Description
Soft, warmly spiced baked apple fritters filled with fresh Granny Smith apples and finished with a smooth confectioners’ sugar glaze. This easy oven-baked recipe delivers tender centers and lightly golden edges without deep frying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup milk, plus more as needed
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds, then line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
- Add the cold cubed butter. Rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until pea-sized pieces form.
- Add the finely chopped apples and toss until they are evenly coated and distributed.
- Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir just until a lumpy, sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Scoop 1/4-cup portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the fritters about 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through, until the tops are lightly golden and the edges feel firm.
- Cool the fritters on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth and pourable.
- Add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time if the glaze feels too thick.
- Dip the tops of the warm fritters into the glaze, then return them to the wire rack.
- Let the fritters rest for about 10 minutes, or until the glaze sets, before serving.
Notes
- Keep the butter cold until it is mixed into the flour for the lightest texture.
- Cut the apples into small, evenly sized pieces so they soften during the short baking time.
- Avoid overmixing the dough because too much mixing can make the fritters dense.
- Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour in place of all-purpose flour when making a gluten-free version.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze unglazed fritters for up to 2 months, then thaw, warm, and glaze before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fritter
- Calories: 309
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 194
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 52