Apple Fritters Recipe

Apple Fritters with pieces of delicious Granny Smith apples wrapped and fried in sugary dough will send your taste buds into food heaven! The best apple fritters you'll ever eat.
Jump to Recipe

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!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

A stack of apple fritters on a white plate with more on a tray in the background.

Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Five star review

โ€œFirst 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!โ€

โ€”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

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

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!)

We mix those warm spices up with tender apples to get all those bomb Autumn flavors we know and love.

We achieve that perfect tender apple interior plus that fried to golden perfection crispy exterior. It’s a hit for your taste buds.

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

Ingredients to make apple donut fritters on the countertop.
  • 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

Mixing the dry ingredients to make apple fritters.
1
Add all the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Adding the diced apples to a mixture of dry ingredients making apple donuts
2
Stir in the chopped apples.
Mixing the egg and other wet ingredients together to make a batter
3
Mix together the cider, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl with a whisk.
Wet and dry ingredients combined together to make apple fritters.
4
Pour the wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Apple fritter being lowered into hot oil to fry
5
Heat vegetable oil in a dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Use a one-third cup measure to transfer heaping portions of the batter into the hot oil.
Cooked apple fritters draining on a wire rack on white countertop.
6
Press each portion of batter lightly with the back of spoon to flatten it. Fry until golden brown. Remove them from the hot oil and place on a wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet to drain. Let the fritters cool.

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.

Ingredients to make apple fritter glaze in a bowl.
7
Whisk together the confectionersโ€™ sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl until smooth.
Drizzling the glaze over the top of an apple fritter
8
Spoon the glaze over the fritters and let set them for 10 minutes before serving.
Glazed apple fritters on a wire rack.
9
Once the glaze sets , your fritters are ready to serve up boos!

How to Serve Apple Donut Fritters

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

What makes a fritter different from a donut?

‘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.

Why are my apple fritters not crispy?

The main cause of soggy fritters is that the oil isn’t hot enough. The oil should be around 350ยฐF to 375ยฐF. 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.

Can I make this apple fritter recipe batter ahead?

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.

A closeup of an apple fritter with a bite missing.

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

A stack of three apple fritters on a plate.

Easy Apple Fritters Recipe

Apple Fritters with pieces of delicious Granny Smith apples wrapped and fried in sugary dough will send your taste buds into food heaven! The best apple fritters you'll ever eat.
4.88 from 31 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Fritters

  • 2 granny apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • โ…“ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ยผ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ยพ 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
  • ยผ cup apple cider
  • ยฝ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ยผ 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 350ยฐF to 375ยฐF. 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 350ยฐF and repeat with remaining batter. Let fritters cool 5 minutes.
  • Whisk together confectionersโ€™ 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

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

This post was originally published October 2017. It has been updated with new content and images.

Filed Under:  Dessert and Baking, Doughnuts and Fried Dough, Fall Recipes, Seasonal Recipes

Comments

  1. 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

  2. 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.

  3. Made these last night thinking theyโ€™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.

  4. Will try , I luv Gala Apples…we have an Festival here in Eljay, Ga. This sounds like a delicious recipe, Thanks

  5. These look absolutely AMAZING!! What a fantastic recipe to spice up a Granny Smith apple! Sim x

4.88 from 31 votes (13 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating