These small batch apple fritters are everything you love about a cozy bakery treat, made right at home! Each fritter is filled with tender cinnamon spiced apples and dipped in a sweet vanilla glaze. This recipe makes just four, perfect for satisfying your fall baking cravings without a dozen leftovers.
Small Batch Apple Fritters
These small batch apple fritters are filled with cinnamon spiced apples, fried until golden & dipped in a sweet vanilla glaze for the perfect cozy fall treat!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60mL) warm whole milk, heated to 110–115°F
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla paste
- 1 Tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp (5g) unsalted butter, cold
- ½ Granny Smith apple (100g), diced into bite size pieces
- 3 Tbsp (30g) light brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp (16g) all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp whole milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla paste
- Canola oil, for frying
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by combining the warm milk, sugar, and 1/2 tsp yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add egg yolk, vanilla and yeast mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until combined into a rough, shaggy dough.
- Add softened butter to the mixture and knead until the dough becomes smooth. If the dough appears dry, add 1 tsp whole milk. The dough should be soft, but not overly sticky!
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Set in a warm area for 1 hour while rising.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling and the apples have softened.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Pour it into the apple mixture, stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes, until the juices thicken.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the apple filling to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool before using.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough into an oval shape about ¼ inch thick.
- Spoon the cooled apple filling over one half of the dough. Fold the other half over the filling (like a burrito) to enclose it.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the folded dough into three horizontal strips and one vertical cut. The filling will spill out, and things will get a little messy! That's okay.
- Sprinkle half of the spiced flour mixture over the dough and apple filling.
- Using a flat cake scraper or bench scraper, gently fold and gather the dough toward the center, mixing the apple pieces throughout. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a round fritter, pressing the apple pieces into the dough to help everything hold together during frying.
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper into four squares and place one in each muffin tin well. Sprinkle the remaining spiced flour mixture over the parchment. Place one fritter on each piece of parchment and let rise for 15–20 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil to 340°F (171°C).
- Carefully lower one fritter into the oil with its parchment paper. Once the parchment releases from the dough, remove it with tongs.
- Fry for about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining fritters, maintaining the oil temperature between batches.
- Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer the fritters to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Allow them to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla paste until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Dip each slightly cooled fritter into the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a plate or wire rack until the glaze has set.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Baking Tip: For the most accurate and consistent results, I recommend measuring your ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. Baking is a science, and weighing ingredients in grams helps ensure the best texture and results every time!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
335Fat
10 gSat. Fat
4 gCarbs
57 gFiber
2 gSugar
28 gProtein
5 gSodium
86 mgCholesterol
61 mgNutritional information is an estimate and may vary depending on the specific brands and ingredients used.
Apple Fritter Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why isn't my apple filling thickening?
The cornstarch needs heat to activate and thicken the apple juices. If the filling still looks runny, give it a little more time over the heat, stirring continuously. If you need to add more cornstarch, first mix it with a little cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the filling while it's hot, then continue cooking until the mixture thickens. Adding dry cornstarch directly to the filling or mixing it into a cold filling won't activate it properly and may cause lumps.
Should I let the apple filling cool before assembling the fritters?
Yes! Let the apple filling cool completely before adding it to the dough. Cooling the filling makes assembly much easier and helps the dough hold its shape. I had a little trouble getting my filling to thicken, so it was runny and a bit messy to work with, but the recipe still worked! If your filling turns out runnier than expected, don't give up. The fritters might be a little messier to assemble, but you can still make delicious apple fritters.
How do I cut and assemble the apple fritters?
Essentially we want to encapsulate the apple filling in the dough. Cut the dough into thin strips horizontally and vertically. Sprinkle the spiced flour mixture over the dough and filling to help absorb some of the excess moisture, then gently fold everything together. The mixture will look messy, wet, and a little unruly, but that's exactly what you want! Divide the pile into four equal portions and gently compress each one into a compact ball, tucking any loose apple pieces into the dough. This helps the fritters hold together during frying.
Why do I need to compact the fritters into dough balls?
This helps the fritters hold together during frying and reduces the chance of them separating in the oil. They don't need to be perfectly smooth!
How do I know when the apple fritters are cooked through?
The fritters should be golden brown on both sides, but color alone doesn't guarantee that the centers are cooked. Fry at approximately 340°F (171°C) for 2 minutes each side, maintaining the oil temperature between batches. Depending on the size and moisture of your fritters, they may need more or less time than expected.
Made this recipe? 🍎 Leave a comment below and let me know how your apple fritters turned out! I'd love to hear how you liked them.
