Crispy and golden on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, these apple fritters are bursting with cinnamony, apply flavor. This is food for the soul.
Being a child of Southern upbringing, I was raised on Krispy Kreme doughnuts. For me, they have always been the benchmark of doughnuts with my favorites being either the regular, glazed doughnuts or the jelly filled doughnuts. Fried bread products didn’t come any finer.
Then Utah entered my life and I had to give up Krispy Kreme. There were no Krispy Kreme places here, so I needed a substitute. There were a couple of franchise chain doughnut places, but, in a word–bleh. I was in serious need of a fried bread product replacement for my beloved Krispy Kremes.
One day while stocking up on the ever lasting college staples of ramen noodles and canned soup, I passed by the bakery section of the grocery store. There in the case was a lovely, dark golden, sugar glazed, obviously fried, bread product called an apple fritter. This was something new to me, something which Krispy Kreme did not make. I stared at them for a little while trying to figure out whether I wanted to plunk down 50 cents for a fried bread product with apples in it. The color was so incredibly inviting and I could see the promise of crispy fried edges with a light sugary glaze. But what about those apples? They seemed suspect.
My roommate, Janie, who was shopping with me told me to get one of them. She promised that they were delicious. I wasn’t sure that I believed her, but those crispy edges were really calling my name. Of course I fell in love with the apple fritters; they didn’t replace my Krispy Kreme’s, but they did provide me with a new favorite treat.
For some reason I had never thought to make my own apple fritters until recently. When I was viewing recipes for them, I was surprised to see that they did not involve a yeast dough. The dough is a simple baking powder dough, stirred with a spoon and then dropped by heaping tablespoonsful into hot oil. When the fritters are dark golden brown and crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, they are set to drain and are topped with a powdered sugar glaze. All of my family was around when I made them and the first batch of fritters disappeared like a wisp of smoke. Eating the second batch was interrupted by clam chowder, so they actually hung around for a bit longer…like about a whole hour.
Apple Fritters
Ingredients
For the Fritters
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped, (about 1-1 1/2 cups)
- 1 heaping cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk + more if needed to thin batter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- oil for frying
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- While preparing batter, pour cooking oil to a depth of about 1 1/2-inches in a deep frying pan and heat to 375-degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmet. Set aside
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg well. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix well, then whisk in the melted butter.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until well combined and the consistency of pancake batter. If the batter seems too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons more milk. Fold in apple pieces.
- Place by heaping tablespoonsful into hot oil. Be careful of hot oil spatters. Cook 3 or 4 fritters at a time; don't over-crowd the pan. Cook on one side until a rich golden brown, then flip over to cook the other side.
- Drain on a cooling rack placed over paper towels or parchment paper.
- Prepare glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over warm fritters.
Notes
I was brought up in Chicago and we did have apple fritters. I always liked them. THEN we went to Wisconsin for a summer vacation. OH MY. There is a big difference between apple fritters and apple fritters made at home. The taste the smell the color way different. I have made my own and liked them I am going to try your receipe I am also sure I will be eating the first 2 out of the fryer.
Interesting. What are the differences between the apple fritters? I’ve only ever had the apple fritters in Utah, so I am definitely no expert. Drop back by and share your recipe, if you don’t mind. I’d love to try other recipes.
You read my mind! I have had apple-fritter-brain for some time now and now I must make these:) YUM!
I’m making more today! Every day since I posted this recipe I have wanted to make more of these. Luckily on the days I work, I don’t really have the time or energy to make them. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure that a larger dress size or three would be in my future.
Hi Terri..
I stumbled upon your blog accidentally but what a happy stumble it became after I started reading your recipes and your writings. I haven’t smiled while reading a cooking blog in quite awhile so you made my day and also created a new addiction at the same time. I can’t wait to read more of your recipes..apple fritters..oh my..I think I’m in trooouble! Thanks!
Hi Julia. You’ve just made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Thank you! As for the apple fritters, I am always in trouble with them. Last week I was in a pastry shop and bought an apple fritter, along with several other cookies and pastries that looked interesting. I saved the fritter for breakfast the next, but when I came downstairs it was gone! Turns out, my husband had eaten it. I was really shocked and really ticked off. I mean, he took MY fritter and I was saving it for breakfast, the most important meal of the day! I thought I was losing my mind as he tried to claim that he had no idea that I liked apple fritters so much, at which point my daughter (who usually sides with her dad) came to my defense yelling, “Dad! Everybody knows that Mom loves apple fritters! She eats them all the time.” I almost cried because 1) I’ve spent well over 30 years with this man and he claimed total ignorance over one of my favorite foods and, 2) my daughter came to my rescue. It was like the ultimate midlife crisis moment. Maybe I need to increase my estrogen or something. ~Terri
Just landed here for a look at something else and saw this recipe. If you like apple fritters….being a southern…..why no corn fritters! My grandmother used to make them all the time….put a little genuine maple syrup on them…then eat as many as you can hold.
I have plans to put a recipe on here for hush puppies, but they are somewhat different than your beloved corn fritters. Hush puppies are savory–at least the kind I grew up eating–whereas corn fritters lean toward the sweet side–which I did not grow up eating. In my Southern world, pretty much anything involving corn or a corn product, such as cornmeal, ended up savory. Well, except for cornbread which could swing towards savory or a bit on the sweet side. I’ll have to try out a few recipes for corn fritters and, who knows, maybe they will appear right here on this blog. Perhaps you’d like to share your grandmother’s recipe? ~Terri