Caramelized Baked Onion Rings
A sweet and salty take on classic onion rings
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2-3 large white onions
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 2.5 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil (for baking)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Peel and slice 6-8 rings out of each large white onion.
- Remove the inner core from each disc, leaving the rings stuck together.
- Place onion discs on 2 sheet trays. Coat with maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Cook for 1-2 hours until caramelized and golden amber.
- Let caramelized onion rings cool to room temperature.
- Add flour (and optional seasonings of your choice) to a medium bowl. In another bowl, add buttermilk.
- Dredge onion rings in buttermilk, then flour, and place on a sheet tray before frying or baking.
- If frying, heat vegetable oil in a pot or sauté pan with high edges over medium/high. If baking, line a baking sheet with tin foil and drizzle on 4 tbsp oil.
- Carefully fry your onion rings in batches of 4-5 rings 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping once with a chopstick.
- If baking, cook onion rings at 500°F for 5-10 minutes on each side until crisp and golden.
- Remove onion rings and drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve warm.
Notes
- Some onion rings (closer to the smaller edge of the onion) will caramelize faster and potentially burn. To prevent this, place the smaller rings on one sheet tray and the larger rings on another and cook the smaller ones for 20-30 minutes less.
- Serve with brown mustard or a garlic aioli. I recommend also trying dusting them with parmesan and using whatever spices you like in the flour dredge. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme would be good.