Oh, the smell of hot oil and cinnamon! There’s just nothing that screams comfort food louder than freshly fried dough, and let me tell you, these simple **Apple Fritters** are my absolute go-to for a weekend treat. Forget those fussy, hours-long recipes. I’ve streamlined this down to pure magic—crispy edges, soft, doughy centers packed with sweet, tart apple chunks. I remember making these in my first apartment when the sink clogged; the whole place smelled amazing despite the plumbing disaster! It’s a recipe my friend Sarah taught me, and honestly, they come together so fast you can make them before you finish your first cup of coffee. Trust me, these are the easiest, tastiest fritters you’ll ever flip.

Why These Are the Best Apple Fritters You Will Ever Make

Why bother with complicated recipes when you can achieve donut-shop perfection right on your stovetop? These fritters hit all the incredible notes we look for in a sweet, fried snack. I’ve tried so many versions, but this one just nails the balance every single time.

Here is why I keep coming back to this exact method:

The texture is unbelievable! You get that satisfying, shatteringly crisp exterior that gives way to a pillowy, warm interior.
They are lightning fast. Seriously, from mixing the batter to pulling them out of the oil, you are looking at maybe 30 minutes total prep and cook time. Great when that sweet craving hits hard!
The flavor is pure nostalgia. That perfect hint of cinnamon warming up the sweet chunks of apple—it’s classic comfort.

If you want help making sure your basics are solid—like getting that perfect crumb structure—you should check out my general baking tips. But for now, just trust me; these Apple Fritters really are the benchmark.

Gathering Ingredients for Perfect Apple Fritters

Getting the ingredients lined up is half the battle, and honestly, the list is super straightforward. You likely have most of this stuff hiding in your pantry right now! For the fritter batter itself, we need the basics: 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder to give them a little lift, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon (don’t skimp here—it’s essential!), half a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter cup of granulated sugar to balance everything out.

Then come the wet components: one large, happy egg and about 3/4 cup of milk. The real star, of course, is the apple. You need one large apple, and it absolutely has to be peeled, cored, and chopped up into nice little bits! I cannot stress enough how much better fresh apples are for these fritters than any dried-out stuff.

We separate the glaze ingredients out because we mix them last, right before serving! You’ll want a full cup of powdered sugar and about 2 tablespoons of milk reserved specifically for that drizzle. Keep those separate so you don’t accidentally put the powdered sugar into the batter—oops!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Apple Fritters

Let’s talk apples for a second. If you can get your hands on something tart, like a Granny Smith, do it! The slight tartness cuts through the richness of the fried dough and the sweetness of the glaze perfectly. If you don’t have regular milk on hand, don’t panic! You can usually substitute milk with buttermilk—it will just make the texture slightly tangier and a bit richer, which I actually love. Just make sure if you substitute, you account for that small acidity change in the final product. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh; dead leavening agents mean flat fritters, and we certainly aren’t going for flat!

Essential Equipment for Making Apple Fritters

You can’t bake a cake without an oven, and you can’t make these amazing fried snacks without the right tools! Getting everything ready before you start heating that oil is going to save you so much stress later on. Seriously, that minute you spend rounding up tools is way better than trying to frantically search for a slotted spoon while hot oil is bubbling away.

Here is the list of things I always lay out on the counter before I even crack the egg:

A good, heavy-bottomed deep pot or a Dutch oven. You need something sturdy that holds heat well.
A candy or deep-fry thermometer. This is non-negotiable! Temperature is everything when frying, and guessing just leads to sad, greasy results.
A large slotted spoon or spider strainer. This is your best friend for gently lowering the batter in and pulling out those golden pillows quickly.
A wire cooling rack set over a sheet of paper towels. You need air circulation underneath those fritters so they don’t steam and turn soft on the bottom!

That’s it! We aren’t dealing with fancy mixers or stand mixers here—just good old-fashioned stovetop work. Making sure that thermometer is calibrated and ready to go means your final product is going to be wonderfully crispy, not soggy.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Delicious Apple Fritters

First things first, get your dry team together! In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder, that warming cinnamon, the salt, and the granulated sugar. Don’t worry about being super precise yet, just break up any clumps.
In a completely separate little bowl, whisk your egg and milk together until they’re happy and combined.
Now for the crucial part! Pour those wet ingredients right into your big bowl of dry stuff. Mix it with a spoon or a spatula, but listen to me: DO NOT OVERMIX. I mean it! You want this batter to look lumpy, shaggy, and maybe a little ugly. If you overwork the gluten, your fritters will be tough little hockey pucks instead of fluffy clouds. Stop mixing the second you don’t see any more dry streaks of flour.
Gently fold in those chopped apple pieces. Don’t mash them; just get them incorporated into the messy batter.
Time to heat up the fun zone! Get about two inches of vegetable oil into your Dutch oven or deep pot. You absolutely must get the temperature right: aim for 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). If you only take one piece of advice from me, let it be this: use that thermometer! If the oil is too cold, your amazing fritters soak up grease. If it’s too hot, they burn before cooking inside!
Using your slotted spoon, carefully drop dollops of batter—about a tablespoon or two worth—into the hot oil. Work in small batches, maybe three or four at a time. Overcrowding the pot shocks the oil temperature, and then we’re back to soggy town!
Let them fry undisturbed for about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until they hit that perfect shade of golden brown. Flip them gently and fry the other side for the same amount of time. They cook fast!
Once they look gorgeous and golden, use your big slotted spoon to scoop those beautiful treats out. Set them on that paper towel-lined rack to drain away any extra oil. This step is key for a non-greasy result.

While they cool just a touch, whisk together your cup of powdered sugar and the 2 reserved tablespoons of milk until you have a thin, pourable glaze.
Drizzle that sweet topping all over the warm fritters, and get ready to enjoy!

Tips for Frying Crispy Apple Fritters

Frying is all about temperature control and space. Remember, we are aiming for a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Keep that oil stabilized right at 365°F. If you drop in a batch and the oil temperature drops below 350°F, let it recover before you drop in the next batch. Resist the urge to cram too many batter pieces in there! We want space so the hot oil can immediately surround and crisp up the outside of the dough. Get that beautiful, even golden-brown color—that’s your cue to flip them. They should only need about 2 to 3 minutes on each side before they puff up nicely.

Preparing the Simple Glaze for Apple Fritters

The glaze is dead simple, and honestly, you can tweak it depending on how thick you like that sweet coating on your perfect **Apple Fritters**. We start with one cup of powdered sugar and just enough milk—remember, we reserved that 2 tablespoons—to make it runny. If you like a thick, opaque coat that hides most of the fritter underneath, use less milk, maybe one tablespoon to start. If you want a thin, almost see-through drizzle that just adds a hint of sweetness, add a tiny bit more milk, maybe half a teaspoon at a time. It should pour easily off the whisk but not run right off the fritter immediately. It sets up beautifully as the fritters cool down!

Serving Suggestions for Your Fresh Apple Fritters

The hardest part about making these amazing homemade **Apple Fritters** is having the willpower to wait five minutes for them to cool down! They are truly best enjoyed right after they come out of the oil, while they are still piping hot and the glaze is just starting to set up beautifully.

Forget saving them for later—these are an immediate reward! I always make sure I have coffee brewing when I start frying because honestly, that warmth pairs perfectly with the cinnamon spice. A strong black coffee balances out the sweetness so nicely.

If you’re serving these as a true dessert, you have to go big. Warm fritters topped with a scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream—yes, please! The cold creaminess meeting that hot, doughy apple is pure heaven. If you want to get really fancy, toss a little extra cinnamon sugar over the top of the ice cream scoop!

I also love serving them with a side of sliced fresh fruit when I make a big batch, just to feel *slightly* less guilty about eating five myself!

If you’re looking for another amazing morning treat to pair with these fantastic fried snacks, you must try my simple coffee cake recipe. It’s perfect for sharing (or not sharing, I don’t judge!).

Storing and Reheating Your Homemade Apple Fritters

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Will there even be leftovers? Because let’s be real, these things vanish fast! But just in case you manage to hide a couple of those glorious **Apple Fritters** from the first batch, you need to know how to store them correctly. If you leave them out on the counter, they get sad and stale really quickly.

The best way to keep them for the next day is to store them in a simple, airtight container at room temperature. Don’t try to shove them in the fridge! The fridge is the enemy of anything that should be soft and slightly greasy; chilling them just makes the texture hard and dry.

How to Bring Back the Crispness

When you go to reheat them the next morning (because yes, leftover fritters are breakfast!), you are going to want to skip the microwave entirely. That thing heats up the moisture and makes the dough gummy in about five seconds flat. We want to restore that glorious crispness we worked so hard to achieve!

Here are the two methods I swear by for reviving these beauties:

The Oven Revival: Preheat your oven—or a toaster oven if you’re only saving two—to about 350°F. Place the fritters directly on a baking sheet (or just put them on a rack set over a sheet if you have one handy). Warm them for about 5 to 7 minutes. They will crisp up beautifully, and the glaze might melt a little, which is just fine!
The Air Fryer Magic: If you’ve invested in an air fryer, this is truly the best way to resurrect a fried treat! Set your air fryer to 350°F and pop them in a single layer. They only need about 3 minutes. Pull them out when they are smelling irresistible and feeling firm to the touch.

As long as you drain them really well after frying initially, they reheat like champions and taste almost as good as fresh. Just remember: cold fritters are only okay if you plan on dunking them in coffee!

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Fritters

I always get so many great questions once people start making these at home! It’s easy to get focused on the frying part, but sometimes the small details about ingredients trip people up. Don’t worry; that’s what this section is for. We can troubleshoot anything that pops up so you get that perfect fluffy-crisp texture right away.

Can I bake these instead of frying my Apple Fritters?

That’s a common question, especially if you’re trying to cut back on the deep-frying part. I will be honest with you: if you bake these, you won’t get an *apple fritter*. Baking them will give you a lovely, cinnamon-apple muffin top, which is delicious on its own, but it totally loses that signature crisp shell and airy interior that comes from being perfectly submerged in 365-degree oil. The texture fundamentally changes. If you want a baked apple treat, I have a recipe for baked apple donuts you might want to check out over here: baked apple donuts.

What kind of oil is best for frying Apple Fritters?

This choice really impacts the final taste! You want a neutral oil because you really want to taste the apples and the cinnamon, not the oil itself. Skip anything heavily flavored, like olive oil—that smoke point is too low anyway, and it will burn before your dough cooks!

I always reach for standard vegetable oil because it’s economical and works perfectly. Canola oil is another fantastic, high smoke-point choice. Peanut oil gives a slightly different flavor profile, but it’s also perfectly safe and very stable under high heat, which is exactly what we need for that quick, golden crust.

Estimated Nutritional Breakdown for Apple Fritters

Okay, let’s talk fuel! I know when I’m diving into a batch of these perfect **Apple Fritters**, I’m really not thinking about the macros, but it’s good to have a general idea of what you’re reaching for, right? Since these are deep-fried and glazed, they definitely land in the treat category, but hey, everything in moderation, especially when it tastes this good!

This breakdown is based on that standard 10-fritter yield, with the glaze included. Just remember, because we add fresh apples and use real butter (if you substituted some of that in your batter!), these numbers are educated guesses based on standard pantry items. Your results might shift slightly depending on the exact size of your apple or how thick you make your glaze.

Here’s the estimated scoop per single fritter!

Calories: Around 250 per fritter. That satisfying crunch costs about 250 calories, which seems totally fair for something this delicious!
Fat: Roughly 12g total fat. Remember, most of that comes from the frying oil we use to get them perfectly crispy.
Carbohydrates: About 35g. This includes the flour in the dough and all that glorious powdered sugar in the glaze.
Protein: A small boost, probably around 4g, thanks to that egg we added to the batter.

We have minimal fiber—only about 1g since we chopped the apple small—and you’ll note the cholesterol count is low, around 30mg. I always recommend draining those fritters really well after they come out of the oil, as this simple step helps knock down unnecessary fat absorption and keeps that serving size accurate!

Share Your Experience Making These Apple Fritters

That’s it! You’ve done the work, the whole house smells like the best fall fair imaginable, and you’ve got a plate piled high with tender, crispy, glazed **Apple Fritters**! I really hope you enjoyed making them as much as I do every time I whip up a batch.

Now, this is where you come in! I put all my best knowledge into these steps, but I absolutely love hearing how they turn out for you folks at home. Did you use Granny Smiths? Did you prefer a thicker or thinner glaze? Tell me everything!

Please, please drop a rating for this recipe right down below in the comments section. Seeing those five stars gives me such a boost! If you managed to snap a photo of your golden-brown beauties before they vanished, tag me on social media! I always share my favorites on my stories.

Honestly, sharing these family-style recipes only works because you all try them out. So let me know how it went! If you hit any snags or have unique tips specific to your kitchen setup, don’t hesitate to ask or share in the comments section. You can always reach out directly if you have a private question about substitutions or technique over on my contact page, too.

Happy Frittering, friends! Enjoy every single bite!

Simple Apple Fritters

Author: freddyrecipes.com
Total Time: 30 min
Yield: About 10 fritters 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

A recipe for making classic, deep-fried apple fritters.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and granulated sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the chopped apple pieces.
Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
Carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil, about 3 or 4 at a time. Do not overcrowd the pot.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
While the fritters cool slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk to make a thin glaze.
Drizzle the glaze over the warm fritters before serving.

Notes

For best results, use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil temperature.
If you prefer a thicker glaze, use less milk.
Drain the fritters well after frying to prevent them from becoming greasy.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Category: Dessert
Method: Deep Frying
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 fritter
Calories: 250
Sugar: 20g
Sodium: 150mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: apple fritters, fried dough, dessert, cinnamon, sweet snack