If you’re looking for ideas for how to use the bounty of apples that fall provides, look no further than these old-fashioned apple fritters! Think of fritters as being kind of like a doughnut, but with plenty of fresh, crisp diced apples and much easier to make! I like Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples but use whatever apple you like. No need to overthink it.
Growing up, we went to the donut shop once a week for a treat and I got apple fritters basically every time. I just can’t resist apple treats! Now that I know how easy they are to make (seriously, you can have a batch ready in under 30 minutes), I enjoy sharing my love of apples with my family by whipping up a batch on the weekends for a fun, treat-like breakfast. If you’re like me and want to eat all the apple dessert recipes this fall, then try my apple pie recipe, apple crisp recipe, or apple cobbler recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Vegetable oil — vegetable oil is ideal for frying because it has a high smoke point and won’t burn while you’re frying the fritters. Peanut oil is another great option. Avoid any oils with distinct flavors or low smoke points like olive oil.
Whole milk — if you want to add some richness, reduce the amount of whole milk from ¾ cup to ⅔ cup and add 2 tablespoons melted butter to the wet mixture.
Eggs — ensure the eggs are at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour before you start preparing this dish.
Apples — the apples need to be peeled, cored, and diced. I like using a mixture of tart Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples to balance out the glaze’s sweetness, but you can use any apple you enjoy eating, such as Gala, Fuji, or Golden Delicious.
Glaze — you’ll need powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract for a simple glaze that doesn’t detract from the delicious flavor of fresh apples.
How to Make Apple Fritters
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In another large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold together until not almost combined (a few streaks of flour should remain).
3. Add the diced apples to the batter and fold again so all the apples are coated and the flour is completely incorporated.
4. Fill a large pot or Dutch oven 1 ½ inches deep with vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat with a candy thermometer or deep fry thermometer attached. Heat the oil to 350°F. If the oil is too hot or not hot enough, adjust the heat of the stove. Scoop the apple fritter batter about ¼ cup at a time and carefully plop it into the hot oil. Fry 4 to 6 fritters at a time so as not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the bottom for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip with a slotted spoon and fry for another 2 or so minutes. Transfer the fried apple fritters to a wire rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels or parchment paper so the excess oil can drip off.
5. Make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract. If the glaze is not thin enough, add more milk.
6. Drizzle the glaze over the apple fritters. If you prefer more sweetness, dip the fritters into the glaze instead for a thicker coating. Either way, allow the fritters to sit for 10 minutes before you dig in so the glaze can set.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- Dice the apples so they are fairly small. Having smaller pieces of apple will ensure they soften nicely when fried.
- Use different spices. Cinnamon is the obvious choice, but I also love the combination of apples and nutmeg! (For an explosion of flavor, use a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg rather than the pre-ground kind.) Ground ginger, cardamom, or a spice blend like apple or pumpkin pie spice are all great additions.
- Use a candy thermometer or deep fry thermometer. They’re inexpensive tools that tell you exactly how hot the oil is, instead of you having to guess.
- Keep the oil temperature at 350°F. The oil will cool down a bit when you add the batter, so you will need to increase the heat of the stovetop to bring it back up to temperature. Don’t hesitate to continue adjusting your heat as you fry to maintain as close to 350°F as possible.
- Try to have the fritters a similar size. Use a measuring cup or scoop so each one is ¼ cup. They’ll cook at an equal pace and be roughly the same size. I like using a large springloaded scoop or ice cream scoop that’s about 2 ounces.
- For a little extra zing, add lemon juice. Toss the diced apples with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice before adding to the batter. Lemon juice adds just a little something extra, while also waking up the apples a bit. You can also use lemon juice instead of milk in the glaze! I find lemon juice balances the sweetness wonderfully.
- Skip the glaze. If you’re looking for more crunch, swap the glaze for cinnamon sugar. Simply mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Let the fritters drain on the wire rack for a minute or so, then toss in the cinnamon sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Granny Smith apples are probably the most popular choice for this recipe because their tartness complements the sweetness of the glaze or cinnamon sugar topping. Honeycrisp apples also work very well. But feel free to use any kind of apple that you enjoy eating.
Apple fritters are best enjoyed fresh, and since they’re so quick to make, I recommend whipping up a fresh batch when the mood strikes.
Soggy apple fritters are typically the result of oil that isn’t hot enough. This is why a candy thermometer is so important! The handy little tool will let you know the exact temperature of the oil, so you don’t have to guess and possibly end up with soggy results. Overcrowding the pot can also yield too-soft fritters.
While I understand the urge to find an alternative cooking method for fried foods, this apple fritter recipe only works when fried in oil. The batter is thinner, which creates that delicious, crunchy nonuniform shape and texture, but it is too thin to bake or put in the air fryer.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days at the most. Extend their lifespan to 5 days by refrigerating them instead. Reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this apple fritters recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Apple Fritters
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Mixing Bowls
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the Fritters:
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup whole milk (180mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large apples (about 1 pound/450g), peeled cored, and diced (Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples)
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Fritters:
- Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with vegetable oil 1½ inches deep. Place over medium high heat with a candy or deep fry thermometer attached to the side. Heat the oil to 350°F. Adjust temperature if needed.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack on top of the towels.
- While the oil is heating, make the batter. In a large bowl whisk together the flour sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Pour into the dry mixture. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Add the apples and mix together so all the apples are coated and the flour is incorporated.
- Once the oil is to temperature, scoop by the batter by about ¼ cup per fritter into the hot oil. I suggest frying about 4 to 6 fritters at a time.
- Fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue frying until golden brown on the other side, about 2 more minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer fritters to the wire rack and continue frying until better is all used up.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. You want a thin glaze, so add more milk if needed. Either dip the fritters in the glaze and allow to set on a wire rack or use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the hot fritters. Let the fritter sit for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Video
Notes
- Dice the apples so they are fairly small. Having smaller pieces of apple will ensure they soften nicely when fried.
- Use different spices. Cinnamon is the obvious choice, but I also love the combination of apples and nutmeg! (For an explosion of flavor, use a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg rather than the pre-ground kind.) Ground ginger, cardamom, or a spice blend like apple or pumpkin pie spice are all great additions.
- Use a candy thermometer or deep fry thermometer. They’re inexpensive tools that tell you exactly how hot the oil is, instead of you having to guess.
Keep the oil temperature at 350°F. The oil will cool down a bit when you add the batter, so you will need to increase the heat of the stovetop to bring it back up to temperature. Don’t hesitate to continue adjusting your heat as you fry to maintain as close to 350°F as possible. - Try to have the fritters a similar size. Use a measuring cup or scoop so each one is ¼ cup. They’ll cook at an equal pace and be roughly the same size. I like using a large springloaded scoop or ice cream scoop that’s about 2 ounces.
- For a little extra zing, add lemon juice. Toss the diced apples with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice before adding to the batter. Lemon juice adds just a little something extra, while also waking up the apples a bit. You can also use lemon juice instead of milk in the glaze! I find lemon juice balances the sweetness wonderfully.
- Skip the glaze. If you’re looking for more crunch, swap the glaze for cinnamon sugar. Simply mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Let the fritters drain on the wire rack for a minute or so, then toss in the cinnamon sugar.
