Deliciously Simple Fried Apple Recipe

This is the next part in our Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Table series. This series also includes our “Feels like Home” Sausage Gravy and our Flaky Biscuits with Fresh Milled flour. Salty and sweet is a timeless flavor combo and never seems to disappoint. That is why when fried apples are added to the table next to your sausage gravy, your guests’ mouths are sure to water!

This is one of those recipes that really compliments almost any meal. If I have apples, fried apples are gonna be part of our menu somewhere during the day. Lily always makes a sandwich from a drop biscuit, an over-medium cooked egg, sausage gravy, and fried apples. It’s quite a treat when we have leftover sausage gravy.

You can make the fried apples as decadent or as healthy as you like. If you have a real sweet tooth, you may want more sugar. If you’re feeding the fried apples to your toddlers or mashing them for baby, you may want less sugar.

You can use any apple you have, but I prefer a tart apple like a Jonathan or a Macintosh, or a mix of different kinds, which is even better.

Simply Sautéed Fried Apples

Fried apples are really sautéed, but we’ve called them fried my whole life and I’m not changing now!
They are the perfect balance to sausage gravy—a little bit of sweet, a little bit of tart.

Start by cutting and peeling your apples of choice. Remember that the thicker the apples are cut, the longer it will take to get them nice and soft.

Next add your butter to your skillet. I am using a nonstick skillet in this tutorial, but you can also use a cast iron. Let your butter heat up, but not burn. Then go ahead and add your apples to your skillet along with the remaining ingredients. Toss them so that the sugar coats every apple and begins to form a syrup.

Stir frequently, but not continuously, because we want the apples to sit on the bottom of the pan long enough to begin to brown. That caramelization will give them a more intense flavor. Cook time really depends on the kind of apples used as well as how thick the apples are cut. I like my apples to be quite tender and brown.

Different apples can look completely different. For instance, when I use Macintosh apples, my fried apples will be very saucy, and they take less time to cook than a Jonathan apple or a Granny Smith. That’s why a mix of apples is so perfect. The finished product has some whole apple slices as well as a saucy base. Again, sometimes we only have one kind of apple, and that will work just fine.

How to Freeze your Fried Apples

Fried apples freeze really well, so if you went a little crazy at the apple farm, just prepare a bunch of these and put them in freezer bags for up to 6 months.

1. Start by frying your apples according to the directions.
2. Let them completely cool.
3. Put them in a freezer safe zip lock bag, pushing as much of the air out as possible.
4. Date them so you know how long they’ve been in the freezer.
5. When you’re ready to have them for breakfast or dinner, just pull them out of the freezer and either microwave them or place the bag in a bowl of warm water to defrost. You can also put them back in your skillet and warm them that way as well. When I’m planning for overnight guests, this is always something I want to have in my freezer.

Simple Fried Apple Recipe

The perfect recipe to make any meal feel gourmet.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups apples peeled and sliced
• Pinch salt
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon optional
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice optional

Instructions

 

• Heat butter in well-seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick pan.
• Add apples and remaining ingredients to pan and sauté on medium heat until slightly browned and tender. Getting a little brown on these really amps up the flavor!
• Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature.

Video

It’s me, Kim! As a mother of five, now grown children, I have cooked my fair share of dinners and desserts, and have learned a few things along the way. I hope to share what I can with you. I hope this recipe brings joy to you and your family!