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Instant Pot Southern Fried Apples

With just a few ingredients, these Instant Pot Southern Fried Apples make the perfect accompaniment to a main dish or a delectable and easy dessert!

A TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN APPLE RECIPE

Fried Apples are a recipe that I have grown up with and have loved my whole life. They are super easy, tasty and a delicious way to use up some apples! Absolutely love eating these with pork chops or a baked ham. These Instant Pot Fried Apples come together in no time for a quick side dish or dessert. They come out perfectly spiced, sweet and tender. A tasty recipe that everyone will love! So if you have any extra apples hanging around, you should try this Instant Pot Fried Apple recipe!

Close up overhead photo of Instant Pot Fried Apples in bowl.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What kind of apples are best for fried apples?

I prefer to use Granny Smith apples for this recipe. They are easy to find and hold up well to the cooking process. But other apples can be used such as Golden Delicious or Fuji. You will want a more tart apple since it will be added to a sweet mixture which will balance the flavors out well.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes absolutely! You should have enough room in your instant pot to double this recipe. The time shouldn’t change too much but if you are worried just add a few more minutes onto you cooking time.

What do I serve fried apples with?

So you can use this recipe a few different ways. One way is as a dessert that you can top with various things such as whipped cream, ice cream or caramel sauce. This also goes really well as a side dish to pork. Pork and apples go really well together so you can serve them with pork chops, pork tenderloin and even an apple cider glazed ham. Or you can go country and serve them with some good ole fried chicken and cornbread!

Do I need to peel my apples?

This is a personal choice. Some people peel their apples and some do not. There is no right or wrong. At a lot of southern food restaurants, they leave them on. If you choose to leave the skins on, they will be tender and there are actually a lot of nutrients in the skin. I peel mine because I am personally not a fan of the leaving the peel on.

What if I don’t have an instant pot?

These can be made on the stovetop. Add all of the ingredients to a pot (minus the apples) and whisk together well. Then add the apples and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened and thickened.

How do you store cooked apples?

Instant Pot Fried Apples can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will last for up to 5 days. You can reheat in the microwave and serve.

closeup photo of Instant Pot Fried Apples on wooden spoon.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • apple juice – I like apple juice as it really brings out the apple flavor but you can just use water.
  • green apples – I prefer to use a tart baking apple for these. Sweet apples tend to fall apart in the cooking process.
  • brown sugar – you can use light or dark brown sugar.
  • ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg – if you prefer, you can substitute these for apple pie spice.
  • honey – this is optional but I like the thickness and additional flavor it adds.
  • cornstarch and water – this will make a cornstarch slurry that will help thicken the apple mixture.
Ingredients needed: apples, dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, honey, cornstarch and water.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT SOUTHERN FRIED APPLES:

Add the apple juice into the bottom of the instant pot. Then add in the apples. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey on top of the apple slices. Stir to combine and close the lid. Turn the steam valve to sealed. Cook on manual high pressure for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes are completed, turn the steam valve to quickly release the pressure.

collage of two photos: sliced apples shown in the bottom of an instant pot and spices and brown sugar shown on top of the apples in the instant pot.

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Remove the lid and pour in the cornstarch slurry and gently stir. It should start to thicken, but if not, turn on the pot’s sauté feature until it is bubbly and thickened.

Wooden spoon lifting up Fried Apples out of instant pot.

Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or over ice cream. Great over your favorite pancakes or rolled up in a crepe too! Enjoy!

Side view of Instant Pot Fried Apples in bowl with whipped cream and spoon.

WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?

Square image close up of Fried Apples on wooden spoon.

Instant Pot Southern Fried Apples

With minimal ingredients these Instant Pot Southern Fried Apples make the perfect accompaniment to a main dish or a delectable and easy dessert!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 cup apple juice (you. can use water if you don't have apple juice)
  • 5 large green apples, cored and sliced (you can keep the skin on if you prefer)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar (you can use light or dark brown)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 Tablespoons honey (optional)
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Add the apple juice into the bottom of the instant pot. Then add in the apples.
  • Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey on top of the apple slices.
  • Stir to combine and close the lid. Turn the steam valve to sealed.
  • Cook on manual high pressure for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes are completed, turn the steam valve to quickly release the pressure.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
  • Remove the lid and pour in the cornstarch slurry and gently stir. It should start to thicken, but if not, turn on the pot's sauté feature until it is bubbly and thickened.
  • Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or over ice cream. Great over your favorite pancakes or rolled up in a crepe too! Enjoy!

Notes

  • Note: you can toss the apple slices in about a Tablespoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and see them from turning brown as you slice them. This is optional. 
  • Use your favorite apples, tart is best – we like to use Granny Smith.
  • This is great as a dessert but also goes really well with various pork dishes.
  • You can leave the skins or or remove them.
  • You can use apple pie spice instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg. 
Course: Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 48g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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