A favorite treat from the fair that you can make at home. Classic Oreo cookies get battered, then deep fried. They're a crazy indulgent treat!
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If it's one of those years when you just can't make it to the fair - whether because of the cost or the weather or your crazy schedule, you may be feeling especially sad about missing out on fair treats.
Well, that's certainly how I've been feeling this summer! Lucky for you and me we can still get our fix, by making favorite fair treats at home! Like this sweet and tempting goodie: the Fried Oreo.
Fried Oreos were not a fair treat that I ever had growing up, and that made sense when I learned that they weren't created until 2002. So my kids' generation and all those after will always associate Fried Oreos with the fair.
Fried Oreos History
The first Fried Oreo debuted in 2002 at the San Diego County Fair, created by a food vendor named Charlie Boghosian - affectionately known as "Chicken Charlie". In an effort to differentiate himself from other vendors at the fair, he gained a reputation as the man who would fry anything. Truly: in addition to food he has fried shoes, hats, and Conan O'Brien's sunglasses.
We have him to thank for treats like fried Kool-Aid, deep-fried filet mignon, and a cheeseburger sandwiched between two Krispy Creme doughnuts. Of all his experimentation and fried food inventions, Boghosian says the Fried Oreo has been hands down his most popular.
Why you'll love this recipe
Because they're so delicious and not that hard to make! Whip up a quick batter and heat your oil. The Oreos get dunked in the batter and then fried. After frying, you'll find that the crispy cookie has become tender, and it almost melts in your mouth as you bite through!
This is a great treat to make for a weekend snack, sleepovers, as a birthday party treat, and for movie nights. Though you may be accustomed to getting Fried Oreos in the summer, this is a treat you can really make any time of the year.
Making these at home gives you a fun opportunity: to try different varieties of Oreos! They have soooo many kinds: peanut butter, birthday cake, holiday colors, double-stuffed. At the fair you may get only one choice of Oreo... at home you can try any kind you want.
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the batter
Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together, then slowly add in the dry until they are just combined.
Step 2: Heat the oil
Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-duty cast iron pot or enameled cast iron pot like this one. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F.
Step 3: Dunk and fry the Oreos
Have your work area ready with the Oreos, the bowl of batter, and a paper towel-lined rack. Drop a few Oreos into the batter and coat them on all sides. Slide these battered Oreos into the hot oil. Fry them until they are evenly browned all over. Then move them to the paper towels to drain.
Step 4: Enjoy
Dig into these Oreos while they're still warm!
Notes:
- Maintaining the proper oil temp is key to getting great fried Oreos. Heat the oil to a temperature of 350 degrees F, and adjust the heat as you cook to maintain this temp. A thermometer is the best way to get the temperature you need – I would suggest picking up a digital thermometer like this one. It’s inexpensive and you can use it for all of your cooking and baking.
- Check your oil often during cooking: if it drops below 350 degrees, increase the heat a little to bring it back up. If it’s too hot, slide the pan off the burner to rapidly drop the temperature. Turn down the burner a little and put the pot back on the heat.
- Try original Oreos or one of the many varieties they have. (We really like the fried peanut butter Oreos.) You get to make your own uniquely flavored Fried Oreos!
Ready for a bite of fair food delight? The recipe for Fried Oreos is below. And here are a few more fair favorites you can make at home!
💬 Did you make your own Fried Oreos at home? How did they turn out? What's your favorite fair food treat? Tell me below in the comments, and rate this recipe!
Fried Oreos
Equipment
- 2 - 3 quart heavy duty pot for frying, like a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot.
- Slotted metal spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4½ ounces milk (little over ½ cup), plus extra in case the batter needs thinning
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus enough extra oil to fry the Oreos (see below)
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 22 Oreo cookies
Instructions
Prepare the frying area:
- Place a large plate or cooling rack lined with paper towels near the cooking area – this will hold the finished Oreos. Have a heavy duty pot, like cast iron or enameled cast iron, a metal slotted spoon, and vegetable oil for frying ready to go.
Make the batter:
- Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Hold this aside.
- Whisk together the 4½ ounces of milk, the egg, and the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil together in a medium bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Whisk them together, and stop the moment the batter is combined and smooth.
Heat the oil:
- Pour vegetable oil into the heavy-duty pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat – you want the oil to reach a temperature of 350° F, so check the oil often with a thermometer.
- While the oil heats, get your Oreos out on a plate next to the bowl of batter. Have a fork ready, too. Arrange these to be close by the frying area.
Coat, then fry the Oreos:
- Once the oil is at 350° F, drop 2 or 3 Oreos into the batter. Use a fork to turn and coat them. Then use the fork to lift them from the batter and let excess drain away. CAREFULLY slide the cookies into the oil.
- Use the metal slotted spoon to carefully turn the Oreos so that the brown on all sides. This should only take a couple of minutes. When they are finished, lift them from the oil to the paper towel lined plate or rack.
- Continue coating and frying the Oreos until they are all fried.
- Enjoy the Oreos while they're warm!
- Makes about 22 fried Oreos. Store leftover Oreos for 1-2 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
VARIATION:
- Try this recipe with different flavors of Oreos - like Double Stuffed, Peanut Butter, or Carrot Cake! You can even use mini Oreos.
OPTION: Save your oil
- You can save and reuse your cooking oil for your next batch of fried Oreos or other fried food. Let the oil cool, then pour it through a paper towel-lined strainer to removed the solids. Save the oil in a closed bottle or other container.
Notes
- Maintaining the proper oil temp is key to getting great fried Oreos. Heat the oil to a temperature of 350 degrees F, and adjust the heat as you cook to maintain this temp. A thermometer is the best way to get the temperature you need – I would suggest picking up a digital thermometer like this one. It’s inexpensive and you can use it for all of your cooking and baking.
- Check your oil often during cooking: if it drops below 350 degrees, increase the heat a little to bring it back up. If it’s too hot, slide the pan off the burner to rapidly drop the temperature. Turn down the burner a little and put the pot back on the heat.
- Try original Oreos or one of the many varieties they have, to make your own uniquely flavored Fried Oreos!
Nutrition
Tell me what you think—comment below!