This homemade funnel cake recipe is a fair favorite that you can make at home, no deep fryer required. It’s light, airy and crisp with a sweet dusting of powdered sugar!

Light and airy homemade funnel cake on a white plate dusted with powdered sugar.

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A Carnival Classic

Funnel cakes are a fair classic, right up there with a glass of lemonade from lemons, caramel apples, churros, and caramel popcorn. If you’ve ever been to any fair, carnival, or theme park chances are you’ve come across this delectable treat!

Everyone claims to have the best homemade funnel cake recipe around but I’m sure we can all agree there are no bad funnel cakes! Yet still, I managed to have created THE BEST recipe ;) It may look complicated, but I assure you it’s not, and you don’t even need a funnel!

Why You’ll Love Making Funnel Cakes

  • Crispy, golden perfection. The batter fries up quickly into a light, lacy spiral with crunchy edges and a soft center.
  • Quick and easy. Just pour the batter into hot oil and flip once. It cooks in minutes then top with powdered sugar!
  • Nostalgic and fun. Just like the ones at the fair, but made fresh at home whenever the craving hits.

Recipe Ingredients

Funnel cake ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Oil for frying: Vegetable or canola oil both work well thanks to their high smoke points and neutral flavor.
  • Milk, water, and eggs: These give the batter the right consistency and help it hold together.
  • Vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and salt: For classic funnel cake flavor! It makes this treat sweet, warm, and just a little spiced.
  • Flour and baking powder: Provide structure and just enough puff to keep the inside light and tender.
  • Powdered sugar: A must for topping!

How to Make Funnel Cake

Showing how to make funnel cake in a 6 step collage.
  1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, water, and vanilla together until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, stir the dry ingredients which are the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. Combine into a batter. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
  3. Funnel the batter into the oil. Grab your large funnel and place your finger underneath the bottom hole. Add 1 cup of the batter to the top opening of the funnel. Holding the funnel above the center of the pot with the hot oil, remove your finger and swirl the funnel around in a circular motion to create a 6-7 inch round cake, keeping it in a swirling motion until the cup of the batter has been emptied from the funnel. Fry the first side for 1 minute.
  4. Flip to fry both sides. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully flip it over and fry for another minute until both sides are golden brown.
  5. Allow it to cool and drain. Remove it from the oil and transfer it to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain the excess liquid. Repeat with remaining oil, making sure the oil stays at the same temperature before adding any batter.
  6. Serve. Enjoy warm sprinkled with powdered sugar or any of your favorite toppings.

Funnel Cake Topping Ideas

You can have so much fun with toppings on a homemade funnel cake!

Crisp, golden fried funnel cake dusted with powdered sugar on a parchment paper lined plate.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil stays at 375°F.
  • You always want to add the batter to hot oil. If it’s not hot enough, the batter will spread too much time absorbing grease while it fries. This makes it soggy.
  • Keep moving the funnel around in swirls. If you don’t, you risk having clumps of batter in one area that may not be fully cooked.
  • Measure flour properly using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method.
  • Use just 1/2 cup of batter for smaller funnel cakes. Or for a similar airy, fried dessert try my beignets.
Funnel cake with a piece removed showing the light, airy dough on the inside.

More fun desserts to make: fruit pizza, churro cupcakes, and s’mores pie!

More Fair Food Recipes

Funnel cake on a white plate with powdered sugar.

Funnel Cake Recipe

5 from 6 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
This homemade funnel cake recipe is a fair favorite that you can make right in your own kitchen without a deep fryer. It's light, crisp and airy with a sweet dusting of powdered sugar!
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Video

Equipment

  • 1 large funnel

Ingredients 

  • Vegetable oil , for frying
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Powdered sugar , for serving

Instructions

  • Heat oil. In a deep skillet, add 1-inch of oil. Heat over medium-low heat until temperature reaches 375°F on a digital thermometer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
  • Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well combined.
  • Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.
  • Combine. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture until smooth.
  • Fry batter. Using your finger, cover the bottom hole of a large funnel. Add 1 cup batter to the top of the funnel. Holding the funnel over the center of the skillet, remove your finger and swirl the funnel in a circular motion to create a 6- or 7-inch round cake. Fry 1 minute, or until bottom is golden brown. Flip and fry 1 minute more, or until golden brown all over. Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining batter, making sure the oil stays at 375 before adding batter.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Storage: I think these are best served fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 
Freeze: Store funnel cakes individually in airtight containers in the freezer up to 3 months. Wait to sprinkle with powdered sugar until thawed and reheated. 
Reheat: To make sure the funnel cakes get crispy, I recommend reheating them in an oven and not the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 65g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 193mg, Sodium: 390mg, Potassium: 536mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 370IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 248mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Can I still make this homemade funnel cake recipe without a funnel?

Definitely. If you don’t have a funnel, use a plastic squeeze bottle or a liquid measuring cup instead. You’ll know it’s meant for liquids as you’ll see it has a little spout on the side.

You can also use a piping bag to pipe the batter into the oil.

How do I turn this recipe into homemade funnel cake fries?

Easily! Instead of swirling the dough, add them to the oil in strips.

What’s the best type of pot to use for this recipe for funnel cake?

I use a deep skillet but any type of heavy bottom pot, like a Dutch oven, works too.

How to store leftovers?

These are best served fresh, but no one turns away leftover homemade funnel cake! Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven to regain crispiness or just enjoy it cold or at room temperature.