Homemade Crispy Onion Rings with a secret ingredient to make them extra crunchy and delicious! Get the tips and enjoy these super crispy appetizers for game day or parties.

As we can’t have a cooking blog called Onion Rings and Things and not have a recipe for this favorite snack food, here is a one from the genius of Chef John.
You guys, you’ve never had onion rings until you’ve tried this recipe! It includes a couple of interesting ingredients you’d never expect but surprisingly work well together into the best homemade onion rings you’ll ever have.
How Do You Make Batter for Onion Rings
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, instant mashed potatoes, and cayenne pepper. Add club soda and stir until smooth. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Dip the sliced onions in the thickened batter and then roll in panko bread crumbs to fully coat.
The magic key in the batter is the addition of club soda. The bubbles from the carbonation create a very light, airy batter for a super crispy texture. Make sure the soda is well chilled and whisk together the batter when ready to use so it doesn’t go flat.
Another contributing factor in the success of this recipe is the use of instant mashed potatoes which helps thicken the batter without making it too “doughy”.
Want the complete fast food experience at home? Serve these classic finger foods with buffalo burgers!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons instant mashed potatoes
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 cup cold club soda
- 3 Vidalia onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick rings
- 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
- oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Separate cut onions into individual rings.
- In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, instant mashed potatoes and cayenne powder.
- Add club soda and stir to combine. Set aside for about 1 minute as it slightly thickens.
- In a shallow dish, place panko crumbs.
- Dip individual pieces of onions into the batter to coat and then roll in panko crumbs.
- In a pan over medium heat, heat about 2 inches deep of oil to 350 F.
- Add panko-coated rings in batches as needed and deep-fry, turning once or twice, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp.
- Remove from pan, drain on a wire rack and season with salt to taste.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
i'm trying to help! says
Lose the Cedarville Cursive font!
Lalaine says
Thank you so much for your advice. I wanted a font from the usual but I guess, I made it harder for my readers to read. Thanks again.
David says
Can you bake them
Lalaine says
Yes, you can, but they won’t look as golden. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray to help with the browning. Bake in 450 F oven for about 15 minutes. Let me know how this turns out 🙂