This small-batch recipe for Apple Fritter Doughnuts features a light and fluffy fried yeasted dough studded with sweet and tart spiced apples.
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What is a fritter?
Fritters are a fried batter or dough and can be sweet or savory (eg. Japanese tempura, Indian pakoras, or hushpuppies).
What is an apple fritter?
Apple fritters can refer to a deep-fried "wet" batter with apples and spices, or a fried yeasted dough studded with apples, sugar and cinnamon.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe for apple fritters is inspired by the ones from Tim Horton's and is:
Easy to make: this dough is not overly sticky and easy to handle.
Small-batch: since doughnuts are only best enjoyed freshly fried, this recipe makes 6 doughnuts, which can easily doubled to make a dozen.
Light and fluffy: using a yeasted dough ensures these donuts puff up soft and fluffy.
Ingredients you'll need
- 1 batch dough from Classic Glazed Doughnuts
- apple: diced; use a sweet and tart apple - such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith
- lemon juice: helps prevent the cut apples from oxidizing and turning brown
- light brown sugar: adds a little touch of sweetness
- ground cinnamon: for that warm spice and flavor
- grated nutmeg: or ground
- cornstarch: to thicken up any juices from the apples
- vanilla bean paste: which is thicker than vanilla extract and doesn't add too much moisture to the filling; optional
You can find these ingredients at your local grocery store.
How to make apple fritters
Make the apple filling
In a bowl, combine the diced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch and vanilla bean paste.
Mix together, coating the apples thoroughly.
Cover with a lid and set aside.
Make the dough
Make a batch of Classic Glazed Doughnuts.
Roll the dough out into a square about 10" by 10".
Spread the apple mixture over the surface of the dough (don't add the juices that have drained).
Roll up the dough into a log (similar to a cinnamon roll).
Dust the work surface with a little all-purpose flour.
Cut the dough into smaller pieces, about 1.5" in size.
Sprinkle additional all-purpose flour over the cut dough.
Divide and cluster together a few clumps of dough and press together to form into a circular lump.
Transfer each "lump" to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm location, until slightly puffy, about 20 minutes.
Fry the doughnuts
Heat a pot of oil over medium heat, until it reaches 350F.
Fry one doughnut at a time, about 2 minutes per side, until light golden brown, flipping halfway.
Remove the doughnut with a slotted spoon and place onto a baking sheet or cooling rack lined with paper towel to drain.
Repeat with the remainder.
Glaze the doughnuts
In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
Stir until the mixture is smooth.
Take one doughnut and dip it into the glaze.
Remove the doughnut and place onto a wire rack to set.
Repeat with the remainder.
Serve immediately.
How to serve
Serve the Apple Fritter Donuts freshly fried and glazed.
Try pairing the donuts with cold brew coffee, espresso, matcha tea latte, or milk tea.
How to store
As with glazed donuts, these doughnuts are best consumed on the same day they are made.
Store leftover fried doughnuts in a box or container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Expert tips
For ease of transferring the donuts into the hot oil, you can place the dough onto pieces of parchment squares, about 4-5" in diameter.
Fry with the parchment paper, and remove the paper using a pair of tongs once the donut has released from the paper.
Other doughnut recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Classic Glazed Doughnuts (Small-Batch)
Jasmine Sugar Raspberry Doughnuts
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Apple Fritter Doughnuts
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Apple filling:
- 1 apple (about 150g) diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Dough:
- 80 ml whole milk warm
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- pinch sea salt
For frying:
- 4 C peanut oil or neutral oil
Glaze:
- 1 C powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the apple filling:
- In a bowl, combine the diced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch and vanilla bean paste.
- Mix together, coating the apples thoroughly.
- Cover with a lid and set aside.
Make the dough:
- In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar and yeast and give it a stir. Let it sit and become active and bubbly.
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the all-purpose flour, butter, egg and sea salt.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and knead until the dough comes together.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a teaspoon of flour until it's not overly sticky. It should feel slightly tacky to the touch.
- Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it rest in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down.
- Roll the dough out into a square about 10" by 10".
- Spread the apple mixture over the surface of the dough (don't add the juices that have drained).
- Roll up the dough into a log (similar to a cinnamon roll).
- Dust the work surface with a little all-purpose flour.
- Cut the dough into smaller pieces, about 1.5" in size.
- Sprinkle additional all-purpose flour over the cut dough.
- Divide and cluster together a few clumps of dough and press together to form into a circular lump.
- Transfer each "lump" to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm location, until slightly puffy, about 20 minutes.
Fry the doughnuts:
- Heat a pot of oil over medium heat, until it reaches 350°F/177°C.
- Fry one doughnut at a time, about 2 minutes per side, until light golden brown, flipping halfway.
- Remove the doughnut with a slotted spoon and place onto a baking sheet or cooling rack lined with paper towel to drain.
- Repeat with the remainder.
Glaze the doughnuts:
- In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
- Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Take one doughnut and dip it into the glaze.
- Remove the doughnut and place onto a wire rack to set.
- Repeat with the remainder.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Oh these apple fritters look insanely good, and the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla must make them so flavourful and delicious. Definitely better than at Tim Hortons! 🙂
Michelle
Thanks Ben, who needs Tim's when you can make the apple fritters at home?! 🙂
David @ Spiced
Oh, you've landed on one of my all-time favorites! I can't walk by a good apple fritter without picking one up. It's true! These look fantastic, and now you have me craving apple fritters. Time to fix that craving!
Michelle
Ohh you and me, David -- I'll definitely reach out for an apple fritter over any other donut!
Dawn
I'm sitting here with a coffee and totally wishing I had one of these apple fritter doughnuts to go with it! They look so so good and I bet they taste even better!
Michelle
Thank you Dawn - these apple fritters would be delightful with a coffee!
Raymund | angsarap.net
This recipe for small-batch apple fritter doughnuts sounds heavenly! The idea of a light and fluffy doughnut studded with sweet and tart apples is simply irresistible.
Michelle
Thanks Raymund, apple fritters are one of my favorite treats!
Chloe
Can I use a substitute for vanilla bean paste?
Michelle
Hi Chloe, vanilla bean paste is a little thicker than vanilla extract. If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can use vanilla extract, but bump up the cornstarch so that the filling isn't overly wet from the addition of the vanilla. Hope that helps.