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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Funnel cake fries are made from the same batter as classic funnel cake, but piped into straight strips instead of a large swirl, which makes them easier to cook, flip, and serve.
These come together quickly with simple ingredients and no special equipment beyond a squeeze bottle or bag. Once your oil is hot, each batch cooks in just a few minutes. If you love sweet fried dough, my Korean sweet pancakes (Hotteok) are another fun one to try.
The fry shape makes them easier to handle than traditional funnel cakes. You can flip them cleanly, drain them properly, and serve them without breaking them apart. You also get a better texture in every bite. The edges turn golden and lightly crisp, while the inside stays soft without feeling doughy or heavy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- regular or gluten free all-purpose flour: This gives the batter structure. A standard gluten-free all-purpose blend works well here and keeps the fries light instead of dense. Avoid almond or coconut flour for this recipe since they won’t give the same texture.
- granulated sugar: Adds just enough sweetness without making the batter overly rich.
- baking powder: Helps the fries puff slightly so they stay airy instead of dense.
- sea salt: Balances the sweetness and keeps the flavor from tasting flat.
- milk, of your choice: Loosens the batter to the right consistency. Dairy-free milk works well here.
- eggs: Help bind the batter and create that soft, slightly fluffy center.
- vanilla extract: Adds that familiar funnel cake flavor.
- powdered sugar: Dust over the fries while they are still warm so it sticks evenly.
- avocado oil, or any neutral-flavored oil: Used for frying. Avocado oil holds up well at high heat and keeps the flavor clean.
Substitutions or Variations
- If you have made recipes like these gluten-free eggless pancakes, the base ingredients will look familiar. The main difference is keeping the batter slightly thinner so it flows easily when piped.
- You can also switch up the finish depending on what you have. Powdered sugar is the classic option, but cinnamon sugar gives a slightly warmer flavor.
- For dipping, chocolate sauce, caramel, or marshmallow fluff all work well. The shape makes these easy to dip without breaking apart.
How to Make Funnel Cake Fries
The funnel cake batter is intentionally a little thinner than pancake batter so it flows easily through the bottle and creates that light, airy texture instead of dense strips. Keep this in mind when putting yours together.
Step 1: In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until combined. The batter should be a bit thinner than a pancake batter.
Step 4: Transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle with a large opening or a piping bag or a resealable bag. Cut a 1/2 inch hole at the bottom of the piping bag or the corner of the resealable bag.
Step 5: Prepare a wire rack topped with paper towels. Heat 1 inch of avocado oil in a skillet over medium high heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees F. Squeeze the bottle or pipe 5-6 strips into the oil without overcrowding. Cook for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to the wire rack, then repeat with the rest of the batter.
Step 6: Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Expert Tips
- Pay close attention to the batter consistency. It should fall easily off a spoon and pipe without resistance. If it feels thick or hard to squeeze, add a small splash of milk to loosen it.
- Use an opening that is wide enough for the batter to flow naturally. Around a 1/2 inch works well. A smaller opening can make the fries uneven and harder to pipe straight.
- Keep your oil steady at 375 degrees F. If it drops too low, the fries will absorb oil and turn soft. If it is too hot, they will brown too quickly before the inside cooks through. If you like recipes that focus on that crispy-outside, soft-inside texture, my crispy gluten-free sweet potato waffles are also a hit!
- Fry in small batches and give the oil a moment to come back to temperature between rounds. This same approach helps maintain texture in other fried recipes like gluten-free crab rangoon.
- Let the fries drain on a wire rack instead of stacking them. This keeps the bottoms from getting soft as steam builds up.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. A gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works well and still gives you that crisp outside and soft center. Just make sure it’s a 1:1 blend and not a single flour like almond or coconut.
A piping bag or a resealable bag with the corner cut off works just as well. Just make sure the opening is large enough.
This usually happens when the oil temperature is too low or the pan is overcrowded. Fry fewer at a time and let the oil recover between batches.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These are best eaten right after frying while the edges are crisp.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To bring back some crispness, reheat them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes at 400 degrees.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
If you make these funnel cake fries, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Easy Funnel Cake Fries (Regular or Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1½ cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1¼ cup milk, of your choice
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Avocado oil, or any neutral-flavored oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.1½ cup gluten free all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.1¼ cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until combined. The batter should be a bit thinner than a pancake batter.
- Transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle with a large opening or a piping bag or a resealable bag. Cut a 1/2 inch hole at the bottom of the piping bag or the corner of the resealable bag.
- Prepare a wire rack topped with paper towels. Heat 1 inch of avocado oil in a skillet over medium high heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees F. Squeeze the bottle or pipe 5-6 strips into the oil without overcrowding. Cook for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to the wire rack, then repeat with the rest of the batter.Avocado oil
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.Powdered sugar
Notes
- If you have made recipes like these gluten-free eggless pancakes, the base ingredients will look familiar. The main difference is keeping the batter slightly thinner so it flows easily when piped.
- You can also switch up the finish depending on what you have. Powdered sugar is the classic option, but cinnamon sugar gives a slightly warmer flavor.
- For dipping, chocolate sauce, caramel, or marshmallow fluff all work well. The shape makes these easy to dip without breaking apart.
- Pay close attention to the batter consistency. It should fall easily off a spoon and pipe without resistance. If it feels thick or hard to squeeze, add a small splash of milk to loosen it.
- Use an opening that is wide enough for the batter to flow naturally. Around a 1/2 inch works well. A smaller opening can make the fries uneven and harder to pipe straight.
- Keep your oil steady at 375 degrees F. If it drops too low, the fries will absorb oil and turn soft. If it is too hot, they will brown too quickly before the inside cooks through. If you like recipes that focus on that crispy-outside, soft-inside texture, my crispy gluten-free sweet potato waffles are also a hit!
- Fry in small batches and give the oil a moment to come back to temperature between rounds. This same approach helps maintain texture in other fried recipes like gluten-free crab rangoon.
- Let the fries drain on a wire rack instead of stacking them. This keeps the bottoms from getting soft as steam builds up
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
