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Cinnamon Fried Apples

Cinnamon fried apples with a glossy brown sugar cinnamon sauce and tender slices. Cooked in a skillet until just tender, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry for a spoonable coating.
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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: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the apples
  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until fully melted and shimmering, about 1 minute. Keep the heat at medium so the butter doesn’t brown too quickly.
  2. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir to coat every slice in the spice-sugar mixture. Make sure the sugar looks evenly distributed on the apples.
  3. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender. Look for slices that yield with a gentle press but still hold their shape.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch with water until smooth, then pour into the skillet while stirring. Scrape the bottom so any dissolved sugar mixes into the thickening slurry.
  2. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. The coating should cling to the apples and look shiny when lifted with a spoon.
  3. Stir in vanilla, then serve warm immediately. The sauce should taste fragrant and stay spoonable rather than watery.

Notes

For best texture, keep the apples at “just tender” during the covered cook—overcooking can turn slices mushy once the sauce thickens. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the apples soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat butter (the sauce will be slightly less rich).