Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe | Easy Carnival Dessert
Crisp, golden homemade funnel cake with a simple pantry batter and fairground-worthy texture, finished with a snowfall of powdered sugar. Fry in hot oil for a quick, airy dessert you can customize with favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (2 cups)
- Granulated sugar (3 tablespoons)
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons)
- Kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- Milk (1 3/4 cups)
- Large eggs (2)
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- Neutral oil for frying (canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
- Powdered sugar, for topping
- Optional toppings: cinnamon sugar, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, sliced fruit, whipped cream
Instructions
Instructions
- Add 1 to 1.5 inches of neutral oil to a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350–365°F, using a thermometer.
- Set up tongs or a spider skimmer, paper towels, and a cooling rack for draining.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, leaving the batter slightly lumpy.
- Adjust consistency so it flows like pancake batter by adding a splash of milk if too thick or a spoonful of flour if too thin.
- Transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle, piping bag, or measuring cup with a spout.
- Test the oil with a small drizzle of batter; it should bubble and rise quickly without burning.
- Hold the spout 4–6 inches above the oil and drizzle the batter in a fast swirl, then crisscross to form a 6–8 inch lacy web.
- Fry for 60–90 seconds until the underside is golden, then flip carefully and cook another 45–60 seconds.
- Transfer the funnel cake to a rack lined with paper towels to drain and immediately dust with powdered sugar.
- Repeat with remaining batter, adjusting the heat to maintain 350–365°F.
Notes
If browning too fast, lower the heat; if greasy, the oil is too cool. For thicker cakes, pour more batter and fry slightly longer; for extra crispiness, use a thinner drizzle and oil closer to 365°F. Best eaten fresh; store cooled cakes up to 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen and re-crisp in a 375°F oven for 5–8 minutes or air fryer at 350°F for 3–5 minutes. Avoid microwaving. A squeeze bottle offers the most control, but a spouted cup or pastry bag also works. Use neutral high-heat oil such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil.