Fried Coke
intro
Crispy, puffed cola-flavored fried bites drizzled with thick Coke syrup, topped with whipped cream and cherries—the nostalgic, iconic state fair sweet treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Reduce cola for syrup
Pour 120 ml (1/2 cup) of full-sugar Coca-Cola into a small 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it reduces to 60 ml (1/4 cup) of thick, glossy, sticky syrup. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Prepare Coke batter
In a large 2-quart mixing bowl, whisk together 190 grams (1.5 cups) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder, 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) fine table salt until evenly combined. Add the beaten large egg and remaining 240 ml (1 cup) of room-temperature Coca-Cola, stirring gently just until combined—do not overmix, as a few small lumps will keep the fried bites light and tender.
Heat frying oil
Pour 1 liter (4 cups) of canola or peanut frying oil into a deep 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot or countertop deep fryer. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 175°C (350°F), measured with a clip-on candy thermometer. Hold this temperature throughout frying by adjusting burner heat as needed to prevent burning or soggy bites.
Fry batter dollops
Carefully drop level 1-tablespoon scoops of batter into the hot oil, working in small batches of 5-6 bites to avoid dropping the oil temperature. Fry for 2.5 minutes total, flipping each bite halfway through cooking with a slotted metal spoon, until bites are fully puffed, deep golden brown, and crispy on all sides.
Drain and dust bites
Lift fried bites from the oil with the slotted spoon, letting excess oil drip back into the pot for 5 seconds, then transfer to a wire rack lined with 2 layers of paper towels to drain remaining excess oil for 1 minute. While bites are still warm, dust them evenly with 2 tablespoons (15 grams) of powdered sugar, turning to coat all sides.
Assemble and serve
Divide the warm, sugar-dusted fried bites evenly between 4 serving cups. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the cooled cola reduction, top with a 2-tablespoon dollop of whipped heavy cream, and finish with 2 stemmed maraschino cherries per serving. Serve immediately while bites are hot and crispy.
Tips
2.Avoid overmixing the batter: a few small lumps are ideal, as overstirring develops gluten in the flour and leads to tough, dense fried bites instead of light, puffy ones.
3.Serve immediately after assembling: the warm fried bites will lose their crisp texture within 5-7 minutes once drizzled with syrup and topped with cream, so make and serve fresh for best results.
OMG I made this for our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were lined up for seconds! I was so nervous fried Coke would be a weird flop but it tasted exactly like the state fair version I wait all summer to get. 10/10 will make again for our next potluck.
Wait, you can actually MAKE fried Coke at home? I thought this was only something you paid $12 for at the fair. Tried it last night, so easy even my terrible cooking self didn’t mess it up. Game changer for movie nights!
Made these for my teen’s after-game snack last night and the whole team devoured them in 10 minutes flat. My only note is don’t skimp on letting the batter rest a little, it makes them so much fluffier! SO good.
I swapped the regular flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking blend and these turned out PERFECT. I haven’t had fried Coke since I went gluten free 6 years ago, I almost cried taking the first bite. Thank you for this easy recipe!
Tried this yesterday and it was way easier than I expected! Cook time was exactly 25 minutes like the recipe said, no surprises. Only thing I added was a little cherry on top of each one, gave it that old-school soda fountain vibe.
My kids begged me to make this after they saw a TikTok of fair food, and I was skeptical but wow. Even my picky 7 year old who hates everything ate three of them! Will be adding this to our summer rotation for sure.
Total cost to make this was like $4, compared to the $15 I spent on one order of fried Coke at the state fair last month. Tastes identical, no long lines, no overpriced admission. Absolute win in my book.
I messed up and used diet Coke first time around and it was… not great. Made it again with regular classic Coke like the recipe says and it was perfect! Don’t cut corners with diet, y’all, the sugar makes it taste right.
Made these for a movie night with my roommates and we all agreed they tasted better than the ones we got at the LA County Fair last year. Pro tip: serve with a side of vanilla ice cream, trust me.
I brought these to our beach potluck last weekend and even the people who said ‘fried Coke sounds gross’ came back for seconds. The batter is so light, not heavy and greasy like I was worried it would be. 10/10
Wait I burned the first batch because my oil was way too hot, oops. Turned the temp down like the recipe notes said for the second batch and they came out golden and perfect. Don’t be like me, use a candy thermometer to check the oil temp!
Made these over the campfire last weekend in my cast iron dutch oven and they worked perfectly! Thought for sure they’d be a messy camp fail but they were the hit of the camping trip.
I was worried this would be super complicated but it’s genuinely easy enough for a total beginner. Cook time was spot on, ingredients are all stuff I already had in my pantry. Will be making these for my book club meeting next week!