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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Jude Loiselle
Awesome recipe! I didn’t have applesauce, so I used pineapple juice. Added enough to the milk to make 1/2 liquid. Also added a dash of nutmeg. I live in the mountains, so I used a tablespoon of baking powder. My first two fritters I just dropped the batter in and they didn’t get done, So a suggestion is to elongate when droppping the fritters in the oil. Very light and fluffy!!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jude! So glad that you liked them! Thanks for the tip!
Ted
Son loved these. May use slight bit more of apple, but that depends upon the size of apples you use. Also, I lightly drizzled the glaze on top of the fritters and used toasted cinnamon. Cooked on induction stove at 4 of 10 for about 3 minutes on each side. To determine doneness – it’s like pancakes – when bubbles come-up and the hole stays there, your good to turn over for another 3 minutes.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ted! I am so glad that you and your son loved them. Thanks for all the great tips!!
Eileen
I made these, it took me almost an hour! But that’s from getting everything ready and sitting down for a minute. Chopping the 2 largest apples I’ve ever seen. But that’s ok, I used some for the applesauce!
I also add a little cinnamon to my glaze and thinned it out with milk until it was the consistency I wanted. They turned out great!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Eileen! So glad that you liked the fritters! I will have to try the cinnamon in the glaze.
Doris Flournoy
Headed to market for some apples. Can’t wait to make these.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Doris! Enjoy!!
Carla Caston
I made these this morning and they are delicious. So easy to prepare. Will make them again and soon😊
Beth Pierce
Thanks Carla! So glad that you liked them! We love them!! Delicious!!
Heidy
I haven’t had Apple Fritters in years! I was so glad I tried your recipe. These Apple Fritters turned out perfect. Saving the recipe to make again.
Alina
So cool, never thought of fritters being sweet. This is a goal to make them this fall!
Pam
I am so ready for apple season and these fritters look just divine!
Noelle
So delicious! Perfect to make for a weekend breakfast, thank you!
Melissa
YUM- soooo delicious! We loved them and can’t wait to make them again!
Jen
I made these yesterday and they were gone so fast! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Erin
One of my favorite recipes! Such good apple flavor. And you’re right, don’t overmix the batter!
Veronica
Was wondering if leaving out the applesauce would make a huge difference…..I don’t have that right now but am so ready to make them. Any thoughts?
Beth Pierce
I think it would be fine
Ashley F
These are perfect! they came out perfectly! Such a great fall dessert!
Taryn
These were SO good. Apple fritters are my favorite and homemade are even better!
Barb
This might seem like a silly question but I so want to make these but don’t have applesauce. Any suggestions on a substitute? Or should I just cook and mash some of my apple? Can’t wait to try these.
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay. Yes you certainly could cook a little applesauce.
Brandon Ward
You could substitute vegetable oil for the applesauce and us apple cider instead of milk (that way still get that extra apple flavor that applesauce would give. Applesauce is a frequent substitute for oil in baking recipes.