Upgraded Fried Apples: A Classic Southern Dish Turned into a Cozy Fall Breakfast
You probably have heard of fried apples before. Restaurants like Cracker Barrel serve them as a side dish on their menu. Fried apples are legendary, and for a really good reason, too. They are not only cheap, but easy to make with pantry staples such as brown sugar and cinnamon spices.
What you’ll be making today is none other than Southern fried apples, but with a cozy upgrade! If you’ve never had them before, think apple pie filling but without the pie.
With the fried apples, you’re also going to have the option for granola crumbles, which is how this dish gets a little upgrade that goes a long way! While bags of granola can get pretty expensive on their own, you probably have some granola bars (e.g. Chewy, Nature Valley) lying around. If you do, you’ll need about four granola bars for garnishing the bowls when it’s ready to be served. Or one, if you decide to make one serving for yourself and save the rest for other days.
You can choose any flavor of granola bar or any texture, but the best flavor is one that will complement the flavors of the fried apples. Snickerdoodle, anything caramel, or apple cinnamon flavors are going to pair very well with this dish.
And with a dollop or so of Greek yogurt or any yogurt you prefer, you’ll get more out of the dish for so much less and you’ll certainly get more in your bowl than you would at a restaurant that serves this. If you’re not feeding an entire family and it’s just you, this recipe can last you for days!
For this recipe you’ll need:
• Four Granny Smith apples
• Butter
• Sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• A small pinch of salt (preferably sea salt, if you have it on hand)
• Four granola bars. Regular granola bars may be easier to crumble up than the chewy kind but both should work just fine. Also, you don’t have to do all four if you’re making a serving just for yourself.
First, what you’ll need to do is take all of your apples after washing them and cut them into approximately 1/2 inch slices per apple, depending on the size of the apples. Smaller apples will yield fewer slices.
Next, over a stove of medium to medium-low heat, melt your butter on a nonstick pan. Add the cinnamon and sugar until it is well dissolved. Keep in mind that the mixture may not dissolve fully at first, and that’s okay! Don’t worry. Just add a small splash of water to the hot pan and it’ll help to dissolve.
After this, you’ll want to add your apples. Simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium heat until the apples are softened. Some recipes may advise you to cook the apples for 7-8 minutes, but these are a lot of apples. If your apples are crowding the pan, definitely cook them for 10-15 minutes. If you have small apples and they don’t crowd the pan, keep an eye on them around the 8 minute mark.
When they are done, let cool for 5 minutes.
And finally, when the apples have cooled, add your cooked apples to four separate serving bowls, crumble the granola mixture and top off with a bit of Greek yogurt (or whichever yogurt you prefer) See note in the recipe card for storage tips.
Enjoy!
A Genius Apple Hack So Good You’ll Be Singing
Course: Breakfast4
servings10
minutes15
minutes300
kcalIngredients
4 medium sized apples, Granny Smith preferred
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon (or to taste)
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Directions
- After washing the apples, cut them into 1/2 thick slices on a cutting board and set aside
- Heat the butter until melted and bubbly. Add in the cinnamon and sugar together stirring constantly until dissolved. *If the mixture is too thick, you can add a splash of water until it is fully dissolved. Patience is key, the sugar may take a while to dissolve.
- Bring the apples and stir frequently until the apples are soft and tender when pierced with a fork. *See note
- Once the apples are done, assemble your bowl and crumble a granola bar (or granola in general). Add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. *See note
Notes
- • Depending on your skillet size, it may take more than 10 minutes to fully cook all the apples. The wait will be worth it.
• You can choose flavored Greek yogurt if you prefer or have that on hand, but plain will work best because of the caramel in the pan. It will mix with the yogurt and be absolutely delicious.
• If you are making this for multiple days, keep the apples in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Keep the granola out of the container as it will get soggy if you leave it stored with the apples.
• When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, warm up your apples in the microwave for around 25-30 seconds and enjoy with your toppings!
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