Crispy, Crunchy Homemade Onion Rings are perfect served with hamburgers or your favorite meal. These delicious onion rings are made with a light beer batter and fried. No need to visit your favorite restaurant for amazing crispy onion rings any longer - you can make these right at home!
My family loves onion rings. We have our favorite go-to places to order onion rings. Our absolute favorite is a local hamburger joint that has the best ones. Then there are several places that just don't compare. We've really become onion ring connoisseurs - is there even such a thing?
What we really love in an onion ring is a great crispy coating that has great crunch and taste when you bite into it. The onion also has to be cooked just perfectly.
I often have recipes planned out that I'm going to make. But then sometimes I visit the grocery store and all my plans go straight out the window.
That's what happened with this recipe. I was all set to make a strawberry dessert and then when I got to the store this huge bin of onions was staring at me. The onions were huge and on sale! How could I say no? Onion rings quickly became my next item to make!
I came home with a bagful of onions determined to create an onion ring that rivaled our favorite burger joint's onion rings.
If you are looking for more delicious recipes using onions, you'll want to try these caramelized onions.
Tips for making onion rings
- Slice onions in large rings - ½ inches is ideal!
- Soak onions for 1-3 hours in milk. This helps mellow the strong onion taste
- Make certain oil is preheated to 375 degrees
- Cook in small batches - don't over crowd your oil
- Keep cooked onions in a 175 degree oven on a baking sheet lined with a rack while the other onions are cooking
What type of onion should I use?
I used yellow onions when making this recipe. You could also use a white onion or a sweet onion like a Walla Walla sweet onion.
What kind of oil should I use?
I used canola oil, but you could also use a vegetable oil or a peanut oil.
What type of batter is best for onion rings?
I like making a beer batter. It is light and crispy and holds up to the rings. All you need to make the batter is flour, salt and beer. Use a light tasting beer, like a pilsner.
Other Great Recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
If you loved this recipe you'll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my appetizers here!
Onion Rings
Ingredients
Onions
- 1 - 2 large onion
- 1 cup milk
Batter
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups beer
Assembly and Cooking
- 4-6 cups oil
- ½ cup flour
- salt
Instructions
Onions
- Peel and slice onions into ½ inch rings. Separate rings and place in a dish.
- Pour milk over onions. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours. Stir onions at least once during resting time.
Batter
- Add flour and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir together.
- Mix in beer.
- Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour.
Assembly and Cooking
- Preheat oil to 375 degrees. Amount of oil used depends on size of pan. You want 2-3 inches of oil in pan.
- Place flour into a bag.
- Pour off milk from onion rings.
- Place 3-5 onion rings in bag. Shake lightly so they are coated.
- Place each onion ring into batter one at a time. Remove from batter with tongs or a fork, tapping tongs lightly on side of bowl to remove excess batter.
- Place in oil.
- Do not overcrowd pan.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove from oil and place on a baking sheet lined with a baking rack.
- Place baking sheet in a 175 degree oven to keep warm while cooking remaining onion rings.
- Allow oil to return to 375 degrees and repeat.
- Sprinkle with salt just before serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Karen Bowlden says
Served these up to 3 girlfriends today, for lunch. They all agree they are the best! Never thought I'd be so excited about a recipe, till I found this. Its so easy! Leftovers reheat great in the oven too.
Kathy says
Thank you! 🙂 I haven't tried reheating leftovers because we never have any!
Karen m Bowlden says
OMG, this recipe took me back 50 years. My first job, at 17, I was taught to fry up thousands of ontion rings. This recipe is the same recipe, minus some chicken bullion! I've made this 3 times this month, and today I'm having neighbors in for an onion ring lunch!! It's also awesome for muchrooms and finger steaks!!! Thank you!!!
Kathy says
Wow!!! That's so great! Thank you 🙂
Mary says
What type of pan do you use to fry onion rings? If on stove top, how do you accurately monitor temp to suggested 375? Would prefer to use electric skillet because of temperature control but probably not deep enough for the oil depth you recommend.
Kathy says
Hi Mary, Keeping a consistent temperature can be difficult. I have used an old electric skillet that had fairly high sides and I was able to add 2 inches of oil and fry without a problem. I've also used a cast iron skillet on a gas stove. Make certain the temperature is reached before adding and then add 2-4 onion rings at a time and watch the temperature. The temp will drop with each addition of onion rings.
Good luck and happy cooking!
Erin Schmidt says
What kind of milk do you use? Whole or buttermilk?
Kathy says
Hi Erin,
I use whole or 2% milk for the onion rings. I hope you enjoy them!
Kathy
Sasha @ Eat Love Eat says
Onion rings are one of my favourites things! I always have to weigh up whether to order onion rings or fries (but let's face it, often end up with both!) Your recipe looks great!
Marlee says
Onion rings are my absolute favorite! Anytime I can swap out fries for onion rings, I go for it! I love that you included soaking them in milk!
Kathy says
I totally agree with you. I prefer onion rings over fries most of the time!
Christina says
Whelp, now I'm craving onion rings like CRAZY! I haven't had onion rings in a long time, but when I splurge, you BEST believe I'm making this recipe!! Yum, yum gimmie some!
Adina says
I do the same - plan what to cook for the whole week and then go shopping, buy some things that are on sale or just look too good for me to leave them there, and then I have to change my plans. But I love cooking, so that's not such a big problem. 🙂 Delicious looking onion rings, I have only eaten them once in a restaurant and thought they were great, but I've never would have thought about making them at home. Super recipe!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Is there anything better than homemade onion rings? I think not! YUM!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I am an onion ring FANATIC! The only time I order them out is where they're made in house. I could legit make a meal out of these - so good! Yours looks crispy, golden and just perfect! Yum!
David @ Spiced says
I always knew we were friends, Kathy, but the "onion ring connoisseur" just cemented the fact. I absolutely love onion rings! We've found some pretty decent ones in the freezer section at the grocery store, but now I want to try my hand at making beer battered onion rings at home. These rings look perfect! So perfect that I might eat the entire batch. Oops. 🙂
Kathy says
Onion rings are the true basis of all friendships! 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
My husband and I would be fighting over the last one Kathy! Homemade onion rings are our favorite! These look amazing!
Kathy says
Just make a double batch! No need to fight! 🙂
Prabhatha Kusuman says
Very nice