American
Apple Fritters
Diced apples fold into a simple batter and fry until the centers are cooked through and golden. A thin glaze goes on while the fritters are still warm.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- The oil stays about 2 inches deep and well below the halfway mark of the pot.
- 350°F browns the outside while the inside cooks. Hotter oil burns the crust and leaves raw batter.
- If the oil smokes, the burner goes off. Smoking oil is too hot.
- A broken fritter should be steaming and fully set in the center, with no wet batter.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- 2
Whisk in the 2/3 cup milk, the egg, and the vanilla until just combined. Fold in the diced apples. Do not eat the raw batter.
- 3
Pour the neutral oil into a heavy pot until it is about 2 inches deep. Stop well below the halfway point of the pot.
- 4
Heat the oil over medium to 350°F. If it starts to smoke, turn the burner off and let it cool before you continue. Do not leave the pot.
- 5
Drop the batter by heaping spoonfuls, 3 or 4 at a time. Do not crowd the pot.
- 6
Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. Break one open: the center must be steaming hot and fully set, with no wet raw batter.
- 7
Drain on a rack. Let the oil return to 350°F before the next batch. If it flares, turn the burner off and cover the pot with a metal lid. Do not splash any liquid into the pot.
- 8
Stir the powdered sugar with the 2 tbsp milk. Spoon the glaze over the warm fritters. You should have about 8 fritters.
Pro tips
- A clip-on thermometer is safer than guessing by the look of the oil.
- Firm apples such as Granny Smith hold their shape. Very soft apples collapse.
- The rack keeps the bottoms crisp. A pile on paper towels steams them.
Easy substitutions
- neutral oil
- canola oil or peanut oil
- ground nutmeg
- an extra 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- whole milk, for the glaze
- orange juice for a citrus glaze
Storage and reheating
Storage
Keep covered at room temperature up to 1 day. They soften as they sit. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm on a rack in a 350°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until hot in the center. A microwave makes them soggy.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 302
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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