Apple Fritters

Fall means all the comforting apple and pumpkin treats including homemade Apple Fritters! A simple yeasted dough that is folded together with sweet cinnamon apples, then deep fried and glazed.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple dessert, apple fritter, donut recipe

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings fritters

Calories 363kcal

Equipment

dutch oven
candy thermometer

Ingredients

For the Yeasted Dough:

1 cup warm milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
1/4 cup melted butter cooled
2-3 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Apple Filling:

1 granny smith apple peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
vegetable or canola oil for frying

For the Fritter Glaze/Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk or more, if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

Make the Fritter Dough

Into the bottom of a mixing bowl, stir warm milk, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and yeast together. Set aside 10 minutes to bloom and activate. After 10 minutes mixture should look foamy. Add in remaining sugar, melted butter, half the flour and the salt.
Knead mixture on low to incorporate flour. Slowly add in more and more bread flour 2 tablespoons at a time until dough gathers on the dough hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. Dough should feel tacky but not sticky and leave residue on your hands. Knead 5 minutes.
Grease bowl and dough thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and set aside to rise and double in size.

Cook the Apples

While dough is rising, peel, core and chop apple. Add apple to a small nonstick skillet with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Cook 5-7 minutes or until mostly tender but holding their shape. Set aside to cool.

Form the Apple Fritters

Flour a clean work surface and rolling pin. Add dough to the center of the board and dust with more flour. Roll dough out to be an approximate 16"x10" rectangle/oval shape. Spread cooked apples onto 2/3rds of the rolled dough.
Fold the bottom third on plain dough over the middle third section and fold the top section (with apples) overtop the middle third section. Press together gently.
Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut filled dough into small 1/2 inch pieces. I know this seems like a weird step, but it's what gives the fritters that signature look.
Flour your hands well and sprinkle the top of the chopped apples lightly with flour. Press into a log to try to stick it back together. I know it seems like counter intuitive to cut it all apart and then stick it back together but this is where the magic happens! I promise it will all make sense in the end.
Once your log has formed, cut into 8 equal portions. Using more flour on your hands, press each fritter together so it won't fall apart in the fryer. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to rise slightly while the oil heats up.

Fry the Apple Fritters

Add vegetable or canola oil to a deep heavy bottomed pot fitted with a candy thermometer. You want at least 3 inches of oil in the pot. Heat over medium heat to get the oil to hold steady at 375 degrees F. Anywhere between 360 and 380 degrees F is fine, but keep in mind the oil temperature will go down with the addition of the fritters and you will have to adjust. Its better to be at 375-380, add the donuts and have the temp come down to 360. Add two or three donuts to the hot oil and fry 1 minute per side or until a deep golden brown color. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Glaze the Fritters

While the donuts are cooling, whisk all the ingredients together for the glaze. Add the milk in bit by bit until the glaze is a little runnier than white school glue. Dip the top of each apple fritter into the glaze and place on cooling rack to drip down. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Nutrition facts do not include the oil.

Nutrition