Apple fritters

Small apple-studded fritters with a thin sugar glaze.

Glazed golden apple fritters on an off-white platter, with one split open to show its cooked apple-studded centre.
Makes
12–16 fritters
Heat
180°C frying oil
Cooking time
4–5 min per batch

Resting, cooling and chilling are additional to cooking time.

View

Apple fritters

Makes
12–16 fritters
Heat
180°C frying oil
Cooking time
4–5 min per batch

Resting, cooling and chilling are additional to cooking time.

United States · Fried dough

Apple fritters

Small apple-studded fritters with a thin sugar glaze.

Method

  1. 01 · Mix dry

    1 min

    Use: Dry

    Whisk the dry ingredients evenly.

    Ready when: No baking powder lumps.

    A cook in a green jacket whisks the dry ingredients in a clear glass bowl.
    01 Mix dryWhisk the dry ingredients until evenly mixed with no baking powder lumps.

  2. 02 · Mix wet

    1 min

    Use: Wet

    Whisk eggs, milk and cooled butter together.

    Ready when: Egg is dispersed.

    In side view, the cook whisks a pale egg-and-milk mixture in a glass bowl.
    02 Mix wetWhisk the eggs, milk and cooled butter until the egg is fully dispersed.

  3. 03 · Make batter

    Briefly

    Use: Mix dry, Mix wet, Fruit

    Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients, then fold in diced apple.

    Ready when: Thick spoonable batter; no dry flour.

    From above, the cook folds small apple dice into thick cinnamon-speckled batter.
    03 Make batterFold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the diced apple.

  4. 04 · Fry

    4–5 min per batch

    Use: Make batter, Fry

    Heat oil to 180°C. Lower in small spoonfuls, about 50 mL each, flattening slightly. Fry a few at a time, turning once. Cut the first one to check the centre.

    Ready when: Golden all over; centre has cooked crumb, not wet batter.

    From above, the cook turns three golden apple fritters in a deep saucepan while a cut test fritter rests on a rack.
    04 FryFry a few 50 mL portions at a time, turning once, and check the first centre for cooked crumb.

  5. 05 · Glaze

    5 min

    Use: Fry, Glaze

    Drain on a rack. Stir sugar with enough milk for a thick drizzle; coat warm fritters.

    Ready when: Glaze clings and sets as it cools.

    The cook drizzles thick white glaze over warm golden apple fritters on a wire rack.
    05 GlazeDrain the warm fritters on a rack and coat them with a thick icing-sugar glaze.

What to look for

StageLook / feel forNeeds attention
Make batterThick spoonable batter; no dry flour.Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
FryGolden all over; centre has cooked crumb, not wet batter.Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
GlazeGlaze clings and sets as it cools.Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see thisLikely causeWhat to do nowNext time
Brown outside, raw insideOil too hot or portions too thick.Lower heat and make smaller portions.Check the first fritter by cutting it open.
Greasy crustOil cooled after too many additions.Drain well and restore heat.Fry small batches.

Best eaten the day they are fried. Keep pan handles secure and never leave hot oil unattended.

Ingredient choices & substitutions
IngredientSpecified typeBrandStatus
All-purpose flourPlainNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Baking powderLevel measureNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Fine saltLevel measureNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Unsalted butterMelted and cooledNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
ApplesPeeled, cored, diced about 5 mmNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Neutral oilEnough for 5 cm depth; pan no more than half fullNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Icing sugarSiftedNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
MilkAdd graduallyNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
IngredientAlternative / ratioAdjust handlingLikely outcome
All-purpose flourPlain wheat flourEqual weightUse plain flour, not self-raising; mix only until combined.Similar result; stronger bread flour produces a firmer crumb.
Milk in glazeWater25–35 mLAdd gradually.Clearer glaze; similar setting.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe
Cook / recipeUseWhat differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recipe

Apple fritters

Small apple-studded fritters with a thin sugar glaze.

How do I make it?

  1. Mix dry

    1 min

    Whisk the dry ingredients evenly.

    A cook in a green jacket whisks the dry ingredients in a clear glass bowl.
    Whisk the dry ingredients until evenly mixed with no baking powder lumps.

    Ready when: No baking powder lumps.

  2. Mix wet

    1 min

    Whisk eggs, milk and cooled butter together.

    In side view, the cook whisks a pale egg-and-milk mixture in a glass bowl.
    Whisk the eggs, milk and cooled butter until the egg is fully dispersed.

    Ready when: Egg is dispersed.

  3. Make batter

    Briefly

    Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients, then fold in diced apple.

    From above, the cook folds small apple dice into thick cinnamon-speckled batter.
    Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the diced apple.

    Ready when: Thick spoonable batter; no dry flour.

  4. Fry

    4–5 min per batch

    Heat oil to 180°C. Lower in small spoonfuls, about 50 mL each, flattening slightly. Fry a few at a time, turning once. Cut the first one to check the centre.

    From above, the cook turns three golden apple fritters in a deep saucepan while a cut test fritter rests on a rack.
    Fry a few 50 mL portions at a time, turning once, and check the first centre for cooked crumb.

    Ready when: Golden all over; centre has cooked crumb, not wet batter.

  5. Glaze

    5 min

    Drain on a rack. Stir sugar with enough milk for a thick drizzle; coat warm fritters.

    The cook drizzles thick white glaze over warm golden apple fritters on a wire rack.
    Drain the warm fritters on a rack and coat them with a thick icing-sugar glaze.

    Ready when: Glaze clings and sets as it cools.

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

What you noticeLikely causeWhat to do
Brown outside, raw insideOil too hot or portions too thick.Lower heat and make smaller portions. Check the first fritter by cutting it open.
Greasy crustOil cooled after too many additions.Drain well and restore heat. Fry small batches.
Useful recipe notes

Best eaten the day they are fried. Keep pan handles secure and never leave hot oil unattended.

See the detailed method and ratios in , or follow ingredients through the .

Ingredient proportions & recipe details

Apple fritters at a glance

Makes
12–16 fritters
Heat
180°C frying oil
Cooking time
4–5 min per batch
How do the ingredient proportions compare?

Percentages compare each listed weight with the combined flour weight (100%). These are ingredient ratios, not dough hydration; milk, eggs and fillings contain other ingredients as well as water.

Formula componentGramsFlour = 100%
All-purpose flour250 g100%
Caster sugar65 g26%
Brown sugar25 g10%
Unsalted butter30 g12%
Apples215 g86%
Icing sugar180 g72%