Breakfast

Apple Fritters Better Than Your Granny Used To Make

4.67 from 42 votes
My Apple Fritter recipe is basically an amazing fried donut and covered in a vanilla glaze that uses up all the wonderful apples you have on hand. What's not to love?
A bunch of apple fritters cooling on a rack.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Fall is here, and if you thought you were going to make it through the season without my favorite Apple Fritter recipe, then you must be new! There’s no better excuse to make an irresistible yeast-free dessert than, “I have so many apples, I don’t know what to do with them!” 

Plus, fruit is good for you! (Even if it is served in the form of a fried donut and covered in a vanilla glaze, right?) 

These homemade apple fritters are bursting with fresh apples and are simply a cinch to make! Can’t you already imagine the wonderful smell of apples, cinnamon, and sugar waking up your family for a Sunday breakfast surprise? 

What Are Apple Fritters? 

Apple fritters are similar to donuts — if donuts came jam-packed with fresh fruit and a lot of flavor! The dough is not unlike pancake dough. However, when making apple fritters, you fold in the fresh fruit into the batter and then pan-fry or deep fry it, like a donut, instead of cooking it like a pancake. 

I like to top my homemade apple fritters with a vanilla glaze, making them perfect for an indulgent breakfast or a dessert served with tea after dinner.

 

A close up of my apple fritter recipe cooling on a rack.

What You Need To Make Apple Fritters with a Vanilla Glaze

How To Make Apple Fritters

Apple fritters are a shockingly simple and very quick dessert! Here is how you make them (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):

  1. To make the vanilla glaze for the apple fritters, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Prep the apples by peeling, coring, and dicing them into small chunks. Set the apples aside and cover with a damp piece of paper towel.
  3. To make the fritter batter, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until just well combined. Then, fold in the apples.
  6. In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour about 2 to 3-inches of oil and insert a thermometer to measure the oil heat. Place a wire rack on top of a baking tray near the saucepan to transfer your fritters to. 
  7. Once the oil has reached medium heat, about 375°F/190°C, carefully drop 2 to 3 large spoonfuls of the fritter batter into the oil.
  8. Cook the fritters for about 2-3 minutes. Once one side is golden brown, flip it and let the other side cook.
  9. Lift the fritters out of the oil and place them on your prepared wire rack to cool. Once cooled, dunk them in the vanilla glaze and place them back on the rack to dry. 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Apple Fritters

  • A thermometer is super useful for this recipe. Be sure to keep the oil at 375°F. If it is too hot, the fritters won’t fry properly. If it is too cold, they’ll absorb too much oil and get soggy.
  • Instead of a vanilla glaze, you can dip the fritters in cinnamon sugar.
  • Use my Buttermilk Substitute if you don’t have any to hand.
  • Use Granny Smith apples for this recipe! They keep their shape, add a little tartness, and are perfect for this apple fritter recipe.
  • Oil is HOT when frying! Make sure you stay safe: place donuts carefully in the oil to avoid splash burns, watch carefully to make sure that the oil doesn’t start to smoke, and never walk away from oil heating on the stove! If you are a child making this recipe, make sure to get an adult’s help!

How To Store Apple Fritters

While they’re best on the day they are made, leftover apple fritters can be kept in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one day. 

The interior of an apple fritter to show texture and consistency.

Make More Fall Recipes!

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

Apple Fritters Recipe

4.67 from 42 votes
My Apple Fritter recipe is basically an amazing fried donut and covered in a vanilla glaze that uses up all the wonderful apples you have on hand. What's not to love?
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 10 fritters
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
My Apple Fritter recipe is basically an amazing fried donut and covered in a vanilla glaze that uses up all the wonderful apples you have on hand. What's not to love?
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 10 fritters

Ingredients

Vanilla Glaze

  • 2 cups (8oz/225g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Fritter Batter

  • 2 cups (10oz/284g) apples (granny smith)
  • cup (2 ½floz/71ml) buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (5oz/142g all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

  • First, make the glaze: in a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Set aside
  • Peel, core, and dice the apples up small. Set aside covered with a damp piece of kitchen paper over them while you make the fritter batter.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  • Stir the wet and dry ingredients together, just until well combined, and then fold in the apples.
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour oil to a 2-3 inch depth and set a thermometer in the oil to measure the temperature and set a wire rack on a baking tray and place near the saucepan.
  • When the oil has reached 375°F/190°C (medium heat), carefully drop 2-3 large spoonfuls of batter into the oil.
  • After 2-3 minutes, when one side is golden brown then flip and let the other side cook until golden brown on the other side.
  • Lift the fritters out of the oil and place on the wire wrack. Once all the fritters are cooked, dunk them in the glaze and let dry back on the wire rack.
  • These fritters are best the day they are made, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
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barbiec967
barbiec967
3 years ago

This is probably a dumb question but when you say to drop 2-3 large spoonfuls of batter into the oil, is that for one fritter or is that to make 2-3 fritters? Like 2-3 spoonfuls equal one fritter or 2-3 fritters?

Margaret Quintana
Margaret Quintana
1 year ago

Can you dust the fritters with cinnamon/sugar?

Mari20
Mari20
5 months ago

Hi Gemma, if I want to omit the glaze, do I need to up the sugar in the batter? Or is it sweet enough with the 2 tbsp? Thanks!

Jennie Stumm
Jennie Stumm
6 months ago

The other day I was at our local market, they have lots of Amish pies and cakes and bakery. I saw a bag of Apple Fritters and immediately thought – we all love them, they look amazing, I’m getting them! Brought them home, cut one open while my husband eagerly offered to share half with me. What a disappointment! They were cold – perhaps having been frozen – they were tough, no apple flavor at all, no cinnamon…just a complete let down. So this morning I was scrolling and came across your recipe for Apple Fritters. I thought, “Now HERE’S… Read more »

Debora Guile
Debora Guile
2 years ago

I just came across this recipe two quick questions can you use milk in place of buttermilk? And can you make the batter a day before but add the apples just before frying?

Janet Kowalewski Widerski

fritters was so easy. they came out great. i will definitely be making these again.

TxMesteth
TxMesteth
3 years ago

Love your recipes! Have a question, could I substitute Apple cider for the milk in the glaze? If so, equal amount?

Connie Gardner
Connie Gardner
3 years ago

Can I use apple pie filling in place of fresh apples?

Derek
3 years ago

Hi can we bake apple fritter

Heidi Jenkins
Heidi Jenkins
3 years ago

Loved it!! I cut out the sugar and half the apples in exchange for my homemade applebutter. Melt in you mouth gumminess!!

This Recipe Made By Bold Bakers

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Janet Kowalewski Widerski

About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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