New England Apple Fritters

apple fritters piled on each other in a bowl with apple and cinnamon sticks in the background.

5 from 10 votes

A New England staple, apple fritters are crispy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside, speckled with fresh chunks of apple, and coated with cinnamon sugar. How could you resist?

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, New England

Servings: fritters

Author: Grace Vallo

Equipment

Deep pan

Ingredients

Apple Fritters

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup diced apples I like Honeycrisp (no need to peel)
⅔ cup sweetened applesauce
⅔ cup whole milk
4 tablespoons (¼ cup) unsalted butter melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

On a large plate, mix together sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg until well-combined.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the applesauce, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla. If the butter resolidifies, pop the bowl in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until it re-melts.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Batter will be lumpy! Don’t over-mix. Fold in the diced apples.
Add 1 inch of oil to a deep pan. Over medium heat, heat oil to 350℉.
Once oil reaches 350℉, keep heat at medium, and grease a ¼ cup measure. Scoop ¼ cup batter. Use a spoon to loosen the batter and drop it into the oil. Drop 2-3 balls of batter, depending on the size of your pan. Fritters will be all different shapes!
Fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side until deep golden, flip the fritters with a slotted spoon, and fry the second side for 2-3 minutes until deep golden.
TIP: I recommend cutting the first fritter open to make sure the batter is cooked in the center. From there, you’ll know exactly how long each fritter will take in the oil!
Use the slotted spoon to remove the fritters from the oil and toss them right away in the cinnamon sugar.
Repeat for consecutive batches, keeping the oil at medium heat (around 350 degrees). Best enjoyed right away!

Video

Notes

Cut open the first fritter to check if the batter is cooked in the center. It will give you a good idea of how long the others need to fry.
Dice your apples into small chunks, not large ones!

Nutrition