Apple Fritter Recipe
You are going to be obsessed with how delicious AND easy these homemade apple fritters are, thanks to this foolproof, fully troubleshooted recipe! They're perfectly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, bursting with juicy apples, warm spices, and finished with an irresistible apple-cider glaze. See the post for expert tips and variations for bakery-style results every time.
Servings 15 fritters
Ingredients
Apple Fritters
- 2 cups (250g) all purpose flour (fluffed, spooned, leveled)*
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp EACH ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cardamon
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, chopped 1/4-1/2 inch (1 ½ cups)
- Vegetable or Canola or oil for frying
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices in a medium bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs for 15 seconds, then whisk in the apple cider, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold them together until just a few flour streaks remain (don’t overmix), then fold in the apples. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile:
- Prep Oil and Make Glaze: Attach a candy or deep fry thermometer to the side of a Dutch oven or fryer (I use this pan), without touching the bottom of the pan. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 355-365°F. Line a wire rack with paper towels. Whisk the Glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Drop Batter: Using about a 1/4 cup cookie or ice cream scoop, drop the batter into the oil, spreading it out a little as you drop (don't stress, it won't spread too much). Repeat 2-3 more times, carefully monitoring the frying oil temperature, and adjusting as needed.
- Fry: Cook each side until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side), and cooked through, then transfer to paper towels using a spider strainer or slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Glaze: Let the fritters cool for 5 minutes, then dunk them in the glaze, coating all sides. Transfer to a clean wire rack for the glaze to set. Serve warm..
Notes
- Measure flour correctly: If you don't have a scale, measure flour by fluffing it with a spoon, then spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off—never scoop—so your fritters stay light, fluffy, and never dense.