Slow Cooker Country-Style Fried Apples
If you’ve ever sat down at Cracker Barrel and fallen in love with their tender, sweet, cinnamon-spiced fried apples, you’re in for a treat. This slow cooker version captures all that cozy, old-fashioned flavor with barely any effort. The apples become perfectly soft, buttery, and caramelized — the kind of comfort food that makes your kitchen smell like a fall festival. Serve them warm as a side, over pancakes, or spooned onto vanilla ice cream for dessert!
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds of apples (a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, cored and sliced into thick wedges)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Prepare your slow cooker.
Lightly coat the inside with nonstick spray for easy cleanup later.
Add the apples.
Place all the apple slices into the slow cooker.
Mix the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples, then gently toss to coat.
Combine the wet ingredients.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture over the apples.
Cook to perfection.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape. Avoid overcooking — they’ll seem firm at first but will soften quickly when stirred.
Serve warm.
Gently stir before serving, and enjoy as a side dish, dessert topping, or breakfast treat.
