I was surprised when I learned that not everyone has had homemade apple fritters. My grandma always said her recipe came down from her great-grandmother or before. I don’t know, but according to her, she doesn’t even remember when she learned to make these fun homemade donuts. It’s like apple recipes like this are a part of her DNA!
I think everybody should have at least one easy apple fritters recipe in their baking bag of tricks. If you need one, this is it. Less than 20 minutes, and taste way better than anything from any drive-through donut shop window.
My aunt made glazed fritters super popular in our hometown when she started running a little home bakery out of her kitchen every fall when the fresh apples were in season. She’d sit on her front porch in a rocking chair and people would drive from across town to pay her a dollar for a half dozen homemade apple fritters.
My mom used to make these on weekend mornings, and she’d have the whole house smelling like cinnamon and mouthwatering fried dough before anyone even got out of bed. I’ve carried on that tradition, but I don’t get up nearly as early as my mom and grandma did on Saturday morning.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s something about biting into a warm apple fritter that takes you somewhere else. Fall leaves, football, state fair, powdered sugar on your fingers.
- Quick and simple: Under 20 minutes. It’s perfect for a quick snack or lazy weekend breakfast.
- Real apple flavor: Apple pie spice and fresh chopped apples give them a taste that makes you feel all warm and cozy.
- Budget-friendly: How about this for simple? Sugar. Flour. Milk. Eggs. And apples. Stuff you probably have already.
- Super adaptable: Use different fruits, skip the sugar, or drizzle with your favorite glaze. The possibilities are endless.
- Crowd-pleasing every time: Kids, grandparents, the neighbor who “just stopped by.” Nobody turns these down.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
One of the main reasons I love this recipe so much is that it’s super flexible. You can use this as your foundation and create an endless array of different flavors. Explore different options for fruit, skip the sugar if you’re watching that. Or go hog wild and pig crazy with extra glazed fritters.
- All-purpose flour: This is a batter-based fritter, not dough-based. That’s what makes it quick. Want crispier results? Stick your flour in the fridge for an hour before mixing.
- Apples: Peel and chop small so they cook through. Granny Smith holds up well, but Honeycrisp works if you like it sweeter.
- Apple pie spice: Don’t have it? Cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg and allspice gets you close.
- Sugar: Splenda works as a swap if you need sugar-free. Use powdered Splenda for dusting on top.
- Fruit swaps: Pineapple, banana, blueberries, pumpkin. Anything you love eating, you can fritter.
Tips for Success
A few things that’ll make sure these come out right.
- Use a whisk, not a spoon: Keeps your batter smooth and lump-free. Wash it between batches if you’re also making a glaze.
- Watch your oil temp: Too low and your fritters soak up grease. Too high and they burn before the middle cooks. Stay around 350 to 375.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Two or three at a time. Too many drops the oil temp and you get soggy fritters.
- Add your own twist: A splash of caramel syrup or extra cinnamon in the batter makes these yours.
Storage and Reheating
Left out on the counter, these stay good about two days. After that, put them in an airtight container.
To reheat, microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. But, you know what? Set a small cup of water in there next to it. The steam keeps the fritter from going dry.
In the fridge, they’ll keep about a week in an airtight container. Freeze them, and they last two to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These go with morning coffee like they were made for each other. My sister serves them at cookouts right after burgers, and they’re gone in a blink.
Top with vanilla ice cream for dessert if you want something super indulgent. Or add your favorite fruit topping, or just eat them plain while warm.
FAQs
Can I use canned apple pie filling instead of fresh apples?
Sure can, and it’ll save you tons of time! Chop the apples in the filling into small pieces. This way it’ll spread better throughout the batter. Be sure to dust some flour over the filling before you fold it. This will keep it from getting too wet.
Can I make apple fritters ahead of time?
For sure. Make them when it’s convenient for you. Just reheat in a 375-degree oven for about eight minutes when you’re ready to chow down. They warm up real nice.
Notes
When you want to escape briefly to another place and time, sit down with a book and enjoy an apple fritter with a steaming mug of coffee with cream. You’ll slip into zen mode in no time!
Fried Glazed Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. Ground beef
- 1 White onion finely diced
- 2 Large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup Seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 tsp. Coarse ground salt
- 1 tsp. Coarse ground pepper
- 4 tbsp. All-purpose flour
- 2 cans 10.5 oz each Beef consommé or high-quality beef broth
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups Whole milk Room temperature
- 12 oz. Medium egg noodles
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, diced white onion, beaten eggs, seasoned dry breadcrumbs, chopped fresh parsley, coarse salt, and pepper until the mixture forms a completely uniform, workable paste.
- Pinch off the meat mixture and roll firmly between your palms to shape small, tight meatballs roughly 1 inch in diameter. Drop the meatballs into the hot skillet in single-layer batches and brown them aggressively for 5 to 6 minutes, turning frequently to lock in a dark, caramelized outer crust on all sides while keeping the centers slightly underdone, then transfer them to a separate clean plate.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium, leaving the rendered beef fat pooling at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour directly into the hot fat and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, ensuring the flour completely absorbs the lipids and toasts until it turns a deep golden brown and loses its raw aroma.
- Slowly stream the beef consommé and Worcestershire sauce into the toasted roux while whisking rapidly to prevent any lumps from developing, then begin adding the room-temperature whole milk just a few tablespoons at a time. Season the liquid with salt and pepper to taste, and continue whisking without stopping for 5 minutes over medium heat until the sauce transitions into a thick, completely smooth, and glossy cream gravy.
- Carefully slide the browned meatballs and any collected plate juices back into the bubbling gravy, turning them to coat them completely in the sauce. Turn the heat down to low, clamp a tight lid over the skillet, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked completely to the center and have thoroughly infused the cream sauce.
- While the meatballs finish simmering, cook the egg noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions, then drain thoroughly and immediately toss the hot noodles with the ¼ cup of butter and 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley until melted and coated. Arrange the herbed butter noodles on a serving platter, ladle the hot meatballs and heavy gravy uniformly over the top, and shower with additional fresh parsley right before serving.
