Recipe for apple fritters | Cooking with Nana Ling

A dessert that’s a cross between a hot apple pie and a cinnamon donut—but is a lot easier to make at home than either of those popular treats. That’s exactly what you get with this apple fritters recipe!

I actually remember the first time I enjoyed hot apple fritters.

It was at a winter festival, complete with artificial snow (Sydney doesn’t get cold enough to snow), 30-minute ice skating experiences and busy coffee trucks.

What drew me, however, was the toasty warm treats on offer – and the line for Apple Fritters was the longest.

The sight of the sizzling pieces of apple paired with the scent of cinnamon sugar in the air really made the winter fair magical – and I decided the queue was worth it. My decision was right, as the first bite into a hot apple wedge made it clear exactly why the line was the longest of the many inviting winter treats. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.

Yes, I love apple fritters. And that’s why you’ll love them too:

• You are so versatile. They’re perfect as street food at trade shows, but they’re also easy to make at home to quickly brighten the mood on a dull day, or serve as a dessert with whipped cream and ice cream.
• That is a Simple recipe for homemade apple pies Featuring a handful of simple ingredients and easy instructions – no eggs required, no milk required.
• You bring that together perfect flavor combination of apple, sugar and cinnamon.
• are apple fritters especially beautiful in autumn and winter but can be enjoyed all year round.

Ingredients for apple pies

To prepare apple fritters you will need:

• apples (Recipe calls for two apples, but simply double, triple, etc. depending on how many people are lining up for your donuts.)
• regular/all-purpose flour
• Salt
• Water
• Vegetables oil (some for the batter and more for frying)
• caster/fine sugar
• Cinammon (optional – you can just brush the donuts with sugar if you’re not a fan of cinnamon).

You can find the quantities for all the ingredients in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Which apples are best for apple fritters?

Most apples make wonderful donutsbut those that find a nice balance of acidity and sweetness and maintain their structure when fried are ideal.

I recommend using:

• Granny Smith – Their firm texture means they hold their shape well when cooked, while their tart flavor contrasts nicely with the cinnamon-sugar topping.
• pink woman, Braeburn And Jonathan – other varieties that hold up well when roasted while offering a nice balance between sweet and tart flavors.
• Golden Delicious – Use these for a more tender donut with a sweet and mild flavor.

How to make apple fritters

Once you have selected your favorite apples, Peel and core the apples.

How to core an apple

When using an apple corerPlace the apple on a flat surface and position the corer on top of the apple over the core and stem. Push the tool into the apple and push down to reach the bottom of the apple. You may have to rotate the apple corer a little when you press it.

Lift the apple and gently slide the tool through the bottom of the apple before pulling the tool out of the apple along with the core.

If you don’t have an apple corer, here’s a step-by-step guide to coring an apple.

Make apple rings

So you have removed the core and peeled the apples.

Now all you have to do is do it Slice each apple horizontally to form rings which are about 1/2 – 1 cm thick.

You should end up with about 6 rings per apple.

Smash the apple rings

Make the dough by mixing flour, salt, water and oil into a smooth dough.

The batter should be fairly thick – thick enough to cover the back of a wooden spoon.

Dip each apple ring in the batter, then allow excess batter to drip off the ring before placing in heated oil.

Roast the apple rings

In a frying pan, add enough vegetable oil for shallow frying – about a 1 cm layer of oil.

Heat on medium heat.

The temperature of the oil should reach around 190 °C/375°F.

At this temperature, the apple cakes should sizzle as soon as they hit the pan and then simmer evenly.

You need to fry them for a few minutes on each side until they are pale golden in color.

Tips for frying:

• If the oil isn’t hot enough, your donuts will absorb too much oil.

• If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown and the inside will go uncooked.

• You can test the temperature of the oil with a food thermometer or by simply dripping a little batter into the oil – if bubbles don’t form immediately then the ideal temperature has not yet been reached, you expect bubbles to form immediately which will close develop more even blistering.

• You may need to adjust the temperature on the stovetop during the frying process to maintain the even bubble formation you are aiming for.

• Cook in portions to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Let’s sugarcoat it!

How many times has someone told you they won’t sugarcoat something?

Well, today we’re going to sugarcoat things!

Once your apple rings are cooked, remove them from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate for about 30 seconds.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon and then roll the apple cakes in the cinnamon sugar. The sugar should stick slightly to the donuts.

Or do you prefer a glaze?

You can also add a glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar.

Simply combine one cup of powdered/icing sugar with a few drops of vanilla and about 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix everything together until smooth, then dip the donuts in the glaze or pour the glaze over the donuts.

Serve apple cakes

This is best served fresh and hot.

Serve them on a platter with a bowl of cream and watch everyone join in!

Alternatively, serve them up for dessert (a few rings on each plate). You could drizzle custard over the donuts, add a scoop of delicious ice cream, or come up with another idea for turning plain apple donuts into a fancy dessert.

Recipe FAQs

Q. Can apple fritters be made ahead of time and reheated?

It’s possible, but it tastes much better fresh and hot.

Q. What types of apples are best for apple fritters?

Any apple makes a nice donut, but it’s best to look for apples that are firmer in texture so they will hold their shape when fried. Granny Smith, pink woman, Braeburn, Jonathan And Golden Delicious are all recommended varieties for apple fritters.

Q. Can I bake these in the oven or air fryer?

No. The batter is suitable for frying in oil.

Q. What else can I do with apples?

Slice them up for an old-fashioned apple sponge, pack some into apple cinnamon muffins, or try my Irish apple and amber recipe.

You can also find apples in my recipes for Bircher muesli, curry eggs, tomato chutney and fruit cups,