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These homemade apple fritters are crisp and golden outside, soft and fluffy inside, and packed with tart Granny Smith apples. There’s no yeast and no rising, just a quick batter fried in small batches. A drizzle of vanilla maple glaze finishes them off.
These are a fall tradition in my family, and we make them every year!
More Homemade Fritters and Donuts: Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes | Pumpkin Fritters | Funnel Cakes
Before You Get Started
Apple fritters are simple, but frying is where small details show up fast. These three tips make the biggest difference.
- Dice the apples small — Keep the pieces ¼ inch or smaller. Bigger chunks stay firm and crunchy while the batter around them finishes cooking.
- Use a thermometer for the oil — Aim to stay right around 350°F. Too hot, and the outside browns before the center cooks. Too cool, and the fritters soak up oil.
- Don’t overmix the batter — Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes the fritters tough and dense instead of light and fluffy.
RECIPE OVERVIEW
How to Make Apple Fritters
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Apple fritters are a thick, lightly spiced batter loaded with diced apples and fried until golden. They’re a lot like a cake donut, with tender apple in every bite.
Step 1: Dice the Apples
Peel and core 2 medium Granny Smith apples, then dice them into ¼-inch pieces or smaller. That works out to about 2 heaping cups. Small pieces cook through in the same time as the batter, so you don’t end up with crunchy apple in a fully cooked fritter.
Granny Smith is my first choice because its tartness balances the sweet glaze. Honeycrisp or Pink Lady work too, but they’ll make sweeter fritters.
- Have extra apples? My Fried Apples are a quick, cozy way to use them up.
Step 2: Mix the Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine. Fold in the diced apples. The batter should be thick and scoopable, more like a muffin batter than a pancake batter.
Step 3: Heat the Oil to 350°F
Pour about 2 inches of canola oil into a Dutch oven and heat it over medium heat to 350°F. A deep-fry or instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to know you’re there.
- Keep an eye on the temperature: It drops as soon as the batter goes in. Turn the heat up a little while the fritters fry, then back down as it climbs. Let the oil come back to 350°F before each new batch.
Step 4: Fry in Small Batches
Spray a ⅓ cup measuring cup with nonstick spray so the batter slides right out. Carefully scoop portions into the hot oil, frying 3 or 4 at a time with plenty of room between them. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature, and the fritters come out greasy.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once or twice, about 5 to 6 minutes total. They’re ready when they’re deep golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, just like testing a cake.
Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set over a sheet pan, or a paper towel-lined plate, to drain.
Keep the early batches warm in the oven. Set the wire rack and sheet pan in a 200°F oven and add each batch as it comes out of the oil. They’ll stay warm and crisp while you finish frying. Wait to glaze until they’re all done.
- Rather skip the pot of oil? My Baked Pumpkin Donuts and Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies give you that warm, spiced fall flavor without any frying.
Step 5: Glaze While Warm
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and maple syrup until smooth. The maple is optional, and the glaze is still delicious without it.
Drizzle or spoon the glaze over the fritters while they’re still warm. It melts into a thin, glossy coating that sets in a few minutes. On cooled fritters, it sits on top in a thicker layer.
Ways to Change Up the Finish
The vanilla maple glaze is my favorite, but it’s easy to switch things up:
- Cinnamon glaze: Add a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze. It brings out the cinnamon in the batter and gives the glaze a warmer flavor.
- Cinnamon sugar: Skip the glaze and roll the fritters in cinnamon sugar right out of the oil, while they’re hot enough for it to stick.
- À la mode: Serve a warm fritter with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce for an easy dessert.
Storage Tips
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Apple Fritters
Apple fritters are best the day they’re made, but leftovers keep well enough for a second round.
- To store: Keep cooled fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To freeze: Freeze completely cooled fritters before glazing. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: Thaw frozen fritters at room temperature, then warm them briefly in a 300°F oven before glazing. Room-temperature leftovers crisp back up the same way in 5 to 8 minutes.
Making these for a weekend brunch? My Brunch Recipes collection has plenty more to round out the table, from homemade cinnamon rolls to baked glazed donuts and coffee cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my apple fritters raw in the middle?
Usually the oil is too hot or the apple pieces are too big. Hot oil browns the outside before the center has time to cook, so check your thermometer and keep it close to 350°F. Large apple chunks can also leave the batter around them underdone.
If the outside is getting dark too fast, turn the heat down and give the next batch a little longer.
Why did my fritters turn out greasy?
The oil was likely too cool. When the temperature drops much below 350°F, the batter soaks up oil instead of crisping on the outside. Fry only 3 or 4 at a time, and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Draining them on a wire rack instead of a plate also helps the bottoms stay crisp.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
It’s best to fry the batter soon after you mix it. The baking powder starts working as soon as the wet and dry ingredients meet, and the apples release juice as they sit, so the fritters won’t puff up as much.
To get a head start, whisk the dry ingredients together and dice the apples up to a few hours ahead. Toss the apples with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning.
More Apple Desserts for Fall
- Classic Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake
- Apple Crumble
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Mini Apple Tarts
- Caramel Apple Pie Poke Cake
Apple Fritters
Ingredients
For the apple fritters
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and finely diced (¼ inch or smaller)
- 6 to 8 cups canola oil for frying
For the vanilla glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Make the batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the diced apples. Don't overmix. The batter should be thick and scoopable.
- Heat the oil: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven and heat over medium heat to 350°F.
- Fry the fritters: Spray a ⅓ cup measuring cup with nonstick spray. Carefully scoop batter into the hot oil, 3 or 4 at a time, leaving plenty of room between them. Fry 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once or twice, until deep golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes total. A toothpick in the center should come out clean.
- Drain: Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan, or a paper towel-lined plate. Let the oil return to 350°F before frying the next batch. To keep fritters warm while you fry the rest, hold them on the rack in a 200°F oven.
- Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and maple syrup (if using) until smooth. Drizzle or spoon over the warm fritters. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Oil temperature: Keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible, adjusting the heat up and down as you fry. Too hot, and the outside browns before the center cooks. Too cool, and the fritters absorb extra oil.
- Apples: 2 medium Granny Smith apples make about 2 heaping cups diced. Dice them small so they cook through with the batter.
- Other apples: Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or another firm baking apple works but makes sweeter fritters. You can also use 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honeycrisp.
- Smaller fritters: Use a smaller scoop and shorten the fry time, watching for golden-brown edges.
- Glaze options: The maple syrup is optional. Add a pinch of cinnamon for extra warmth, or skip the glaze and roll the hot fritters in cinnamon sugar.
- Serving: For dessert, serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Storage: Store cooled fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’re best the day they’re made.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled, unglazed fritters wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm briefly in a 300°F oven before glazing.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
