This easy, homemade funnel cakes recipe brings that State Fair food you love home to your own kitchen. Light, crispy, and delicately sweet, funnel cakes make a great base for everything from fruit to ice cream.
We love funnel cakes around here. Whether we’re at Six Flags or the State Fair it’s pretty much a given that at least one funnel cake will be consumed. At least one.
There are all kinds of ways to make them — I’ve seen recipes with pancake mix, cake mix, and from scratch. I really like my recipe because it comes out crispy and light every single time I make it. There’s nothing worse than a grease-laden, chewy funnel cake!
I’ll be honest with you. It takes awhile to get the hang of creating the perfectly shaped homemade funnel cake. The batter has to be the exact consistency and you have to move the funnel over the oil in an even motion. You are probably not going to get it on your first few tries, and I have been making them for years and still have problems at times. Here’s the deal, so listen closely…
You want the oil to be hot enough that the batter fries quickly without soaking up oil. The funnel should be light and crispy. The batter also has to be thick enough to hold together but not so thick that it fries up heavy. Like I said, it takes awhile to get the hang of it and even then there will be times when they aren’t perfect.
We were at the State Fair of Texas yesterday and filled up on our yearly quota of fair food. We tried the fried alligator, the chicken fried lobster, deep fried Reeses, deep fried Red Velvet Oreos… I’m not sure what all we chowed down on. The past couple of years they’ve had red velvet funnel cakes, too. I don’t really care for them because I think they are kind of tasteless but whatever.
One of the fun things about funnel cakes is that they are HUGE. Don’t make them skimpy! I honestly like them best with just a dusting of powdered sugar but the kids like them with whipped cream and sprinkles. Other ways to top a funnel cake are:
- Strawberries and ice cream
- Ice cream and hot fudge ( I like this peanut butter ice cream on top)
- Caramel sauce
- Syrup
There’s no right way to do it. Think of them as a weirdly shaped waffle.
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One thing you will need is a good deep fryer. I have this one from Presto. It maintains an even heat, which is important, and it has two baskets so that you can fry two different things at a time. It’s also got a filter in the top so the house doesn’t smell awful while the oil is heating up. I use peanut oil and I suggest, as long as there are no peanut allergies, that you use it, too. It really does fry light and crispy. If you can’t use it any light oil will do.
One caution… Homemade funnel cakes, like the ones that you get at the fair, are meant to be eaten immediately. They are no good once they cool down. Make only as much as you’ll eat. The batter will stay good in the refrigerator for about a week if you put it in a Mason jar with a tight fitting lid.
Easy Homemade Funnel Cakes Recipe
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- Oil to fill your deep fryer
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 to 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the fryer up to 375F.
- Beat the eggs and egg white until frothy.
- Add the vanilla and milk and blend well.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and quickly blend. Don't over beat.
- If you have time let the mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Put the mixture in a funnel or a squeeze bottle cut to have an opening about the size of a pencil.
- Hold your finger over the opening and bring as close as possible to the surface of the hot oil.
- Remove your finger and move the funnel in a smooth circular motion over the top of the oil.
- Fry until golden on one side.
- Flip and fry until golden on the other side.
- Remove from the oil to an absorbent paper towel.
- Sprinkle with Confectioner's sugar or sugar and serve hot.
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Heather Kinnaird says
June 28, 2016 at 12:21 pmyou really cannot beat fair food, and the fair wouldn’t be the same without a funnel cake!! these look perfect
Marye Audet says
June 28, 2016 at 5:40 pmThankyou!!
Catherine says
June 28, 2016 at 11:45 amDear Marye, these funnel cakes look fantastic. What fun treat! xo, Catherine
Marye Audet says
June 28, 2016 at 5:41 pmThanks Catherine!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
June 28, 2016 at 11:43 amLove this! So fun to make at home, and how cute is your little model?
Marye Audet says
June 28, 2016 at 5:41 pmShe’s pretty adorable!
allie says
June 28, 2016 at 10:04 amLove funnel these cakes Marye!!! So delicious, I can’t pass them up at at the Deerfield State Fair!
Marye Audet says
June 28, 2016 at 5:42 pm🙂 Me either, Allie. They’re my downfall.
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says
September 30, 2015 at 10:26 amThis totally brings back carnivals to me!! And now I am thinking about how expensive those were for no reason, I have to make it at home! Yum! Thanks!
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:07 pmYeah they are way overpriced at carnivals and such!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
September 30, 2015 at 8:32 amFunnel cake is one of my favorite guilty pleasures 🙂 Haven’t had one in a little while, but I used to eat them every summer growing up!
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:06 pmYep we eat them when we can.
Laura says
September 29, 2015 at 10:02 pmThese look delicious! Now I worked at a small amusement park where I often made the funnel cakes, so I cannot say that left me with an urge to ever make one again lol but I sure eat them when others make them!
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:05 pmI imagine so! LOL!
Healing Tomato says
September 29, 2015 at 9:17 pmI would stuff myself with funnel cake whenever I went to Cedar pointe in OH. They know how to make funnel cakes there. Now, I will try your recipe at home and remember the good times. 🙂
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:04 pmLet me know what you think…
Julie says
September 29, 2015 at 4:26 pmI didn’t know that homemade funnel cakes were even a thing. This is dangerous information for me to have!
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:04 pmLOL! You don’t have to thank me.
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
September 29, 2015 at 1:02 pmOh this is dangerous; these are one of those things I could eat WAY too much of. And I have a fryer. Help me.
Marye Audet says
October 4, 2015 at 10:03 pmYep. I feel your pain.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
September 29, 2015 at 9:27 amMarye, these look wonderful! I’ve always enjoyed funnel cakes, never actually made them. Great fry tips! (My children will thank you!)
Marye Audet says
September 29, 2015 at 10:45 amThanks Allie! I hope they like them!
The-FoodTrotter says
September 29, 2015 at 8:20 amSuch a lovely recipe 🙂
Marye Audet says
September 29, 2015 at 10:44 amThank you!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
September 29, 2015 at 8:08 amI haven’t ever made funnel cakes – and so – have had to wait till we were at a fair – but now thanks to this recipe – waiting till the fair comes to town is a thing of the past! 🙂
Marye Audet says
September 29, 2015 at 10:44 amOh they are so good!
GiGi Eats says
September 29, 2015 at 8:07 amGIVE ME! Holy moly! The last time I had funnel cake – man, like 15 years ago!
Marye Audet says
September 29, 2015 at 10:43 amI wonder if you could make them GF, GiGi?