You guys! Wait until you try these fritters! There is some prep to making them but honestly once you get started, it goes fast. As we were making them, we were already picturing ourselves on the deck with a cup of coffee and stuffing ourselves! Warm apples, cinnamon, a golden crispy outside, and that sweet glaze dripping into every little nook and cranny… I mean, does it get much better than that?! Joe loves to make these fritters and the whole house definitely starts to smell and feel like fall.

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Apple Fritters

First off, if you aren’t a fan of apple fritters, I was once the same. Joe told me the story of when he was a kid on a paper route and he and his mom would get one every Sunday after his morning paper route. I had to give it a try. If you’ve never made apple fritters at home before, don’t let them intimidate you. They have that impressive, straight-from-the-bakery look, but they’re surprisingly doable in your own kitchen.

That’s one of my favorite things about cooking from scratch btw: so many of the foods we’ve been conditioned to buy already made aren’t nearly as complicated as they seem and once you know what goes into them, you might find that you like them even more than you originally thought.

The Perfect Way to Use Fresh Apples

If you’ve gone apple picking, have an apple tree producing faster than you can keep up with, or simply came home from the store with one too many bags of apples, add this recipe to your list.

I love recipes that help us cook with what’s in season. Apples are incredibly versatile, and while pies, crisps, applesauce, and apple butter usually get most of the attention, apple fritters deserve a spot in the fall rotation too. Im not even really sure what variety we are growing on some of our trees but I do know that they are fresh and well kept.

What Makes a Great Apple Fritter?

For me, the perfect apple fritter needs a few things.

The outside should be beautifully golden with those crispy, irregular edges that catch the glaze. The inside should be soft and tender without feeling heavy, with plenty of apple throughout.

And I want to actually taste the apples.

That’s the beauty of making apple fritters at home. You aren’t getting a giant piece of fried dough with three tiny pieces of apple hiding somewhere inside. You can make them exactly the way an apple fritter should be—loaded with apple flavor.

Once they’re finished and that glaze goes over the top, you get the perfect combination of warm, soft, crispy and sweet.

Which Apples Are Best for Apple Fritters?

One of the fun things about this recipe is experimenting with different varieties of apples.

I generally like an apple with enough firmness to hold its texture while cooking and enough flavor that it doesn’t disappear inside the fritter. Tart apples are especially delicious because they balance the sweetness of the glaze.

Granny Smith is always a great choice if you like that tart contrast. Honeycrisp brings a wonderful sweet-tart flavor, and varieties like Pink Lady or Braeburn work beautifully too.

You can even mix two varieties together for a little more depth of flavor.

Most importantly, use the apples you have!

Cooking from scratch doesn’t have to mean finding the “perfect” ingredient every single time. Sometimes the best recipes come from looking at what’s sitting on your counter and figuring out something delicious to make with it.

A Little Apple Fritter Tip

Apple fritters are definitely best when they’re fresh.

Give them just enough time to cool before adding your glaze, and then enjoy them while they still have that incredible texture.

And if you’re making these for your family, don’t expect them to sit around very long.

Consider that your warning.

There is something about setting a plate of warm, homemade apple fritters on the kitchen counter that seems to make everyone suddenly appear.

More From-Scratch Recipes from Pivot Farm

If you’re trying to cook more from scratch, you don’t have to overhaul your entire kitchen overnight. Start with the foods your family already loves and learn to make one new thing at a time.

I hope these apple fritters find their way onto your table this fall!

If you make them, I’d love to hear what you think. And make sure to follow Pivot Farm for more from-scratch recipes, homesteading inspiration, preserving, gardening, and simple ways to bring a little more homemade into your home.

Apple Fritters

Prep Time 30

Serving Size 12 Fritters

Equipment

1 Heavy Bottom Pot Something you can cook oil in
1 Frying pan For warming apples
1 Cutting board
1 Spoon with holes For scooping and turning fritters in oil
3 mixing bowls 2 medium bowls 1 large
1 Wisk
1 mixing tool silicone spatula
1 Thermometer For keeping track of oil temp
1 Cooling rack
1 Plate Use paper towels to absorb excess oil

Ingredients

Apple Prep Only

2 Large Apples Your favorite or variety
1 tbsp Butter For warming apples
1 tbsp White Sugar For warming apples

Dry Ingredients

1 ¼ cups All purpose Flour
1½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp Ground Nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

1 Large Egg
2 tbsp White Sugar Yes you mix it with the egg!
1 tbsp Melted butter Let it cool down
¼ cup Applesauce
½ cup Milk
3 cups Oil for frying Canola or vegetable

Glaze

1 cup Powder sugar Add more as needed
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Milk Add more as needed

Instructions

Apple Prep

Warm your frying pan to medium temp
Core and slice apples into about 1/4 inch size long and thin. Feel free to leave skin or remove it as desired
Add 1 tbsp butter to warm pan and move it around the bottom until it's mostly covered. Color should be light brown but DON'T Burn it!!
Add your apples and sprinkle 1tbsp of white sugar around them before stirring.
Keep them moving until they are all warm and you start to smell warm apples. Look for brown edges. If they are burning, the temp is too hot. Don't burn them.
Remove warm apples and let them cool to room temp

Heat Up the Oil – 350℉

This is a good time to heat up the oil. Pour your oil into the heavy bottom pot and heat it up to a consistent 350℉. Use a thermometer later to keep the temp correct while frying.