Full of fall flavor and packed full of apples, these warm Apple Fritters are a delicious glazed, hand-held treat that you won’t want to stop eating.
When it comes to apple recipes, I’m all in. I adore all things apple, always have. We usually keep fresh apples in the house because I just love eating them plain, but these apple fritters are the best!
But what I love more than eating them plain is baking with them. There are so many desserts out there that really come to life with the addition of apples.
This Apple Fritter Recipe has been one that we have been making for years, and we make it year after year after year. My husband and I both can’t get enough.
If I had to rank apple desserts, these old-fashioned Apple Fritters would be high on the top of that list. Fried to golden perfection and then topped off with a delicious glaze, you really can’t go wrong.
It is a fun and unique recipe that we have come to love and when we make them for guests who have never had them, we turn them into Apple Fritter lovers as well.
Trust me, when it comes to this easy recipe it is one that you will want to be keeping around, not only because it’s different, but because it is packed with so much flavor.
These apple fritters are one of my all-time favorite things, and I’m sure they’ll be yours too! Just like your favorite doughnut shop but homemade!
Some of our other favorite apple recipes we have on our site include: Caramel Apple Funnel Cakes, Fried Apple Crumble and Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- This makes a larger batch of 12; you can double it or halve it.
- You can switch up the glaze to different flavors like cinnamon or caramel.
- Depending on how large you want your apples, you can dice them as large or as small as you’d like.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Apples
- Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Fine sea salt
- Ground nutmeg
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Peanut oil for frying
HOW TO MAKE APPLE FRITTERS:
- In a medium-sized bowl stir the diced apples with the lemon juice, set aside.
- In another medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs until beaten.
- Add the milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla, whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir it in until combined with no dry patches.
- Fold in the apples.
- In a dutch oven or deep fryer, add about 4 inches of oil up the side of the pan. Bring the oil temperature up to 350°F.
- Once the oil is hot, drop ¼ cup dollops of the batter carefully into the oil. Fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside, about 10 minutes total, flipping the fritters a few times to brown evenly. You will need to fry in batches as you don’t want to crowd the pan, I do 3 fritters at a time.
- Drain the fritters well then place them on a wire rack over a sheet tray so they can drip and cool.
- While the fritters are frying, make the glaze by placing the milk into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring it to a simmer. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the powdered sugar and whisk it in until dissolved.
- Add the glaze to a bowl and dip the fritters into the glaze one by one and place it back on the wire rack over the sheet tray. Do this step twice. If there is any glaze leftover, spoon it over the tops of the fritters.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT KIND OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR APPLE FRITTERS?
I love the little apple chunks in the apple fritter batter.
We highly recommend Granny Smith apples for this recipe as they are a tart apple that pairs well with the sweetness in the Apple Fritter Recipe itself. Also, it really holds up well.
Other apples that would work for this include: Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious.
These will be the best apple fritters you’ve tasted!
DO I HAVE TO USE PEANUT OIL?
No, we usually have peanut oil on hand for our frying recipes, so we like to use that, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil for this recipe as well.
I find peanut oil doesn’t stink the house up as much.
CAN YOU BAKE AN APPLE FRITTER RECIPE?
I have never tried baking this recipe, there are probably recipes out there that do guide you on how you can bake them, I believe that fried it the best.
You will get a hot, crispy outer coating and flavor that you wouldn’t get by baking these.
ANY ADDTIONS?
Trying out new things often brings the best results. These things are better than anything from the donut shop!
- Honeycrisp apples for a sweeter, juicier fritter alongside or instead of Granny Smith
- Brown sugar mixed into the batter for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness
- Cinnamon or caramel sauce mixed into the glaze for extra fall flavor
- Vanilla ice cream on the side for a classic apple dessert experience
- Tart apples like Honeycrisp or even a mix of apple types for varied apple flavor
- A pinch of ground cloves for an added spice kick
- Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) folded into the batter for a crunchy texture
- Maple syrup drizzled over the glazed fritters for a sweet finish
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Swapping out a few simple ingredients can make a big difference. Let me know in the comments how these easy apple fritters turn out for you!
- Almond milk or another dairy-free milk instead of whole milk for those on a medically restrictive diet
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option, making it more suitable for personal consumption by those with gluten sensitivities
- Canola oil for frying if peanut oil is not available or preferred for dietary reasons
- A mix of cinnamon sugar for rolling the fritters instead of glazing, for an old-fashioned apple fritter touch
HOW TO STORE:
While they are best eaten right away, they can be stored after they are completely cooled.
Store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. In the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the oven or air fryer since they are best eaten warm. Again, they will be soggy after storage.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Granny Smith is our go-to apple for this recipe, see other apples above that can be used.
- Do not overcrowd your pan when frying, this will help each one cook evenly.
- You can halve or double the batch depending on how many you are serving.
- Peanut oil is our favorite but vegetable or canola oil can also be used.
- If you do not want to glaze these, you can roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Try switching up your glaze flavor by adding some cinnamon or even some caramel sauce.
Want that fun, flavorful, and absolutely addictive recipe that you won’t be able to put down? Then you need to make my Apple Fritters!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these APPLE FRITTERS, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Easy Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups medium-diced Granny Smith apples cored and peeled
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- Peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl stir the diced apples with the lemon juice, set aside.3 cups medium-diced Granny Smith apples, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- In another medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, set aside.1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, pinch of ground nutmeg
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs until beaten.2 large eggs
- Add the milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla, whisk until smooth.¾ cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients and stir it in until combined with no dry patches.
- Fold in the apples.
- In a dutch oven or deep fryer, add about 4 inches of oil up the side of the pan. Bring the oil temperature up to 350°F.Peanut oil for frying
- Once the oil is hot, drop ¼ cup dollops of the batter carefully into the oil. Fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside, about 10 minutes total, flipping the fritters a few times to brown evenly. You will need to fry in batches as you don’t want to crowd the pan, I do 3 fritters at a time.
- Drain the fritters well then place them on a wire rack over a sheet tray so they can drip and cool.
- While the fritters are frying, make the glaze by placing the milk into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring it to a simmer. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the powdered sugar and whisk it in until dissolved.6 tablespoons whole milk, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- Add the glaze to a bowl and dip the fritters into the glaze one by one and place it back on the wire rack over the sheet tray. Do this step twice. If there is any glaze leftover, spoon it over the tops of the fritters.
Notes
- Granny Smith is our go-to apple for this recipe, see other apples above that can be used.
- Do not overcrowd your pan when frying, this will help each one cook evenly.
- You can halve or double the batch depending on how many you are serving.
- Peanut oil is our favorite but vegetable or canola oil can also be used.
- If you do not want to glaze these, you can roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Try switching up your glaze flavor by adding some cinnamon or even some caramel sauce.
Comments & Reviews
Chris says
I made apple fritters using another recipe, but had all the ingredients you had. After frying the fritters, they came out brown and crispy. I let them cool before placing the icing on them. I noted by the evening, they were not crispy anymore. Why is that and how can I get them to stay crisp or do they just look the crisp after a while of being out? I have also heard of using rice or cake flour that will help keep them crisp. I haven’t tried that. When I made them, I used all purpose flour.