These easy Apple Fritters are made of sweet batter filled with chunks of apples, fried until crispy, and dipped in a sweet glaze. This old-fashioned fall treat is made easily at home, in just 30 minutes!
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Why This Recipe Works
Sweet apple fritters used to be the treat we would get at the state fair. Warm, crispy, filled with chunks of apples, and coated in the sweet glaze, they taste like donuts! Now, I make them from scratch in my own kitchen, any time the craving hits. Why? Because they are super easy to make and all I need are pantry staples and apples. That's it!
I like to dip them into a glaze but dusting with powdered sugar or coating with cinnamon sugar is equally delicious. Have fun with the recipe and enjoy the sweet final result!
Ingredients:
- apples: I use Granny Smith because they hold their shape well
- dry ingredients for the batter: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon
- wet ingredients: mill and eggs
- vanilla extract: adds delicious sweet flavor
- butter: makes the batter and ultimately the fritters rich in flavor and texture
- vegetable oil: for frying
- powdered sugar: to dust the fritters or to make a glaze.
How to make apple fritters?
- Start by mixing dry ingredients together.
- Whisk wet ingredients in a glass measuring cup.
- Combine ingredients and fold in gently. Do not overmix!
- Add chopped apples and fold in.
- Add melted butter and stir in gently.
- Heat up oil and fry fritters, 2 to 3 at a time until dark brown.
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- Make a glaze with powdered sugar and milk. Dip each fritter in the glaze.
- Rest fritters on a wire rack.
How to fry apple fritters?
Fill a deep pot with about 3" of oil. I use vegetable oil. Heat it up over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using two spoons, drop batter with apples into oil and spread into a fritter. You don't want a ball of batter. Flip using two forks. Once fried, remove with forks or use the wire mesh strainer. Place fritters on a wire rack to cool.
How to glaze apple fritters?
The classic way to finish apple fritters is to dip them into a sweet glaze made with powdered sugar and milk. It's my favorite! You can also dust them with powdered sugar or coat them with cinnamon sugar, just like donuts!
Best tips for apple fritters:
- Don't overmix the batter.
- Heat up oil to 350 degrees F for the best result. Check the temperature once in a while to make sure it stays at the same level.
- Use two spoons to drop the batter into the oil and spread gently. If you drop a scoop of batter into the oil, the outside will be crispy and the center will be raw.
- To make them really crispy, I prefer to fry them until they are dark brown not just golden brown.
- Cool fritters on a wire rack. If you place them on a paper towel, they will absorb the moisture and the bottoms will be soggy.
- I recommend using a smaller Dutch oven for frying fritters. It keeps the heat well!
Recipe FAQs:
The batter in this recipe is not suitable for baking on a sheet pan. It really is best to fry these fritters. However, you could use a donut pan or a muffin pan to bake them!
Absolutely! Pears, apples, and even peaches are great for making fritters. Have fun trying new variations!
Absolutely! Gluten-free flour works well here.
Nut milk should work but it may affect the flavor. If you are looking for a dairy-free option, try it with almond milk.
Apple fritters are best served and eaten fresh. Storing them in will affect the texture. They may lose their crispiness. Also, they are the tastiest while still warm!
More apple desserts:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Easy Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 4 Granny Smith apples cut into chunks
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 teaspoons milk
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Wash and peel apples. Cut them into quarters, remove seeds, then cut each piece into thick slices. Cut each slice into chunks, about ½" thick. Drizzle with a little bit of lemon juice to preven browning, and set aside.4 Granny Smith apples
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot, until it comes up 3 inches up the sides. Heat up over medium heat.vegetable oil
- Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar.1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk milk, eggs and vanilla.⅔ cup milk, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold in gently. Do not overmix.
- Add apples to batter and fold in a couple of times. Add melted butter and fold in.2 tablespoons butter
- Once the oil reaches 350° F, drop fritter batter with apples using two spoons and spread as flat as you can. You don't want a ball of batter as it will not cook evenly. Fry 2 to 3 fritters at a time, depending on the size of your pot.
- Once nice and brown, flip the fritters to cook on the other side. I use two forks to do this.
- Remove fritters from oil and place on a wire rack. The steam will be escaping and the fritters will be crispy. If you place them on the paper towel, the bottoms may be soggy.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
- In a bowl, mix powdered sugar with milk until drizzling consistency. Dip each fritter in glaze and set back on the rack.½ cup powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons milk
- Enjoy warm!
Notes
- The batter in this recipe is not suitable for baking on a sheet pan. It really is best to fry these fritters. However, you could use a donut pan or a muffin pan to bake them!
- You can also dust them with powdered sugar or coat them with cinnamon sugar, just like donuts!
- I recommend using a smaller Dutch oven for frying fritters. It keeps the heat well!
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Jola says
Thank you very much Anna for this recipe. It turned out we have to make it with a double portion, because donuts with apples disappear at the speed of light from the table 🙂
Beth says
These were such a delicious and addicting recipe! My family loved these and were surprised this morning! Excited to make these again very soon!
Anna says
Love that! Thank you, Beth!
Krystle says
These are heavenly! Tastes just like my favorite Donut Shop's version!
Anna says
Yay! Thanks so much!
Colleen Jayne says
Super delicious! I made them in a muffin tin and they came out perfect!
Anna says
Wonderful! Thank you for trying my recipe, Colleen!