Cinnamon Sugar Funnel Cake Recipe

There's something so nostalgic about carnival and fair food. From corn dogs to cotton candy and lemonade to turkey legs, this type of food brings back all the memories of fun summer nights in childhood. But, without a doubt, our favorite fair food is none other than a soft-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside funnel cake. Did you know that you can make funnel cake at home? Recipe developer Deniz Vergara brings us this recipe for cinnamon sugar funnel cake, so whenever the craving strikes, you can whip up the classic carnival fare, no fair required. "I like to make this as a fun dessert for my kids," Vergara says, and something tells us that your kids will enjoy the fun treat, too.

Surprisingly, funnel cake is fairly easy to make at home. If you can make pancakes, you can make funnel cake. The tricky part comes down to the forming of the classic funnel cake shape in the hot oil. While this can be a bit nerve-wracking, working quickly around hot oil, we think you'll find it is a lot easier than it looks. Pretty soon you'll be making these every weekend!

To make this cinnamon sugar funnel cake, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, milk, egg, vanilla, and avocado oil. "I used almond milk in these so you can use any milk," Vergara notes for those dairy-free folks out there.

This recipe requires making a batter very similar to the consistency of pancake batter. Add the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the bowl. Then, in a different bowl, combine the wet ingredients: milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, before mixing them together.

Just like pancakes, these funnel cakes make for a perfect canvas for fun and tasty toppings. Vergara says, "We typically eat these as they are because the cinnamon sugar topping is so yummy but a scoop of ice cream makes this really yummy".

Did you know that a funnel cake gets its name from the way it is made? You use a funnel to make the shape of the dough in the oil. Vergara notes that if you don't have a funnel, you can easily substitute a liquid measuring cup for the same effect. Whichever way you choose, drizzle the batter in a thin stream into a hot deep skillet filled with oil that is heated to about 375 F. Make sure to drizzle the batter in circles, criss-crossing over itself. This will help to create the classic funnel cake shape. Let each side cook in the oil for about 90 seconds each.

After frying, move each funnel cake to a paper towel-lined rack or plate to drain excess oil. Work in batches to fry each funnel cake, and make sure that the temperature stays steady throughout the process.

In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar. Stir up this mixture, before sprinkling it all over the top of the warm funnel cake.

If cinnamon sugar is not your thing, feel free to substitute other toppings. Vergara says, "In terms of different flavors, you can do the usual powdered sugar topping and pair it with sliced strawberries and whipped cream or go for a drizzle of chocolate syrup."