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
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Liane
This recipe was my first time frying fritters and they did not disappoint. I was out of vanilla so substituted half a portion of vanilla sugar in the frosting. I also used very ripe apples, not granny Smith but they turned out fabulous. I will be making them again
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Liane! I am so glad that you liked them!
Liza
Can I omit the applesauce?
Beth Pierce
I have not tested the recipe without applesauce.
Kendra
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I’m trying to find a good fritter recipe to use for apple fritters AND mixed berry fritters. What is the purpose of the applesauce in this recipe? I’m curious if I could replace that with raspberry jelly or some sort of thicker raspberry sauce while mixing blueberries rather than apples…thoughts? Looking forward to trying soon!!
Beth Pierce
The applesauce adde flavor and moisture. I am always hesitant to comment on something I have not tried. I think I would try the applesauce and blueberries.
Madhu Kannan
Thanks for the recipe..I plan on making them for my son’s 18th since he loves apple pie and this will be a novel take on it. However, will the icing make it too sweet? Can just dust powdered sugar on top? Thank you!
Beth Pierce
You can dust powdered sugar on them after they cool instead of icing.
Jason Adair
Delicious! My whole family loved them and made me make 2 more batches!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Jason! I am so glad that you liked them!
sandy
Family loved them had me make a double batch so i could freeze them.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Sandy!
Donna
Can I air fry these instead of oil fry on stovetop? Thank you
Beth Pierce
No these will not air fry.
Owen
This was pretty easy to make, tasted great too, though I cooked the apples in a buttered pan with cinnamon and sugar.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Owen! I am glad that you liked them!
Margaret
These apple fritters have been a hot ticket item in my house. They’re all gone within 2 days of making them! My only critique is that they are difficult to spread out flat leading to a dough ball more than a crunchy fritter. That in mind, they are no less tasty. I would say that I have some work to do on my icing because it always tastes too powdery. Any suggestions?
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that your family likes them. Try adding a little more vanilla extract.
Amanda
I used canned pie filling 🤭 and did not use applesauce and they were really good.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Amanda!
Ralph Mayo
This is probably the best recipe that I’ve tried. They turned out so very good thank you!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Ralph!
Erica Harrington
Hi can I substitute honey or maple syrup for the sugar?
Beth Pierce
Probably but I have not tested it. I am always apprehensive about recommending substitutions in batter recipes that I have not tested.
Wendy
Wow! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! I made them gluten free with a 1/1 flour, and my husband absolutely loved them!! Do you know if they can be frozen, and if so, how do you reward them?
Thanks again, Wendy
Beth Pierce
Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If possible freeze before glazing. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter overnight. Reheat at 375 in an oven or an air fryer and glaze.
Toni Scobie
Mine are a tad raw in middle can I pop into oven
Beth Pierce
Sure
M Ewalani Manuel-Coats
Trying the batter now. My only adjustment was adding pineapple pieces to the apple and cooking and cooling it prior to adding to the batter.
Gonna say….Perrrrfect.
Beth Pierce
Thank you! So glad that you liked them!
Shai
SO good! Everyone loved them! Can I sub other fruit? Like could I potentially make a “strawberry fritter”? 🤭
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Shai! I have not tried with strawberries.
Carrie
Try using dehydrated strawberry powder in mix and the glaze
Very good
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip, Carrie!