Old-Fashioned Apple Fritter Recipe

While apples are available in supermarkets 365 days a year, we tend to associate them with the autumn season, and recipe developer Jessica Morone from Jess Loves Baking states that "I don't think there's anything better in the fall then fresh apple fritters." She describes these fritters as resembling "crispy little donuts chock-full of apples," and remarks that this particular recipe is both delicious and easy. Plus, from start to finish, these apple fritters are quick to make, taking less them 30 minutes to prep and cook. 

Morone notes that there is one special ingredient she adds to the fritter batter that she thinks improves it significantly –– cornstarch. Cornstarch, she explains, "helps to make the fritters crispy by preventing gluten development." She then goes on to say that the lower the level of gluten, the less oil the fritters absorb when fried. 

Read further to learn how to make these fall-inspired apple fritters. 

For the fritter batter, you will need 1 egg, ¾ cup of milk, salt, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. You will also need vegetable oil for frying. 

Morone notes that the acid from the orange juice "balances the sweetness of the fritters, and adds to the flavor." However, if you don't have any orange juice on hand, she recommends adding an additional ¼ cup of milk instead. As far as what type of apple to use, Morone prefers Granny Smith apples, but says that any kind of apple will do. 

These apple fritters are then finished off with a glaze made from powdered sugar as well as the reserved ¼ cup of milk, salt, and vanilla.

Peel and cut the apples into bite-sized chunks. Lightly beat the egg and mix it with ¾ cup of milk, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, as well as the entire amount of sugar, cinnamon, and orange juice. 

Then, stir in the apple chunks. Now, mix your flour, baking powder, and cornstarch together in a separate bowl, and then incorporate the dry ingredients into the apple mixture. Stop mixing as soon as everything is combined, since as Morone points out, you should "be careful not to overmix."

Pour 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil into a large, heavy pot and heat it to a temperature between 350 F and 365 F. Here's a helpful safety hint from Morone: "Use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature" and to prevent the oil from catching on fire. 

Once the oil is at the right temperature, scoop up about 3 tablespoons worth of fritter batter and drop it into the oil. Repeat this until you have about 5 fritters frying at one time. Fry them for 1 ½ to 2 minutes on one side, then flip them, and fry them for the same amount of time on the other side until golden brown. Once the fritters are done, take them out of the oil using tongs, a slotted spoon, or spatula, and lay them on some paper towels. Repeat the process until you've used up all of the batter.

To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the unused ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla, and ¼ cup of milk. Drizzle it over the top of the fritters, let it harden for a few minutes, and then flip them over to glaze the bottom half. While Morone likes to use this sugar glaze for her fritters, she acknowledges that this step is optional as "some people will sprinkle powdered sugar on apple fritters or roll them in a cinnamon sugar mix rather than using a glaze."

Morone feels that these fritters "will always be best right out of the fryer," but you may not be able to eat an entire batch in a single sitting. In this case, she suggests "reheat[ing the] leftovers in a toaster oven or an oven to make them crispy again."