My husbands exact words after his first bite, “Oh my god, Betty, this is fantastic! I’m actually hoping the kids don’t like theirs now FULL RECIPE in first comment

 

Overview & What Makes the Bloomin’ Onion Special

The Bloomin’ Onion is a large sweet onion cut into many “petals,” battered, deep-fried to golden crispiness, and served with a creamy, slightly spicy dipping sauce. It’s a dramatic appetizer—almost a centerpiece at the table.

The challenges:

• Cutting the onion evenly so it “blooms” properly

• Battering so the coating adheres well to all petals

• Frying at the right temperature for crispness without burning

• Making the dipping sauce that complements but doesn’t overpower

In many copycat versions, the onion is first dredged in seasoned flour, then dipped in a wet batter, then re‑dredged in flour before frying to get a double coating of crispiness. (See Lulu’s Copycats version) My Blog
Chef Joshua Weissman offers a refined version with adjusted spice ratios and buttermilk in the batter. joshuaweissman.com
CDKitchen’s copy has a “creamy chili sauce” as the dip. cdkitchen.com
Flavor365 and others provide a full onion + sauce formula. Flavor365+1

I’ll present a version that leans on the better practices, with enough detail so you can adjust by your taste or kitchen.

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Ingredients (for 1–2 Bloomin’ Onions, serve ~4–6 people)

For the Onion & Frying

• 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia or similar), firm and round

• Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut), enough for deep frying (3–4 quarts / several inches deep)

• 1½ cups all‑purpose flour

• ½ cup cornstarch (to lighten the coating)

• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust up/down for spice)

• 1 tsp salt (kosher or sea)

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup buttermilk (or whole milk + a splash of lemon juice to sour)

• ¼ cup cold water (to loosen batter if needed)

• (Optional) extra flour for re-dredging

For the Dipping Sauce (“Bloom Sauce”)

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 2 Tbsp ketchup

• 2 Tbsp prepared horseradish (adjust to taste)

• ½ tsp paprika

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• (Optional) dash Worcestershire sauce

• Salt & black pepper to taste

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Equipment & Prep

• A large, heavy-bottomed deep pot or deep fryer

• Thermometer (for oil)

• Large mixing bowls

• Plates or trays for dredging

• Knife & cutting board

• Tongs or spider/skimmer

• Paper towels or wire rack for draining

• A small bowl for sauce mixing

• A tray at the ready for setting up the onion

Make sure your onion is chilled (refrigerator) — a cold, firm onion holds its petals better.

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Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Prepare Your Onion

1. Trim the top of the onion (keeping the root end intact) by cutting off about ¾ inch. Peel off the outer skin and the first tough layer.

2. Place onion cut-side down (root up) on the cutting board.

3. Using a sharp knife, make 12 to 16 vertical cuts from near the top down toward the root, stopping about ½ inch from the bottom so the root holds it together.

4. Turn the onion over and gently spread out the “petals” so it resembles a flower. Be gentle — you don’t want to break petals.

2. Make the Dry Seasoned Flour Mix & Wet Batter

• Dry mix: Combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a bowl or tray large enough for dredging.

• Wet batter: In another bowl, whisk eggs + buttermilk until smooth. If it seems too thick, add a little cold water to loosen. The batter should be pourable but thick.

3. Dredging & Coating Sequence (Double Coat Approach)

To ensure crisp coating, many copycats use a double dredge strategy:

1. First, dredge the onion in the dry mix, getting coating between all petals. Shake off excess flour.

2. Dip the onion into the wet batter, making sure batter gets between petals.

3. Return the onion to the dry mix for a second coating (this helps build texture).

Some versions even repeat the wet/dry step for extra crispiness. (Lulu’s Copycats suggests flour → batter → flour) My Blog
Joshua Weissman’s version adjusts spice levels but uses a similar approach. joshuaweissman.com

4. Preheat Oil & Fry

1. Heat your oil to 375 °F (≈190–195 °C). Maintain this heat; if oil is cooler, onion will absorb oil and be soggy; if hotter, it’ll burn.

2. Carefully lower the coated onion (root end first) into the hot oil using tongs or a skimmer.

3. Fry for ~1½ to 2 minutes per side, turning the onion gently so that all sides get golden. (Some recipes indicate about 1½ minutes per side) cdkitchen.com

4. The onion should be golden brown and crispy.

5. Remove and drain on paper towels or wire rack.

5. Prepare the Dipping Sauce

While onion is frying (or in advance), mix the sauce:

• In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, horseradish, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and optional Worcestershire.

• Whisk until smooth.

• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. (Many copycats do this) joshuaweissman.com+2copycattakeout.com+2

6. Serve & Presentation

• Stand the fried onion upright on a serving plate (stem side down).

• Remove the inner core (you can use a spoon or use scissors) to make a “bowl” space.

• Fill that center with the dipping sauce.

• Serve immediately, while hot and crispy.

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Detailed Tips & Expert Notes

• Use sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla) — their flavor and structure help this dish shine. Many copycats stress the importance of the onion variety. Flavor365+2Miss in the Kitchen+2

• Keep your coatings and batter cold — it helps in crisping when fried.

• Don’t overcrowd the fryer — fry one onion (or a few) at a time so oil temperature stays steady.

• Maintain oil temperature: after each onion, the oil will cool; allow it to come back to ~375 °F before next.

• If the onion petals stick together, gently coax them apart post-fry with tongs.

• Drain well to avoid greasy result.

• Serve immediately — crispness will diminish over time.

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Variations & Adjustments

• Spicier version: increase cayenne, add smoked paprika or chipotle powder (Weissman’s version uses chipotle) joshuaweissman.com

• Beer batter: some copycats use beer in batter (CDKitchen) to lighten texture. cdkitchen.com

• Air fryer version: For a less oily version, some adaptations air fry the onion — though the texture will differ. (Not in main copycat sources, but trending)

• Lighter sauce: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or reduce mayo for lighter dip.

• Double coating: Some cookbooks layer extra flour/batter rounds for more crunch (as in Lulu’s Copycats) My Blog

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Printable Master Copycat Recipe

Outback‑Style Bloomin’ Onion + Bloom Sauce

Servings: ~4–6
Total Time: ~45–60 min

Ingredients

Onion & Coating

• 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia)

• Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, etc.)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ cup cornstarch

• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup buttermilk

• ¼ cup cold water (optional to loosen)

Bloom Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 2 Tbsp ketchup

• 2 Tbsp prepared horseradish

• ½ tsp paprika

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• (Optional) dash Worcestershire sauce

• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Trim onion top, peel, slice petals (12–16 vertical cuts, root intact), fan petals gently.

2. Mix dry seasoning flour + cornstarch + paprika + garlic powder + onion powder + oregano + cayenne + salt + pepper.

3. Whisk eggs + buttermilk (and water if needed) in separate bowl.

4. Dredge onion: dry mix → wet batter → dry mix again. Ensure coat in all petals.

5. Heat oil to ~375 °F. Fry onion root side down, ~1½–2 min, turn, fry ~1½–2 min more, until golden. Drain.

6. Mix sauce ingredients, chill 30 min.

7. Remove onion core, stand onion upright, put sauce in center, serve immediately.

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If you like, I can customize this recipe to your kitchen (Morocco‑friendly ingredients, oven/fry adjustments, or make a baked or air fryer version). Want me to send that adapted version?