How to Make County Fair Funnel Cakes

The sweet aroma of powdered sugar and crispy batter always takes me back to childhood summers at the county fair. I’ll never forget watching the vendor create those perfect golden spirals, dusting them with clouds of powdered sugar while they were still warm. That first bite of crispy, tender funnel cake was pure magic. Now you can recreate that same fair experience right in your kitchen with just eight simple ingredients and no special equipment required.

Homemade funnel cakes dusted with powder sugar.

Why This Recipe Funnel Cake Recipe Works

This recipe creates the perfect funnel cake texture through a carefully balanced batter that’s thin enough to flow smoothly through a funnel yet thick enough to hold its spiral shape in hot oil. The brown sugar adds subtle caramel notes that complement the crispy exterior, while the proper oil temperature ensures a golden crust that’s never greasy. The key is achieving that perfect balance between crispy edges and tender interior that makes fair funnel cakes so irresistible.

Ingredients

  • Eggs – Provide structure and richness while helping bind the batter together
  • Milk – Creates tender texture and helps achieve the proper batter consistency
  • Brown sugar – Adds subtle caramel sweetness and helps with browning
  • All-purpose flour – Forms the base structure and provides the crispy texture
  • Baking powder – Creates light, airy bubbles for tender interior texture
  • Salt – Enhances flavors and balances the sweetness
  • Vegetable oil – Neutral frying medium that won’t compete with funnel cake flavor
  • Powdered sugar – A traditional finishing touch that adds sweetness and visual appeal
ingredients to make funnel cakes; flour, eggs, sugar, salt

How to Make Funnel Cakes

  1. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, and brown sugar.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Fill an electric skillet or deep fryer with 4 inches of oil and heat the oil to 375 degrees.
  5. Cover the bottom of a funnel with your finger and put 1/2 cup of funnel cake batter into the funnel.
  6. Hold the funnel several inches above the hot oil and move it in a spiral motion while the batter drains from the funnel.
  7. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  8. Drain the funnel cake on paper towels.
  9. Repeat with the remaining batter.
  10. Dust the funnel cakes with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Notes on Funnel Cake Technique

There is a good chance you won’t have one of those funnel cake tools to create the perfect funnel cake pattern. But you don’t need one, and here’s how to do it.

  • Once you have your electric skillet or deep fryer hot enough, you will need to pour the batter into a large funnel. Make sure to keep your finger covering the bottom before pouring about 1/2 cup of batter into it.
  • Hold the funnel several inches above the skillet, release your finger, and using a spiral motion, create your funnel cake. It will cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
  • If you don’t have a funnel, you can also use a large liquid measuring cup with a spout.
crispy homemade funnel cakes on a plate with powder sugar

And if you want to feel like you’re at the State Fair, make this State Fair Salad Dressing for dinner tonight!

Storage & Reheating Instructions

  • Immediate Serving: Best enjoyed fresh and warm immediately after frying
  • Short-term Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 2 hours, dust with fresh powdered sugar before serving
  • Reheating Method: Reheat in 350°F oven for 2-3 minutes to restore crispness. Never microwave as this makes them soggy
  • Freezing: Not recommended as texture becomes compromised

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Homemade funnel cakes dusted with powder sugar.

Easy Homemade Funnel Cakes Recipe

Crispy, golden funnel cakes just like the county fair! Made with simple pantry ingredients and no special equipment needed. Pure fried perfection.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: funnel cakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 332kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, and brown sugar.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
  • Add enough oil in an electric skillet or deep fryer so the depth is about 4 inches. You want to have an extra two inches of oil so the funnel cake can cook evenly.
  • Heat the oil to 375 degrees.
  • Cover the bottom of a funnel spout with your finger and ladle 1/2 cup of batter into funnel.
  • Holding the funnel several inches above the skillet, remove your finger from the bottom of the funnel and move the funnel in a spiral motion until all of the batter is released (scraping funnel with a rubber spatula if needed).
  • Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  • Drain the funnel cake on paper towels.
  • Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Dust the funnel cakes with powdered sugar.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

Tips for success
The secret to professional-looking funnel cakes lies in maintaining consistent oil temperature and steady hand movements. If you don’t have a traditional funnel, a large liquid measuring cup with a good spout works perfectly. The key is controlling the flow rate to create even spirals without gaps or overly thick sections.
For extra flavor depth, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients or a pinch of cinnamon to the dry mixture.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2.3mg

About Stephanie Manley

Stephanie Manley is the creator of CopyKat.com. She has been recreating copycat recipes since 1995. Learn more about Stephanie Manley.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda

    I just made the funnel cake, came out very good. I did add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. Loved it, so did my family. To make it look like the funnel cakes from the fair, I put the batter in a pastry bag and squeezed it out in a circle then swirled it around back and forth so the batter could connect to each other. Plate size funnel cake came out great, with a good crisp to it. YUM. I added the strawberries and powered sugar..WOW!!! This is a keeper. I did try to pour the batter with the measuring cup but it poured out too heavy and wasn’t a steady flow. I was able to make 5 funnel cakes, though it depends on how many times you swirl the batter back and forth. Thank You, This is really good!

  2. Linda

    I just made the funnel cake, came out very good. I did add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. Loved it, so did my family. To make it look like the funnel cakes from the fair, I put the batter in a pastry bag and squeezed it out in a circle then swirled it around back and forth so the batter could connect to each other. Plate size funnel cake came out great, with a good crisp to it. YUM. I added the strawberries and powered sugar..WOW!!! This is a keeper. I did try to pour the batter with the measuring cup but it poured out too heavy and wasn’t a steady flow. I was able to make 5 funnel cakes, though it depends on how many times you swirl the batter back and forth. Thank You, This is really good!

  3. Linda

    I just made the funnel cake, came out very good. I did add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. Loved it, so did my family. To make it look like the funnel cakes from the fair, I put the batter in a pastry bag and squeezed it out in a circle then swirled it around back and forth so the batter could connect to each other. Plate size funnel cake came out great, with a good crisp to it. YUM. I added the strawberries and powered sugar..WOW!!! This is a keeper. I did try to pour the batter with the measuring cup but it poured out too heavy and wasn’t a steady flow. I was able to make 5 funnel cakes, though it depends on how many times you swirl the batter back and forth. Thank You, This is really good!

  4. Liz Nelson

    5 stars
    Okay I love funnel cakes! I get one every time I go to a fair or an amusement park! Thanks for this recipe!

5 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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