Easy Homemade Apple Fritters (2024)

4.68 from 171 votes

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Author: Tracy

APPLE FRITTER

• ▢ 3-4 cups apples, diced about 2-3 apples, peeled and diced into bite-size pieces (honeycrisp or granny smith)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ pinch nutmeg or apple pie spice!
• ▢ pinch ground ginger (optional)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 1/3 cup milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon melted butter cooled
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ Vegetable oil for frying

GLAZE

• ▢ 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2-5 teaspoons milk or water

• Dice your apples, place in a bowl and add lemon juice. This will prevent the apples from browning.

• In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add milk, vanilla, and cooled melted butter (don't add it hot, you'll cook your eggs!) Whisk together with a fork until it is all combined.

• In another medium sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ground ginger.

• Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well until a loose dough is formed. Fold in the apples.

• Fill a frying pan or sauce pan with about 3-4 cups of oil or so that you have about 3-4 inches of oil in your pan. Heat oil over medium heat until the oil reaches 375°F with a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, use the wooden spoon test (see notes).

• Use a measuring cup to drop batter into oil, 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup. Fry until the outside is golden brown. Flip and fry other side until golden brown, for a total of about 4-5 minutes. You'll know they're done if you insert a small knife into the center and it comes clean. If not, fry a little longer so that the center is fully cooked. This time will depend on the size of your fritter.

• Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined cooling rack and let cool. Repeat with all the batter.

GLAZE

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of milk (or water). Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you have the consistency you want. Think thick but drizzly.

• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled fritters and let dry.

Wooden Spoon Test

To test to see if your oil is hot enough for frying without a thermometer, grab your wooden spoon and put the end of it into the oil. If the oil bubbles around it, it's ready! If it bubbles too hard, it's too hot and you will want to cool the oil a little and then test again.

Substitutions

Flour: Gluten-free, and nut flours work great, too.

Milk: Use whole, 2%, 1% or nut milk.

Vanilla Extract:Use an almond extract for a yummy almond flavor!

Glaze: Add a little cinnamon or apple pie spice to the confectioner's sugar for the added flavor.

Frying Tips

The size of your fritter will alter the cooking time. Whatever size cup you use, keep the size of the fritters consistent, at least the ones that are in the pan together to ensure even cooking.

Be sure that your oil doesn't get too hot. This will burn your batter and leave you with undercooked fritters. Keep the temp at a medium-low once it reaches 375 degrees.

Storing

These fritters are the best freshly made and eaten within 24 hrs. Lightly cover with a paper towel on the counter, if you have any leftover!