Since we were little, Funnel Cakes have been a favorite at fairs! Fortunately, mom was able to come up with a recipe for it, so we are lucky to have been making homemade funnel cake since we were little. They’re a family FAVORITE dessert that we all enjoy and LOVE making!
It’s not only easy to whip up the batter, but it’s fun to cook! Although our favorite part is adding the toppings – a chocolate, strawberry, or caramel drizzle, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or a pile of whipped cream. We all love to customize them to our liking.
For more classic fair treats you can make at home, check out our Fried Oreos, Homemade Kettle Corn, and our Churro Recipe.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- They’re incredibly delicious! They’re fried and covered in powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, berries, and whipped cream. What’s not to love?
- Few ingredients. Not only do they take a few ingredients, but they are pantry staples that you probably have on hand. The batter preps in only 5 minutes!
- Easy to change up. Based on the toppings and mix-ins, you can easily change this recipe to fit any occasion!
Funnel Cake Ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying – Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. To cook properly, be sure to use hot oil so that it cooks quickly and starts to make the funnel cake strands we all know and love. The best temperature to heat oil for funnel cakes is 375°F.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – see How to Measure Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 eggs
- toppings – Whipped Cream, fresh strawberries or blueberries, Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Strawberry Sauce, Chocolate Syrup, powdered sugar, Vanilla Ice Cream, or cinnamon sugar mix
How to Make Funnel Cake
- PREP. Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F.
- BATTER. In a medium or large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and eggs.
- FRY. Pour batter into a funnel (blocking the tip of the funnel with your finger) or use a squeeze bottle. Position the funnel over the hot oil and slowly pour the batter in a criss-cross and swirling motion over the oil. Fry for 1–2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Using tongs, flip the funnel cake and fry the other side for 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the fried dough to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
- SERVE. Serve this homemade funnel cake recipe warm with desired toppings such as Chocolate Sauce or Caramel Sauce.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We found that squeeze bottles (like a cleaned-out ketchup bottle) work better than funnels. You can also purchase this Funnel Cake kit from Amazon.
- Use the tongs to make sure the batter is submerged in the oil, and a metal spatula to flip the cake.
- For funnel cake fries: Follow the instructions as written, but pipe batter in long straight lines into oil. Fry until golden and remove.
- For funnel cake bites: Use a cookie scoop to drop the batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown and remove.
Funnel Cake Recipe
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 eggs
Toppings
- whipped cream, fruit, chocolate fudge sauce, caramel sauce, powdered sugar
Instructions
- Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and eggs.
- Pour batter into a funnel (blocking the tip of the funnel with your finger) or use a squeeze bottle. Position the funnel over the hot oil and slowly pour the batter in a criss-cross and swirling motion over the oil. Fry for 1–2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Using tongs, flip the funnel cake and fry the other side for 1–2 minutes.
- Remove to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve funnel cakes warm with desired toppings.
Notes
- We found squeeze bottles (like a cleaned-out ketchup bottle) work better than funnels. You can also purchase this Funnel Cake kit from Amazon.
- Use the tongs to make sure the batter is submerged in the oil and a metal spatula to flip the cake.
- For funnel cake fries: Follow the instructions as written, but pipe batter in long straight lines into oil. Fry until golden and remove.
- For funnel cake bites: Use a cookie scoop to drop the batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown and remove.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
You can make the batter ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days before making funnel cakes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For crispy funnel cakes, reheat in an air fryer, toaster oven, or broil in the oven. You can also microwave them.
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This recipe was originally published September 2014.
Made the funnel cakes tonight. Delicious and oh so easy. Thank you.
I haven’t made these yet. However, I can tell by reading the recipe and looking at the picturee that they would be good, and also easy and fast to make. I like that you can make the batter ahead. I would use them at breakfast, rather then as a dessert. When I clicked print, this box came up and I had no way to get it to go away so had to go ahead and do this review sight unseen 🙂 All of Luna’s reecipes are
fantastic
Thank you for the review! I hope you enjoy the funnel cakes!!
Batter was a little thick, but was able to thin it a little, and it make great funnel cakes! Better than paying $12 at the carnival for 1 plain funnel cake!!! I tripled the batch and all the ingredients didn’t even cost $12! Even with ice cream.
Topped this funnel cake with caramel syrup and it was definitely the best! We’ll surely make this again!
I always get funnel cake when I’m at the fair so I’m so happy to have found this recipe to make it at home! It turned out perfectly and was so easy to make!
Oh my gosh, I’m the hero! My kids couldn’t believe I made one of these at home, thank you so much! It was a hit!
Hi Kristyn,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the actual origin of the funnel cake is from the Pennsylvania Deutche, not Dutch. It’s actually German. People got a little mixed up back in the day.
Funnel cake is a favorite when my kids were little they loved it. Was the first thing that would ask for at the bizarre
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These are delish, takes me back to my childhood.
Being able to have a fair staple treat at home is dreamy. I introduced this to my kids this week covered in powdered sugar and it was a hit!
How much is 11/2 cups???
Looks like there should be a space between the 1 and the 1/2 for 1.5 cups.
amazing recipe .. i’ll try this soon
I hope you will! Thanks!
TrIed making this recipe with the amount of flour the recipe asks for, but the batter was much too thin. I assume that the measurements here dont match up with the official weight measurement for flour.
I am sorry it did 🙁 I haven’t had that issue, so I am not sure what happened.
2 cups of flour weighs 250 grams. It could also depend on the altitude you are at.
These Funnel cakes are so fun to make as a family! Yummy traditions!
A fairly eaSy dessert thats just like the stuff you get at the fair. The kids love the warmth of this dessert with goOey hot fudge or powdered sugar.
We all like funnel cakes. They taste just like the ones at the fair. Warm and crisp with ooey gooey hot fUdge sauce and sometimes a splash of whip cream.
Have you tried rolling the oreos in milk chocolate and then rice crispys?
I haven’t, but I will try 🙂 Thanks!
tHIS FUNNEL CAKE DEFINITELY TAKES ME BACK TO THE FAIR! lOVE THE CHOCOLATE AND POWDERED SUGAR ON TOP. tHE HUBBY LIKES STRAWBERRIES. i LIKE THAT WE BOTH CAN HAVE WHAT WE LOVE 🙂
My husband loves funnel cake andbi look it up i like the way you yours so am going to try thank you
They are so good!! I hope he likes them!! Thanks!!
This was so good and easier than I thought it would be. My kids love it with chocolate sauce, but my husband and I like to put fruit on it.
I am so excited that I can have these anytime & not have to wait for the fair!! I love adding the hot fudge! These are the best! Thank you!
What a fun treat to make at home!
It sure is!! No need for the fair 🙂
I haven’t been to a single faire this year so I missed all the funnel cake…now I can make some at home! Thanks!
They are even better at home 😉 Enjoy!
I know my family is going to be asking me to make this for them all the time now! Sounds like a win/win to me!! Yum!!
Total win!! They are always a hit! Hope your family enjoys them!
Just what I needed to learn how to make at home! NOT! Looks so delicious!
Haha!! Once in a while 🙂 Thanks!
I love fair food and funnel cakes are my favorite!
Funnel cakes are my fav too! Thank you!
Yum! I can’t wait to try this!
Let me know what you think 🙂 Hope you like them!
Do you have a printed cookbook? If not… you need to!!!! I love your recipes!!! They remind me of my moms cooking!! Thx is for sharing your Hid given talent!!
Awe, you are so nice!! I do have E-books that you could get 🙂 Thank you so much!
I agree that you need to publish a hard/soft cover recipe book. With Ebooks, not everyone has a printer nor can afford one. I am able to take my phone into the kitchen, but I don’t usually take it in the kitchen because phones aren’t exactly the cleanest of devices even after cleaning them.
Just a thought! I know it’s pricey to publish a book, but you have enough people who would be willing to buy that book, including me. I will be making these funnel cakes soon. It’s probably my favorite fair food and the hubs too!
what is the temp for the oil?
The funnel cake recipe was delicious!!! I made a strawberry sauce to pour over it!!! Thank you!
I love funnel cakes!! Strawberry sauce sounds so good! Thanks for letting me know!
This is so good
SO glad you like it! They’re our favorite. 😀
I’m absolutely in love with funnel cakes! I usually don’t eat them until the fair comes to town. I’ve been looking for a simple recipe to follow and this is the one! I must ask, how many servings are in this recipe?
It really is super simple. It depends on how big you make them but we can usually get about 6 medium size cakes out of it. 😉
These are pretty close to tasting authentic. I found that after adding 1 tsp of granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, these are dead on! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Just curious if anyone has any suggestions as to why it doesn’t quite taste like funnel cake at the fairs,etc.
I followed the recipe exact, but it’s like it’s missing some flavor. Just doesn’t really have the taste I find the events funnel cakes taste like. Want to figure it out. Thanks in advance!!
Although they don’t taste exactly the same they still taste great. I’m thinking at the fairs they probably add lard and use a real deep fryer. 😉
Add vanilla extract
Wow! That looks so good. Better than the ones at the fair.
xoxo
They really are so delicious!! Add some of the homemade chocolate fudge sauce and it’s practically heaven!! 😉
Looks amazing! Pinned!
THANK YOU!!
I know is early but this sound great for breakfast right now 😉
They’re great any time of day!! 😉
I love funnel cakes. It brings such sweet memories of growing up and going to the local fair every year. So much fun!! This will be a great, surprise dessert for my girls this fall. Thanks for the recipe!!
Oh, your girls will love them. Back in AZ, we had them ALL the time… I need to make some asap – they’re my FAV!
YUM! Our family loves funnel cake too, and this is close to the recipe we use 🙂 Tip for those folks who don’t have a funnel… Pour the batter into a heavy duty zip top bag, snip a small portion off the bottom corner of the bag, and gently squeeze the batter into the hot oil in crosshatches and zigzags for each cake. Super simple and easy cleanup to boot!
Great tip, Stephanie! We also will pour the batter into a plastic squeeze bottle and use that too. Super easy and it makes the BEST funnel cakes!!