FOOD NEWS
Cracker Barrel's Fried Apples Aren't Even Fried
By Amanda Tarlton
A popular Southern dish, fried apples are traditionally made with slices of apple and a blend of spices, resulting in something that tastes like the filling of apple pie. While the fried apples served by Cracker Barrel are a fan-favorite, many are still unaware that their “fried” apples aren’t fried at all.
The chain’s menu describes the side dish as "sliced fried apples seasoned with cinnamon and baked in the oven," even though the full official recipe is kept a secret. Southern Living says you can recreate them by slowly baking apples in the oven at home, and Mashed offers a quick copycat recipe that you can cook in a skillet with butter, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
As for the ingredient that gives the fried apples that gooey texture, recipe developer Susan Olayinka says, "Cornstarch helps to thicken the sauce created from the apple juice and apples as they break down." However, if you want to enjoy the Cracker Barrel side dish at home without doing all the work, consider buying a 28-ounce jar of fried apples online on Cracker Barrel's website.