Cinnamon Glazed Apple Fritters

Deep fried apple fritters with cinnamon and nutmeg using diced Honeycrisp apples with a sugar glaze.

These Cinnamon Glazed Apple Fritters are a delicious treat with a crispy exterior and soft, apple-studded interior. The batter combines flour, sugars, salt, and warm spices, bound with baking powder, buttermilk, applesauce, and eggs for a moist, tender crumb. Finely diced Honeycrisp apples add a sweet-tart flavor, and the fritters are fried to golden perfection, then drizzled with a glaze of powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla for a sweet finish, making them a delightful snack or dessert.

Servings

12-16 fritters

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20-30 minutes

Total Time

40-50 minutes

Ingredients

Fritter Batter

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced

Frying Oil

  • 1 quart of peanut or vegetable oil

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare Fritter Batter

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, light brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and baking powder. Set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together beaten eggs, buttermilk, and applesauce until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, whisking continuously until well combined. Gently fold in diced apples to incorporate into the batter.

Prepare Glaze

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

Fry Fritters

Heat 3 inches of peanut or vegetable oil in a deep pot to 375°F (190°C). Use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup to scoop and carefully drop the batter into the hot oil. Fry each fritter for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove fritters with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Glaze & Cool

After draining, transfer fritters to a wire rack. Drizzle glaze over the tops and bottoms while still warm. Let the fritters cool slightly before serving.

Tips

Be cautious when handling hot oil. Adjust spices in the batter to your taste preference.

Prepare the flour, brown and white sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the beaten eggs, buttermilk, and applesauce in a larger mixing bowl.

Peel, core, and dice the apples in a separate bowl. Also stir together the powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract for the glaze.

Whisk together the dry and wet mixes.

Fold in the diced apples.

Heat about 3 inches of frying oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees.

Use either a 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup depending on the desired size of your fritters to scoop batter into the oil. Fry about 2 minutes on each side until browned.

Remove with a slotted metal spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to drizzle the glaze on both sizes and rest a few minutes to let cool.