These pumpkin spice apple fritters are tossed in a sweet vanilla glaze! Serve these with a hot cup of coffee on the weekend for maximum yumminess!
There are so many reasons to love these apple fritters, like being easy to make, no yeast involved and the taste! I tend to stay away from frying things just because it can get messy and the kitchen might smell for days. But sometimes it’s so worth it, even with the hot oil burns I always seem to get no matter how many years experience I have cooking.
So let’s jump right in!
Are apple fritters just like doughnuts?
Yes, they are, and that’s a good thing right! They have the same texture as a fried doughnut but this kind doesn’t require any yeast in the dough. It has the consistency of a pancake batter which you scoop up and drop into the hot oil. Don’t worry about the random shapes, being imperfect is what fritters are all about.
How do I make these apple fritters?
- Making the batter
Most apple fritter recipes will tell you just to add diced apples to the batter. Apples are crunchy and I love them. But when it comes to dessert I like my apples soft and sweet. So before I even make the batter for these apple fritters, I cook them for five minutes in butter and brown sugar just to get them nice and caramelized. So much better than just raw chunks of apple in your fritters!
- Frying the fritters
Make sure your oil reaches 375 degrees for frying. You’ll need a thermometer for this, it’s a great kitchen tool to have even if you don’t use it that often. An easy way to drop the batter into the oil is to hold a tablespoon in each hand. Take a scoop of batter with one of the spoons and push it into the oil with the other spoon.
Don’t overcrowd the oil or the apple fritters will start to stick to each other and the temperature of the oil will drop quicker making it harder to get that crispy golden brown color on the outside. - Glazing the apple fritters
Usually, when we make a powdered sugar glaze it has to be on the thick side so that it doesn’t run off the cookie or whatever it is we’re frosting. But for the fritters, we want it to be nice and thin. Think Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and how the glaze is on their original glazed doughnut.
Mix the powdered sugar with the milk and pumpkin spice. Add a few drops of vanilla and it’s ready for the fritters.
Everything about making these apple fritters is kind of haphazard, they don’t need to look perfect because they already taste amazing!
recipe questions
Easy! Mix some regular sugar with cinnamon and toss the warm apple fritters in the sugar. Or dust heavily with powdered sugar for a similar look and taste as a southern style beignet.
No, these are meant to be fried and I think baking them would produce a soggy consistency.
I’d definitely recommend using some kind of thermometer. The oil should remain at a constant temperature or the apple fritters could be under cooked in the center.
Vegetable oil or canola would be my two top choices.
more fried doughnut recipes
Pumpkin Spice Glazed Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 large Granny Smith apple
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 cups canola oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp melted butter
For the glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk plus two tbsp
Instructions
- Peel and core the apple then dice into small squares.
- Heat the oil until 375 degrees.
- In a large pan, heat the apples, butter and brown sugar unto the liquid almost looks like a caramel sauce. Set aside.
- In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and spice.
- In another bowl whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour and stir gently.
- Add the apples from the pan and combine.
- Scoop up about a tablespoon of the batter and gently drop it into the hot oil.
- Fry on one side for almost one minute then flip the fritters over to repeat on the other side.
- Once the fritters are done, place them on some paper towels to absorb the grease.
- Make the glaze and toss the fritters until coated.
- Serve at once while still hot or reheat in a microwave for a few seconds,
Bring on the fritters, these look delicious!
Thanks for all the great tips!! These fritters were amazing!
I know exactly who I want to make these for! I have some apple fritter lovers in my house, so these are perfect for this time of year!
Apple fritters were a big treat when I was a kid but they were never homemade. I love the addition of the pumpkin spice flavor for this glaze!