Doughnut meets beignet in this quick and easy recipe for 30-Minute Apple Fritters.
There’s nothing better than a piping hot, freshly fried fritter, especially when they are yeast-free beauties studded with tart apples and a touch of cinnamon.
No yeast = no proofing = apple fritters in minutes, rather than hours. Now that’s some math I can get behind!
It’s a well-known fact that doughnuts are my absolute favorite food of all time. And if we want to get particular, I have a very strategic ranking according to my Greatest Doughnuts Of All Time list:
- Apple Fritters
- Glazed Twists
- Buttermilk Bars
- Cinnamon Rolls (a.k.a. Coffee Rolls)
- Doughnut Holes
Do you agree?
Aside from Buttermilk Bars (the extra-dense doughnuts that are simultaneously sweet and slightly sour), there’s not a single cake doughnut on that list. I’m definitely partial to a yeast doughnut, but the great news is that we can still achieve that same light and fluffy texture sans yeast, and it’s all thanks to the perfect amount of baking powder and a quick fry time.
I serve these apple fritters with a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar, but if you want to really up your fried dough game, grab a bowl of warm caramel sauce for dipping and dunking.
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Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and small diced apples (about 2 medium apples, See Kelly's Notes)
- Confectioners' sugar, for serving
Equipment:
- Deep-fry thermometer
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
- Add several inches of vegetable oil to a large heavy-bottomed stock pot set over medium heat. (There should be at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the stock pot.) Attach the deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot and begin heating the oil while you make the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry then add the melted butter and stir together the batter just until combined. Fold in the diced apples.
- Once the oil has reached 350ºF, use a small ice cream scoop (or two small spoons) to drop about 1-tablespoon scoops of dough into the oil, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the fritters, flipping them in the oil until they're golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat the scooping and frying process with the remaining batter, returning the oil to 350°F between each batch.
- Allow the fried fritters to cool slightly before dusting them with confectioners' sugar and serving immediately.
Kelly's Notes:
- Any variety of apple works well in this recipe, but I prefer the tanginess of Granny Smith.
- The doughnut holes expand when fried, so 1-tablespoon scoops of dough will yield fritters that are roughly 2 inches in diameter.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Just made these and they are delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Maribel!
Hi Kelly
Can I swap out the milk for water in the apple fritter recipe?
Hi! They won’t be as tender, as water tends to dry doughs out much more.
I don’t have any unsalted butter. What can I use instead?
Hi Donna! Salted butter works but I’d recommend reducing the 1/2 teaspoon salt because the fritters will be too salty.
Hi! Do you heat the oil to 350* with this recipe?
Hi Hannah – Yes! As noted in the recipe above, heat the oil to 350ºF. :)
question- could you substitute peaches maybe?
Hi Mary Ann – I haven’t tried that with this recipe but it *should* work! I’d love to hear your results if you give it a shot!
Can you use dried apples in place of fresh?
I wouldn’t recommend using dried apples because they’ll dry out more when baked.
Yum!