Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe (2024)

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 amusement 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.

Top with Ice Cream. Scoop your favorite ice cream on top and if you want to make it a sundae add some whipped cream and a cherry too. We also love adding hot fudge sauce on top for an extra special treat.

Chocolate Sauce. One of my kid’s favorite toppings is chocolate sauce, you can use the store bought or make homemade chocolate fudge and either drizzle it on top or dip into it.

Fresh Fruit. On top of powdered sugar blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are great to put on top.

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