Bring the carnival home with this classic fair dessert. Fried dough is crisp and golden brown on the outside and soft and cakey on the inside. Covered in a shower of confectioners’ sugar and sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s the perfect fun dessert for a casual get-together.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 large funnel cakes |
Ingredients
- Canola oil, for deep-frying
- 2 1/4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- For the funnel cakes: Add enough oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 360 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a baking sheet with a metal cooling rack or a few layers of paper towels.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the milk, vanilla and eggs in a large measuring cup.
- Sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl using a mesh strainer (to break up any lumps in the brown sugar). Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture just until smooth and combined.
- When the oil is up to temperature, use your finger to cover the hole in the bottom of a 1- to 2-cup funnel (with at least a 1/2-inch hole) and fill it to the top with about 3/4 cup of the batter. Position the funnel over the pot of hot oil and remove your finger to release the batter. Let the batter flow into the oil in thick squiggles, moving the funnel within a contained circular shape about 8 inches in diameter. Fry on the first side until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then use a spider or tongs to carefully flip to the second side and fry for an additional 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove to the wire rack or paper towels and let drain and cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- For topping: Dust the funnel cakes generously with the confectioners’ sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and dollop with whipped cream before serving warm.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 463 |
| Total Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 87 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 38 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 79 mg |
| Sodium | 319 mg |
Reviews
This is a GREAT recipe! I would recommend it to people who are having large parties and want a fun but easy dessert!
It was pretty good. The batter was too thick for my funnels so I added two extra eggs.
Made this it was amazing and easy to do . I’ll be making this all the time I added a couple jalapenos to it and bacon and wow amazing ? Best I’ve ever had hands down ! ♥️
I made it for my son and hubby! We love it!…
With everything going on, making funnel cakes with my daughter was a fun first experience. Next time we make these we’ll tweak our way of “pouring” it in the pan. The first was interesting to say the least, but we got a kick out of it. Highly recommend! Although it says 45 minutes for the prep, it didn’t seem like it.
Easy recipe to follow. And taste delicious.
It’s so good I love it I tried this before does amaze
Love it