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Cinnamon Fried Apples

Cinnamon fried apples with tender slices in a glossy cinnamon-brown sugar sauce. Cooked in a skillet until just tender, then simmered briefly for a thick, shiny finish.
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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: 260
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
  • 0.25 tsp salt pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the apples
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, watching for it to turn fully liquid and lightly foamy.
  2. Add the firm apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir to coat every slice in the dry sugar-spice mixture.
  3. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the apples are just tender.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with the water until smooth, then pour it into the skillet and stir to combine.
  2. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and looks glossy with a light sheen.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract and serve warm, with steam rising from the skillet as the sauce clings to the apples.

Notes

For even tender slices, aim for similarly sized apple pieces before cooking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days and rewarm gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the apples soften as they thaw. For a lighter option, use half the butter and replace it with an equal amount of unsweetened apple sauce.