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Crispy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Rings Recipe

These cinnamon sugar apple rings are slices of crisp apple dipped in a simple pancake-style batter, pan-fried until golden, then tossed in cinnamon sugar while still hot. Imagine the warm, spicy bite of an apple cider donut, but with an actual warm, crisp apple in the center.

A plate of sugar-coated apple ring fritters sits on a wooden board, with two whole red apples nearby.

I made these on a whim for a short video and ended up keeping the recipe because they were so good straight from the cinnamon sugar bowl. The concept grew from a savory pancake idea I tested earlier in the season, but I made this version sweet: apple rings coated in a cottage cheese pancake batter, cooked in a skillet, then finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.

The batter cooks into a thin, golden shell that lets the apple stay warm and retain a pleasant crunch. Fresh from the skillet, they taste remarkably like biting into a warm apple cider donut, with the added satisfaction of a real apple center.

A plate of sugared apple slices, coated in batter and fried until golden brown, sits on a wooden surface. The slices have a crispy, textured appearance and a dusting of cinnamon sugar.

Why You Should Make These

  • More apple than batter – The coating is thin and golden, so each bite gives you plenty of real apple alongside the crispy exterior.
  • No deep frying – These cook in a lightly greased skillet, so you get a fried-like result without a large pan of hot oil.
  • Quick, easy batter – The batter comes together in minutes with an immersion blender or regular blender.
  • Cottage cheese adds protein – When blended smooth, cottage cheese thickens the batter and adds protein without altering flavor noticeably.
  • No peeling required – Leave the skin on for texture and flavor. Core and slice, then dip and cook.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Apples: Choose a firm, crisp variety and leave the skin on. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji or Granny Smith all work well depending on whether you prefer sweet or tart.

Pancake mix: About 100 grams (roughly 1/2 cup) of a mix you like. This makes up most of the coating, so use a brand you trust.

Cottage cheese: 110 grams (about 1/2 cup). Blend it completely smooth so the batter is creamy and cohesive.

Eggs: Two eggs give structure and help the batter brown.

Milk: Up to 2 tablespoons, added only if needed to thin the batter. Depending on your mix and cottage cheese, you may not need any.

Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves add warm fall flavor to the batter beyond the cinnamon sugar coating.

Cinnamon sugar coating: Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and have it ready to toss the rings in straight from the pan.

A hand holds a fried apple ring coated with cinnamon sugar above a plate stacked with more apple rings, all with holes in the center and golden brown edges.

Pro tip

Watch the Batter Consistency

The batter should coat the apple rings completely but drip slowly. Start without milk and add a little only if the batter is too thick to pour or slowly drip from the apple ring.

Step-by-Step Instructions

These come together fast once the apples are sliced. Have the cinnamon sugar mixed and a spatula ready before you start cooking.

A white container filled with flour, cinnamon, and a drizzle of vanilla extract sits on a wooden surface, with a blurred cutting board and sliced apples in the background.
  1. Make the batter: Combine the pancake mix, cottage cheese, eggs and spices in a bowl or blender container. Hold off on the milk; cottage cheese moisture varies.
A person uses an immersion blender to blend a batter mixture in a cottage cheese container. Sliced apples with cores removed are on a cutting board nearby.
  1. Blend until smooth: Use an immersion blender or regular blender to eliminate curds. If too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until the batter slowly drips.
A round apple slice with a hole in the middle is being dipped into creamy batter, with apples and cottage cheese container in the background.
  1. Dip the apple rings: Core and slice the apples into substantial rings, leaving the skin on. Dunk each ring into the batter, coat both sides and let excess drip back into the bowl.
Three round apple slices dipped in pancake batter are cooking on a black skillet. Two slices are golden brown and one is still raw with visible bubbles forming in the batter.
  1. Cook until golden: Add the rings to a lightly greased skillet over medium-low heat. Let the first side brown before flipping. Aim for cooked batter and a warmed apple that keeps some crispness.
Hands dipping a round apple slice with a hole in the center into a bowl of cinnamon sugar. Sliced apples are visible on a cutting board in the background.
  1. Coat immediately: Remove cooked rings from the pan and toss them straight into the cinnamon sugar while hot so it adheres evenly.
A plate of baked apple rings coated with cinnamon sugar, with red apples and a wooden cutting board in the background.
  1. Serve warm: These are best eaten straight from the pan, freshly coated in cinnamon sugar.

Pro tip

No Apple Corer? No Problem.

If you don’t have an apple corer, press the top of a small spice jar or use a melon baller to remove the core and create a neat hole for each ring.

What to Do With Extra Batter

You’ll likely have leftover batter after coating two large apples. That’s intentional — you need enough for dipping. The easy solution is to turn the extra batter into pancakes.

Quick idea: Cook small pancakes in the same skillet and sprinkle a little extra cinnamon sugar on top while they finish cooking for a matching treat.

A close-up of apple slices coated in batter, fried to a golden brown, and dusted with sugar, served on a white plate atop a wooden surface. One slice has a bite taken out.

Storing and Reheating

These taste best right from the skillet. The cinnamon sugar coating will lose some texture if refrigerated, so avoid making them far in advance when possible.

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a lightly greased skillet or an air fryer to restore crispness. The microwave will make the pancake coating soft, so use it only if you’re short on time. A quick sprinkle of fresh cinnamon sugar after reheating brightens them up.

More Ways to Use Apples

If you have more apples to use, try them in baked oatmeal, homemade apple chips, or a classic apple crisp. These rings are an easy way to celebrate apple season with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Rings

Servings: 4 • Prep: 10 mins • Cook: 15 mins • Total: 25 mins

Ingredients

  • 100 g pancake mix (about 1/2 cup)
  • 110 g cottage cheese (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk, as needed to thin batter
  • 2 large apples, sliced with core removed (about 360 g)

Cinnamon sugar coating

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Combine the cottage cheese, pancake mix, eggs, spices and optional milk in a bowl. Blend with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth.
  2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Dip each apple ring into the batter and let excess drip off.
  4. Pan-fry the apple rings in a large, lightly greased skillet over medium-low heat until golden and cooked through on both sides.
  5. Remove rings from the pan and immediately toss in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat until all rings are coated.
  6. Serve warm.

Notes

You will likely have leftover batter. Use it to make pancakes or coat additional apple slices. Sprinkle extra cinnamon sugar on those pancakes as they cook for a cohesive treat.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

  • Calories: 215 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 34 g
  • Protein: 8 g
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Sugar: 23 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.