The Best Glazed Apple Fritters (video)
The apple fritters of your dreams! These are the best glazed apple fritters – super soft, fluffy, cinnamon-y, with apple in every single bite! They’re made with a soft cinnamon yeast dough, dotted with crispy apple pieces, deep-fried until golden brown, then glazed with a simple vanilla glaze. There’s no reason to wait in long lines at fall festivals when you can make these incredible apple donuts at home!
Watch My Apple Fritters Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube apple fritters video tutorial for step-by-step instructions, including how to make the dough and how to fry the donuts. Want to stay up to date on the newest recipes? Subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel.
Ingredients for Glazed Apple Fritters
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make the best apple fritters. Find the full list of ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
- Apples – I like to use crispy, sweet apples such as Honeycrisp or Gala. I recommend peeling the apples for the best texture.
- All Purpose Flour – for making the soft yeast dough.
- Dry Active Yeast – you can also use fast acting yeast; just reduce the proofing times.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Sugar, Milk, Eggs, Butter
- Canola Oil – for deep frying the apple donuts. This cooking oil is great for frying as it’s inexpensive and has little taste.
- Powdered Sugar – for making the vanilla glaze.
Supplies & Tools for the Recipe
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Making the Soft Cinnamon Dough
These incredible glazed apple fritters are easy to make and will come together in no time! This recipe is great for weekend baking.
- Start by heating the milk to 120°F to 130°F. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in a few tablespoons of sugar and the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes, until it’s fluffy and foamy.
- Add in the melted butter (cooled), eggs, salt, and vanilla. Whisk everything together for a minute until smooth.
- Gradually start adding in the flour, about ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. Once the batter thickens, switch to a spatula. The dough will be very sticky but should be nicely thickened.
Adding the Diced Apples
Prepare the apples next. Peel the apples first, then dice the apples into small pieces.
Add the diced apples to the sticky dough and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon over the top. Using a spatula, mix the diced apples into the dough until they’re evenly distributed.
First Round of Proofing
Once you have the apples mixed into the dough, it’s time for the first round of proofing.
Cover the mixing bowl with a clean towel and place it into a warm corner of the kitchen to proof for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Shaping the Fritters & Proofing
- While the dough is proofing, cut 10 to 12 squares of parchment paper, about 6×6-inches in size. These will be used for the fritters.
- Once the dough has proofed, use a spatula to scoop about ¾-cup to 1 cup of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Gently press the diced apples back into the dough, making sure they’re well secured.
- Place the fritters onto a baking sheet and let them proof in a warm part of the kitchen for 30 to 45 minutes, until the fritters are fluffy.
Easy Vanilla Glaze for Apple Fritters
While the fritters are proofing, it’s a great time to prepare the simple glaze and preheat the frying oil.
Place the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk into a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until the glaze is thick and smooth. If the glaze is too thick, thin it out with a bit more milk.
Deep-Frying Instructions for Apple Fritters
Here’s how to make these delicious fried apple donuts:
- Pour about 6 to 8 cups of canola oil into a pot or sauté pan with high sides. Heat the oil over medium heat to 300°F.
- Slide the apple fritters along with the parchment paper directly into the hot oil; fry 2 to 3 fritters at a time. After about 10 seconds in the oil, the parchment paper should come loose away from the dough; lift it out of the oil with tongs.
- Fry the fritters on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the fritters are a deep golden-brown color all over.
- Use a wire skimmer to remove them from the oil onto a wire rack, lined with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil.
Glazing & Enjoying the Fritters
- The apple fritters need to be glazed while they’re still hot. Wait about 1 minute after removing them from the oil. The fritters will be super-hot! Handle them with care.
- Dip the bottom in first and coat lightly with the glaze. Turn and coat the top side generously with the glaze, letting the glaze sink into the crevices. Tap off the excess and place the fritters back onto the wire rack.
- Let the fritters cool for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy them warm with coffee, tea, milk, or hot apple cider.
More Recipes to Try!
Enjoyed these delicious, glazed apple fritters? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to love!
- Super Easy Apple Fritters – a cheat recipe for apple fritters made with a buttermilk batter and cinnamon glaze.
- Easy Apple Pie Trifle Cups – the easiest way to serve apple pie, in a parfait cup with caramel and whipped cream!
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls – these are divine! Super soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls filled with diced apple pie filling, topped with cream cheese icing!
- Baked Apple Roses – puff pastry apple roses made with thinly sliced apples and apple butter. So pretty!
- Cranberry Almond Apple Crisp – a favorite of mine for fall! Easy apple crisp with cranberries, served with vanilla ice cream.
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The Best Glazed Apple Fritters Recipe (video)
Ingredients
For Apple Fritters:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp dry active yeast
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, at room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
- 4 large apples
For Frying:
- 6 to 8 cups canola oil
For Vanilla Glaze:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
Preparing the Dough:
- Start by heating the milk to 120°F to 130°F. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in a few tablespoons of sugar and the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes, until it’s fluffy and foamy.
- Add in the melted butter (cooled), eggs, salt, and vanilla. Whisk everything together for a minute until smooth.
- Gradually start adding in the flour, about ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. Once the batter thickens, switch to a spatula. The dough will be very sticky but should be nicely thickened.
- Prepare the apples next. Peel the apples first, then dice the apples into small pieces.
- Add the diced apples to the sticky dough and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon over the top. Using a spatula, mix the diced apples into the dough until they’re evenly distributed.
First Proofing:
- Cover the mixing bowl with a clean towel and place it into a warm corner of the kitchen to proof for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is proofing, cut 10 to 12 squares of parchment paper, about 6×6-inches in size. These will be used for the fritters.
Second Proofing:
- Once the dough has proofed, use a spatula to scoop about ¾-cup to 1 cup of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Gently press the diced apples back into the dough, making sure they’re well secured; otherwise, they will separate when the fritters are fried.
- Place the fritters onto a baking sheet and let them proof in a warm part of the kitchen for 30 to 45 minutes, until the fritters are fluffy.
Easy Glaze Recipe:
- For the glaze: Place the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk into a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until the glaze is thick and smooth. If the glaze is too thick, thin it out with a bit more milk.
Deep-Frying Instructions:
- Pour about 6 to 8 cups of canola oil into a pot or sauté pan with high sides. Heat the oil over medium heat to 300°F.
- Slide the apple fritters along with the parchment paper directly into the hot oil; fry 2 to 3 fritters at a time. After about 10 seconds in the oil, the parchment paper should come loose away from the dough; lift it out of the oil with tongs.
- Fry the fritters on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the fritters are a deep golden-brown color all over.
- Use a wire skimmer to remove them from the oil onto a wire rack, lined with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil.
Glazing the Fritters:
- The apple fritters need to be glazed while they’re still hot. Wait about 1 minute after removing them from the oil. The fritters will be super-hot! Handle them with care.
- Dip the bottom in first and coat lightly with the glaze. Turn and coat the top side generously with the glaze, letting the glaze sink into the crevices. Tap off the excess and place the fritters back onto the wire rack.
- Let the fritters cool for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy them warm with coffee, tea, milk, or hot apple cider.
They look amazing! Can you please include pictures of the inside of the fritters? Even in the video when you eat one of them, there’s no close up of the inside.
Thank you!! I totally forgot to add a shot of the inside! I’ll take more photos next time I make them. Hope you love the recipe!