Description
Crispy golden apple fritters with maple glaze bring comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen to your table. Sweet apple chunks nestled in light, airy batter create a delightful dessert you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Produce:
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dry Ingredients:
- 6 cups (720 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar (for coating)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups (340 grams) powdered sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons (10.5 grams) active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients and Extracts:
- 2 cups (16 ounces) whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 – 1 cup (8–11 ounces) pure maple syrup
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by combining milk, sugar, and yeast in a standing mixer bowl. Allow 5 minutes for fermentation, then incorporate egg, egg yolk, melted butter, vanilla, and orange zest.
- Attach the dough hook and gradually mix in flour and nutmeg on medium-low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Incrementally add remaining flour until the dough becomes a smooth, slightly sticky ball that clings to the hook without sticking to bowl sides.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes after adding salt, ensuring a soft and silky texture.
- Transfer dough to a buttered bowl, cover with buttered plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled.
- Prevent apple browning by tossing diced apples in lemon juice within a saucepan.
- Cook apple filling over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently until apples soften and liquid thickens.
- Cool the apple filling to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Roll out dough into a 16-inch square, spread apple filling, and roll into a loose log.
- Chop the log into small pieces, creating a gooey dough-apple mixture.
- Form fritters by gently pressing dough pieces and placing on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Cover fritters with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Prepare maple glaze by mixing powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extracts until smooth.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350-360°F in a deep saucepan, with paper towel-lined baking sheet nearby.
- Carefully lower fritters into hot oil using parchment paper, removing paper after initial placement.
- Fry fritters for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown, maintaining oil temperature.
- Transfer fried fritters to paper towels and immediately drizzle with maple glaze.
- Repeat frying process with remaining fritters.
Notes
- Chill the dough overnight to enhance flavor development and make handling easier, reducing stickiness.
- Use fresh, firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best texture and balanced sweetness in the filling.
- Maintain consistent oil temperature between 350-360°F to ensure even cooking and prevent greasy fritters.
- For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for better structure.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg