Apple Fritters

A dessert that’s a cross between hot apple pie and a cinnamon donut – but much easier to make at home than either of these popular treats. That’s exactly what you get with this Apple Fritters Recipe!

I first sampled hot Apple Fritters at a winter fair. There was fake snow (it doesn’t get cold enough to snow in Sydney), 30 minute ice skating experiences and busy coffee vans.

What drew me in, though, was the smell of the toasty warm treats on offer – and the line up for Apple Fritters was the longest.

The sight of the apple fritters sizzling away combined with the scent of cinnamon sugar floating in the air made the winter fair truly magical – and I decided the queue was worth it.

My decision was a good one, with that first bite into a hot Apple Fritter explaining exactly why the queue was the longest amongst a range of inviting winter treats. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Yes, I love Apple Fritters. And here’s why you’ll love them too:

• They’re so versatile. While they are perfect as a “street food” at fairs, they’re also so easy to make up at home as a quick treat to lift spirits on a glum day or to serve as a dessert with cream and ice cream.
• This is an easy homemade apple fritters recipe with a handful of simple ingredients and easy instructions – no eggs required, no milk required.
• They bring together that perfect flavour combination of apple, sugar and cinnamon.
• Apple Fritters are extra lovely during autumn and winter but can be enjoyed year round.

Ingredients for Apple Fritters

To make Apple Fritters you’ll need:

• apples (the recipe calls for two apples, however simply double, triple etc the ingredients depending on how many people are queueing up for your fritters)
• plain / all purpose flour
• salt
• water
• vegetable oil (a little for the batter and more for shallow frying)
• caster / superfine sugar
• cinnamon (optional – you can simply coat the fritters in sugar if you’re not a fan of cinnamon).

Find quantities for all ingredients in the recipe card at the end of this post.

What are the best apples for Apple Fritters?

Most apples are wonderful as fritters, but those that strike a nice balance between tartness and sweetness while maintaining their structure during frying are ideal.

I recommend using:

• Granny Smith – their firm texture means they hold their shape well when cooked while their tartness provides a nice contrast to the cinnamon sugar coating.
• Pink Lady, Braeburn and Jonathan – more varieties that hold up well during frying while offering a nice balance of sweet and tart flavours.
• Golden Delicious – use these for a more tender fritter with a sweet and mellow flavour.

How to make Apple Fritters

Once you’ve chosen your preferred apples, peel and core the apples.

How to core an apple

If using an apple corer, place the apple on a flat surface position the corer on the top of apple over the core and stem. Press the tool into the apple and push down to reach the bottom of the apple. You might need to twist the apple corer a little as you push.

Lift the apple and gently push the tool through the bottom of the apple before pulling the tool out of the apple along with the core.

If you don’t have an apple corer, you can find step by step instructions here on how to core an apple.

Making Apple Rings

So you’ve removed the core and peeled the apples.

Now you just need to slice each apple horizontally to form rings that are about 1/2 – 1 cm thick.

You should end up with about 6 rings per apple.

Battering the Apple Rings

Make the batter by whisking together the flour, salt, water and oil to form a smooth batter.

The batter should be quite thick – thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Dip each apple ring in the batter and then allow excess batter to drip from the ring before placing into heated oil.

Frying the Apple Rings

Place enough vegetable oil into a frying pan for shallow frying – about a 1cm layer of oil.

Heat over medium heat.

The temperature of the oil should reach around 190°C/375°F.

At this temperature, the Apple Fritters should sizzle as soon as they hit the pan and then bubble steadily.

You’ll need to cook them for a few minutes on each side or until they reach a pale golden colour.

FRYING TIPS:

• If the oil is not hot enough, your fritters will absorb too much oil.

• If the oil is too hot, the outside will become brown leaving the inside uncooked.

• You can test the temperature of the oil using a food thermometer or by simply by dropping a little batter in the oil – if bubbles don’t form immediately the ideal temperature hasn’t been reached. you want to see immediate bubbling settling into steady bubbling.

• You may have to adjust the stovetop temperature during the frying process to maintain the steady bubbling you’re aiming for.

• Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Let’s sugar coat it!

How many times have you been told by someone that they’re not going to sugar coat something?

Well today we are going to sugar coat something. Apple Fritters.

Once your apple rings are cooked, remove from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towel for about 30 seconds.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon, and then toss the Apple Fritters in the cinnamon sugar. The sugar should easily stick to the fritters.

Or do you prefer a glaze?

You can add a glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar.

Just combine a cup of icing sugar/powdered sugar with a few drops of vanilla and about 1 tablespoon of milk. Whisk together until smooth and then dunk the fritters in the glaze or pour the glaze over the fritters. 

Serving Apple Fritters

This is the type of thing that is best served fresh and hot.

Serve them up on a platter with a bowl of cream and watch everyone dig in!

Alternatively, plate them up as a dessert (a few rings on each plate). You could drizzle the fritters with custard, add a scoop of fancy ice cream or come up with another idea to turn simple Apple Fritters into a fancy dessert.

Recipe FAQs

Q. Can Apple Fritters be made ahead and reheated?

They can, but they are so much better served fresh and hot.

Q. Which apple varieties work best for Apple Fritters?

Any apples make nice fritters, but ideally look for apples with a firmer texture so they hold their shape during frying. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Jonathan and Golden Delicious are all recommended varieties for Apple Fritters.

Q. Can I bake these in the oven or air fryer?

No. The batter is designed for frying in oil.

Q. What else can I do with apples?

Slice them up for an old fashioned Apple Sponge, pack some into Apple Cinnamon Muffins or test out my Irish Apple Amber recipe.

You can also find apple in my recipes for Bircher Muesli, Curried Eggs, Tomato Chutney and Fruit Cups.