Forget going to the doughnut shop boos. You can make bomb apple fritters right at the crib, and the flavors will pop! We fry perfectly sweet and warm spiced apple filled dough then top with an addictive apple cider glaze. Each bite of this apple fritter recipe will send your taste buds to food heaven!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“First time making apple fritters and they turned out perfect! The apple cider really gave it that apple flavor throughout. Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe!”
—FELICIA
Y’all can’t tell me nothing about apple fritters. For several fall seasons, I would eat my weight in them from a local donut shop in Chicago. I also got my fill of them when we would go apple picking because they would sell them at the apple farms as well. The fact of the matter is I couldn’t get enough so I had to do myself a favor and learn how to make them myself. These are pretty fantastic if I do say so myself.
The Lowdown of This Apple Fritter Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Classic fall comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Frying
Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with an ingredient swap
Key Flavor: Warm spiced apples inside a crispy fried donut exterior
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
On Point Fall Flavors
We mix those warm spices up with tender apples to get all those bomb Autumn flavors we know and love.
Textures on Textures
We achieve that perfect tender apple interior plus that fried to golden perfection crispy exterior. It’s a hit for your taste buds.
Quick and Easy
If you can measure and mix ingredients together, you can pull these fritters together in no time boos.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Homemade Apple Fritters
- Apples: I use Granny Smith since they aren’t too sweet, have some tartness and hold up to frying well.
- Flour: This is our foundation of the fritters holding everything together.
- Sugars: We use granulated for our fritter batter and powdered sugar for the glaze because it dissolves making a smoother glaze.
- Baking Powder: This is gonna make the fritter batter light and fluffy when fried up.
- Spices: We’re adding cinnamon and nutmeg to give some warmth to those apples then a bit of salt to balance it all out.
- Apple cider: This adds a bomb signature apple flavor to the batter along with moisture plus a bit of pow to that glaze too.
- Eggs: These help bind all the batter ingredients together.
- Butter: This stays giving ample richness and flavor.
- Vanilla: Splash a little of this in the batter to add aromatic notes.
How to Make Apple Fritters
PRO TIP: Don’t overcrowd the pan! I found that for a regular sized Dutch oven you can cook about five fritters at a time. If the diameter of your pot is smaller you may need to cook fewer at a time.
How to Serve Apple Donut Fritters
- Add a Dip: Keep a caramel sauce or chocolate ganache by as a dip for some flavor contrasts.
- Classic Breakfast Spread: Whip up some scrambled eggs and crispy candied bacon and serve these apple donut fritters along with some fluffy pancakes for your carbs.
- Special Brunch Gathering: Get that easy breakfast casserole in the oven, fry these fritters up and serve this biscuits and gravy casserole for the crowd.
- Fall Dessert Table: Serve up these fritters along with some apple cobbler, pumpkin pie, sweet potato cinnamon rolls and dutch apple pie.
Recipe Substitutions
- Apples: You can also use Honeycrisp or Fuji apples in this recipe too.
- Spices: Keep it no-fuss by replacing the individual spices with an apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Butter: You can use salted butter instead. Just omit the salt in the recipe.
- Apple Cider: Swap in apple juice or milk instead.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour. You might end up with a different texture but it will still be delish!
- Skip the glaze: Toss the fritters in a paper bag with cinnamon sugar.
- Booze it Up: A splash of bourbon or rum in the batter will add some warm depth.
- Go with Pear: You can switch up the apple with pear for a delish fruit swap.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Small Bits: Make sure the apple pieces are chopped small. The smaller size allows them to cook up tender when they are fried.
- Reheat the Oil: Bring the oil back to 350 degrees between batches. The temperature of the oil drops when food is added to the pot so it may need to reheat before you add more to the pot so they won’t turn out soggy.
- Use a heavy pot: It helps the oil maintain its temperature more easily.
- Drain the apple fritters: This ensures they aren’t overly greasy. After you drain, then add your glaze.
- Keep it Uniform: Make sure your fritters are the same size so they cook evenly. I like to use a one-third measuring cup.
How to Store Apple Fritters
If you plan to eat leftovers within a couple of days, just wrap them in foil loosely and leave them at room temp. They will last up to 2 days. If you need to store longer, pop them in the fridge.
How Long Will They Last in the Fridge?
They will last in a fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.
Can I Freeze?
Transfer the leftover apple fritters to a freezer bag releasing any air. They should store for up to 3 months. If you want to heat, add to an air fryer or an oven so they remain super crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
‘The main difference is the shape. A donut is round with a hole in the center while a fritter is more loosely shaped. Usually fritters have fruit folded into the batter before frying up too.
The main cause of soggy fritters is that the oil isn’t hot enough. The oil should be around 350°F to 375°F. Use a thermometer to check the temp before cooking and give the oil time to reheat between each batch. A heavy-bottomed pan can also help the oil maintain its temperature.
Honestly I wouldn’t do it boos. The leavening in the batter starts working as soon as you mix in those wet ingredients however you can keep the dry and wet ingredients stored separately and fold together when you are ready to fry.
Y’all these apple fritters are so lit. Whether you make them all Fall or all year round, they are a hit each and every time. The tender texture on the inside along with that golden crispy outside is everything you need and more. Get into it boos.
More Fried Dough, Fritter and Donut Recipes
- Peach Fritters
- Pumpkin Cider Donuts
- Classic Funnel Cake Recipe
- New Orlean Beignets
- Pumpkin Fritters
- Banana Fritters
Easy Apple Fritters Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Fritters
- 2 granny apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients (flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in apples.
- Next add wet ingredients (cider, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract) to a separate bowl and whisk together then pour mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Heat 3 cups of vegetable oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat to around 350°F to 375°F. Use 1/3-cup measure to transfer 5 heaping portions of batter into the hot oil. Press batter lightly with the back of spoon to flatten somewhat. Fry until golden brown (about 2 to 3 minutes each side). Once all fritters are fried, remove fritters and transfer fritters to wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet or to a paper towel to dry. Bring oil back to around 350°F and repeat with remaining batter. Let fritters cool 5 minutes.
- Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl until smooth. Spoon over fritters and let set for 10 minutes then serve.
Notes
How to Store Apple Fritters
If you plan to eat leftovers within a couple of days, just wrap them in foil loosely and leave them at room temperature. They will last up to 2 days. If you need to store longer, keep them in the fridge.How Long Will They Last in the Fridge?
They will last in a fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.Can I Freeze?
Transfer the leftover apple fritters to a freezer bag releasing any air. They should store for up to 3 months. If you want to heat, add to an air fryer so they remain super crispy.Nutrition
This post was originally published October 2017. It has been updated with new content and images.
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Happy FALL!!! I am on my way to the store to get me some apples so I can make this tonight. can’t WAIT!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us xoxo
Great recipe. Quick and easy. I had to make a slight adjustment because I didn’t have apple cider.
These are the very best apple fritters, I’ve encountered. I tried a couple of other recipes that seemed to be ‘missing’ something, that this recipe has. Great apple flavor.
Made these last night thinking they’d be perfect breakfast treats but they were so good they ended up being dessert! Would love to know how to adapt these for an air fryer.
Will try , I luv Gala Apples…we have an Festival here in Eljay, Ga. This sounds like a delicious recipe, Thanks
These look absolutely AMAZING!! What a fantastic recipe to spice up a Granny Smith apple! Sim x
These would pair great with a cup of coffee! I need to make them!
What an AMAZING idea! YUM, these really sound delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
OH MY!! These look incredible! Love apple fritters!
This is such a great idea!! I LOVE it!!