Apple Pie Funnel Cake Recipe
This apple pie funnel cake recipe is the ultimate mash-up of two classics! The crispy, chewy fried swirled dough you’d normally grab at an amusement park snack stand plus the warm, cozy flavors of a fresh homemade apple pie.
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These apple pie funnel cakes are perfectly golden and crisp on the outside with a pillowy-soft inside (just like your favorite yeast donuts but minus the fuss). They’re basically like bringing a piece of Disney’s Hollywood Studios magic straight into your kitchen, and once you’ve tried it, every other amusement park snack is going to feel a little underdressed. These apple pie funnel cakes are topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar fresh out of the fryer. Then pile on the apple pie topping and pipe or dollop on the brown sugar whipped cream to your hearts content!
If your sweet tooth still isn’t satisfied add an extra drizzle of caramel sauce or homemade butterscotch on top to make it just like Disney’s new caramel-apple pie funnel cake. Better yet, swap the brown sugar whipped cream for a scoop of your favorite ice cream!
For more fall sweet treats try these carrot cake cookies, these chai spiced apple pie cupcakes or this salted maple ice cream!
Key Ingredients
Pink Lady apples. Also called Cripps Pink apples they are a type of apple that cross American golden delicious apples with Australian Lady Williams apples. They have crisp, sweet and ever so slight tart flavor and don’t turn to mush after cooking!
Sugar. Dark brown sugar used in the apple pie topping to complement the warm flavors of the spices. The funnel cake batter uses granulated white sugar. Avoid using brown sugar in the funnel cake batter as it makes the texture more dense and doesn’t give the same crispness compared to white sugar.
All-purpose flour. Has a moderate gluten content to help give the funnel cake a slightly chewy texture without being too dense.
Whole milk. Adds flavor to the funnel cake batter. Heating the milk before to help tenderize the gluten giving the funnel cake a pillowy texture.
Eggs. Adds richness, binds all the ingredients together and makes the dough soft & moist.
Baking powder. A small amount used as leavening in the funnel cake.
Spices & flavorings. Cinnamon, cardamom & vanilla are used in both the apple pie topping and the funnel cake.
Dark rum. A splash of dark rum in the apple pie topping is optional.
Oil for frying. Opt for a neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed or canola oil.
Tips for the Best Apple Pie Funnel Cakes
Mix the funnel cake batter for 2 minutes! This may sound counterintuitive but this is important to give the funnel cake dough a slightly stretchy texture once fried. Without this additional time for mixing the funnel cakes are too airy. This may sound like a good thing but as it fries the funnel cake absorbs the oil.
Get the oil temperature right! The sweet spot for perfectly fried funnel cakes is between 325°F and 380°F. If the oil is too cold it will take longer for the funnel cakes to fry and they will absorb oil in the process. If the oil is too hot the outside of the funnel cake will brown much faster and burn before the inside is completely cooked.
Serve hot. Funnel cakes are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer. This is when they are most crisp and the inner texture is soft and pillowy.
Make the apple pie topping and the brown sugar whipped cream before frying the funnel cakes. Since the funnel cakes are best enjoyed hot it’s important to prepare all the toppings ahead of time so there is no delay in serving.
How to Make the Perfect Apple Pie Funnel Cakes
Start by Making the Apple Pie Topping
Step 1. Peel and core the apples then cut them into eighths.
Step 2. Add to a saucepan along with the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom & cornstarch. Toss to evenly distribute all the spices and the sugar. Cover with a vented lid and allow to reduce over medium to medium-high heat until the apples are tender and the liquid has a syrupy consistency.
Step 3. Set aside in an airtight container until ready to top the funnel cakes.
Make the Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Step 1. Add the heavy cream and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high speed until firm peaks form. If using a hand mixer make sure you move the mixing whisk around and/or the bowl whilst doing so.
Step 2. Transfer to a piping bag affixed with your favorite piping tip. Set aside until ready to top the funnel cakes.
Make the Funnel Cakes
Step 1. Heat the milk in the microwave for 10-30 seconds until it is hot. You should clearly see some steam coming from the milk and it will be too hot to touch.
Step 2. Add the hot milk along with the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt & vanilla (everything except the eggs) to a mixing bowl. Whisk just until combined.
Step 3. Add the eggs and whisk the funnel cake batter for a 2 minutes. Whisking for an extended period helps to make the funnel cake slightly chewy to avoid the fuss of a yeasted dough.
Step 4. Transfer the funnel cake batter to a piping bag. No need for a piping tip.
Step 6. Add enough oil to a frying pan or saucepan to deep fry the funnel cake and heat the oil up to 325-380°F. Make sure not to fill the pan more than halfway. The level will rise once the funnel cake batter is added.
Step 7. Pipe the funnel cake batter into the hot oil in a swirl pattern, repeatedly piping circles. You can also pipe zig zags in a circular pattern. The funnel cake should rise to the top of the oil almost immediately. If it doesn’t the oil is not hot enough.
Step 8. Once the underside is golden brown (about 60-90 seconds), flip the funnel cake and fry for another 60-90 seconds until golden brown. Be careful to flip gently so that the oil doesn’t splash out or at you. I opt for 2 forks when flipping instead of a pair of tongs to avoid touching the top where the batter is still wet.
Step 9. Once the funnel cake is done transfer it to a wire rack. This allows the excess oil to drip off of the funnel cake. Avoid using paper towel or placing it on a completely flat surface as the excess oil will pool causing the funnel cakes to be greasy, losing the crisp on the outside in the process.
Step 10. Sift the confectioner’s sugar over the funnel cakes then add the apple pie filling and lastly the brown sugar whipped cream. Serve hot.
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Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Apple Pie Topping
- 680 grams Pink Lady apples 24 oz or 4 medium apples
- 170 grams dark brown sugar 6 oz or ¾ cup packed
- 115 mL water 4 oz or ½ cup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp dark rum optional
Brown Sugar Whipped Cream (Optional)
- 115 mL heavy cream 4 oz or ½ cup
- 60 grams dark brown sugar 2 oz or ¼ cup
Funnel Cakes
- 246 grams all-purpose flour 8¾ oz or 1¾ cups
- 115 mL whole milk 4 oz or ½ cup
- 100 grams granulated sugar 3½ oz or ½ cup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
Make the Apple Pie Topping
- Peel and core the apples then cut them into eighths.
- Add the apples to a saucepan along with the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom & cornstarch. Toss to evenly distribute all the spices and the sugar. Cover with a vented lid and allow to reduce over medium to medium-high heat until the apples are tender and the liquid has a syrupy consistency (about 5-7 minutes).
- Set aside until ready to top the funnel cakes.
Make the Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy cream and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high speed until firm peaks form (about 1-2 minutes). If using a hand mixer move the mixer and/or the bowl around while whipping.
- Transfer to a piping bag affixed with your favorite piping tip. Set aside until ready to top the funnel cakes.
Make the Funnel Cakes
- Heat the milk in the microwave for 10-30 seconds until it is hot. You should clearly see some steam coming from the milk and it will be too hot to touch.
- Add the hot milk along with the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt & vanilla (everything except the eggs) to a mixing bowl. Whisk just until combined.
- Add the eggs and whisk the funnel cake batter for 2 minutes. This will give the funnel cake a slightly chewy texture, similar to a yeasted dough
- Transfer the funnel cake batter to a piping bag. No need for a piping tip.
- Add enough oil to a frying pan or saucepan to deep fry the funnel cake and heat the oil up to 325-380°F. Make sure not to fill the pan more than halfway. The level will rise once the funnel cake batter is added.
- Cut a 1cm opening at the tip of the piping bag and pipe the funnel cake batter into the hot oil in a swirl pattern, repeatedly piping circles. You can also pipe zig zags in a circular pattern. Aim for about a 6-inch diameter.
- Once the underside is golden brown (about 60-90 seconds), flip the funnel cake and fry for another 60-90 seconds until completely golden brown.
- Once the funnel cake is done transfer it to a wire rack and allow any excess oil to drip off of the funnel cake.
- While hot sift the confectioner’s sugar over the funnel cakes. Add the apple pie filling and lastly the brown sugar whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make the apple pie topping and the brown sugar whipped cream before frying the funnel cakes. Since the funnel cakes are best enjoyed hot it’s important to prepare all the toppings ahead of time so there is no delay in serving.
- Be careful to flip the funnel cakes gently so that the oil doesn’t splash out at you. I opt for 2 forks when flipping instead of a pair of tongs to avoid touching the top where the batter is still wet.
- Avoid using paper towel or placing it on a completely flat surface as the excess oil will pool causing the funnel cakes to be greasy, losing the crisp on the outside in the process.
- You can make the batter ahead of time. Just refrigerate in a tightly tied piping bag or airtight container. Be sure to bring the batter to room temperature before frying
