Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe (2024)

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Love the fair and the food but want to make it at home? This homemade funnel cake recipe tastes just like the amazing funnel cakes you get at the fair. You only need a few simple ingredients that you probably already have you can make this delicious funnel cake recipe.

Homemade Funnel Cakes Recipe

One of my favorite things about going to the county fair during the summer months is funnel cake. I am a sucker for crispy funnel cakes and kettle corn. When I am leaving the fair you will see me with a bag of kettle corn and a plate with funnel cake. Yes, I have also enjoyed both while walking around but it is a must that I bring some home to enjoy as well.

As much as I love going to the fair to get this tasty treat, I love making things at home. The kids had been asking me for weeks to figure out how to make funnel cake at home because in the middle of winter there is no option of going to the fair. With a few test runs, I was able to come up with the best funnel cakes recipe. The kids were more than happy to be my taste testers and claimed this recipe to be the best funnel cake recipe.

If I am being honest making my own funnel cake at home was even better than the fair. Instead of having to wait to enjoy them like when I get them at the fair, I was able to enjoy a crispy funnel cake right after cooking them.

This easy funnel cake recipe is the perfect recreation of the amusem*nt park and local fair favorite and is sure to be a hit with your whole family. Funnel cakes made at home are the perfect fun treat to make as a family and serve with your favorite toppings.

Fair Foods You can Make at Home

Pretzel Dog
Caramel Apples
Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels
Homemade soft Pretzels
Loaded Cheese Fries

What is a Funnel Cake?

Funnel cakes are made by pouring batter thru a funnel into hot oil in a circular motion. The batter is fried lightly in the hot oil until it is golden brown and then topped with powdered sugar or other toppings.

How to Make funnel cake without a funnel

For years we have been making funnel cake without a funnel. This year things changed when I found an awesome funnel cake funnel at Aldi but previous to now I used either a measuring cup, my pancake dispenser, or a zip lock bag with a hole cut on one end or a pastry bag. This is the pancake dispenser I use, I love it and it makes for easy clean up.

What is the Best Oil for Frying Funnel Cake?

To get the perfect crispy on the outside soft on the inside texture for the perfect funnel cakes from scratch the best oils to use are vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.

Can you Refrigerate Funnel Cake Batter?

Yes! If you have leftover batter, store it in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for 2 days.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Don’t let the oil get too hot. If the oil is too hot the funnel cake will fall apart.

Drain the funnel cake after removing it from the oil. There will be excess oil when it is done frying, remove the funnel cake and place it on a paper towel lined plate for about a minute and then pour on the powdered sugar.

Drizzle in a swirl motion. To get the funnel cake from scratch to look like the ones at the fair, drizzle the batter around in a circular motion around the pan.

Size doesn’t matter. You can make large funnel cakes or small funnel cakes, the sizing choice is up to you. I just recommend leaving enough room in the pan to be able to flip them easily.

Funnel Cake Topping Ideas

Confectioner’s sugar. If you want to go with classic fair food then you will want to sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on top. When adding powdered sugar make sure you add a generous sprinkling because the funnel cake will absorb some of the powdered sugar.

Strawberries and cream. Whipped cream and chopped strawberries.

Caramel Apple Funnel Cake. Caramel sauce drizzled on top with chopped apples.

S’Mores Funnel Cake. Homemade Chocolate hot fudge drizzle, crushed up graham crackers, and mini marshmallows.

Churro Funnel Cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Homemade Funnel Cakes Ingredients

Salt
Baking Powder
all purpose Flour
Eggs
Sugar
Milk
Powdered Sugar
Oil (for frying). You can use vegetable oil, or canola oil, we prefer to use vegetable oil.

How to make Homemade Funnel Cakes

In a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt, and flour in a bowl and mix together.

Then in another bowl add the eggs, sugar, and milk in a bowl and mix until they are creamed.

Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

The batter needs to be thin enough that you can pour it.

Pour the batter into a glass measuring cup or a squeeze bottle.

Line a plate with paper towels.

Add the oil to a heavy skillet so it is 1 – 1.5 inches deep.

Heat the oil over medium heat to 375°F.

Pour the funnel cake mix in a circular motion to make the well know funnel cake shape, fry until golden brown, and then using kitchen tongs flip it over and fry the other side for about 1 minute.

Place your funnel cake on a plate to drain then top with sifted powdered sugar or any other toppings you are wanting.

Continue making funnel cakes with the remaining batter until it is all used up.

Fun Homemade Recipes

Homemade Potato chips
Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Chocolate Caramel Apple
Birthday Pancakes
Fried Macaroni and Cheese

homemade funnel cake recipe

Created by Lauren

3.93 from 148 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 8

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

This homemade funnel cake recipe tastes just like the amazing funnel cakes you get at the fair. With a few ingredients you probably already have you can make this classic fair treat at home.

Ingredients

1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
3 1/2 cup Flour
3 Eggs
1/4 cup Sugar
2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 quart vegetable Oil for frying

Instructions

In a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt, and flour in a bowl and mix together.
Then in another bowl add the eggs, sugar, and milk in a bowl and mix until they are creamed. Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
The batter needs to be thin enough that you can pour it.
Pour the batter into a glass measuring cup or a squeeze bottle.
Line a plate with paper towels.
Add the oil to a heavy skillet so it is 1 – 1.5 inches deep.
Heat the oil over medium heat to 375°F.
Pour the funnel cake mix in a circular motion to make the well know funnel cake shape, fry until golden brown, and then using kitchen tongs flip it over and fry the other side for about 1 minute.
Place your funnel cake on a plate to drain then top with sifted powdered sugar or any other toppings you are wanting.
Continue making funnel cakes with the remaining batter until it is all used up.

funnel cake recipe, homemade funnel cake

Dessert

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FAQs

What is the best oil to fry funnel cakes? ›

What oil is best for funnel cake? I recommend using a neutral oil for in my funnel cake recipe. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil all work great for this recipe and are my frying oils of choice for frying everything from apple fritters to fried pickles.

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What is funnel cake mix made of? ›

Traditional recipes call for a fairly standard batter: flour, eggs, sugar, milk, baking soda or baking powder, but I discovered that you can make awesome funnel cakes with "complete" buttermilk pancake mix (look for brands that only require the addition of water).

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Why is my funnel cake not crispy? ›

375°F (191°C) is high enough to start coagulating the proteins and gelling the starches in the batter almost on contact, preventing the batter from literally frittering away. A lower temp wouldn't get the cooking going fast enough, and slower cooking would also result in a soggy, oil-logged funnel cake.

View Details ›

Why is my funnel cake batter falling apart? ›

The most common reason your funnel cake is falling apart is your oil is too hot. This will cause the funnel cake batter to break apart when you pour it into the pan. Another reason your funnel cake may fall apart is your batter is too thick.

Get More Info ›

Is vegetable oil better than olive oil for cakes? ›

Olive oil is perfect for strongly flavored desserts like olive oil cake, but vegetable oil's neutral flavor makes it ideal for providing baked goods with the fat they need without affecting the recipe's flavor. That said, if you're in a pinch, olive oil will work in baked goods.

Keep Reading ›

How much does it cost to make 1 funnel cake? ›

A funnel cake can sell on average from $3.00 – $5.00. Yet, it costs less than $1.00 to make, so you will yield as much as $4.00 profit on each cake. GM: What products do you sell at your concession stand?

Show Me More ›

How healthy is funnel cake? ›

But for someone looking to eat healthy, fairs can be a tricky situation. The classic funnel cake has 760 calories and 44 grams of fat— roughly the same amount as four servings of cheese pizza, according to food nutrition comparison sites.

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Why does my funnel cake taste like flour? ›

There could be a few reasons why your baked goods taste strongly of flour. Firstly, it could be because you're not measuring your flour accurately. Too much flour can result in a dry and dense product, as well as a strong flour taste.

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Can you save funnel cake mix? ›

Storage of the batter:

We recommend using the funnel cake batter as soon as possible. However, we know that it is not always practical as sometimes large batches have to be made up ahead of time. If so, place the batter in a sealable container that can be stored in a refrigerator.

Keep Reading ›

Can you save funnel cake? ›

Yes, you can freeze homemade funnel cakes for up to three months. We recommend freezing them in individual containers and sprinkling them with powdered sugar after they are thawed and reheated.

Are funnel cakes supposed to be crunchy? ›

Funnel cake has long been a staple of American street fairs and carnivals. Just the the aroma of that crispy, crunchy, perfectly fried sweet dough covered with powdered sugar is enough to take you back to summertime childhood memories.

Find Out More ›

How do you store homemade funnel cake? ›

Although best served hot and fresh, you can store funnel cakes for a couple of days. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat them in an oven or air fryer to crisp them up again. Don't forget about all the delicious toppings for serving.

Read On ›

How do you keep batter from separating? ›

To prevent her cake batters from curdling, Susan uses one simple trick: She adds a couple tablespoons of the recipe's flour when she mixes in the eggs. As you beat the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar, add a few tablespoons of the recipe's flour.

Read On ›

Which oil is better for cakes? ›

When it comes to baking cakes, you'll want to use an oil that has a neutral flavor and can withstand high temperatures without breaking down or imparting unwanted flavors to your baked goods. Canola oil: Canola oil is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fats, which can help lower bad cholesterol levels.

Find Out More ›

What is the best oil for frying pans? ›

Vegetable Oil: Best All-Purpose Oil for Frying

It's great for all different methods of frying and all kinds of foods like breaded chicken and fries. Typically a blend of oils, it has a high smoke point of 400 to 450 degrees, and it has a pretty neutral flavor, which deepens the flavor of the food.

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What is the best healthy oil for cakes? ›

Canola oil is the most popular baking oil as it's stable at high temperatures, is cost-effective and has a very natural flavour. It also has only 7% saturated fat and contains omega-3s. Choose organic where possible even if it's a little more pricey.

Find Out More ›

What is the best oil substitute for cake? ›

Melted, unsalted butter is the perfect substitute for oil, and can even add a richer flavor to baked recipes. Swap in butter for oil in a 1:1 ratio, melting butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Vegan butter or ghee can also work in this instance.

Learn More ›