These tempura-fried apples are what would happen if a churro, funnel cake, and apple pie got together and made a baby. Anytime I know I am going to fry something for dinner, I make sure to also pick up a couple of apples and make this DELICIOUS dessert. Serve with your favorite ice cream!

About this recipe
This is the perfect recipe to make with leftover Granny Smith apples. And that is just how this recipe was born. I had some leftover tempura batter and was curious how well apples would fry up. These fried apples tasted delicious, fried up quickly and easily, and an easy apple dessert favorite was born.
If you're already making the batter, consider also making one of these recipes that use the same batter:
2-Ingredient Tempura Batter
This two-ingredient tempura batter uses just flour and ice water. Make sure the water is actually ice water to ensure crispiness. Simply mix 1 cup of ice water with 1 cup of pastry flour or all-purpose flour with a fork or chopsticks (photos 1 & 2). Do not over-mix or the batter will not be airy. As you can see in photo 3 the batter was too thick so I added more ice water (about 1 tablespoon) until it was the consistency of photo 4.

How do you keep tempura crispy?
There are a few ways to make sure your tempura is crispy:
- Use ice water in the batter.
- Do not crowd the fry pan.
- Use pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour for extra crispiness.
What oil is best for this recipe?
Canola oil or vegetable oil work best for this recipe. They are stable oils with high smoke points and do not add flavor to the recipe.
Cinnamon sugar ratio
The best ratio for cinnamon sugar is 1:4, or 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of sugar.

How to Fry Apples
To fry the apples in this recipe, you will need: canola or vegetable oil, ice water, Granny Smith apples, pastry or all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and sugar.

First, add enough oil to your pan so it is 2-3 inches deep. I use a smaller pot and fry in batches or even one at a time. Heat the oil to 350-370F and try your best to keep it at this temperature. You can use a candy thermometer or an infrared thermometer.
Next, mix 1 tablespoon of cinnamon with ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) of sugar in a plate. Set aside.
Peel and core the apples. Then, slice them in ¾-inch thick rounds (photo 1 below). Then, make your batter. You want to make your batter last to make sure it is as cold as possible. Mix 1 cup of ice water with 1 cup of flour. You don't want to over-mix with a whisk or the batter will not be airy (see details in blog post).
In small batches, dip your apples in the batter (photo 2 below) and gently immerse them into the hot oil (photo 3). Cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway.

Drain the oil on a rack or on paper towels, but only for a few seconds. Quickly cover with cinnamon sugar while hot and serve immediately.

Ice Cream to Pair with this Recipe
This recipe goes great with simple vanilla ice cream. Although I usually go for a vanilla pairing, sometimes I like to switch it up with one of these other flavors:
- Hojicha Gelato
- Vanilla Date Ice Cream
- Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream
- Coconut Hojicha (Dairy-Free) Ice Cream
Or check out some of my other favorite sweets here like this apple slab olive oil cake that is my favorite breakfast cake or my grandma's recipe for apple strudel that is always a hit.

Fried Apples
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or pastry flour
- 1 cup ice water
Fritters
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled & cored
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Add enough oil to your pan so it is 2-3 inches deep. I use a smaller pot and fry in batches or even one at a time. Heat the oil to 350-370F and try your best to keep it at this temperature.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of cinnamon with ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) of sugar in a plate. Set aside.
- Peel and core the apples. Then, slice them in ¾-inch thick rounds. Try and get 4 slices out of each of the apples (2 per person).
- Then, make your batter. Mix 1 cup of ice water with 1 cup of flour. You don't want to over-mix with a whisk or the batter will not be airy (see details in blog post).
- In small batches, dip your apples in the batter and gently immerse them into the hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Drain the oil on a rack or on paper towels, but only for a few seconds. Quickly cover with cinnamon sugar while hot and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in April of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips September of 2019.
Marwin Brown
This recipe looks so tasty and unique and perfect for summer as well! Thanks
Candice
Glad to hear you like the way it looks.. can't wait to hear what you think after you make it!
Kushigalu
What a creative dessert have you shared. Perfect for summer with some ice cream. Thanks for sharing
Candice
Glad you liked it, Kushigalu!
Veronika
This is a great idea to make an interesting dessert with apples! So creative and it tastes delicious! Will make it again soon!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear it, Veronika!
Mikayla
This pretty much knocked apple pie right out of the water in my opinion! So good! I love you're little tip about planning this around your dinner frying plans, so clever, I'll be adopting it!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you loved it and that you will be adopting the tip, Mikayla! Here's an extra tip: If you have a grill with a burner on in, fry outside so you don't get that smell in the house from the oil 🙂
Bernice
Oh boy! These are fab. I love when great recipes happen from leftovers. Thanks for the great tempura tips!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you liked them, Bernice... sometimes, those are the recipes I love the most!
Marta
This was a huge hit with my kiddos (and me since it was so easy)! We served the apples with scoops of sea salt caramel ice cream and a drizzle of creme Anglaise.
Candice
That sounds sooooo good, Marta... thank you for sharing! I'm glad you liked it 🙂
Jacque Hastert
What a great way to use tempura batter! These apples are incredible and we smothered them in ice cream or you can even just eat them by themselves. Either way, it's a winning recipe for me!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear how much you enjoyed them, Jacque!
Kathryn Donangelo
This recipe is awesome!! So comforting and reminded me of apple pie! Also extra delicious with ice cream on top 🙂 Thank you!
Candice
Thank you, Kathryn! I'm so glad to hear you liked it. This recipe is always asking for ice cream 🙂
Andrea
Oh what a wonderful way to use up tempura batter! This one is a great summer dessert with some vanilla ice-cream on top!
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Andrea!
Amanda
These fried apples were so delicious! We made them for the 4th of July, and it was such a nice twist from your traditional apple pie.
Candice
I'm so glad to hear it, Amanda. Thank you for sharing!