. My personal preference is to use a blend of 2-3 different varieties. I think this makes the best overall flavor.
    • 4 tablespoons butter - This is half of a stick.
    • ¼  cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon - If you prefer, you can use 1½ tablespoons of apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom.
    • ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice 
    • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom 
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • Apple juice or water as needed

    How to make Cracker Barrel fried apples on the stove

    1. Peel, core, and slice apples. I peel them first, use an apple wedger, and then slice the wedges in half or thirds. Easy peasy.
      peel and wedge the applesPin
    2. Melt butter and brown sugar in a very large skillet or sauce pot over medium heat.
      melt butter and brown sugarPin
    3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the apples to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with sugar mixture. Place lid on the skillet and cook for a few minutes.
      add apples to the skilletPin
    4. Stir the apples so that the top ones go to the bottom and the bottom ones come to the top.
      stir the applesPin
    5. After 5-10 minutes, sprinkle seasonings over the apples and stir again.
      sprinkle seasonings over the applesPin
    6. Simmer apples on medium-low or low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 4 to 6 minutes to ensure even cooking and no burned apples.
      simmer applesPin
    7. When the apples are starting to get soft, mix the water and cornstarch into a slurry and add to the pan. This will thicken the sauce. You can leave it out but your apples will be more like apples in juice than saucy apples.
      add cornstarch slurryPin
    8. Continue to cook apples until they reach your desired softness. Mine took 40 minutes total.
      continue to cook the applesPin
    9. If your sauce thickens too much, thin it with apple juice or water. Mix well so that the sauce is the consistency you desire.
    fried apples in a dish with whipped creamPin

    How to make Cracker Barrel fried apples in the Crockpot

    1. Peel, core, and slice apples. I peel them first, use an apple wedger, and then slice the wedges in half or thirds. Easy peasy.
    2. Place apples and cornstarch to the slow cooker. Stir to coat all the slices. (You will leave out the water in the recipe.)
    3. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and spices, ensuring no lumps and stirring to mix well. Pour into the Crockpot.
    4. Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle those overtop of the apples.
    5. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until fork-tender.
    6. Stir to redistribute the spices and sauce. Serve hot.

    Should you peel the apples?

    The fried apples you get at Cracker Barrel are peeled, so I included those instructions in my recipe here.

    However. I do not peel the apples when I make fried apples at home. For one thing, unpeeled apples are quicker and easier. For another thing, apple peels are the healthiest part of the apple (provided they're organic and have been cleaned properly).

    So you can peel your apples or not. If you have picky eaters who might object to peels, then peel the apples. If you don't, try leaving them on once and see if anyone complains.

    a skillet full of fried applesPin

    Fried apple variations

    I don't know why you'd want to mess with the original recipe, but here are a couple of variations that you could try:

    • Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste with the butter
    • Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice while cooking
    • Leave out the apple pie spice and just use straight ground cinnamon

    How to serve Cracker Barrel fried apples

    These fried apples are excellent no matter how you serve them, but here are a few of our favorite ways:

    • As a side dish! No adjustments needed, just spoon the apples into a bowl.
    • Over top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream or vanilla custard.
    • Over top of pancakes or waffles, in place of or in addition to maple syrup. Don't forget the whipped cream!
    • Spooned over pork chops.
    • On top of Greek yogurt.
    a close up of fried applesPin

    How to store fried apples

    These apples will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To serve, simply reheat in the microwave.

    You can also freeze fried apples in an airtight container for up to 3 months, but I personally don't care for the texture of the apples after they've thawed. You'll have to try them for yourself and see if you like them.

    Here are a few more easy apple recipes that my family loves:

    • Stuffed Baked Apples (Gluten-Free)
    • How to Make Applesauce in the CrockPot
    • Apple Ring Pancakes
    • My Favorite Apple Crisp Recipe
    • Baked Apple Pecan Pancakes
    • Ham and Rice with Apples

    And here are a few more other copycat recipes:

    • Hash brown casserole - Copycat Cracker Barrel
    • Chicken Bryan at Home - Copycat Carrabba's Recipe
    • Filet Bryan - Copycat Carrabba's Recipe
    • Copycat Burger King Zesty Horseradish Sauce
    • Copycat Cracker Jacks - Homemade Caramel Corn with Peanuts Recipe
    • Healthy General Tso's Chicken with Sautéed Snow Peas
    • Toasted S'mores Bars - Copycat Starbucks Recipe

    These skillet fried apples are just like the ones from Cracker Barrel, so they were an instant hit with my family. I'm willing to bet that your family or guests will love them, too!

    a close up of fried apples

    Cracker Barrel Copycat Skillet Fried Apples

    Cracker Barrel copycat skillet fried apples make a delicious side dish for any brunch, breakfast, or dinner or a rich dessert over ice cream or custard. This is a simple & easy recipe that can be prepared in under an hour.
    4.52 from 25 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Dessert, Side Dish
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 204 kcal

    Equipment

    • Vegetable peeler
    • Apple wedger
    • Apple corer

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 large apples about 12 cups once they're cored and sliced into thin wedges
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoons cinnamon see note below about apple pie spice
    • ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg see note below about apple pie spice
    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice see note below about apple pie spice
    • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom see note below about apple pie spice
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • Apple juice or water as needed

    Instructions
     

    Fried apples on the stovetop

    • Peel, core, and slice apples. I peel them first, use an apple wedger, and then slice the wedges in half or thirds. Easy peasy.
      peel and wedge the apples
    • Melt butter and brown sugar in a very large skillet or saucepot over medium heat.
      melt butter and brown sugar
    • Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the apples to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with sugar mixture. Place lid on the skillet and cook for a few minutes.
      add apples to the skillet
    • Stir the apples so that the top ones go to the bottom and the bottom ones come to the top. After 5-10 minutes, sprinkle seasonings over the apples and stir again.
      sprinkle seasonings over the apples
    • Simmer apples on medium-low or low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 4 to 6 minutes to ensure even cooking and no burned apples.
      simmer apples
    • When the apples are starting to get soft, mix the water and cornstarch into a slurry and add to the pan. This will thicken the sauce. You can leave it out but your apples will be more like apples in juice than saucy apples.
      add cornstarch slurry
    • Continue to cook apples until they reach your desired softness. Mine took 40 minutes total.
      continue to cook the apples
    • If your sauce thickens too much, thin it with apple juice or water. Mix well so that the sauce is the consistency you desire.

    Fried apples in the Crockpot

    • Peel, core, and slice apples. I peel them first, use an apple wedger, and then slice the wedges in half or thirds. Easy peasy.
    • Place apples and cornstarch to the slow cooker. Stir to coat all the slices.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and spices, ensuring no lumps and stirring to mix well. Pour into the Crockpot.
    • Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle those overtop of the apples.
    • Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until fork-tender.
    • Stir to redistribute the spices and sauce. Serve hot.

    Notes

    If you prefer, you can use apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. If you go that route, simply add 1½ tablespoons of apple pie spice when the recipe indicates adding the spices.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cynthia says

      August 10, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      Made this recipe yesterday and it was delicious. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Rhonda says

      September 25, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      Are these apples to be stored in the refrigerator and for how long are they good.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        September 25, 2020 at 3:16 pm

        Yes, definitely store in the refrigerator. As for how long they are good, I'm not sure because they never last long at my house. Maybe a couple of days?

        Reply
    3. Kimberly Taylor says

      February 18, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      Made this recipe for dinner tonight. Delicious!!!!

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        February 18, 2021 at 8:35 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping back to let me know. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Judy says

      March 19, 2021 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today and it was great.The taste was so good. Putting on my cheesecake.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        March 19, 2021 at 9:07 pm

        Great idea! We just had some as a filling for crèpes. Sooo good!

        Reply
    5. Brenda says

      September 13, 2021 at 12:25 pm

      Can this be done in the slow cooker?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        September 17, 2021 at 9:59 am

        For sure it could! The slow cooker makes it even easier because you don't have to worry about the apples burning. I would throw everything together and cook on high for about 2 hours. Check them, and if they aren't soft enough for your taste, let them cook another 30 minutes.

        Reply
    6. Lesa McQueen says

      October 25, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      What are the best kind of apples to use with this recipe?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        October 25, 2021 at 5:12 pm

        If you look for apples labeled for baking, you'll get the best results: Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Ida Red, Jonagold, Jonathan. A blend of a couple is going to be really nice, but if you can only get one, I'd probably go with Granny Smith.

        Reply
    7. Rilynn says

      November 21, 2021 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      How many people can this feed, Or how many portions does this serve?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        November 22, 2021 at 9:16 pm

        I plan for 8 servings.

        Reply
    8. Janet says

      November 21, 2021 at 9:51 pm

      5 stars
      I Picked up my Pioneer Women Iron Skillet from Walmart, couldn’t wait to make these apples.They we’re delirious ,so amazing. So happy I made them.

      Reply
    9. Annette Cooper says

      March 09, 2022 at 3:50 pm

      When do you add water or apple juice

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        March 11, 2022 at 11:12 am

        You only need to add water or apple juice, at the end, if the sauce is too thick. If you like the consistency of the sauce, you won't add any additional liquid at all.

        Reply
    10. Susan says

      April 01, 2022 at 7:31 pm

      The fried apples we get at Cracker Barrel in Ohio definitely are NOT peeled . I am assuming they are same all over the country .

      Reply
      • C W says

        August 29, 2022 at 11:53 am

        Same here in NC. Maybe they were at time of writing post.

        Reply
    11. Nikohle says

      September 21, 2022 at 10:40 pm

      Can this recipe be frozen after cooking?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        September 23, 2022 at 4:37 pm

        I've never tried it, but I think it should be fine. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving.

        Reply
    12. Brenda says

      November 08, 2022 at 10:45 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight, used Splenda brown Sugar mix. 2 tablespoons, cooked down so well. Will make again.

      Reply

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