Vegan funnel cake is a great way to enjoy traditional fair food at home with fewer calories for those on a vegan diet.
The most delicious treat you can get at a state fair or at amusement parks is a funnel cake. Unfortunately, they aren’t very friendly to those with dietary preferences such as a vegan or dairy-free lifestyle.
The good news is that you can make them at home with some simple ingredients and about an hour’s worth of time. Traditional funnel cakes contain milk, but we are going to make this a dairy-free funnel cake by using a dairy milk alternative.
While funnel cakes are named for the traditional method of using a funnel, you can make the delicious vegan funnel cakes easier by using a squeeze bottle to control the amount of batter.
Serving Suggestions & Tips
- A cast iron skillet of about 6.5” diameter works well for this recipe.
- Your batter should look similar in consistency to pancake batter.
- Depending on how much oil the batter absorbs, you may need to add more oil about halfway through. It works best to have about 1.5 inches of oil in the pan.
- Use a metal spatula or skimmer to flip and remove the funnel cakes.
- Replace the almond milk with any other plant-based milk for a plant-based diet, such as soy milk or coconut milk.
- You can use an old ketchup bottle or a piping bag to pour the batter into the pan. A traditional funnel works, but you have to have a way to stop the batter from pouring out when you have enough in the pan.
- Make sure the squeeze bottle has a large enough opening so you aren’t forcing the batter into the pan, causing it to splash hot oil everywhere.
- Instead of using a frying pan, you can make these in a deep fryer if you have one.
- Cook only one funnel cake at a time so they don’t grow and stick together.
- Make the batter ahead of time then store it in a squeeze bottle or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Make sure to stir the batter well before using. If the batter thickens, add a small amount of dairy-free milk to the batter.
Topping Ideas
Funnel cakes are delicious on their own, but the toppings can take them to the next level! Try one of these in place of traditional funnel cake recipes with powdered sugar topping.
- Coconut Flakes with Pineapple Chunks
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Honey or Maple Syrup
- Strawberries with Whipped Cream
- Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, or other Fresh Berries
- Banana Slices with a Caramel Drizzle
- Apple Pie Filling with Cinnamon
- Nutella with Strawberries
- Chocolate Syrup
- Chopped Nuts
- Crushed Oreos with Whipped Cream
- Peanut Butter Drizzle with Mini Reese’s Pieces
- Vanilla Ice Cream and Hot Fudge
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream with Crushed Oreos
- Whipped Cream and Sprinkles
- Salted Caramel with Pecans
- Marshmallow Fluff and Crushed Graham Crackers
Vegan Funnel Cake Step by Step
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 ½ cups bleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups almond milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Other
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Preparation
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
In a second bowl, whisk the almond milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well until there aren’t any lumps in the batter. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small but deep cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.
Pour the batter into a squeeze bottle or use a traditional funnel to squirt the batter into the pan of hot oil in a circular pattern focused in the middle, making sure there is enough batter for the funnel cake to stay together.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping carefully when it turns golden brown.
Remove the funnel cake from the pan and place it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any excess oil that drips off.
Continue making funnel cakes until you use all of the batter.
Serve the cooked funnel cake warm with sifted powdered sugar on top.
Vegan Funnel Cake Leftovers
Storage: Place leftover funnel cakes in an airtight container with a layer of paper towels between each layer of funnel cakes. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Reheating: The best way to reheat vegan funnel cake is in the air fryer at 330F for 3 minutes. This will make them crisp again after absorbing oil as they sit. Otherwise, reheat them in a toaster oven or the oven. The microwave will make them soggy.
Freezing: Let the cooked funnel cakes cool to room temperature. Place a sheet of parchment paper between each cake then wrap with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Heat from frozen in the air fryer at 330F for 3-5 minutes or in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes.
Recipe
Originally Published On: February 17, 2025
Vegan Funnel Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups almond milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk the almond milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well until there aren’t any lumps in the batter
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small but deep cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer
- Pour the batter into a squeeze bottle or use a traditional funnel to squirt the batter into the pan of hot oil in a circular motion focused in the middle, making sure there is enough batter for the funnel cake to stay together
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping carefully when it turns golden brown
- Remove the funnel cake from the pan and place it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any excess oil that drips off
- Continue making funnel cakes until you use all of the batter
- Serve warm with sifted powdered sugar on top
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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I’m so excited to make this! I love funnel cake, and I would never know it was vegan. I can’t wait!
Such a fun recipe! It reminds me of all the warm weather activities that is on the horizon. A funnel cake is the ultimate summer time treat and I love that with a few ingredients it can be made at home! I would top mine with some strawberries and tons of whip cream – yum yum.
Funnel cake always reminds me of my mom. She loved to get these at the amusement park.
This recipe is new to me. The vegan funnel cake recipe looks delicious. I love how easy it is to make and the idea of using plant-based ingredients. Can’t wait to try it out soon.
You know I have never had a funnel cake before. My neighbor use to make them all the time and said they were light and good.
This is such a great idea! I’ve always loved funnel cakes but never thought I could make a vegan version at home. I love how simple the recipe sounds, and the tip about using a squeeze bottle instead of a funnel is genius!
I love funnel cake, I like to get it for a treat sometimes! I need to try out this recipe, it sure looks amazing!
I was thrilled to find your easy vegan funnel cake recipe! Funnel cakes have always been a favorite treat of mine! I can’t wait to recreate them at home. My boys are going to LOVE this!
I love baking, but I never made funnel cake. It seems like an easy-follow recipe, and maybe we will make this vegan funnel cake with my kids soon.
A vegan funnel cake that still brings the crispy, sugary goodness? That’s a recipe worth trying. Perfect for satisfying those fair-food cravings!
I love that it’s completely plant-based while still keeping the classic crispy and fluffy texture. Funnel cakes are such a fun and nostalgic treat, and it’s great to have a homemade version that’s easy to make from scratch.
I’ve never made funnel cake before. Your recipe looks easy enough to give this a try. I am looking forward to making this!
The funnel cake looks unusual. I’ve not tried them before. It’s great that there are so many topping options.
We always get funnel cakes at the local fairs and rodeos, so I wanted to try your recipe and it was EXCELLENT! It was simple, easy and tasted great! I made enough to share with the kids and they all loved it!