Onion Rings
Crispy battered onion rings with a shatter-crisp golden coating and sweet tender onion inside. The perfect bar food. The key is double-coating the onions and frying at the right temperature for that distinctive crunch.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
12 min
Servings
4
Calories
326 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Onion1 medium
- Flour2 cups
- Oil2 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Black Pepper½ tsp
- Cooking Oil1
- Garlic3 cloves
All quantities scaled automatically from 4 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Onion1 medium
- Flour2 cups
- Oil2 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Black Pepper0.5 tsp
- Cooking Oil1
- Garlic3 cloves
Instructions
- 1
Peel 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, or yellow). Slice into ½-inch thick rings. Separate the rings — use the larger ones for frying, save the small inner rings for another use.
- 2
Soak the rings in 2 cups of buttermilk with 1 teaspoon salt for at least 1 hour. This tenderizes the onions and helps the batter stick.
- 3
Make the batter: whisk 1.5 cups flour, ½ cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Slowly whisk in 1.5 cups of cold sparkling water (or beer) until smooth — should be the consistency of pancake batter.
- 4
Heat 3 inches of oil to 360°F (180°C). Use a thermometer.
- 5
Lift each onion ring from the buttermilk (let excess drip), dip in the batter (coat completely), and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 4-5 (don't crowd) for 2-3 minutes total, flipping once, until deep golden brown.
- 6
Drain on a wire rack. Sprinkle immediately with flaky salt. Serve with dipping sauce: ranch, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or sriracha mayo. Eat immediately — onion rings are best in the first 5 minutes.
Watch how to make Onion Rings
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Buttermilk soak. The acid tenderizes the onions and helps the batter cling. Skipping = chewy onions and falling-off batter.
- 2.Cornstarch in the batter. The combination of flour + cornstarch is what gives that distinctive crispy crunch. All-flour batters are softer.
- 3.Sparkling water (or beer) is key. The bubbles create air pockets that make the batter light and crisp. Flat water gives dense batter.
- 4.Drain on a wire rack. Paper towels trap steam and turn the bottom soggy.
🔬 Why It Works
Great onion rings depend on three things: tender onion (buttermilk soak), crispy batter (flour + cornstarch + sparkling water), and proper frying temperature (360°F creates the vapor barrier that crisps without absorbing oil). The carbonation in sparkling water creates microscopic air pockets in the batter that expand in the hot oil, creating the airy shatter-crisp texture. Cornstarch in the dredge reinforces the crispness through staling-resistant starch.
Frequently Asked Questions
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4.5
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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