Apple Fritters are luscious deep-fried donuts filled with apples and cinnamon and drizzled with an easy three-ingredient glaze. You can have these scrumptious warm apple fritters in your hands in less than thirty minutes. Make sure you stash a couple for yourself, or you might blink your eyes, and they will be gone. These are one of my darling daughter’s favorite goodies. She can not get enough of them!
We are just crazy about apple recipes. But honestly, who isn’t? After all, they keep coming out with more and more delicious apples. This recipe, Apple Dump Cake, Apple Strudel, and Apple Cookies are just a few of our favorites.
Wouldn’t these taste fabulous with a hot cup of coffee? These delectable Apple Fritters are so easy and quick. They can be all yours in about thirty minutes. Your family and friends are going to love them. They are best enjoyed shortly after you cook them, but they will stay up to two days, covered loosely with paper towels in a brown paper bag.
Why this recipe works!
- Homemade warm, sweet apple fritters that are better than your local bakery.
- Only wholesome natural ingredients with no artificial colors or preservatives.
- Easy and quick to mix and fry.
- The fritters can be fried up in a fryer, Dutch oven, or heavy stock pot.
How to make Apple Fritters
First, peel, core, and dice a couple of Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples. I like to dice them somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. That way, you get a good taste of that sweet apple. Now grab a large bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk it around and get it all mixed together. Make a well in the middle and add the milk, egg, and applesauce. Now stir the mixture just until it is combined.
Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy stock pot with about 1 1/2 inches of canola oil. Use a candy thermometer and bring the oil to 375 degrees. Carefully drop about 1/4 cup of batter per fritter into the hot oil. I like to spread the batter a little while I am pouring it so that the fritter does not end up too fat and so it cooks all the way through. Cook each side until golden brown. It takes about 2 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain.
Once they have cooled, whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Finally, dunk the fritters in the glaze, turning over to make sure each side is coated. Place on wire racks to air dry and drip.
Can you bake these fritters?
This is a question that I am asked quite frequently. Yes, I am sure there are lots of great recipes out there for baked apple fritters; however, this particular recipe needs to be fried. Do your best to keep the oil at 375 degrees so the fritter absorbs less of the oil.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Don’t over-mix the batter, as it may make the fritters tough.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying so the donuts cook better, and the oil temperature is easier to maintain.
- Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature of the oil.
- A Dutch oven or heavy pot helps the oil hold its temperature.
- Try to maintain a constant temperature of 375 degrees. When you add the batter, the temperature will drop, so you must increase the heat a tad. Likewise, when you remove the fritters from the oil, the temperature will increase, so you need to turn the heat down a tad.
- Remove the fried fritters to paper towels to drain.
- Store the cooled cooked fritters wrapped loosely in paper towels in a brown paper bag.
More apple recipes you will love!
Apple Fritter Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Fritters
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons applesauce
- 2 large Granny Smith apples or Honey Crisp apples peeled cored and diced
- canola oil or vegetable oil for frying
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add 1/3 cup milk, eggs and applesauce. Stir just to combine. Fold in apples.
- Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in heavy skillet, dutch oven or deep fryer to 375 degrees. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter per fritter into hot oil; spreading it out as you drop. Cook each side until golden brown; approximately 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to remove to paper towels to drain.
- Whisk together 1/4 cup milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Dunk each fritters in the glaze turning over to make sure both sides coated. Place on wire racks to air dry and drip.
Notes
- Don’t over-mix the batter as it may make the fritters tough.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying so the donuts cook better and the oil temperature is easier to maintain.
- Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature of the oil.
- A dutch oven or heavy pot helps the oil hold its temperature.
- Try to maintain a constant temperature of 375 degrees. When you add the batter the temperature will drop so you must increase the heat a tad. Likewise when you remove the fritters from the oil the temperature will increase so you need to turn the heat down a tad.
- Remove the fried fritters to paper towels to drain.
- Store the cooled cooked fritters wrapped loosely in paper towels in a brown paper bag.
Nutrition
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Vicki meracle
Can you use apple pie filling instead of fresh apples?
Beth Pierce
I have tried so I am little hesitant to say yes.
Michelle
4.5 stars. Pretty good. I think a touch less salt. I did milk down the glaze a little bit because it was a bit thick. I accidently added a half teaspoon baking soda before I realized it was baking powder so mine were a bit more puffy.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Michelle!
isabella
hello.. do I have to use applesauce?
Beth Pierce
I have not tried them without it. You could try substiting 1-2 tablespoons of oil.
Jean
I was thinking apple juice??
Beth Pierce
Also a good solution
Sam
Can these be frozen?
Beth Pierce
Yes!
Elaine
Made these exactly as the recipe says and my family loved them. So I made them this morning again. Kids got so excited.
They like them better than the basket, PLUS, a lot healthier.
I don’t do refined sugar and not much salt , so I made some for myself with honey instead inside and as the icing and no salt. They were really, really good. I sure didn’t want to do without since I hardly EVER have any treats! Thank you. This is the best and simplest recipe I found.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much, Elaine! So glad that the kids love them. They are tasty, indeed!
Jean Mowery
So did you replace the sugar 1:1 with the honey, for both the batter and the glaze?
Brandon
I have recently started squeezing fresh apple juice for my kids rather than giving them the store bought stuff. Currently I’m searching for a recipe that incorporates the left over apple pulp and am curious if this recipe would work for this purpose.
I know you put in there to core and peel the apples. Do u know how the skins would handle being fried by chance?
Beth Pierce
No I sure don’t but I will post the comment and see if the readers have anything to say!
Irene
I just made apple fritters tonight for the first time ever!! I cut the recipe in half and switched the flower to gluten free. Used King Arthur for this recipe and added the full amount of apple sauce for moisture. I also added some cranberries in couple of them. They all turned out really delicious!! Thank you! 🙏😬
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Irene! So glad that you liked them!
Dickens Smith
I have made these gluten and dairy free and also left the skins on the apples and they turn out fine. I don’t have the apple sauce so I skip that most times. I have blended up some apple with lemon juice for a substitute . I usually add some lemon juice to my recipe every time because it makes them slightly tart.
Anjali
Omg these fritters were so delicious!! They were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, perfectly sweet and packed with apple flavor. Will definitely be making them again soon!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Anjali! I am so glad that you liked the fritters. We love them too!
Justine
I have never had a fresh apple fritter before – what a treat! Absolutely delicious.
Casey
These apple fritters are our favorite. We have been making them for a while now and I just wanted to let you know how much we really enjoy them. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
Hey Casey, that is great! I am so happy that you like them.
Vicki
Do u make any of it ahead of time?
Beth Pierce
I do not make any of this recipe ahead of time.
Carrie
These were the best apple fritters with the prefect fresh apple taste and texture. The kids and hubby loved them. Thanks for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Carrie!
Nicki
I can’t believe these scrumptious apple fritters are this easy to make. They are one of my favorites and I’ll be making these often.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Nicki! I am so glad that you liked them!
Erin
These were absolutely outstanding. I’ve seen a lot of really tedious apple fritter recipes with a million ingredients and this proves there’s no need.
This may have been a symptom of either having an inaccurate infrared thermometer or a wonky cooktop, but I fried in lard and found 325-340 was perfect for golden, fully cooked fritters. 350+ burned quickly but didn’t cook through (just a note for those frying in animal fats)
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Erin and I am so glad that you liked the apple fritters.
Jutta Vermeulen
I just made these and they are delicious. Topped them off with Advocaat egg liquor from Germany. I did make them with gluten free flour and used almond milk so that my daughter can enjoy them as well. I think they turned out as good as with the usual ingredients. Thank you for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Jutta! So glad that you liked the fritters.
Topher
Made these this morning made a double batch used two and a half cups of Jonathan apples that I softened a bit on the stove top in brown sugar and butter didn’t have applesauce so used sour cream made a batch and a half of glaze with a little extra milk to make it more fluid and a touch of maple syrup they turned out great next time I will try it with more apples and a little less baking powder they really got fluffy
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Topher! I am so glad that you liked the apple fritters!
Minerva Spencer
We have apples coming out of our ears and fritters are my favorite bakery item. Strangely, I’d never made them before (probably because of the frying). Anyhow, I subbed oat milk and the fritters were delicious. My husband is pre-diabetic so he ate them without the glaze and loved them. I ate about 5 with the glaze;>) I made the first 6 using 1/4 cup and they were too big so I went much smaller–maybe 2 tablespoons–and those cooked to a nice golden brown. The 1/4 cup ones were raw in the middle and ended up very brown, but still delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Minerva! So glad that you and your husband liked the fritters. We love them too!
Kellie
My husband has to eat gluten free and low sugar because of a chronic disease and he loved these. I used King Arthur’s GF 1 to 1 flour and half coconut sugar half white sugar. Also no glaze just a drizzle of honey on top.(although they are good without a glaze too) This was the first time in 5 years he has had an apple fritter that he has loved. Thank you for the recipe! Will be making it into our favorites every fall.
Beth Pierce
Aww, that is so so sweet. I am so glad that your husband loves the apple fritters. Thanks for the tips for my readers. They appreciate it.