About this recipe

Golden, shatteringly crispy onion rings with a light, seasoned batter that clings perfectly to sweet, tender onion slices. This classic recipe uses a simple buttermilk soak and a well-seasoned flour-and-cornstarch batter for maximum crunch. Perfect as a side dish, party snack, or burger topping — these rival any restaurant version and are surprisingly easy to make at home.

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the yellow onion and slice them into ½-inch thick rounds. Separate the rounds into individual rings, discarding the very small inner rings or saving them for another use.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce (if using). Add all the yellow onion rings and toss to coat. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the fridge. This tenderizes the onion and helps the batter adhere.

3. 3

   In a shallow mixing bowl or pie dish, place ½ cup of the all-purpose flour. This is your dredging flour — set it aside.

4. 4

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using). Just before frying, pour in the cold sparkling water and whisk until a smooth, thick batter forms — about the consistency of pancake batter. Do not overmix. Keep the batter cold.

5. 5

   Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat ^[over medium-high heat] until the oil reaches ![375°F]. Use a meat thermometer — temperature control is the key to crispy, non-greasy rings.

6. 6

   Set up a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for draining. Working in batches of 4–6 rings, lift a ring from the buttermilk soak, letting the excess drip off, then dredge it in the plain all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it into the wet batter, letting the excess drip off, and carefully lower it into the hot vegetable oil.

7. 7

   Fry each batch for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once with tongs or a spider strainer, until deeply golden and crispy on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pot — this drops the oil temperature and leads to soggy rings.

8. 8

   Transfer the finished rings to the wire rack (not directly onto parchment paper — the rack keeps them crispy). Immediately season with a pinch of kosher salt while hot. Repeat with remaining rings, allowing the oil to return to ![375°F] between batches.

9. 9

   Serve immediately while hot and crispy. Pair with ketchup, ranch dressing, chipotle mayo, or your favorite dipping sauce.