Homemade Funnel Cake
by Sommer Collier — on Mar 30, 2026 My homemade funnel cake recipe lets me enjoy this classic fair treat anytime I want. I deep fry a simple batter into crispy, pillowy, lightly chewy cakes dusted with powdered sugar using just a few basic ingredients and a squeeze bottle or funnel. This easy recipe is fun to make and delivers that nostalgic carnival flavor right at home.
I love my classic funnel cake recipe! It uses a simple homemade fry bread batter, kind of like a sweet version of my Navajo fry bread recipe, drizzled over hot oil to create an abstract, chaotic pattern that overlaps and holds together as it cooks. But how is it possible to make funnel cakes that actually taste as good – nay, better! – than you woud get at your favorite stand at the fairgrounds? I find the key to making really great funnel cakes is that you need a few simple equipment items: you need a large pot for deep frying, a cooking thermometer that clips to the side of the pot so you have an accurate temperature read, a squirt bottle for the batter, or a simple funnel. And toppings! You have to have the best toppings for the authentic carnival experience.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Like a Carnival, But Better – Sure, I still think it’s worth it to stand in a long line in the sun to get a warm and crisp funnel cake at the fair. But, in my opinion, they really do taste better made at home from scratch. You can skip the sunburn, and you have total control over the quality of ingredients and toppings, which I love.
Fun for the Family – While making homemade funnel cakes might not be quite as thrilling as an actual trip to an amusement park, kids and adults alike love squirting the batter into their own unique patterns. Plus, they’re great to eat with your hands, the type of unfussy dessert recipe you can rip apart and enjoy.
Oh, the Toppings – Let’s be real, funnel cakes are basically an edible canvas on which you can create a masterpiece of your favorite sweet toppings. Sometimes I sprinkle them with powdered sugar (AKA confectioner’s sugar), but often I’ll also douse them with all sorts of toppings like caramel sauce, hot fudge, jam, chocolate chips, or fresh fruit. I’ve got more ideas and links below!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Dry ingredients – I use all-purpose flour, granulated white sugar, baking powder, and salt. I can’t be 100% certain, but I’m willing to bet that’s far fewer ingredients than what a carnival stand uses to make their funnel cakes.
- Milk – Either whole or 2% milk is fine.
- Eggs – I let my eggs sit on the counter and come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before using. Cold eggs take longer to cook and can throw off the timing and texture.
- Vanilla extract – While there are many ways to cut costs in the kitchen, vanilla should never be on the chopping block… I always recommend spending a bit more to purchase a high-quality vanilla. It really makes a huge difference in flavor!
- Oil for frying – Either peanut oil or canola oil is the best high-heat fry oil. Both of these will cook fried funnel cakes evenly and quickly, and without adding much extra flavor to the dough.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Heat Oil – I start by pouring the oil into a large, deep 6-8 quart pot on the stove. I set the burner to medium-high heat and clip on the kitchen thermometer, making sure the tip is in the oil. The oil needs to be heated to 375 degrees F… Keep an eye on it as you make the batter to be sure it is getting hot, but does not go over 375.
While the oil is heating, I line a cooling rack or tray with paper towels to place the funnel cakes on when they come out of the oil.
Make the Funnel Cake Batter – Next, I add the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt – to a large measuring pitcher or bowl. (Using a measuring pitcher will make it easier to pour the batter into the squirt bottle or funnel.) I whisk those together, then add the wet ingredients – milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk everything well to create a smooth batter, just like with my Brazilian cheese bread recipe. There will be small lumps and the batter will be a bit bubbly… That’s totally ok, so don’t overmix!
Pour Batter into a Squirt Bottle – Now I carefully transfer the batter to my squirt bottle. As I mentioned, making the batter in a pitcher allows you to easily pour it into the bottle. But if you made the batter in a bowl instead, you can use a ladle with a lip or scoop it with a small measuring cup.
Depending on the size of your bottle, you might need to work in batches.
Fry Time – I check the thermometer on the pot to be sure the temperature has reached 375 degrees. Then moving quickly, I start by squirting the batter into the hot oil in a circular motion to make a large-ish circle (about 6 inches in diameter), then go back around and make smaller circles, zig zags and wiggly lines to fill in the large circle. Depending on the size of your pot, you might be able to make just 2-3 funnel cakes at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot! The temperature of the oil will come down a bit to 350 degrees F as the cakes cook, but don’t let the temp go down any further. You might need to turn the heat up slightly to keep it in the sweet spot.
I fry the funnel cakes for 30 seconds, use tongs to carefully flip them, and continue to cook for another 30 seconds or so. But this is just a rough estimate, so pay close attention to the color of the cakes… As soon as they start to turn golden-brown, I use the tongs to pull them out of the oil and set them on the paper towels. Wait to get the temperature back up to 375 degrees before squirting in the next batch of batter.
Expert Tips
Obviously, a funnel is how this recipe got its name, but I find a squirt bottle creates less of a mess as you’re making the cakes. However, you can use an actual funnel if you prefer. Hold the funnel in one hand, a few inches above the hot oil. Then use a ladle or small measuring scoop to pour 1/4-1/3 cup of batter into the funnel as you quickly move it around the pot to make the squiggly lines.
Before starting each new batch, use a skimmer to scoop out any little over-fried crunchy pieces of batter that float off as the funnel cakes cook. Then check that the oil temperature has increased back to 375 degrees before squirting in more batter. (It will come down again to 350 once the next batch of batter is squirted in.)
While they need to drain and cool slightly, funnel cakes are meant to be served hot straight out of the oil for the best flavor and texture. This is why it’s fun to let everyone make their own fry bread… They can fry them up, walk away to add their toppings, and enjoy, freeing up the pot for the next person.
Best Toppings
I think a dusting of powdered sugar is the most classic fair-style topping. But this is your funnel cake to load up with whatever goodies you want! I like to put out a variety of toppings and let everyone help themselves…
- Caramel sauce
- Hot fudge sauce or chocolate syrup
- Strawberry sauce
- Fruity jam, like homemade freezer jam
- Whipped cream or frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip)
- Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or other sweet baking chips
- Pie fillings, like canned or homemade cherry pie filling
- Fresh fruit like cut strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or raspberries
Storage Notes
Homemade fry cakes really do taste better when you eat them shortly after frying, while they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. That being said, you can store them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days. Note that if you need to stack them to fit inside the container, I recommend putting a piece of parchment paper between each layer to keep them from sticking.
You can also freeze them for longer storage. I suggest wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap, then storing them together in a ziploc bag and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter for 20-30 minutes before reheating.
The best way to reheat them is in the oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 minutes, or air fry for 5-6 minutes, flipping the cakes once at the halfway mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the cake is crumbly, it likely means the batter wasn’t quite right, or the oil was too hot. Take care not to overwork the batter when whisking, and get the oil to 375 degrees F before frying.
A greasy funnel cake is probably due to the oil dropping in temperature too much once the batter is squirted in. The temp will naturally drop down to around 350 degrees, and you need to be sure it doesn’t go any lower than this. Quickly increase the heat if needed – but not too much!
Also, let the cakes rest on paper towels for a minute. This is super important to soak up any excess oil.
Again, this is probably an issue with the oil temperature not being hot enough. Keep it at 350 degrees, and deep fry the cakes long enough to get a light honey color on both sides.
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More Dessert Recipes
Homemade Funnel Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 quarts oil for frying peanut or canola oil
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Set a large 6-8 quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and clip a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot. Make sure the tip of the thermometer is down in the oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Set a paper towel lined tray to the side for the finished funnel cakes.
- Meanwhile, set out a mixing bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk well, until the mixture is completely smooth. (No clumps.) Pour the batter into a squirt bottle. You can cut the tip of the squirt bottle to make the batter come out easier.
- Once the oil reaches the right temperature, squirt the batter into the hot oil. Move fast, making a 6 inch circle, then filling it in with small circles or zig zags. The temperature will come down as the cake cook. Adjust the temperature as needed, to keep it around 350 degrees F.
- Fry the funnel cake for 30-60 seconds per side, flipping once. Try to pull each funnel cake out of the oil when it reaches a light honey color, or it will cool and be too crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining batter refilling the squirt bottle as needed. Once all the funnel cakes are ready, give them a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar. Serve warm and fresh.
