This Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe makes golden, bakery-style fritters that are crisp on the outside, fluffy in the center, and bursting with tender apple pieces. Infused with warm cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, every bite has the perfect balance of cozy spice and tart Granny Smith apples. Finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, these homemade apple fritters are a must for fall!
The BEST Homemade Apple Fritters
These aren’t your average apple fritters — this is the BEST apple fritter recipe! With a crisp, golden exterior, a soft, pillowy center, and plenty of spiced apple chunks in every bite, they taste like fall wrapped up in a perfect fried pastry. And don’t even get me started on the glaze. Sweet with a bold vanilla taste, it truly takes them over the top.
I love making a batch on a weekend morning to enjoy for several days. They’re great with a warm cup of coffee for breakfast, but sweet enough to double as dessert. They also make a fun treat for brunch or holiday gatherings, and they disappear fast whenever I bring them out. Best of all, they’re surprisingly easy to make at home and taste even better than the ones you’d find at your local bakery!
More Reader Favorite Apple Recipes
Recipe Ingredients
Granny Smith Apples: These apples provide a tart flavor and firm texture, ensuring the filling holds up during baking and balances the sweetness of the sugar.
Flour: We’re using all-purpose flour for the base of the dough, adding structure and texture to the fritters.
Sugars: Granulated sugar sweetens the dough and contributes to the structure of the batter.
Baking Powder: This acts as a leavener, helping the dough rise as it cooks, becoming soft and fluffy. Make sure it’s fresh!
Spices: A combination of salt, ground cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger infuses the fritters with a delicious warmth that balances the sweetness of the sugar.
Lemon Juice: This prevents the apples from browning and contributes to the light consistency of the batter.
Vanilla Extract: This enhances the overall flavor, adding depth and a delicious vanilla flavor throughout the batter.
Whole Milk: Use this to combine the ingredients and add richness.
Frying Oil: Use a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, shortening, or lard.
Powdered Sugar: This forms the base of the icing, providing a sweet taste and a smooth, pourable consistency.
Vanilla Bean Paste: This adds a rich, aromatic vanilla flavor that elevates the icing. Vanilla bean paste, with its tiny flecks of vanilla seeds, gives the icing a more natural and authentic vanilla flavor compared to extract, adding depth and a touch of luxury to the taste.
How to Make Apple Fritters
Step 1. Prepare the dough. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Next, whisk the wet ingredients in a medium bowl, and pour the liquid into the well of flour. Stir the batter with a wooden spoon or silicone spoon. Fold in the apples when the dough is nearly combined.
Step 2. Heat oil. Warm about 1.5 inches of oil in a deep, heavy skillet. Use a candy thermometer to ensure the temperature reaches 375°F!
Step 3. Fry. Drop ⅓ cup of batter into the hot oil, and allow the apple fritters to fry for a few minutes on each side until they’re golden brown. Then, drain them quickly on a paper towel-lined plate, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Repeat as needed, frying all of the batter.
Step 4. Make the icing. Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Then, dunk the top half of each apple fritter in the icing.
Step 5. Cool and eat. Next, place each apple fritter back on the wire rack to set, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Keep the oil at an even temperature. Make sure your oil stays around 360F-375F when frying your homemade apple fritters. Too hot, and they’ll burn. Too cold, and they won’t cook, becoming dense and soggy.
- Don’t overcrowd. Frying too many at once lowers the oil temperature and leads to uneven cooking. Work in small batches for the crispiest results.
- Adjust the size. Use about ⅓ cup of batter per apple fritter for a bakery-style size, or make smaller fritters if you prefer more bite-sized treats.
- Drain properly. First, set the fritters on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to keep the bottoms crisp. If you keep them on the towel, they’ll turn out soggy.
- Glaze while warm. Dip each apple fritter into the glaze when they’re still slightly warm (but not hot), so the icing sets without sliding off.
Can I Bake Homemade Apple Fritters?
Technically, yes, you can bake apple fritters. However, they won’t have the same crispy, golden exterior you get from frying. Baking will make them softer and more cake-like, almost like an apple muffin. To bake homemade apple fritters, scoop the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for about 12–15 minutes, or until they’re golden and cooked through. Note, I recommend frying these fritters. If you are looking for baked apple dessert option, I recommend my apple scones with maple icing.
How to Store
- Room Temperature: Store leftover fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The glaze helps keep them moist.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, place in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze unglazed fritters in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or sealable bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm and glaze before serving.
How to Reheat
- Warm apple fritters in the oven at 300°F for 8–10 minutes or just until they’re warmed through and crisp. Be careful not to burn!
- You can also warm in a microwave for a 10-15 seconds. However, the fritters will not be crisp.
More Delicious Desserts
- Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
- Key Lime Cookies with Sugar Topping
- Key Lime Cheesecake
- Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon Sugar Topping
- Strawberry Shortcake Recipe with Buttermilk Biscuits
- Easy Banana Pudding
I hope you love my Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe! They’re crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and full of sweet, spiced flavor. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Easy Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Fritters
- 2 Granny Smith apples washed, cored, peeled and diced small
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour sifted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- Oil for frying vegetable canola, coconut, peanut, shortening, lard
Vanilla Icing
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamon, and sugar until thoroughly combined. Then, create a well in the center of the flour mixture.
- Next, in a medium bowl whisk the egg, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and milk together. Once combined, pour the liquid mixture into the well you created and stir the batter with a wooden spoon or silicone spoon. When almost fully combined, add the apples to the batter and fold them in. Note, the batter will be sticky.
- In a deep heavy skillet, heat about 1.5 inch of oil (I use about 3-4 cups of oil) to 375F (use a candy thermometer to ensure the temperature has been reached). Drop about 1/3 cup of the batter into the hot oil. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Allow the apple fritters to fry for a few minutes per side until they are a deep golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side — usually the second side takes less time to fry). Once done, use a spider ladle or metal slotted spoon to remove them. Note, the oil should stay around 360F-375F when frying the fritters.
- Place them on a plate lined with paper towels for about a minute. Next, place the fritters on a wire rack to cool. This will help keep them crispy. I like to put the wire racks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Once you have fried all of the fritters, make the icing. In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and milk.
- Next comes the fun part — dip the top half of each of the apple fritters in the icing. Ensure you get them coated well. Place the fritters back on the wire racks for at least 2-4 minutes so the icing can set. Then, serve them! Enjoy!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan
My husband loves apple fritters! He goes to a local bakery every other day to get 2 apple fritters – one for dessert after dinner and the other for his coffee in the way to work. When I saw this recipe I had to try. Really easy, really delicious! Definitely will make again.
So glad you loved this recipe! I am making a yeast version next year!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make!! Definitely making this again!
So glad you loved them!!
This recipe was so easy to follow and made the house smell like a dream (even my dog got intoxicated with the aromas!) Definitely going to make this again!
haha! Yes, this is an easy one, but oh so good!! And my dog also gets intoxicated with the aromas lol