Funnel Cake Fries
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These funnel cake fries are a fun snack to serve in the summer time! Like traditional funnel cakes, but in fun fry form for easy dipping!

I grew up in upstate New York (very rural on a farm) so I grew up in 4-H so summertime always meant going to the local county fair, the state fair showing my animals, and of course at some point indulging in some funnel cake!
Growing up in Amish country (in fact when I go to visit home we always need to make sure to slow down for the Amish!) so me and funnel cake have a fond history together. This is my fun twist on the classic funnel cake recipe by making them into funnel cake fries. Much easier for snacking and sharing.
Itโs an easy one bowl recipe. I like to serve these funnel cake sticks dusted with powdered sugar, but you could dust with cinnamon sugar. And don’t forget your dipping sauce! I like to serve with strawberry sauce, hot fudge sauce, maple syrup, homemade caramel, or marshmallow fluff.ย
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavor: This funnel cake batter is flavored with just a bit of vanilla. And then I serve them with different dipping sauces!
- Texture: The funnel cake fries are crisp and chewy on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle.
- Ease: The pancake batter is made in one bowl so you can enjoy this recipe in no time!
Ingredients Needed
- Vegetable oil – I used vegetable oil to fry a batch of these funnel cake fries in. But you can use another oil that has a high smoke point, like canola oil.
- Eggsย – Use room temperature eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Milk – I used whole milk but any milk will work. Use a low-fat milk or a plant-based milk if need be.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Optional Toppings:ย I like to dust with powdered sugar but you could also dust with cinnamon sugar. And then I like to serve with a dipping sauce like strawberry sauce, hot fudge sauce, maple syrup, caramel, or marshmallow fluff.
How To Make Funnel Cake Fries
Fill a heavy-bottomed large pot with two inches of oil and heat to 375oF. While the oil is heating, make the batter.ย
In a large bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until foamy and bright yellow.
Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture and whisk to combine. Whisk in the dry ingredients just until there are no lumps or pockets of flour mixture remains. Be careful to not overmix.
Add the batter to a squeeze bottle or large piping bag. I like to place my piping bag in a tall drinking glass and fold down the top to easily spoon the ย batter in and itโs a good resting place when youโre frying a batch!
Cut a hole large enough to be able to pipe out the batter (about a ยฝ inch). If you use a squeeze bottle I recommend cutting and making the opening a bit wider.
Before you begin frying set up a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack with paper towels. Once the oil reaches temperature, pipe a strip of the batter in a straight line into the hot oil. Continue until you have about 5-6 fries in the oil. Donโt overcrowd the oil or it will lower the temperature.
Cook for about 1 minute, then flip over to continue cooking with a metal slotted spoon and continue cooking until both sides are golden brown. Remove from the oil and let the excess oil drain. Place onto the paper lined wire rack (or plate).
Continue frying the rest of the batter.
Dust with confectioners sugar before serving! I like to serve with different dips like marshmallow fluff or chocolate sauce. Or try my strawberry topping!
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Let the oil come back up to temperature between each batch. The oil temperature can drop in between each frying batch so be sure to let it heat back up before frying more. I recommend using a candy thermometer so you can keep on the eye on the temperature.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. I fry about 5-6 funnel fries at a time. If you add too many at a time it will drop the oil temperature and make soggy fries and you won’t get those beautiful exterior crisps.
- Use a clean ketchup bottle for dispensing! If you don’t have a plastic squeeze bottle this always can work too! Just make sure it’s good and cleaned out!
- Use a large freezer plastic bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can place the batter into a large ziploc bag and then snip off the corner.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can reheat any leftovers. Place any fries on a baking sheet and reheat in a 450oF oven for 3-4 minutes.
โIt’s believed the funnel cake originates from Pennsylvania Dutch, a group of German immigrants, who landed in the area around the 19th century.
These funnel french fries are crisp on the outside and soft, and cake-like in the middle. The extra sweetness from the toppings like powdered sugar send them over the edge!
More Desserts To Try!
If you’re making this dessert in the summer time for a potluck or backyard BBQ then be sure to serve alongside some of my other favorite summer desserts. Try my Cotton candy ice cream, lemon cookies, or key lime bars!
Funnel Cake Fries
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ยผ cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with two inches of oil and heat to 375ยฐF. While the oil is heating, make the batter.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until foamy and bright yellow. 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until combined. 1 ยผ cups (300 ml) whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture and whisk to combine. Whisk just until there are no lumps or pockets of flour mixture remains. Be careful to not overmix. 2 cups (240 ml) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ยผ teaspoon salt
- Add the batter to a squeeze bottle or large piping bag. I like to place my piping bag in a tall drinking glass and fold down the top to easily spoon the batter in and itโs a good resting place when youโre frying a batch! Cut a hole large enough to be able to pipe out the batter (about a ยฝ inch). If you use a squeeze bottle I recommend cutting and making the opening a bit wider.
- Before you begin frying set up a plate or wire rack with paper towels. Once the oil reaches temperature, pipe a strip of the batter in a straight line into the hot oil. Continue until you have about 5-6 fries in the oil. Donโt overcrowd the oil or it will lower the temperature.
- Cook for about 1 minute, then flip over to continue cooking with a metal slotted spoon and continue cooking until both sides are golden brown. Remove from the oil and let the excess oil drain. Place onto the paper lined wire rack (or plate).
- Continue frying the rest of the batter. Dust with confectioners sugar before serving!
Notes
- Leftovers: Reheat any leftovers. Place any fries on a baking sheet and reheat in a 450oF oven for 3-4 minutes.
- Let the oil come back up to temperature between each batch.ย The oil temperature can drop in between each frying batch so be sure to let it heat back up before frying more. I recommend using a candy thermometer so you can keep on the eye on the temperature.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan.ย I fry about 5-6 funnel fries at a time. If you add too many at a time it will drop the oil temperature and make soggy fries and you won’t get those beautiful exterior crisps.
- Use a clean ketchup bottle for dispensing!ย If you don’t have a ย plastic squeeze bottle this always can work too! Just make sure it’s good and cleaned out!
- Use a large freezer plastic bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can place the batter into a large ziploc bag and then snip off the corner
I love funnel cakes and this is such a fun idea! Can’t wait to make them with my kids this summer!
Enjoy, Vanessa, thank you!
These funnel cake fries were so fun and delish! Love how dippable they are!
Wonderful, Paula, I am so happy that you enjoyed them!
I love these as a “fry” option! It’s like America’s version of churros. Perfect for summer parties too!
So glad you like them, Ashley, thank you!
Got to love fairground food! Great idea to make them fry shaped!
Thank you, Katherine!
This is genius, Heather! The funnel cake fries were an instant hit and much easier to make than I thought! I served it with butterscotch sauce for dipping… Soooo good!
Yay!! So happy that you all enjoyed my recipe! Thank you so much, Adri!