These Baked Apple Fritters are made in 30 minutes and don’t require any deep frying! They’re made with a basic fritter dough, filled with warm crisp apple chunks, and topped with a simple glaze for the ultimate fall treat!
Baked Apple Fritters (No Oil, No Fuss)
What if I told you that you could make baked fritters without standing over a pot of hot oil? No greasy mess. No deep fryer. Just warm, fluffy fritters with crisp golden edges, filled with juicy bits of apple and topped with a sweet, crackly glaze. Yeah, they’re baked. And yes, they’re still absolutely worth it.
I’ve always loved a good apple fritter. But deep frying at home? That’s a commitment I rarely feel up for, especially before caffeine. These oven-baked fritters skip the oil but still manage to hit all the cozy notes you want from a fall treat.
And if you’re already in full apple mode, you’ve got to check out this moist apple sheet cake with caramel frosting or this old fashioned apple custard pie. that’s like a slice of old-school comfort.
Why I’m Obsessed With These
Let’s start with the texture. The dough is more biscuit-like than cake-y. It’s not super tall and fluffy like what I use in these light and fluffy chocolate chip biscuits, but that’s intentional. You want a flatter fritter so you get plenty of those crispy, caramelized edges.
Then there’s the apple factor. Not applesauce. Not purée. Real, juicy chunks. I chop them small so you get a little pop of fruit in every bite. Fuji or honeycrisp are my go-tos, skip the Granny Smiths here. They don’t get soft enough in the oven and feel out of place in such a soft, pillowy dough.
Once they’re baked (and looking a little rustic, which is what we want), they get glazed twice. First, a thinner glaze that gets broiled, yep, broiled, to crisp up and caramelize a bit. Then a thicker glaze to finish it off once they cool slightly. It’s a double dip situation and it works.
Honestly, it’s an apple baking idea that is somewhere between a biscuit, a donut, and a cookie. A little crisp, a little tender, and not overly sweet. Which is why they’re perfect for a mid-morning treat, or let’s be real, second breakfast.
What You’ll Need (Just a Sneak Peek)
Only a few essentials get this going:
- All-purpose flour for structure
- Cold butter to create that flaky dough
- Chopped apples for sweet, juicy bites
The rest? Pretty standard pantry stuff. You’ll find all the measurements and full list in the recipe card below.
Making Delicious Baked Apple Fritters: Step-By-Step
Step One: Whisk Dry Ingredients
Step Two: Make The Dough
Step Three: Bake
Step Four: Make Glaze And Broil
Make the glazes. Glaze the tops of the fritters with the first glaze and broil. Then add the second thicker glaze.
You can eat these as soon as they have cooled off a bit, but they are also delicious once cooled to room temperature.
Baked fritters are one of those things you don’t think you need until you try them. And then suddenly, you’re making them on repeat because they’re easy and cozy and just plain good.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons butter cold and cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cup apples peeled and chopped, 1 large apple
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
1st glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
2nd glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut cold butter into 1 inch cubes and add to flour mixture. Incorporate the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until you have pea sized pieces.
- Gently add the apples and stir to combine.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk the egg, milk and vanilla and fold it into the flour mixture, just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Use a spoon to form rough looking mounds of dough, about ¼ cup, on the baking sheet, or if you want perfectly shaped rounds, use an ice cream scoop.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops are slightly brown and the top springs back when pushed in with your finger. Make the glazes while they bake.
Glaze
- For each glaze, combine powdered sugar with milk and whisk until smooth. The first glaze should be thin and the second thick.
- Remove the fritters from the oven and turn it to broil. Place the oven rack about 4 inches from the top. Brush the tops of the fritters with the 1st glaze and place under the oven for 1-2 minutes. It will caramelize on top and turn the tops brown. Watch carefully so that they don’t burn.
- Remove to a wire rack and let cool slightly. While still warm, brush with the second thicker glaze.
Notes
- These are great warm or at room temperature.
can the butter be substituted with oil or yogurt? tks
I don’t think oil would work. I have used mayonnaise instead of butter in biscuits and it has worked, so I would try that before anything else. Let me know if you try it with anything other than butter. The worst that can happen is that they are flat but should still taste good.