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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch » Homemade Apple Fritters

    Published: Oct 21, 2020 · Modified: May 25, 2021 by Jessica Robinson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Homemade Apple Fritters

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    Do you love the apple fritters from your local donut shop? Homemade Apple Fritters are a fried donut filled with apple pie filling, cinnamon, and drizzled with a simple glaze.

    Old-Fashioned Apple Fritters are made with a donut dough and simple to make apple pie filling.

    apple fritter donuts on a half sheet pan and baking rack dripping dry with glaze.

    While it does take a bit of time to make these, they are so worth the effort! Delicious cinnamon apple filling inside these light and fluffy fritters.

    Apple Fritters with a glaze sitting on a sheet pan and baking rack.

    Why this recipe works

    • Soft and fluffy doughnut dough that is stuffed with fresh apple filling. These old-fashioned apple fritters are the perfect treat for fall and winter!
    • Made with simple ingredients, readily available in your local grocery store.
    • Simple to follow directions.

    You can make them the night before and plop in the fridge. For more great apple recipes be sure and try Apple Crisp, Apple Hand Pies, Homemade Pie Crust, Apple Pie Recipe, and Caramel Apples.

    What you’ll need

    • Apples – Use Granny Smith and another variety such as McIntosh. Granny Smith is tart and holds up well. Use another variety, such as McIntosh that will break down and create an apple sauce texture.
    • Cinnamon – Warm spice of cinnamon adds plenty of fall spice to your fritters.
    • Brioche dough – This soft and fluffy donut dough is perfect for this recipe. Inside the dough is filled with apple filling.
    • Glaze – Easy to make glaze made with powdered sugar, splash of vanilla extract, and whole milk. Whisked together to make a thin glaze that nicely coats the top of the fritter.
    Overhead image of ingredients for apple fritters on wooden cutting board.
    apple fritters on baking rack with glaze drying.

    How to make apple pie filling

    Homemade Apple Pie Filling is super simple to make. I use a combination of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples. I’ve found this is a great combination.

    apple pie filling in a large cast iron skillet with wooden spoon on an white kitchen stove.

    You can also make this apple pie filling and pipe it into the back of the apple fritters after they are fried. Put the apple pie filing into a disposable pastry bag with a large pastry tip and pipe the pie filling into the back of the apple fritters.

    This same apple pie filling is used in my Apple Hand Pies. Don’t have the time for homemade apple pie filling? You can use canned.

    apple fritters on baking rack with glaze drying.

    How to make Apple Fritters

    Step 1: In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the warm milk, sugar, and eggs.

    Step 2: Add the dough hook attachment, and stir in the flour and salt. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. Cut the butter into small pieces and incorporate into the dough. Scrape the bowl a few times. Beat the dough until it becomes smooth, about 5-7 minutes.

    Step 3: Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes, making a smooth dough. This dough is going to be sticky when you turn it out. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin. Making it into a rectangle shape, about ½-3/4-inch thick.

    Assembling the fritters

    Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle generously with all-purpose flour. This will help absorb some of the moisture from the filling. Sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.

    Roll up, starting at the long end, like you would cinnamon rolls. Cut the dough on a diagonal, then back the other way. You want to end up with pieces about the size of a quarter. Gently push the pieces back into small patties (about 3-4 inches in diameter). You’ll want to sprinkle the pieces with flour as you go. This will be a sticky mess. But well worth the time, effort and mess involved.

    Place the apple fritter patties on lined half sheet pans.

    bowl of icing with wooden handle whisk in bowl. Apple fritters on cooling rack in background.

    After the fritters are fried, you can squeeze in more apple pie filling using a pastry bag with wide tip.

    Apple fritters with glaze drying on a half sheet pan and cooling rack.

    The dough is quite sticky– don’t add more flour because otherwise you might make them tough! You want the dough to be light and airy. Hence why you let the dough rise twice, even before you assemble them into fritter.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can you make Apple Fritters ahead of time?

    Yes, this recipe takes some time. Make them the day before and place on a parchment lined half sheet pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, then fry them fresh in the morning. (Go straight from the fridge to the fryer!)

    Why are my apple fritters soggy?

    Use plenty of flour sprinkled over top the apple pie filling before you roll up the dough. This will help prevent the apples from taking on too much oil.

    Fritters can also be soggy if your oil temperature is too low. If the oil temperature is too low they will absorb too much oil. Use a digital thermometer with a probe to maintain around 375 degrees F.

    More Donut Recipes

    • Apple Cider Donuts
    • Homemade Pumpkin Donuts
    • Glazed Donuts

    Did you make one of my recipes? Please take a moment to leave a star rating. Also, if you are on Pinterest, please feel free to leave a comment there and a photo if you have one! Follow Farmgirl’s Kitchen on FACEBOOK and PINTEREST and subscribe my mailing list for ALL the latest recipes!

    5 from 10 votes
    apple fritters on baking rack with glaze drying.
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    Apple Fritters

    Prep Time3 hrs
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time3 hrs 5 mins
    Make these delicious homemade Apple Fritters with glaze using simple ingredients.
    Course: Breakfast, Breakfast or Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Servings: 15 fritters
    Calories: 503kcal
    Author: Jessica Robinson

    Equipment

    • Half Sheet Pans
    • Parchment Paper (Half Sheet pan)
    • Plastic Bench Scraper
    • Rolling Pin 15-inches (JK Adams-made in USA)

    Ingredients

    Apple Fritter Dough

    • 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
    • ¼ cup lukewarm water
    • 1 ½ cups whole milk warm
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs room temperature
    • 5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

    Apple Pie Filling

    • 6 large apples peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
    • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    • 1 cup cold water
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Apple Fritter Glaze

    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 3-5 tablespoons whole milk

    Instructions

    Apple Fritter Dough

    • In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the warm milk, sugar, and eggs.
    • Add the dough hook attachment, and stir in the flour and salt. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. Cut the butter into small pieces and incorporate into the dough. Scrape the bowl a few times. Beat the dough until it becomes smooth, about 5-7 minutes.
    • Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes, making a smooth dough. This dough is going to be sticky when you turn it out.
    • After kneading, shape into a round ball and place back into the greased mixing bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and drape with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm area and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
    • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for a few minutes. Turn back into the greased bowl (spray with cooking spray again if needed) and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

    Apple Pie Filling

    • While the dough is rising, make your apple filling. Place the butter and lemon juice in a 10-12-inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Place the chopped apple pieces and the brown sugar into the pan.
    • Cook the apples over medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes, until slightly soft. Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water and pour over the apple mixture. Let bubble and thicken. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon so it does not burn.
    • Remove from the heat once it's thickened and add the cinnamon and nutmeg. The apple mixture will thicken as it cools. Let cool completely.

    Assembling Apple Fritters

    • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin. Making it into a rectangle shape, about ½-3/4-inch thick. Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle generously with all-purpose flour. (about ½ cup or so). This will help absorb some of the moisture from the filling. Sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.
    • Roll up, starting at the long end, like you would cinnamon rolls. Cut the dough on a diagonal, then back the other way. You want to end up with pieces about the size of a quarter. Gently push the pieces back into small patties (about 3-4 inches in diameter). You’ll want to sprinkle the pieces with flour as you go. This will be a sticky mess. But well worth the time, effort and mess involved.
    • Place the apple fritter patties on lined half sheet pans. (you should get about 3 rows of 3 on each sheet pan) Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
    • While they are in the fridge, whisk together your icing. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. You want it to be fairly thin.

    Frying Apple Fritters

    • Heat canola oil in a large cast iron skillet to 375 degrees F. Use a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature of your oil.
    • Fry for about 2-3 minutes per side. Flip carefully. Once fried, place them on a sheet pan lined with plenty of paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil.
    • Let cool slightly before dipping only the tops in the icing. Let drip dry on a cooling rack, placed on a parchment lined half sheet pan. Once the icing is set, enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    Making Apple Fritters Tips:
    This is a sticky dough!
    Don’t add too much flour! It will make a tough dough!
    •Start with 5 cups flour and add more if needed. You do not want to overwork the dough or put in too much flour. As it will make the dough tough.
    Apple Pie Filling:
    •To cool the apple pie filling quickly, place the apples in a Pyrex measuring cup, then set the measuring cup in a large bowl that has plenty of ice- this will cool the apples quickly.
    Frying Apple Fritters:
    •Use a digital thermometer with a probe to properly to monitor your oil temperature and maintain 375 degrees F.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 414IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AFarmgirlsKitchen or tag #afarmgirlskitchen!

    Disclosure: As an Affiliate Marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a product affiliate link on A Farmgirl’s Kitchen and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you!  I own every cooking product I recommend and love how they perform.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monica | Nourish & Fete says

      December 31, 2017 at 8:20 pm

      These look fantastic! What a fun weekend project this would be – and a delicious one, to boot!

      Reply
    2. Julie says

      December 31, 2017 at 7:13 pm

      Oooooh my goodness, these looks so incredibly rich and decadent! What a great treat for fall and winter.

      Reply
    3. Tina says

      December 31, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      These are my favorite donut, I never thought to make them myself. They look amazing. I’m with you, skipping Black Friday was practically the first grown-up thing I did:) Happy New Year!

      Reply
    4. Helene says

      December 30, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      Your apple fritters look like our beignets aux pommes which my mum used to make. In fact from the recipe ingredients list it looks like just the way she would make it. 🙂 You got me craving these babies now!!

      Reply
    5. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

      December 30, 2017 at 7:06 am

      These apple fritters look so delicious! What a nice end to a festive meal!

      Reply
    6. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

      December 29, 2017 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      The fritters wouldn’t last long at our house. I would enjoy some right now. Adding the homemade apple filling makes them super special. I’ll have to make some for our grandsons.

      Reply
    7. Monica Le says

      December 29, 2017 at 1:01 am

      oh this Apple Fritters looks so delicious… wish I had some right now!

      Reply
    8. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says

      December 27, 2017 at 10:34 pm

      5 stars
      These looks totally addictive…and I know I would have a hard time eating only one. I love using Cortland apples for my recipes….but ALL are delicious.

      Reply
    9. Amanda says

      December 27, 2017 at 7:18 pm

      5 stars
      Your apple fritters look better than the bakery’s! I will have to try it with a gluten free flour. I bet they will be just as delicious. Those brownies look yummy, too!

      Reply
      • Jessica Robinson says

        December 27, 2017 at 7:55 pm

        Yes! King Arthur Flour makes a great gluten free flour that you can try! (With all of my recipes!)

        Reply
    10. Analida @ ethnicspoon.com says

      December 27, 2017 at 7:08 pm

      I love apple fritters and any kind of apple dessert! These are a labor of love and meant to be shared! I need to take these to my office for the crew. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    11. Dominique | Perchance to Cook says

      December 27, 2017 at 5:29 pm

      My sister loves apple fritters and luckily for me, and her!, she is currently visiting me for the holidays so I am going to make this recipe ASAP.

      Reply
    12. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

      December 27, 2017 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      Oh-oh! Now that I’ve seen your recipe, I can’t unsee it! I want to make these for New Years day!! I love apple fritters and these look perfect!!

      Reply
    13. Cleo @Journey to the Garden says

      December 27, 2017 at 1:53 am

      5 stars
      Who needs to go to Tim Hortons when you can make these unreal apple fritters in your own home! These look absolutely delicious and I’m going to have to try these out on my family.

      Reply
    14. Sarah says

      December 26, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      I’m not sure that I’ve ever eaten an apple fritter! But they look delicious and sweet- I want a bite!

      Reply
    15. Meghan says

      December 22, 2017 at 2:55 am

      These look unreal! My husband loves apple fritters so I’m going to have to make these happen!

      Reply
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