Description
These homemade apple fritters are crispy, golden, and loaded with tender cinnamon apples. Finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, they’re even better than your favorite bakery version and surprisingly easy to make at home. Perfect for weekend breakfasts or special occasions!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Fritters:
- 2 cups apples, peeled and diced (about 2–3 medium apples)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 6-8 cups)
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and dice your apples into small 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces. You want them small enough to distribute throughout the fritters but large enough to provide texture. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined and no lumps remain. This ensures even distribution of leavening and spices.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated. Make sure your melted butter isn’t too hot or it might cook the eggs.
- Create the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold together until just combined. Don’t overmix – a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough fritters. The batter will be thick, similar to a muffin batter.
- Add the apples: Gently fold the diced apples into the batter until evenly distributed. The batter should be thick enough to hold the apples suspended rather than sinking to the bottom.
- Heat the oil: Pour oil into your heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on your thermometer. This temperature is crucial – test it before adding any batter. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small bit of batter into the oil; it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
- Fry the fritters: Once oil reaches temperature, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or large spoon to scoop batter and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd – fry only 2-3 fritters at a time depending on your pot size. They’ll expand as they cook. Fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side until deep golden brown, then carefully flip using a slotted spoon. Fry another 2-3 minutes on the second side until evenly golden and cooked through. The fritters should float and puff up beautifully.
- Drain and cool: Remove fritters with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. This allows excess oil to drip away while maintaining crispiness. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before glazing. Monitor your oil temperature between batches and adjust heat as needed to maintain 350°F.
- Make the glaze: While fritters cool slightly, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt in a medium bowl until completely smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable – if it’s too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Glaze the fritters: Once fritters have cooled for about 5 minutes (warm but not hot), dip the top of each fritter into the glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle glaze generously over each fritter. Place back on the wire rack and let the glaze set for about 10 minutes. For extra indulgence, you can double-glaze by applying a second coat after the first one sets.
- Serve: Enjoy warm or at room temperature. These are absolutely divine when slightly warm, with the glaze still soft and the apples tender and fragrant.
Notes
- Oil temperature is critical: Use a thermometer and maintain 350°F. Too hot and fritters burn outside while staying raw inside; too cool and they absorb excess oil and become greasy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot: Frying too many at once drops the oil temperature significantly and results in greasy fritters.
- Batter consistency: The batter should be thick and chunky with apples. If it seems too thin, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour.
- Apple prep: Smaller dice means more even distribution, but don’t mince them or you’ll lose that satisfying apple texture.
- Glaze timing: Wait until fritters cool slightly (about 5 minutes) or the glaze will be too thin and slide right off.
- Storage: Best enjoyed fresh, but store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fritter
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg