Homemade Apple Fritters are pillowy fried pastries studded with fresh diced apples and finished with a sweet apple-cinnamon glaze. Crisp on the outside, tender inside, and full of warm spice — these fritters are a timeless treat for breakfast or dessert.
Homemade Apple Fritters
Apple fritters are one of those comforting pastries that draw you in at a bakery. For me, I can admire every pastry on the counter, but it’s the apple fritter that I always bring home. Making them at home is easier than it looks — you just need a little prep and a good frying temperature.
If you have apple trees or a bag of fresh apples, this recipe is an excellent way to use them up. The fresh apple pieces add texture and bright apple flavor that canned apple filling simply can’t match. The glaze, bright with powdered sugar and a hint of apple-cinnamon spice, seals the deal.
This recipe is approachable, forgiving, and worth the few minutes of hands-on effort. The result is warm, fragrant fritters best enjoyed the day they’re made — though storage tips below will help you keep leftovers tasty.
Try our Blueberry Muffins too!
Recipe Shopping List
Here’s a simple checklist to see if you need to visit the store. Quantities and full details are in the recipe card below.
- Neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower)
- All-purpose flour
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Butter
- Fresh apples
- Powdered sugar
More great BREAKFAST RECIPES here!
How To Make This Recipe
Below is an overview of the main steps so you know what to expect. Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card further down.
- Heat the oil. The ideal frying temperature is 360–375°F. Maintaining the right temperature gives a crisp exterior and a cooked-through interior.
- Mix the batter. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another, then gently fold them together. Fold in diced apples last so they stay evenly distributed.
- Fry the fritters. Drop measured dollops of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning as needed for even color.
- Glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, a touch of spice, and milk for a smooth glaze. Dip cooled fritters and allow the glaze to set.
- Serve. Best enjoyed warm, within a day or two. See storage tips below for keeping them fresh.
Traeger Banana Bread goes great with these fritters!
Recipe Tips
A few practical tips to help your fritters turn out consistently excellent:
- Use a thermometer to monitor oil temperature. If the oil cools too much, fritters will absorb oil and become greasy; if it’s too hot, the exterior will brown before the interior cooks.
- Dice apples evenly so every fritter has a good distribution of fruit. Small, uniform pieces fold into the batter more predictably.
- Allow fritters to cool briefly before glazing. If they are too hot, the glaze will melt off instead of setting to a glossy coating.
- Keep eggs cold for slightly better batter texture, and avoid overmixing to prevent tough fritters.
- Drain fritters on a wire rack over paper towels to remove excess oil and keep the bottoms from getting soggy.
Fisher Fair Scone Waffles are another favorite treat of ours!
More Dessert Ideas
If you enjoy baking and frying simple pastries, try experimenting with variations: swap in pears for a different fruit profile, add chopped nuts for crunch, or fold in a pinch of nutmeg for added warmth. Below are a few dessert ideas you might enjoy making after mastering fritters.
- Traeger Banana Cake
- Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
- Grilled Peaches
- Traeger Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Traeger Eggnog Cheesecake
Pin For Later
Apple Fritters
Homemade apple fritters are a weekend favorite. These fried donuts come together quickly and fill the kitchen with the scent of warm apples and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- Oil to fill a pan 2½–3 inches high
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced
Glaze
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple-cinnamon spice (optional)
- ¼ cup milk, plus more if needed to reach desired consistency
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep, heavy skillet or pot to 360–375°F. Use a thermometer to maintain an even temperature.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix gently until mostly combined. Stop when most lumps are gone — do not overmix.
- Fold in the diced apples so they’re evenly distributed through the batter.
- Carefully drop approximately ¼ cup portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry for about 3–4 minutes, turning once, until fritters are golden brown and cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer fritters to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and cool slightly.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, apple-cinnamon spice (if using), and milk until smooth. Adjust milk to reach a pourable glaze consistency.
- When fritters are warm but not scorching, dip each into the glaze and return to the rack. Allow glaze to set for a few minutes; double-dip after the first coat dries for a thicker finish.
Recommended Tools
- Instant-read thermometer for oil
- Wire cooling rack
- Large heavy pot or deep skillet
- Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
Storage and Serving
Serve fritters warm for best texture. Store leftovers at room temperature in a single layer for up to 24 hours, or refrigerate loosely covered for a day or two — reheat briefly in a low oven to refresh the exterior. For best results, eat fritters within two days.
Nutrition Information (estimate)
Yield: 12 | Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 445
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 43mg
- Sodium: 420mg
- Carbohydrates: 90g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 71g
- Protein: 4g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.