Best Apple Fritters

Finding a breakfast treat that feels special enough for lazy weekend mornings but simple enough to actually make can be tricky. After all, most bakery-style pastries require complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients, and things get even more challenging when you’re craving something warm and fresh but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.

Luckily, these apple fritters check all the boxes: they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, made with basic pantry staples, and ready in just about 30 minutes from start to finish.

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What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

For apple fritters, you’ll want to choose apples that hold their shape well when cooked and have a good balance of sweet and tart flavors. Granny Smith apples are a classic choice because they stay firm during frying and their tartness pairs nicely with the sweet batter and glaze. Honeycrisp and Braeburn apples also work great since they maintain their texture and add a pleasant sweetness. Avoid softer apples like Red Delicious or McIntosh, as they tend to get mushy when cooked and can make your fritters soggy. When dicing your apples, aim for pieces that are about ¼ to ½ inch in size – this ensures they cook evenly and distribute well throughout each fritter.

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Options for Substitutions

These apple fritters are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can change up:

• All purpose flour: You can substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed, though the texture might be slightly different. Avoid substituting with other flours like almond or coconut flour as they won’t give you the right consistency.
• Applesauce: If you don’t have applesauce, you can use ½ cup of melted butter or vegetable oil instead. This will make the fritters a bit richer and less moist than the applesauce version.
• Milk: Any milk works here – whole milk, 2%, almond milk, or oat milk. If using non-dairy alternatives, the fritters might be slightly less tender.
• Apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples work best since they hold their shape when cooked. Avoid very soft apples like Red Delicious as they’ll turn mushy during frying.
• Vegetable oil: You can use canola oil or peanut oil for frying instead. Just make sure whatever oil you choose has a high smoke point for safe deep frying.
• Powdered sugar glaze: Skip the glaze entirely and just dust with powdered sugar, or make a simple cinnamon sugar coating by mixing ½ cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making apple fritters is getting your oil temperature wrong – too hot and the outside burns while the inside stays raw, too cool and you’ll end up with greasy, heavy fritters that absorb too much oil.

Use a candy thermometer to keep your oil steady at 375°F, and don’t overcrowd the pan since this drops the temperature and leads to uneven cooking.

Another common error is making your batter too thick or too thin – it should coat the apples nicely but still drop easily from a spoon, so adjust with a little extra flour or milk as needed.

Finally, resist the urge to flip your fritters too early; wait until the edges look set and golden before turning them, and always drain on paper towels to remove excess oil before glazing.

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What to Serve With Apple Fritters?

Apple fritters are perfect on their own, but they’re absolutely amazing with a hot cup of coffee or black tea for dunking. I love serving them for weekend brunch alongside scrambled eggs and crispy bacon – the sweet and savory combo is really satisfying. They also make a great dessert when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For a cozy fall morning, try pairing them with hot apple cider or even a caramel latte to double down on those autumn flavors.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Apple fritters are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just keep in mind that the glaze might get a bit sticky and the fritters won’t be quite as crispy as when they’re fresh from the oil.

Freeze: These freeze really well if you want to make them ahead! Let them cool completely, then freeze them without the glaze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can add the glaze after thawing and reheating for the best results.

Warm Up: To bring back some of that crispy texture, pop your fritters in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes. You can also use the microwave for 20-30 seconds, but they won’t get as crispy. If you froze them without glaze, now’s the perfect time to drizzle on that sweet vanilla glaze!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 25-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-460 g

Ingredients

For the fritters:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain applesauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large apples, diced
• Vegetable oil, for frying

For the glaze:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until everything is well mixed.

This forms the base for the batter, ensuring even distribution of the leavening and seasoning.

Step 2: Make the Batter

• 1/2 cup plain applesauce
• 1/2 cup milk

Add the plain applesauce and milk to the bowl of dry ingredients.

Mix gently until just combined—you want the batter to be uniform, but be careful not to overmix, as that can make the fritters tough.

I find using a spatula works best for this step.

Step 3: Fold in the Apples

• 2 large apples, diced

Gently fold in the diced apples to the batter from Step 2.

Make sure the apple pieces are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

The batter should now be thick and lumpy with apple pieces peeking through.

Step 4: Fry the Fritters

• vegetable oil, for frying
• batter with diced apples from Step 3

Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet to 375°F (190°C).

Carefully scoop about 1/3 cup of the batter (from Step 3) for each fritter into the hot oil, flattening slightly with your scoop or a spoon.

Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, then flip with tongs and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until both sides are golden and cooked through.

Remove the cooked fritters and place them on a cooling rack set over a pan or parchment paper to catch the excess oil.

Repeat for remaining batter.

I always use a thermometer to check the oil temperature for even frying.

Step 5: Prepare the Glaze

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and pourable.

Adjust consistency with a tiny splash more milk if needed.

For extra flavor, I like to add a tiny pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

Step 6: Glaze and Cool the Fritters

Dip each warm fritter (from Step 4) into the glaze (from Step 5), coating both sides.

Place the glazed fritters back on the cooling rack and let the glaze harden while excess glaze drips down.

Serve warm or at room temperature for the best texture.

Best Apple Fritters

Delicious Best Apple Fritters recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the fritters:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain applesauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large apples, diced
• vegetable oil, for frying

For the glaze:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until everything is well mixed. This forms the base for the batter, ensuring even distribution of the leavening and seasoning.
• Add the plain applesauce and milk to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined—you want the batter to be uniform, but be careful not to overmix, as that can make the fritters tough. I find using a spatula works best for this step.
• Gently fold in the diced apples to the batter from Step 2. Make sure the apple pieces are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. The batter should now be thick and lumpy with apple pieces peeking through.
• Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet to 375°F (190°C). Carefully scoop about 1/3 cup of the batter (from Step 3) for each fritter into the hot oil, flattening slightly with your scoop or a spoon. Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, then flip with tongs and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until both sides are golden and cooked through. Remove the cooked fritters and place them on a cooling rack set over a pan or parchment paper to catch the excess oil. Repeat for remaining batter. I always use a thermometer to check the oil temperature for even frying.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with a tiny splash more milk if needed. For extra flavor, I like to add a tiny pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
• Dip each warm fritter (from Step 4) into the glaze (from Step 5), coating both sides. Place the glazed fritters back on the cooling rack and let the glaze harden while excess glaze drips down. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best texture.