Description
Warm, crispy baked apple fritters with a simple sweet glaze. A delightful treat for breakfast or dessert, made with real apples and a touch of cinnamon.
Ingredients
Scale
- Fritter Base:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (about 2 medium) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- Sweet Glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flavor Boosters (Optional):
- Pinch of salt (for batter)
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest (for batter)
Instructions
- Prep Your Apples and Oven: First things first, let’s get that oven preheated to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; this is a non-negotiable, trust me, for easy cleanup! Now, peel, core, and chop your Granny Smith apples into really small, roughly 1/4-inch pieces. This is where I always make a bit of a mess, apple peels everywhere, but small pieces ensure they soften up nicely and distribute evenly in your baked apple fritters. Big chunks mean raw apples, and nobody wants that.
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Give it a good whisk until everything is well combined and there are no sneaky clumps of flour hiding. This step is super important for an even texture in your fritters. I once rushed this, and ended up with little pockets of unmixed flour in my baked goods, which was a bit of a bummer, but a lesson learned!
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the whole milk, large egg, and melted unsalted butter. Just whisk until it’s all combined, no need to go crazy here. You’re aiming for a smooth, homogenous liquid that’s ready to bring our dry ingredients to life. This mixture smells subtly rich and creamy, a perfect counterpoint to the spices we just mixed!
- Mix Batter & Fold in Apples: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a spatula until just combined. You don’t want to overmix, or your fritters will turn out tough. Lumps are okay, honesty! Then, gently fold in your chopped apples. This is where the batter starts to look like actual fritter dough. Be gentle here; we want those apple pieces to stay intact and evenly distributed throughout the batter for the best baked apple fritters.
- Scoop and Bake the Fritters: Using two spoons or a small ice cream scoop, drop spoonfuls of the batter onto your prepared baking sheet. They don’t have to be perfectly round; these are rustic fritters, embrace the quirky shapes! Leave a little space between each one. Pop them into your preheated oven and bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until they’re golden brown around the edges and cooked through. They’ll smell absolutely heavenly while baking, filling your kitchen with warmth.
- Whip Up the Glaze & Finish: While your fritters are cooling ever so slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar, a tablespoon of milk, and the vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk, a quarter teaspoon at a time, until you reach a drizzly consistency. Once the fritters are warm (not piping hot, or the glaze will melt right off!), drizzle that glorious glaze over them. These baked apple fritters are best served warm, maybe with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.