These baked apple fritters are a delicious way to enjoy the classic flavors of an apple fritter- no deep frying required!. Made with tender pieces of fresh, tart apples baked in a fluffy and buttery dough, finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, they’re soft, lightly golden, and packed with cozy apple flavor. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an easy fall treat, this baked apple fritter recipe comes together quickly and fills your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of baked apples and warm, cozy spices.
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Why Make This Recipe
Few fall treats are as delicious as a fresh apple fritter. I love the soft, buttery fried dough filled with tart apples, coated in a sweet glaze. Ah, absolutely heaven! But I don’t love frying things. Trying to avoid frying and still wanting my apple fritter fix, I developed my Apple Fritter Bread and Apple Fritter Cake recipes. Now I can add this easy baked apple fritter recipe that I can’t wait for you to try.
- No frying required. The beauty of this apple fritter recipe is that it can be baked, not fried and still tastes just like the best apple fritter.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From soft and tender apples in a fluffy dough, to the crisp crust coated in a sweet glaze that melts into every bite, these baked apple fritters will delight your senses.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. These homemade apple fritters taste like you just bought it from a cute little farmstand or doughnut shop, but is so simple to make. Simply make the mix up the apple fritter dough, drop the dough onto a baking sheet, bake, glaze, baked again and enjoy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe for baked fritters is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are the ingredients needed, as well as my recommended substitutions to make this glazed apple cake if you need them.
- All Purpose Flour: To make these fritters gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. I recommend using the weight of flour (300 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Powder: Make sure this is fresh.
- Apple Pie Spice: Feel free to use your preferred warming spices. Chai spice or even pumpkin spice would all be delicious in place of apple pie spice.
- Brown Sugar: This baked fitter with apples recipe calls for light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Buttermilk: A thick and creamy greek yogurt or full fat sour cream works well in this recipe. Measure out about ⅔ cup of sour cream or yogurt and whisk in about 2 tablespoons water to make about ¾ cup buttermilk substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
How To Make
Learn how to make baked apple fritters in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Lightly grease the baking sheet. Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch pieces. In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt together until well combined.
- Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. Stir in the prepared apple pieces until fully coated in the butter and flour. Mix in the buttermilk until just combined. The mixture should hold a slightly ball shape easily. If not, add 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds a fall shape.
- Scoop the fritter dough into a roughly ball shape. Place the apple fritter dough balls into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 16 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown. While the fritters bake, make the broiler glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar with apple juice until smooth and well combined.
- Remove the fritters from the oven. Turn the on broiler feature. If needed, move an oven rack to the top rung. Make sure the pan is near the top of the oven but not pressing on the top of the oven. Brush the broiler glaze onto the baked fritters. Place the fritters back into the oven under the broiler for 1 -2 minutes or until the glaze is caramelized. Be careful and pay close attention. The glaze and fritters can burn quickly and easily. Once the fritters are caramelized remove the pan from the oven to cool on a cooling rack. As the fritters cool, mix the topping glaze. Brush the glaze onto the warm fritters and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze andThaw
- Store: Place leftover apple fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. Then the fritters should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the fritters.
- Freeze: Make sure the apple fritters are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each one in plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Keep in mind that the overall texture will change slightly when thawing and reheating.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the apple fritters is to let them sit out at room temperature for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. Microwave the each thawed fritter for 30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use the right apples. The best apples for this baked fritter recipe are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for tart apples like Granny Smith or sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples. I recommend Granny Smith for the best apple fritters.
- Cut the apples into small pieces. Smaller chunks distribute more evenly throughout the batter and make every bite easier to enjoy.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the fritters dense instead of soft and tender.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Keep the batter thick. A thick batter helps the fritters hold their shape while baking and keeps the apples from sinking to the bottom.
- Leave space between the fritters. Give each one enough room for the heat to circulate so they bake evenly and develop lightly golden edges.
- Glaze while they’re slightly warm. A warm fritter allows the vanilla glaze to gently melt over the top and soak into all those delicious nooks and crannies.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the apple fritters becomes fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking the cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the fritter should come out with a few moist crumbs.
FAQs
What kind of apples are best for apple fritters?
Crisp apples that hold their shape when baked are a great choice. Depending on the variety, you can use a mix of sweeter apple and one with more tartness for contrast. Using a flavorful apple is more important than choosing one specific variety.
Why are my apple fritters dry?
Overbaking is one of the most common reasons baked fritters turn out dry. Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately and remove the fritters from the oven as soon as they’re baked through and lightly golden.
Why did my apple fritters spread?
The batter may be too thin, or the fritters may have been placed too close together. A thicker batter helps them maintain their shape as they bake.
How do you reheat baked apple fritters?
Warm them briefly in the oven or air fryer until heated through. This helps bring back some of their freshly baked texture. Add the glaze after reheating if needed.
Other Apple Recipes to Try
If you try this Baked Apple Fritters recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Baked Apple Fritters Recipe
These easy Baked Apple Fritters are soft, tender, and loaded with juicy apples, then finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. They’re baked until golden and delicious, making them a simple way to enjoy all the cozy flavor of classic apple fritters without the mess of deep-frying. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick fall treat!
Equipment
- 1 sheet pan
- 1 knife and vegetable peeler
Ingredients
Apple Fritters
- 1¾ cups diced apples about 2 medium
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk
Broiler Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) apple juice
Topping Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or apple juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Lightly grease the baking sheet. Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch pieces.1¾ cups diced apples
- In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt together until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, ½ teaspoon salt
- Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. Stir in the prepared apple pieces until fully coated in the butter and flour. Mix in the buttermilk until just combined. The mixture should hold a slightly ball shape easily. If not, add 1 tablespoon additional flour at a time until the mixture holds a ball shape. Scoop the fritter dough into a roughly ball shape. Place the apple fritter dough balls into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 16 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown.½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk
- While the fritters bake, make the broiler glaze. This is an optional step, but does create more of the fried apple fritter texture. Whisk the powdered sugar with apple juice until smooth and well combined. Remove the fritters from the oven. Turn the on broiler feature. If needed, move an oven rack to the top rung. Make sure the pan is near the top of the oven but not pressing on the top of the oven. Brush the broiler glaze onto the baked fritters.1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) apple juice
- Place the fritters back into the oven under the broiler for 1 -2 minutes or until the glaze is caramelized. Be careful and pay close attention. The glaze and fritters can burn quickly and easily.
- Once the fritters are caramelized remove the pan from the oven to cool on a cooling rack. As the fritters cool, mix the topping glaze. Brush the glaze onto the warm fritters and enjoy.1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract , 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or apple juice
Notes
Store: Place leftover apple fritters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. Then the fritters should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the fritters.
Baked Apple Fritters Troubleshooting
- Fritters are too dry: They may have been overbaked. Start checking them a little earlier next time and avoid adding too much flour.
- Fritters spread too much: The batter may be too thin. Make sure your measurements are accurate and the batter is thick enough to hold its shape.
- Fritters are dense: Avoid overmixing the batter. Stir just until the ingredients are combined.
- Apples are still firm: Cut the apples into smaller pieces so they have enough time to soften while the fritters bake.
- Fritters aren't browning: Make sure your oven is fully preheated and the fritters are positioned properly in the oven. A few extra minutes of baking may help.
- Glaze is too thin: Add a little more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add milk or cream a tiny bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Glaze isn't sticking: Let the fritters cool slightly, but glaze them while they're still a little warm for the best results.
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