I’m sharing my homemade onion rings that turn simple onions into extra crispy, irresistible bites perfect for game day parties.

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I’ll be honest, Homemade Onion Rings are my go to for game nights and honestly almost any excuse to gather people. I love how sweet onions sing when the temperature is right and the contrast of that tender center with panko breadcrumbs creates a knock out crunch you don’t expect.

I’ve got a couple of low key tricks that push these past ‘good’ into ‘irresistible’ territory, things that save soggy middles and make the crust stay loud for minutes. If you like addictive snacks that make you feel clever for making them, these will mess with your expectations right now.

Ingredients

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Sweet onions add mild sweetness, low calories, some fiber, vitamin C, and savory crunch.
Neutral oil gives high frying heat, pure fat, no protein, use in moderation, though.
Flour brings carbs, little protein, helps structure, not very nutrient dense though I know.
Cornstarch lightens batter, mostly starch carbs, helps crisp without adding flavor.
Baking powder makes batter airy, adds sodium, no real nutrition, essential for lift.
Egg provides protein, moisture and binding, adds richness and golden color when fried.
Cold beer or soda keeps batter light, adds tiny flavor or none, kinda carbonates.
Panko makes extra crisp flakes, mostly carbs, low fat, gives big crunch.

Ingredient Quantities

2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or yellow), about 1 to 1 1/4 lb

4 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable, canola or peanut)

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1 large egg

1 cup cold beer or cold club soda, about 8 oz (keeps batter light)

1 1/2 to 2 cups panko breadcrumbs for extra crispness

How to Make this

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1. Slice the onions into 1 4 to 1 2 inch rings, separate them, and set aside the broken bits for snacking or another use.

2. Pat the rings very dry with paper towels, then toss them lightly in a little extra all purpose flour so the batter sticks.

3. In a bowl whisk together 1 1 4 cups flour, 1 2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 2 teaspoon garlic powder and the 1 4 teaspoon cayenne if you want heat.

4. In a second bowl beat the egg, then pour in about 1 cup very cold beer or cold club soda and stir until the batter is just combined; it should be thick but pourable. If it seems too thick add a splash more cold beer.

5. Put 1 1 2 to 2 cups panko in a shallow bowl for dredging, and arrange a station: floured rings, batter bowl, panko bowl.

6. Heat about 4 cups neutral oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Use a thermometer if you have one. Don’t overcrowd the pot, fry in small batches so oil temp stays steady.

7. For each batch dust rings in flour, dip fully into the batter, then press into the panko so they get a good even coat. Let coated rings sit a minute so the crumbs adhere.

8. Fry until deeply golden and extra crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch, turning once if needed. Adjust heat to keep oil around 340 to 360 degrees F.

9. Drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and immediately sprinkle with a little extra salt. Keep finished rings in a 200 degree F oven while you finish frying so they stay crisp.

Equipment Needed

1. Large chef’s knife and sturdy cutting board, for slicing the onions
2. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, to pat the rings very dry
3. Two medium mixing bowls, one for the dry mix and one for the beer batter
4. Whisk and measuring cups + spoons, to get the batter and seasonings right
5. Shallow bowls or plates, one for panko and one for extra flour for dredging
6. Heavy-bottomed pot or electric deep fryer and an instant-read or candy thermometer, to keep oil at about 350 F
7. Long tongs and a slotted spoon or spider, for turning and lifting the rings out of hot oil
8. Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan, to drain and keep rings crisp in a warm oven
9. Oven mitts and a kitchen timer, so you can safely manage batches and timing

FAQ

Q: Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko? A: Yes you can, but panko gives a lighter, crispier texture. Regular crumbs will be denser and less crunchy.

Q: What's the best oil temperature for frying? A: 375 F or about 190 C is ideal. It browns quickly and seals the crust so rings stay crisp.

Q: Can I make the batter ahead of time? A: Make the dry mix ahead but mix the beer and egg right before frying. Cold batter works best so don't let it sit warm too long.

Q: How do I keep rings from getting soggy? A: Pat onions dry, dust with flour first, use cold batter, fry at correct temp, and cool on a wire rack not on paper towels.

Q: Are these suitable for gluten free? A: Not as written. To make them gluten free use a gluten free flour blend, gluten free panko, and check your baking powder if needed.

Q: Can I bake these instead of frying? A: You can try, but they won't be as crisp. For best results toss panko-coated rings with a little oil and bake at 425 F until golden, flipping once, or use an air fryer.

How To Make Perfect, Extra Crispy Homemade Onion Rings From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for gluten free rings, or use rice flour for an even lighter, extra-crispy crust; chickpea flour works too but gives a nutty taste. You can usually use the same volume, though rice flour might need a splash more liquid.
Cornstarch: replace with potato starch or arrowroot powder in equal amounts for the same crisp finish; arrowroot is good if your batter has any acid.
Cold beer or club soda: use very cold sparkling water or seltzer to keep the batter airy if you want no alcohol, or try chilled nonalcoholic beer for the same flavor; ginger ale adds sweetness and will brown faster so watch the heat.
Panko breadcrumbs: swap with crushed cornflakes, crushed rice cereal, or crushed plain potato chips for big crunch; tempura flakes (tenkasu) give a light airy crunch too.

Pro Tips

1) Keep the batter ice cold and dont overmix it, that keeps it light and airy. Put the beer or club soda in a bowl over ice if you can, and if the batter seems too thick add a splash more cold liquid, not more flour.

2) Don’t crowd the fryer, fry small batches and let the oil come back up to temp between batches. No thermometer? stick the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil, steady little bubbles mean its ready, raging bubbles mean its too hot.

3) Press the panko on firmly and then let the coated rings rest a minute before frying so the crumbs actually stick, that little pause makes a big difference. If some crumbs fall off, save them, toss with a bit of salt and bake for crunchy snack crumbs.

4) Drain on a wire rack not paper towels and season right away with flaky salt so it sticks, then keep finished ones in a 200 F oven to stay crisp until serving. If they go limp later, revive them in a hot oven for a few minutes, they come back crunchy.