If you’ve ever been to a fair or carnival in the US, you’ve likely seen or eaten funnel cake: a tangled web of crisp batter coated in lots of powdered sugar. The sweetness and crunch are simply irresistible! They’re one of my favorite fair foods and are shockingly easy to make at home in about 30 minutes flat!
Funnel cakes are often made with pancake mix, but when I was testing how to make funnel cakes, I found that a from-scratch batter was much tastier and just as easy. You only need a few basic pantry ingredients to quickly stir together the batter, many of which you need when using a boxed mix anyway. Plus, the flavor is superior with all fresh ingredients. Each funnel cake cooks in about 3 minutes, so altogether this is a fast recipe!
A reader, Andrea, says: “My son wanted funnel cake for his birthday…This recipe made it so easy. He loved them.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love My Recipe
Making my funnel cake recipe is so easy and delicious!
- Super easy and fast to make. The batter whisks together while the oil heats up—it’s as easy as making pancake batter from scratch!
- Tastes just like the best fair food! You don’t have to wait for the next fair to enjoy funnel cakes! They are super tasty, crispy, and sweet, made right at home.
- No special equipment needed. You can use a normal funnel or a measuring cup with a spout to make funnel cakes at home! Fair vendors often use a special batter funnel, but you definitely don’t need it for excellent results.
Simple Ingredients To Make Funnel Cakes
These are the main ingredients you need to make homemade funnel cakes. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Oil — the best oil for deep frying is peanut oil, as its smoke point is high and it has a neutral flavor (so it won’t affect the flavor of finished fried foods). If you have a peanut allergy, use another neutral oil like vegetable oil. Canola oil can sometimes make fried food taste bitter or rancid when frying at higher temperatures, so I wouldn’t use it for this recipe.
Milk — milk thins out the batter and hydrates the flour. If you find that your batter is too thick, you can add a splash more and whisk it in.
Eggs — eggs bind the batter together and make it puff in the oil. Set them out about 30 minutes before you start working on this recipe. Room temperature eggs are easier to mix with other ingredients than cold ones.
Sugar — a very small amount of granulated sugar is all you need in the batter, since the funnel cakes are generously dusted with powdered sugar before serving. This small amount added to the batter helps the funnel cake batter turn golden and crispy on the outside.
Can I make this gluten-free?
I have not tested a gluten-free funnel cake, but you can try substituting an equal amount of gluten-free flour (choose a blend that contains xanthan gum) for the all-purpose flour. You may need to add a splash more milk as gluten-free flour tends to absorb more liquid than regular flour.
Do I Need A Funnel To Make Funnel Cakes?
A funnel is the best option for easily pouring the batter into the hot oil. However, you can make funnel cake without a funnel using other tools to pour or drizzle the batter into the oil. Here are the options for how to make the classic funnel cake shape:
Three Ways To Drizzle The Batter:
- Funnel: This is what I use in the recipe. The opening is the perfect thickness to quickly and easily drizzle batter into the oil.
- Measuring cup: You can use a small liquid measuring cup that has a spout so you can pour the batter in a thin stream into the oil.
- Squeeze bottle: If you have a squeeze bottle with a wider tip (about ¼- to ½-inch opening), you can use that to squeeze the batter into the hot oil!
Why Is My Funnel Cake Falling Apart?
To keep the funnel cake in one piece, make sure the batter overlaps when you drizzle it in. Make a nest or web-type shape so the pieces intertwine and stick together. This will give you a cohesive funnel cake that won’t fall apart.
Because funnel cake cooks so quickly, if the batter doesn’t pour in a steady, smooth stream, it can fry into individual pieces in the hot oil. If you notice the batter is too thick to easily flow out of the funnel, add a splash more milk.
Pro Tips For The Best Funnel Cakes
A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help the temperature of the oil from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, then use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.
If you are not using a scale to measure the flour, then be sure to fluff the flour with a spoon and then sprinkle it into the measuring cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the cup. If you add too much flour, it will cause the batter to be too thick to pour through a funnel.
A candy thermometer is a great tool to help get the temperature of the oil right. If the oil is too hot, the exterior will burn before the interior cooks. If the oil is not hot enough, the funnel cake will absorb too much oil as it cooks, making it greasy.
How To Make Funnel Cake
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the homemade funnel cake recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making easy funnel cake. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches between 365°F and 375°F. While the oil heats up, work on the funnel cake batter. To a large bowl, add the milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Whisk until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
4. Get a large funnel and place a finger over the narrow opening at the bottom. Spoon about ⅓ cup of batter into the funnel. Then hold the funnel just a few inches from the surface of the hot oil. Remove your finger and move the funnel in a swirling or circular motion over the oil so the batter drizzles in a round, web-like pattern.
5. Fry the funnel cake for a minute or 2 per side until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate, just for a minute to get rid of excess oil.
6. Place the fried funnel cakes on a plate and dust liberally with powdered sugar. Continue with the rest of the batter.
Funnel Cake Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Whisk
- Large bowl
- Funnel
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 quarts vegetable or peanut oil for frying
- ¾ cup whole milk (180mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar for serving
Instructions
- Pour enough oil into a large Dutch oven or pot to cover the bottom by 2 inches. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches between 365°F and 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or serving plates with paper towels.
- While the oil is heating, in a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture until combined.
- Hold a large funnel in one hand and place a finger over the opening at the bottom to stop anything from coming out. Ladle about ⅓ cup (80ml) of the batter into a funnel.
- Hold the funnel a few inches from the surface of the oil. Starting near the center of the pot, remove your finger from the bottom, and move the funnel in a circular or swirling motion over the oil, drizzling the batter to create about a 6-inch round web of funnel cake batter. (You should be able to cook two at a time.)
- Fry until deep golden brown, flipping over when needed, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the funnel cake with a slotted spoon or spider and let drain on the paper towels for about a minute.
- Place the funnel cakes on a plate and dust them well with powdered sugar. Continue frying more cakes with the remaining batter. Funnel cakes are best served hot shortly after frying.
Notes
- If the batter is too thick to pour smoothly out of the funnel, stir in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pours well. The batter should still be slightly thick, but pourable.
- Placing the freshly fried cakes on a paper towel before serving can help absorb extra oil. They only need a minute or so on the paper towels, so they won’t get soggy before serving.
- Can the batter be made ahead of time? Yes! You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days before frying the funnel cakes. It will thicken as it chills, so whisk it and add more milk if needed.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Funnel cakes are definitely best enjoyed freshly fried. If you have leftovers, brush off the sugar and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Reheat in the air fryer or toaster oven at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes or until crispy on the outside. Dust again with confectioner’s sugar and enjoy.
The best part about making this recipe at home is that the options for your favorite toppings are unlimited! You can top with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, fresh fruit, sprinkles, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, vanilla ice cream, and more!
For a delicious flavor twist, turn freeze-dried fruit into a powder by grinding the pieces in a spice grinder or food processor and whisking with powdered sugar before dusting the hot funnel cakes. Or, dust with plain powdered sugar and sprinkle the sugared funnel cakes with cinnamon or your favorite baking spice.
Yes! You can pipe the batter in long straight lines into the oil instead of swirling to make the cake. You can do this with a squeeze bottle or a piping bag.
More Recipes To Try
If learning how to make funnel cake has you in the mood for more fair-favorites, give these recipes a try!
Homemade churros are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Roll them in cinnamon sugar and dunk them into a rich chocolate dipping sauce.
Don’t be intimidated by my soft pretzels recipe! They’re easier to make than they look. Shape them into the traditional pretzel shape or cut into small pieces to make pretzel bites!
Apple fritters have so much flavor! They’re loaded with fresh apples and ground cinnamon, and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze.
I love making apple cider donuts in the fall. They’re cakey, moist, and so flavorful. You can use store-bought or homemade apple cider to make them.
If you’re a fan of sweet-salty combos, try making homemade kettle corn! It’s such a great snack for movie nights or on game day.
If you’ve tried this easy funnel cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Jila says
I just made this, it turned out so awesome. In the past I tried some other recipes, but each turned out either very soggy or very dry and burned. A million thanks.
Mridu Mahindra says
Your measurements are always accurate … In love with your recipes🔥
Andrea says
Thank you so much. My son wanted funnel cake for his birthday. I’d made them once before and it was a disaster. This recipe made it so easy. He loved them.
Dorothea says
I tried it out. And it was very nice. Everyone loved it. I wish I could send a picture. Thanks for the lovely recipe.