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Cinnamon Fried Apples

Cinnamon fried apples with a glossy cinnamon-brown sugar sauce made in one skillet. Tender apple slices are cooked until just soft, then thickened with cornstarch for a spoonable 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: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apples
  • 6 firm apples Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, cored and sliced
Butter and spice base
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 pinch salt
Thickener and finishing
  • 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 until glossy and melted, about 1 minute. Keep the heat at medium so the apples start to soften without browning too quickly.
  2. Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir to coat. You should see sugar begin to cling to the apple surfaces.
  3. Cover the skillet and cook the apples for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stop when the apples are just tender and release steam.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with the water until smooth, then pour it into the skillet. The mixture should blend in without lumps.
  2. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Watch for a coating texture that clings to the apples.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the vanilla extract and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve warm with a spoonable, glossy sauce.

Notes

For best texture, use firm apples and stop cooking once they’re just tender—overcooking makes them mushy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and rewarm gently on the stovetop with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce and apples can change texture after thawing. For a lighter version, reduce butter to 2 tbsp and use sugar-substitute brown sugar-style replacement in the same amount.