Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Desserts

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 2 cakes

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Last updated on May 26, 2020

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Homemade funnel cakes are easier to make than you think! Better than the fair and you can make them anytime you want!

Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • Tips for making a Homemade Funnel Cake:
  • What to serve with funnel cakes:
  • More fun desserts you’ll love!
  • Homemade Funnel Cakes Recipe

This recipe was originally posted on Spend With Pennies.

I remember growing up (YES I’M GOING THERE), my youngest sister and I liked to experiment in the kitchen.

Occasionally, our mother would give in to our desires and we would get a little crazy, making the things we know she’d never usually go for like these easy Funnel Cakes.

We made these Funnel Cakes over and over, and I promise you — if a pair of adolescents can make these mostly without supervision and without burning themselves or the house down, you can, too!

Making a funnel cake is as easy as stirring together a batter, similar to pancake batter, and then pouring it into a large ziploc bag (or a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy), snipping the end and drizzling it into some hot oil.

It’s golden and crispy in just a few minutes, and then you just dust it with powdered sugar, or choose some of my topping options below, and devour.

I promise you they won’t last long!

Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (3)

Looking for some more easy dessert recipes inspired by my childhood (come on, I know you are!), you might also like myMom’s (Almost) No Bake Pineapple Squares, myMom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies, and myMom’s Double Chocolate Cookies.

Tips for making a Homemade Funnel Cake:

This Funnel Cake recipe makes just two large funnel cakes. Because funnel cakes really need to be eaten fresh, I wanted a small batch that can easily be doubled or tripled when you need.

  1. Start with your wet ingredients: milk, egg, water, vanilla.
  2. Add in your baking powder, salt, and sugar and whisk until completely smooth.
  3. Add the flour and whisk again until smooth.
  4. Heat 1″ of oil in a deep-edged pan over medium-high heat. When you can stick the end of a wooden spoon into the oil and bubbles form around the spoon, the oil is ready. Reduce to medium heat.
  5. Drizzle batter in thin lines all around the pot, swirling and overlapping as you prefer.
  6. Cook two minutes per side, just until golden, using tongs to carefully flip.
  7. Remove to a paper towel to drain excess oil, then dust with powdered sugar or add your toppings of choice and serve immediately.
Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (4)

What to serve with funnel cakes:

Traditionally, funnel cakes are served with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar — like the best, freshest powdered donut you’ve ever had in your life!

But the fun doesn’t have to end there. Here are a few more ideas:

  • Powdered sugar and fresh sliced strawberries
  • A scoop of your favorite ice cream
  • Mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate sauce
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar like a churro (warm chocolate dipping sauce required!)

More fun desserts you’ll love!

  • Frozen Hot Chocolate: 3 Ways
  • Caramel Puff Corn Recipe + VIDEO
  • Cinnamon Roll Bites

Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (5)

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Homemade Funnel Cakes

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 3 votes

Homemade funnel cakes are easier to make than you think! Better than the fair and you can make them anytime you want!

Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (7)

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Dessert

Servings 2 cakes

Calories 253.61cal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

  • In a large liquid measuring cup or medium batter bowl with a spout, whisk together milk, egg, water and vanilla.

  • Whisk in sugar, baking powder and salt until combined.

  • Gradually add the flour, and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside.

  • In a medium, deep-sided pan or pot, heat 1″ of oil to 375 degrees F over medium-high heat. When you put the end of a wooden spoon in the pot and bubbles form around the spoon, it’s ready. Reduce heat to medium.

  • Drizzle batter from cup in a thin line (you can also use a funnel to do this, holding your finger over the end to stop the flow of batter), swirling around the pan and overlapping as desired. Cook for 2 minutes or until light golden brown, then flip and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

  • Dust with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and serve. Repeat one more time with remaining batter.

Notes

*Nutrition facts do not account for the oil absorbed during the cooking process.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 253.61cal | Carbohydrates: 48.27g | Protein: 6.96g | Fat: 3.39g | Saturated Fat: 1.31g | Cholesterol: 84.89mg | Sodium: 66.55mg | Potassium: 255.56mg | Fiber: 0.84g | Sugar: 23.47g | Vitamin A: 168.21IU | Calcium: 111.77mg | Iron: 1.96mg

Keywords funnel cakes

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Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (8)

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lori says

    Ther are no ingredients or measuring, so I just add some of this and some of that mix together, put in bag and drizzle over hot oil?

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Lori! I’m so confused the recipe card is located above the area where you commented. You can even use the “jump to recipe” button to get you there faster. Could you please check again?

      Reply

  2. Blue says

    Lovely…. I really liked it.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Thanks!

      Reply

Leave A Reply

Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

What is funnel cake batter made of? ›

Traditional recipes call for a fairly standard batter: flour, eggs, sugar, milk, baking soda or baking powder, but I discovered that you can make awesome funnel cakes with "complete" buttermilk pancake mix (look for brands that only require the addition of water).

Why is my funnel cake not crispy? ›

It's important to keep to a frying temperature of around 375 degrees. Any higher than that, and your funnel cakes will brown before cooking through. At too low a temperature, the batter will absorb excess oil, resulting in a greasy, limp funnel cake.

How were funnel cakes made? ›

Funnel cakes are made by pouring batter into hot cooking oil in a circular pattern and deep frying the overlapping mass until golden-brown. The batter is commonly poured through a funnel, creating its texture and giving it its name. When made at concession stands, a pitcher with an integral funnel spout is employed.

Why is my funnel cake batter falling apart? ›

The most common reason your funnel cake is falling apart is your oil is too hot. This will cause the funnel cake batter to break apart when you pour it into the pan. Another reason your funnel cake may fall apart is your batter is too thick.

What is the difference between fried dough and funnel cake? ›

Fried dough doesn't put on airs or pretend to be something it isn't. It's simply fried dough. You can use bread dough or pizza dough, stretch it into a circle, drop it in hot oil and voila! Funnel cake, on the other hand, isn't dough at all.

What is the best oil to use for funnel cakes? ›

What oil is best for funnel cake? I recommend using a neutral oil for in my funnel cake recipe. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil all work great for this recipe and are my frying oils of choice for frying everything from apple fritters to fried pickles.

What temperature should oil be for funnel cake? ›

In a deep-fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Cover the bottom of a funnel with your finger. Ladle 1/2 cup of batter into funnel.

How to pour funnel cake mix? ›

Once the batter is mixed and the oil is hot, make the first cake by putting one finger over the hole in a funnel, then scoop a ladleful (about 1/2–3/4 cup) of batter into the funnel. Holding the funnel close to the surface of the oil, remove your finger from the hole and allow the batter to run into the oil.

Why is my funnel cake greasy? ›

A critical element often overlooked when making funnel cakes is the temperature of the frying oil. This can be the making or breaking point of homemade funnel cakes. If the oil is too cool, the cakes end up absorbing excess oil, resulting in a heavy, greasy outcome.

How much water do you add to funnel cake mix? ›

3 cups of Golden Barrel Funnel Cake Mix (1 lb) with 2 cups of water will make approximately six 6 inch funnel cakes. Pour batter through a funnel into fryer or frying pan. Use ring or mold if available.

How do you pour liquid into a bottle without a funnel? ›

“If you don't have a funnel and you don't want to make a mess, I would recommend either using a chopstick or a straw,” she added. She placed a chopstick into the receiving bottle and then placed the lip of her pouring container right up against the chopstick while pouring.

How to make a funnel out of tin foil? ›

To make an aluminum foil funnel, you can simply rip off a piece of foil and start shaping it into a cone, or, you can first make a paper funnel and then use it as a mold to make your waterproof tin foil funnel.

Can I use a water bottle as a funnel? ›

The beauty of using a water bottle as a funnel lies in its flexibility. The malleable plastic easily bends, allowing you to angle it into containers of different sizes and shapes, ensuring a clean and direct pour.

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