If you haven’t tried making homemade donuts before, it’s actually a really fun and satisfying process, albeit a little messy. The big names in donuts like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts have nothing on our classic apple fritters! Some of our other favorites to make at home are our Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnnuts and Apple Cider Donuts.
These Homemade Apple Fritters check all the boxes!
Finding a really good apple fritter at a donut shop is hit or miss. Too often they are dry, hard, or overly greasy. And frequently, there is hardly any apple in them to speak of. We have high standards when it comes to our fritters and what we want them to be like!
Qualities of an apple fritter
First off, I wanted to make apple fritters with a yeast based, almost brioche like dough. Sure there are easier versions out there that you can whip up in under 30 minutes with a batter that is stirred together with baking powder, but it just doesn’t give the same chewy texture and donut shop flavor as the real deal made with an enriched yeast dough. Second, I like my apple fritters a little on the dark side because it means the outside is extra crispy and the inside is chewy. I have had too many fritters that are “golden” only to be way soft to the point of almost being squishy. The issue is that the oil wasn’t hot enough and the dough absorbed too much of it during the frying process. Third and finally, it’s important to me that apple fritters have literal chunks of apple in them. Is that so much to ask for? Bonus points if the dough is streaked with cinnamon and the glaze on the outside is just right – not too thick and not too thin. These apple fritters check all the boxes for me, which is why it’s worth the effort of making them at home. Yes, they are a little more work and take some time. But most of it is fairly hands off where the dough is rising and the fritters are proofing after being shaped. The actual work part is more like 20-25 minutes total and no worse than making sticky buns or cinnamon rolls.
What are fritters?
Fritters are fried dough, usually with chunks of fruit like apples, peaches, or blueberries folded in. Their lumpy, rugged edges are the perfect place for puddles of sweet glaze to settle and harden to create a thin shell around the soft, pull-apart interior. I shared some of these apple fritters with a friend who described it as reminding him of fried monkey bread. The bumpy, lumpy crags of the apple fritters just mean more surface area for the glaze. Glazing while the fritters are still warm allows the glaze to fill every nook and cranny, then set and dry on the outside, which helps keep the fritter fresh and soft inside. Fritters are my go-to choice at donut shops.
Ingredients for Homemade Apple Fritters
Apple Filling
5-6 medium apples peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks (about 4 cups). Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples are great for this recipe because of their firm texture and tart flavor. Fresh Lemon Juice – Keeps the apple flavor bright and tart. Sugar – A combination of white granulated sugar and light brown sugar makes for the best apple filling for these fritters. Cornstarch – A thickening agent to help thicken the filling a bit. Cinnamon & nutmeg – Classic spices for using in an apple filling. Water or apple juice Salted butter
Dough
Lukewarm water Active dry yeast Sugar Whole milk Eggs Salted butter Salt Ground nutmeg All purpose flour Ground cinnamon Oil for frying
Glaze
Powdered sugar Vanilla extract Milk or cream
Apple Fritters Recipe variations
Can you bake apple fritters?
Baked donuts are all the rage, but they just don’t have the same texture as fried ones. It’s the same with apple fritters. Once these fritters are shaped and proofed, the dough really is no different than a sweet roll dough and you can make baked apple fritters by baking these in the oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes or so. Will they taste the same? No, definitely not. Will they still be tasty and delicious? Yes, of course!
Is there an easier way to make apple fritters?
Nothing compares to making apple fritters from scratch. But you could use frozen roll dough that has been completely thawed on the counter and cut up into small chunks and premade apple pie filling to do an easy shortcut version of these yeasted apple fritters.
How to make Apple Fritters
How to serve this Apple Fritters Recipe
Serve these apple fritters still warm with a tall glass of milk. Or if you really want to go over the top, you can slice them in half, fill with your favorite ice cream, and sandwich them back together for a donut ice cream sandwich that is out of this world.
Apple Fritter Donuts storage
Store in an airtight container or bag so they do not dry out. They should be good for 2 days at room temperature. To make them last longer you can store them in the fridge for about 1 week. Apple fritters also freeze very well. Freeze them with the glaze and when ready to eat, thaw out on the counter for a few hours. Pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to truly enjoy a freshly baked apple fritter. The glaze might be a little sticky but the fritters will still taste absolutely delicious.
Can you freeze apple fritters?
Yes! One batch of apple fritters makes about 18 substantial-sized fritters, so it’s a great idea to either share them with friends and neighbors or just freeze leftovers, glaze and all.
More breakfast treats you’ll love
Apple Fritter Bread (all the same flavors but in loaf form that you can slice and turn into french toast – so good!) Cranberry Orange Pull-Apart Monkey Bread Macadamia Nut Sticky Buns Deborah’s Knotted Orange Sweet Rolls (my sister-in-law’s family recipe for the most amazing orange rolls ever) Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls Easy Pecan Monkey Bread
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
