PREP TIME: 10minutes 
TOTAL TIME: 20minutes 
SERVES: 3

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ tablespoons salt, pepper and garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon coarse ground back pepper
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 large yellow onion sliced into ¼”-1/2” rings
  • 1 bowl bread crumbs
  • High-temperature Fry oil

Batter

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the milk, sour cream, and honey. Stir until smooth.
  • In a Dutch oven or deep fryer add enough oil to submerge the onion rings – around two inches – and preheat to 375 degrees F.
  • Place each ring in the wet mixture, then in the flour mixture. Repeat, then cover both sides with panko and shake off any excess.
  • Fry for about 2 minutes each side or until golden brown.

Slice the Onion

Go out and get yourself a sweet white yellow onion. If you can’t find white onions any yellow one will do. Start by peeling and slicing the onion just about 5/16″ or a little more than 1/4″ and separate all the inner rings from the outer rings.

Tip: Put the onion in the freezer for ten to fifteen minutes before you slice and your eyes won’t water so bad.

Prep the Batter

Typically, onion rings are made by dredging the onion ring into the wet ingredients, then the dry, and into the fryer. I’ve added a couple of steps here that make this extra crispy and extra flavorful.

Start by seasoning the flour. Mix in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, baking powder, and coarse ground black pepper.

Get a bowl for the wet ingredients and add the whole milk, sour cream, and honey. The sour cream and honey are going to add thickness to the batter and enhance the flavor in every single bite. Mix until smooth.

We aren’t done there, though – get yourself a third bowl and fill it with about half of the bread crumbs.

Tip: Reserve half the panko breadcrumbs so you can pour them over the onion ring and not disturb the batter already on the onion.

Use a fork to grab a single onion ring. Dredge in the following order: Wet, Flour, Wet, Flour, Wet, Bread Crumbs. Instead of mixing the ring around in the bowl of panko crumbs, place the battered onion ring in the bowl of panko and pour more panko over the top. That’ll keep the batter from coming off in the panko bowl. Set the onion ring aside and repeat until they’re all done and the oil is hot.

Fry the Onion Rings

Preheat the oil to about 375 degrees. I am using Peanut oil because it has a high smoke temperature and I want this oil hot. If you are allergic to peanuts, any other high temperature oil will do.

Tip: Don’t overcrowd. Fry two or three onion rings at a time.

Fry until golden brown and extra crispy. Dip in BBQ Sauce or ketchup.