Funnel Cakes (Just Like The Fair) (2024)

By Rebecca Hubbell on July 7, 2021 | Updated July 7, 2021 | 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy

Funnel Cakes are crunchy on the outside but perfectly fluffy on the inside! Made with just 7 easy ingredients and then covered in your favorite toppings to sweeten them up!

Jump to Recipe

Funnel Cakes are crunchy on the outside but perfectly fluffy on the inside! Made with just 7 easy ingredients and then covered in your favorite toppings to sweeten them up!

Enjoy more easy-to-make carnival treats right at home like these sticky, sweet Homemade Caramel Apples or deep-fried Mini Corn Dogs!

Funnel Cakes at home means you no longer have to wait for your favorite carnival, festival, or fair to come to town so that you can enjoy your favorite deep-fried treat! What’s even better is that this recipe uses ingredients you likely have on hand so you can literally make one at the drop of a hat anytime!

These are great to enjoy when you have friends and family over on a weekend for a movie or game night! Throw a batch in the hot oil and then set out an assortment of toppings so that everyone can make theirs exactly how they’d like!

Table of Contents

What I Love About This Recipe!

Quick To Make! These homemade funnel cakes are ready in just 20 minutes!
Prep Ahead Of Time! You can easily whip up this batter and then store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before frying the cakes up!
Easy Ingredients! Only common pantry ingredients are used for this recipe which is great for convenience but may also mean you’ll find yourself making them all the time!
Toppings! Cover your funnel cake in chocolate syrup, fruit, Perfect Homemade Whipped Cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, and even sprinkles! Dream up any toppings you’d like!

Ingredient Notes

This Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe takes pantry staple ingredients and easily turns them into a delicious treat that is fried to a golden brown! All you need is whole milk, eggs, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.

Once you’ve mixed the batter you’ll deep fry it in a pan of canola oil until they’re perfectly golden brown. The temperature of the heat plays an important part in these funnel cakes!

If the heat is too high the funnel cakes will cook too quickly and force the cakes to come too crunchy! Frying them on medium heat will ensure that they come out crispy on the outside but fluffy and soft on the inside, which is exactly what we want!

After they’re finished cooking they get piled up with all of your favorite toppings!

How To Make Funnel Cakes From Scratch

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Set it aside.
Beat together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Pour the batter into a squeezable bottle or put a cup of batter into the funnel.
Spiral the funnel cake batter into the oil, making it the size of a small-sized plate or a large dinner plate depending on how big you’d like them to be.
Fry the funnel cakes in the hot oil until they turn golden brown.
Flip them with tongs to allow the other side to cook.
Place the fried funnel cakes onto plates that are lined with paper towels and finish cooking off the rest of the batter.
Serve topped with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Funnel Cakes Frequently Asked Questions

How To Store Homemade Funnel Cakes

You can keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You could also wrap them up tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap to store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What Else Can I Use If I Don’t Have A Funnel?

You can also use a plastic bag just by snipping a corner of the bag off or using a clean squeeze bottle.

What Oil Should I Use For Deep Frying?

The best oil for deep frying is one that has a high smoking point. Those oils include vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil.

How Do I Know The Oil Is Hot Enough To Deep Fry?

Heat the oil on medium heat for 15 minutes and then test it by putting just a small amount of batter into it. If it turns dark immediately then turn the temperature down and wait a few minutes for the heat to come down. The oil is heated when the test browns up slowly!

Funnel Cakes are a safe bet when you’re looking for a mouthwatering snack that everyone will love! Here are more delicious snacks to try the next time you find yourself surrounded by a hungry crowd!

Korean Corndogs with Korean Ketchup – Made with fun additions like ramen noodles and french fries then served with a homemade sweet and spicy Korean Ketchup!
Best Pepperoni Pizza Dip – Enjoy this dip with your favorite tortilla chips, crackers, bread, or even vegetables, ready in just 30 minutes!
Oatmeal Cream Pies – Sweet oatmeal cookies sandwich a vanilla buttercream filling for an easy sweet treat everyone loves!
Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip – Made with real cream and blue cheese, rotisserie chicken, hot sauces, and spices for a dip with a kick of heat!
Classic Maine Whoopie Pies – A delicious hand-held treat that’s the perfect ratio of chocolate cake and sweet vanilla marshmallow filling!

Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried thisrecipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!

4.58 from 7 votes

Funnel Cakes

Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

▢ 4 cups canola oil for deep frying
▢ 1 cup whole milk
▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
▢ 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ powdered sugar optional topping

Instructions

Heat oil in a wide heavy bottomed pan or Dutch oven to 375°F over medium-low heat. Make sure not to use too high a heat! If the heat is too high when you pour in your batter, it will cook too quickly and become very crunchy all the way through. Medium heat allows you to get a crunchy, golden brown outside with a soft, fluffy center!
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat together the milk and eggs. Pour this mixture into your flour mixture and combine thoroughly. The batter should be thick but still pourable.
Use a clean squeezable condiment bottle with the spout cut down to create a larger opening or a funnel with a ½ inch opening. Fill your bottle with batter or pour about a cup of batter into your funnel (while holding the funnel closed with a finger).
Hold the bottle or funnel directly over the middle of hot oil. Squeeze the bottle or remove your finger from the hole, and move it in a circular motion, to spiral the dough as it goes into the pan. You want to make a (messy) spiral that is about the size of a small sized plate or a large dinner plate, depending on how big you would like to make them. As you are making your funnel cakes, your batter may thicken as it sits, just add a splash of milk and stir in before refilling your bottle/funnel for the next batch.
Fry until golden brown, flip with tongs, and allow the other side to cook. It should take about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the funnel cake to paper towels and continue to cook off the batter until you have used it all up..
Serve with powdered sugar or chocolate sauce and berries on top. Best served warm.

Notes

This recipe will make 4 large cakes or 8 smaller cakes.
You just need enough oil so that the funnel cake is suspended in it to cook. Depending on your pan, you may only need 3 cups of oil.
Storage Instructions: Funnel cakes will keep for 2 days at room temperature. They are best heated for serving. Use the oven or air fryer for just a few minutes. You may freeze them for up to 3 months.
If you don’t have a funnel you could use a plastic baggie. Just snip off a corner. Or use a clean squeeze bottle.
You must use an oil with a high smoking point. Some of the best to use are vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, or soybean oil.
You may store prepared batter in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may just need to thin it down a bit with a splash of milk if thickens too much in the refrigerator.
Set your pot of oil on the stove and turn the temperature to medium. Allow it to heat for 15 minutes. This should bring it to a good temperature. But feel free to test a little of the batter first. If it immediately turns dark, turn down the temperature and wait a few minutes for the heat to come down. Then try again.

Nutrition

Did You Make This Recipe?

Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!