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Apple Fritters are the perfect treat to enjoy the goodness of apples all year! They're yeast-free and coated in a delicious vanilla cinnamon glaze. Plus, they're absolutely perfect for breakfast or dessert!
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I have a set order anytime I go to my local donut shop, one glaze, one chocolate glaze, and one apple fritter. It's my mom's fault. I remember pulling one out of the bag the first time and couldn't figure out what this weird crackly shape apple donut was.
Turns out it was a bite of pure deliciousness. Several years later, I talked to my friend who worked at the donut shop and asked him how to make apple fritters. I didn't care about anything else.
As soon as he told me, "It's simple, just combine the chocolate dough and regular glaze dough, fold in some apple, and you're good to go. Really easy."
Yea, if you have the time to perfect making yeasted donuts at home with a trusted recipe, I'm sure it is. If you're like me, you don't have one.
This led me to this recipe; I adjusted my Buttermilk Drop Donut recipe to make my homemade apple fritter recipe, which I can make in under 30 minutes without any yeast.
I knocked it out of the park on the first try because of my existing proven recipe. So grab your cookie scoop, bowl, and knife, and let's make some tasty apple fritters.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for these delicious apple fritters.
Honeycrisp Apples
I love the sweet crispness of Honeycrisp apples. They retain their texture very well after being cooked.
Ground Cinnamon
All ground cinnamon are not created equal. There are three types on the market, and they all have different flavor profiles; my favorite is Sagion because I can always find it in large amounts (Costco) and love the warm floral notes.
All-Purpose Flour
I only use unbleached all-purpose flour for cooking and baking. You'll also need baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Sugar
You'll need raw cane sugar for the fritters; I love the molasses flavor; and powdered sugar for the vanilla icing.
Apple Pie Spice
I love the warm spice notes from the ground cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg combination.
Buttermilk
This adds a hint of tangy that helps keep the fritters light and tender.
Vanilla Extract
The floral notes of vanilla sing in the apple fritters and glaze.
How To Make Apple Fritters Recipe
I wanted my homemade apple fritters recipe to be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy together. Plus, they had to taste incredible and not be as difficult.
Apple Fritters:
Mix diced apples, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and apple spice in large bowl to blend. Make a well in the center.
Heat oil to 360°F in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in another bowl. Stir into the dry mixture until smooth. Fold in the apples until combined.
Once the oil is hot, use a 2-ounce cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons to form a rounded ball of apple fritter batter; slowly drop batter into the oil and fry for 2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pot.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the apple fritters. Drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet and cool slightly before icing. Keep them in a warm oven until you finish the next batch.
Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze:
While apple fritters are frying, combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk in a medium bowl. The icing should resemble heavy cream. Roll warm fritters in icing, then place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to drain. Serve warm apple fritters with a glass of cold milk or vanilla ice cream.
How To Store Apple Fritters
Apple fritters are best eaten the same day but will remain fresh for 1 day in an airtight container on the counter. I wouldn't recommend freezing them as it can drastically change the texture once thawed.
To reheat fritters in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 6-8 minutes or until warm.
Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes for substitutes and building flavor to keep this easy apple fritter recipe a delight.
- Feel free to use any milk in the vanilla icing except for goat or buttermilk.
- You can use your almond milk, oat milk, or any milk of choice instead of buttermilk in the fritter batter. It will change the flavor and texture.
- Bulgarian buttermilk is the best on the market.
- Swap out granulated sugar or light brown sugar for raw cane sugar.
- Try adding a ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to your batter.
- You can swap almond extract for vanilla extract for a different flavor.
- Make these apple fritters gluten-free by swapping in gluten-free flour.
- Feel free to use Granny Smith apples if you love a tart, crisp apple flavor. Toss your apples in lemon juice if you chop them in advance to keep them from turning brown.
- Use any vegetable oil instead of peanut oil.
- No candy thermometer to check the oil temperature? Place a wooden spoon in the hot oil; once you see tiny aggressive bubbles around the spoon, the oil is ready.
- If you do not have a cooling rack, place the iced donuts on a plate.
- No ice cream scoop? Use 1 tablespoon or ¼ cup dry measuring cup to scoop your batter. If you use ¼ cup, it will take longer to fry doughnuts.
- Make powdered cinnamon sugar: combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Dust doughnuts with a generous amount of powdered sugar.
- Make cinnamon sugar: combine 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll warm doughnuts in sugar.
FAQS
Here are the top questions readers have about making homemade apple fritters.
Fritters comes from the Old French word "friture," which comes from the Latin word for fry. Fritters can be made with meat, fruit, and vegetables, then deep-fried or pan-fried in hot oil.
Apple fritters are made with chopped apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, milk, butter, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs. You can use Granny Smith, Gala, or Honey crisp apples.
Apple fritters are donuts, but some are made like yeasted donuts (more common at donut shops) and without yeast (homemade). Both are fried in hot oil until golden brown and covered with icing.
Homemade apple fritters are made with baking powder to make them puff up. But when you go to a bakery, they're more likely made with yeast to help the dough rise. All donuts are yeasted-based.
If your apple fritters turn out soggy, there could be several reasons. First, you might not be cooking them long enough - you want them to be a nice, golden brown color. Also, make sure you're not overcrowding the pan when cooking the fritters. Give them some space to get nice and crispy.
Let your fritter batter rest for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb all the liquid; this will give you a thick batter that's perfect for frying.
More Fall Desserts Recipes
If you're into amazing fall dishes, I know you'll absolutely love these recipes too!
- Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Fried Peach Pies
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Southern Pecan Pie
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- Chocolate Banana Pudding
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 200°F before pulling the ingredients out.
Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best apple fritters recipe you've ever bit into.
I hope you try making these apple fritters to add the perfect touch of sweetness to your day. Whether dusting them with powdered sugar or rolling them in the vanilla glaze, it's the perfect addition to any meal or a sweet snack.
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📖 Recipe
Apple Fritters
Ingredients
Apples Fritters:
- 1 medium honeycrisp apple peeled cored, chopped small
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup raw cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons apple spice
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- peanut oil for deep frying
Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
Apple Fritters:
- Mix diced apples, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and apple spice in large bowl to blend. Make a well in the center.
- Heat oil to 360°F in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in another bowl. Stir into the dry mixture until smooth. Fold in the apples until combined.
- Once the oil is hot, use a 2-ounce cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons to form a rounded ball of apple fritter batter; slowly drop batter into the oil and fry for 2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pot.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the apple fritters. Drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet and cool slightly before icing. Keep them in a warm oven until you finish the next batch.
Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze:
- While apple fritters are frying, combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk in a medium bowl. Icing should resemble heavy cream. Roll warm fritters in icing, then place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to drain.
- Sever warm apple fritters with a glass of cold milk or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Feel free to use any milk in the vanilla icing. Except for goat or buttermilk.
- You can use your almond milk, oat milk, or any milk of choice instead of buttermilk in the fritter batter. It will change the flavor and texture.
- Bulgarian buttermilk is the best on the market.
- Swap out granulated sugar or light brown sugar for raw cane sugar.
- Try adding a ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to your batter.
- You can swap almond extract for vanilla extract for a different flavor.
- Make these apple fritters gluten-free by swapping in gluten-free flour.
- Feel free to use Granny Smith apples if you love a tart, crisp apple flavor. Toss your apples in lemon juice if you chop them in advance to keep them from turning brown.
- Use any vegetable oil instead of peanut oil.
- No candy thermometer to check the oil temperature? Place a wooden spoon in the hot oil; once you see tiny aggressive bubbles around the spoon, the oil is ready.
- If you do not have a cooling rack, place the iced donuts on a plate.
- No ice cream scoop? Use 1 tablespoon or ¼ cup dry measuring cup to scoop your batter. If you use ¼ cup, it will take longer to fry doughnuts.
- Make powdered cinnamon sugar: combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Dust doughnuts with a generous amount of powdered sugar.
- Make cinnamon sugar: combine 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll warm doughnuts in sugar.
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