🍎 Easy Apple Fritters Recipe | Old-Fashioned Homemade Apple Fritters from Scratch

By Rebecca St.Clair

There’s nothing quite like hot and fresh apple fritters made at home. This is a great way to use up fresh apples in the fall. These easy apple fritters are crisp and golden on the outside, tender and fluffy in the middle, and packed with little pieces of sweet, juicy apple.

Made completely from scratch with simple pantry ingredients, this old-fashioned apple fritter recipe is perfect for fall baking, weekend breakfasts, afternoon treats, or dessert with a warm cup of coffee.

The best part? You don’t need a deep fryer or any fancy equipment. A heavy-bottomed pot, some good frying oil, and a spoonful of this super simple batter are all you need to make delicious homemade apple fritters from scratch.

What Are Apple Fritters?

An apple fritter is a sweet fried pastry made from a simple batter mixed with chopped apples. Spoonfuls of the batter are fried until golden brown and are often finished with powdered sugar or a simple glaze.

Unlike an apple doughnut, apple fritters generally have a more rustic, irregular shape and plenty of pieces of apple throughout the batter.

That rustic appearance is part of their charm. They’re supposed to look like something you’d find cooling on an old-fashioned kitchen table. Plus all those nooks and crannies get wonderfully golden and are the perfect hiding spot for the sweet glaze they get dipped in at the end.

How to Make Apple Fritters from Scratch

1. Prepare the Apples

Peel, core, and finely chop 2 large apples.

Small pieces are best because they cook quickly.

Set the apples aside while you prepare the batter.

2. Heat the Oil

Pour the frying oil into a heavy-bottomed pot giving you about 1 1/2 – 2 inches in depth. Heat it to approximately 350°F (180°C).

Use a thermometer if possible. Starting the oil now, will allow you to cook the batter as soon as it is ready.

3. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mixing the dry ingredients first helps distribute the baking powder and spices evenly.

4. Mix the Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 Tablespoons melted butter.

5. Make the Batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Fold in the chopped apples.

Don’t overmix the batter. Just like pancakes, a few small lumps are perfectly fine.

6. Fry the Apple Fritters

Carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil (about 1/4 cup of batter). Leave space between the fritters.

Fry until golden brown. This should take 2 minutes per side.

The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your fritters, so watch their colour and make sure the centres are fully cooked.

7. Drain

Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

Continue frying the rest of the batter in small batches.

8. Glaze or Dust with Sugar

You can serve the fritters simply with a dusting of powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or drizzle them with a quick vanilla glaze.

How to Make a Simple Apple Fritter Glaze

For an easy glaze, whisk 2 cups powdered sugar with 1/4 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.

The glaze should be thick enough to coat the fritters but thin enough to drizzle.

Drizzle the glaze over the fritters while they’re still slightly warm.

Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.

What Type of Apples Are Best for Apple Fritters?

The best apples for apple fritters are firm apples that hold their shape when cooked. But most any of your favourite apples will work for this recipe.

You can use either sweet or slightly tart apples depending on the flavour you prefer.

🍎 Good Apples for Apple Fritters

Honeycrisp:
Sweet, crisp, and juicy. Honeycrisp apples add plenty of fresh apple flavour and hold their texture nicely.

Granny Smith:
A classic choice if you like a little tartness. The bright acidity balances the sweetness of the fritter beautifully.

Northern Spy:
A delicious choice for fall baking. They have a lovely balance of sweetness and tartness and are especially good for traditional apple desserts.

Cortland:
Mildly sweet and excellent for baking. Cortland apples are also useful if you want apple pieces that don’t brown quite as quickly while you’re preparing the batter.

Golden Delicious:
Softer and sweeter than some baking apples, but delicious if you prefer a sweeter apple fritter.

Can You Mix Different Apples?

Absolutely!

In fact, using a combination of apples can give your fritters a more interesting flavour. Try combining a sweet apple such as Honeycrisp with a tart apple such as Granny Smith.

Should You Peel the Apples?

You can peel the apples, but you don’t necessarily have to.

For the most traditional, tender apple fritters, I recommend peeling the apples before chopping them. The peeled apples blend nicely into the soft fritter batter.

If you enjoy a more rustic texture, you can leave the peel on.

What Type of Oil Is Best for Frying Apple Fritters?

Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying apple fritters.

Good choices include:

• Canola oil
• Vegetable oil
• Sunflower oil
• Peanut oil, if allergies aren’t a concern
• Beef tallow

How Much Oil Do You Need?

Add enough oil to a heavy-bottomed pot to give the fritters room to float and cook evenly. A depth of approximately 2 inches of oil works well.

Always leave plenty of room between the oil and the top of the pot because the oil can bubble considerably when the batter is added.

Why Is Oil Temperature So Important?

The temperature of the frying oil makes a huge difference.

For apple fritters, aim for approximately 350°F (180°C).

If the oil is too cool, the fritters will absorb excess oil and become greasy.

If the oil is too hot, the outside can brown quickly while the center remains undercooked.

A kitchen thermometer is one of the easiest ways to keep the temperature under control.

Remember that the temperature will drop when you add a batch of fritters, so check and adjust the heat as needed between batches.

Tips for Making the Best Apple Fritters

Don’t Chop the Apples Too Large

Large chunks of apple can make it hard to soften in the short cook time. A small dice work best.

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Mix just until the ingredients come together. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can result in tougher fritters.

Keep the Oil at the Right Temperature

This is one of the most important steps. Aim for around 350°F (180°C) and monitor the temperature throughout frying.

Fry in Small Batches

Adding too many fritters at once will lower the oil temperature. It will also make it difficult to turn the fritters over.

Give each fritter enough room to cook properly.

Don’t Make the Fritters Too Large

Smaller fritters are easier to cook all the way through without over-browning the outside.

Let Them Drain Properly

A wire rack allows excess oil to drip off.

How to Store Apple Fritters

Apple fritters are best when they’re freshly made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the best texture, avoid sealing them away while they’re still hot. Allow them to cool first so condensation doesn’t make the fritters soggy.

How to Reheat Apple Fritters

For the best texture, gently reheat apple fritters in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through.

Can Apple Fritters Be Frozen?

Yes, apple fritters can be frozen.

Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers.

Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.

Thaw and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

If you’re planning to freeze them, wait to add the glaze until after reheating.