Baked Apple Fritters

Here’s a recipe for baked apple fritters — all the cozy, spiced flavor of the classic fried version, but made lighter in the oven.

Yield: About 12 fritters
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 12–15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Fritters

• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• ⅛ tsp ground ginger (optional)

• 6 Tbsp (85g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups finely diced peeled apple (about 2 medium apples; Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)

For the Glaze

• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

• 1–2 Tbsp milk or cream

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger (if using).

3. Cut in the butter
Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

4. Mix wet ingredients
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.

5. Combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir with a fork just until the dough starts to come together. Gently fold in the diced apple — don’t overmix; the dough will be lumpy and a bit sticky.

6. Shape the fritters
Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (For tidier fritters, use a cookie scoop or lightly wet your fingers to shape them into rough mounds.)

7. Bake
Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are set and lightly browned. For extra color, you can briefly place them under the broiler for 1–2 minutes — watch them carefully so they don’t burn.

8. Make the glaze
While the fritters bake, whisk the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk, a few drops at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable.

9. Glaze and serve
Let the fritters cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Drizzle or spoon the glaze generously over the warm fritters. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.

Tips

• Dice apples small so they soften through in the short baking time.

• Don’t skip the butter cutting-in step — it creates tender pockets similar to a biscuit or scone.

• Best eaten fresh the same day, but you can reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

Enjoy them warm with coffee or tea!