Baked Apple Fritters for Fall Desserts Easy Nights
Soft baked apple fritters with warm spices and a quick vanilla glaze. A simple fall dessert night recipe with classic apple fritter flavor, no frying needed.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Spoon or Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
Baked Apple Fritters
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature if possible
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled 5 minutes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups apples peeled and finely diced (about 2 medium apples)
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
- 2 tbsp milk add 1 more tablespoon if needed for a drizzle
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so the fritters release easily and brown evenly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until the mixture looks uniform and the spices are evenly distributed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy. Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together to keep the fritters soft.
- Fold in the diced apples until they are evenly spread through the batter. If any apple pieces are clumped together, separate them with the spatula so every fritter gets a good amount of fruit.
- Scoop the batter into 10 mounds on the prepared baking sheet, about 1/4 cup each. Leave at least 2 inches of space between mounds to allow heat to circulate and the fritters to bake evenly.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops look set and lightly golden. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This short rest helps the fritters firm up so they do not break when you glaze them.
- Make the glaze: whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. If it is too thick to drizzle, whisk in 1 teaspoon milk at a time. If it is too thin, whisk in 1 tablespoon powdered sugar.
- Drizzle glaze over warm fritters. Let sit 5 minutes so the glaze sets slightly, then serve warm for the best texture.
Notes
For the best texture, dice apples small so they bake evenly. Store fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 325°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Freeze unglazed fritters for up to 2 months, thaw, warm, then glaze.