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Bite into these tender cinnamon-apple fritters and you'll feel like you're at a county fair or gathered around the table on a lazy fall morning. Each golden treat is crunchy on the outside but soft and full of apple chunks inside—finished off with a sweet vanilla drizzle that hardens just right.
On a drizzly Saturday, with bored kids and nowhere to go, I whipped these up. The smell of apples and cinnamon filled the house, and now it’s the go-to fun breakfast in our home every weekend.
Irresistible Ingredients
- Vegetable oil: Stays neutral in flavor and can handle high heat for frying up your fritters
- Powdered sugar: Blends into a silky, smooth glaze every time
- Fresh apples: Add juicy bites in every mouthful
- Vanilla extract: Levels up both the dough and the sugary glaze with rich flavor
- Eggs: Keep the batter held together, making it rich
- Milk: Makes everything soft and moist
- Cinnamon: Brings that cozy, spicy warmth
- Salt: Makes things pop and keeps the sweetness in check
- Baking powder: Puffs the fritters up nice and airy
- Sugar: Sweetens the deal and helps the fritters brown perfectly
- All purpose flour: Gives the fritters their structure so they don’t fall apart
Easy Step-by-Step
- Add the sweet glaze:
- Once fritters are warm but not piping hot, dip their tops right in the glaze or grab a spoon and pour it on. Rest them on a rack so any extra glaze drips away and let everything set for about five minutes.
- Mix up the vanilla glaze:
- Stir powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl. It should stick to a spoon without being goopy. If it’s too thick, thin with a bit more milk. Too runny? Sprinkle in some extra sugar.
- Let fritters drain and cool a tad:
- With a slotted spoon, lift the fritters out and plop them onto paper towels. Let ‘em soak up oil for a minute, then move to a rack. This keeps them from getting soggy but cool enough to touch.
- Get frying:
- Drop blobs of batter carefully into hot oil using a big spoon or scoop—just three or four at a time. Fry two minutes until golden, flip, then cook two more minutes so both sides look deep golden and crisp.
- Heat up the oil:
- Pour oil into your sturdy skillet, about two inches deep. Slowly heat it to 350ºF (a candy thermometer helps). Check with a tiny bit of batter—if it sizzles right away, oil’s ready. Too hot, and it’ll burn.
- Whip up the batter:
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl, beat together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour the wet into the dry and give it a gentle stir. Don’t overmix or you’ll get chewy fritters. Fold in your chopped apples so they’re spread throughout.
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My favorite fritter memory is from our first snowy day last year. We cooked up a double batch, bundled them up while still warm, and shared with neighbors stuck inside. The smiles when they bit into those warm, cinnamon treats are something I’ll never forget.
Keeping Them Fresh
These are best hot and fresh, but if you’ve got extras, keep them in a closed container on the counter for two days max. Don’t refrigerate—they’ll dry out faster. If you wanna make them crispy again, pop them in a 300ºF oven for five minutes. The microwave works for a soft version, but you’ll lose the crunch. For even longer storage, freeze the naked fritters on a tray, then toss them into freezer bags for up to a month. Let them thaw, reheat in the oven, then glaze right before eating.
Flavor Swaps
This flexible batter lets you get creative. Pears swap in for apples smoothly, keeping that yummy bite. Toss in blueberries or chopped peaches for summertime fun (just up the flour a tablespoon if your fruit is super juicy). Don’t want fruit? Add chocolate chips and a pinch of espresso for a real treat. Changing up spices works great too—cardamom for a Scandinavian taste or a dash of nutmeg and cloves for extra fall flavor. Switch up the glaze by stirring in maple syrup, orange zest, or even a splash of bourbon for grown-up dessert nights.
Choosing the Right Apple
What kind of apple you pick makes all the difference. Honeycrisp is awesome—they keep their shape while frying and have a sweet flavor. Granny Smith is more tart and makes a great combo with the sugary glaze. Try a Pink Lady for something in between. Stay away from softer apples like McIntosh or Red Delicious—they get mushy and lose their form. Dice your apple into 1/4-inch cubes for even bites and thorough cooking. Bigger chunks make the batter soggy, smaller ones just disappear. Always peel your apples—otherwise the skin gets tough and chewy in the fryer.
Top Tips
Let the oil warm back up for a minute before the next batch goes in. Use your first fritter as a practice round for timing and browning. Want a homespun look? Drizzle the glaze using a fork instead of dipping. For extra old-school flavor, mix in some shortening with the oil for frying.
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Honestly, these are the coziest treat for any family get-together.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make these apple fritters ahead of time?
Totally! Mix the batter and stash it in the fridge for a few hours if you want. Once fried, these are at their best right away, but they'll keep for a couple days in a sealed container. Warm them back up at 300°F (150°C) in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes for that crisp bite.
- → What type of apples work best for these fritters?
Go for firm, tart apples—think Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady—they'll keep their shape and give a nice balance to all the sweetness. Try not to use softer apples since they'll get mushy.
- → How do I know when the oil is the right temperature?
Shoot for 350°F (175°C) if you can check with a thermometer. No thermometer? Drop in a bit of batter. It should sizzle and pop up fast. If it browns super quick, that's too hot. If it hangs out and soaks up oil, that's too cool.
- → Can I bake these fritters instead of frying?
They’re usually fried, but you can bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 to 18 minutes. The texture will feel more like muffin tops, but they're still great with glaze on top.
- → How can I make the glaze thicker or thinner?
Want it thicker? Mix in extra powdered sugar, a spoonful at a time. Need it runnier? Add a little more milk by the teaspoon. You want it to stick to a spoon but still drip slowly off.
- → Can I add other spices to these fritters?
Definitely! Try nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or a pinch of cardamom—they all go great with apples and cinnamon. Start with a quarter teaspoon and see what you think.