In this post: Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, homemade apple fritters are a favorite autumn treat. You’ll learn step-by-step how to easily make these tasty treats without any gluten.
Some of the things I miss most since going gluten-free a few years ago are donuts and other coffee shop treats. Like apple fritters. Mmm. I had no idea that gluten-free apple fritters existed, never mind that they could be made at home!
Table of Contents
What is an Apple Fritter?
An apple fritter is a sweet pastry made of batter-coated apples deep-fried in oil. These autumn treats are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and filled with cinnamony goodness!
Who Invented Apple Fritters?
Apple fritters have been around for ages. Apparently, the Romans invented fritter-type foods – called scriblita – when they fried dough in hot oil. Apple fritters are basically dough fried in hot oil too. But they have an unmistakable taste because of their added apple bits and ground cinnamon. And they’re way better than the early Roman scriblita, I’m sure!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The gluten-free apple fritter recipe:
- is quick and easy to make
- doesn’t require fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients
- is totally adaptable to any dietary restrictions or allergies (see below for ideas)
Ingredients for the Apple Fritters
- Apples: this is the quite obviously most important ingredient in the fritters! (For the best apples to use, see the FAQs.)
- White sugar: locks in moisture and adds sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon: has a strong, warm flavor.
- Gluten-free baking flour: white rice, brown rice, almond, or any other flour of your choice.
- Brown sugar: locks in moisture and adds sweetness.
- Sea salt: processed much less than table salt and retains trace minerals.
- Baking powder: used to lighten the texture of baked goods.
- Milk of choice: dairy, almond, soy, coconut, and just about any other milk will work for this recipe.
- Egg: creates structure and holds the fritter together.
- Oil for frying: one that doesn’t have a strong flavor. I suggest canola or vegetable oil. (You could also use peanut oil if no one is allergic at your house.)
Ingredients for the Glaze
- Powdered sugar: dissolves and mixes better into the glaze than granulated sugar.
- Milk of choice: dairy, almond, soy, coconut, and just about any milk will work for this!
- Vanilla extract: an essential ingredient in flavoring baked goods.
Variations on This Recipe
You can add ice cream, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and/or extra cinnamon for a fun treat! You can also trade the apple filling for peach, pear, strawberry, or your favorite fruit.
How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Fritters
Instructions for the Apple Fritters
- Add at least two inches of oil to a deep frying pan and warm over medium heat to 370 degrees.
- Combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Toss to coat the apples and set aside.
- Add the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk the milk and egg together in a small bowl or large measuring cup. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour the apples into the batter and stir to coat all the apples.
- Scoop ¼ cup of batter into the heated oil and cook until golden brown, around 3 minutes. Flip the fritter halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Cool the cooked fritters on a wire rack.
Instructions for the Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl until a smooth glaze forms. Add more milk if the glaze is too thick.
- When the desired consistency is reached, spoon the glaze over the top of the warm fritters. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- Don’t overmix your batter, just stir until combined.
- Let the glaze harden on the fritters for a couple of minutes before eating them.
- Easy way to tell if oil is hot enough for frying: drop a tiny amount of batter (about 1/8 teaspoon) into the oil. If it immediately sizzles and floats to the top, the oil is ready.
FAQs
What apples are best for apple fritters?
Any baking apples will work but gala, Fuji, honey crisp, and granny smith apples are worth mentioning!
Are apple fritters vegan?
These apple fritters have one egg, so they aren’t vegan. You could try to use an egg substitute like chia or flax egg, but I haven’t tested it yet and it may not work!
Can you bake these apple fritters?
You could bake them, but the result won’t be much like a classic apple fritter.
Can I make apple fritters in advance?
You could make the batter a few hours ahead of time and fry them when you need/want to. However, for optimum quality, you will want to eat these fritters soon after they are fried!
Should I cook the apples?
You may want to cook your apples for a few minutes before adding them to the batter so they are nice and soft once the fritters are finished. However, this step is not required!
Can I air-fry apple fritters?
I don’t recommend you air-fry your apple fritters because the batter is too liquidy.
Are fritters made from batter or dough?
Fritters can be made from both. Most homemade recipes – like this one – use batter, which makes the fritters light and crunchy! Most restaurants and grocery stores use thin, dense dough because it keeps fresh (at optimal texture) for slightly longer.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Can you reheat an apple fritter?
You can reheat an apple fritter in the oven at 350 degrees for 3-7 minutes, depending on how hot you like your apple fritters. You may want to add more glaze to your fritter if the oven happens to melt it off!
Can you freeze apple fritters?
You can freeze apple fritters, but it is best to do so before you glaze them. Once you reheat the fritters you can glaze them!
How to Dispose of Oil
Mix the cooled oil with baking soda until thick paste forms. Throw the paste in the garbage with absorbent materials like paper towels and napkins.
Dietary Considerations
- These apple fritters are already gluten-free, so no need to worry about that!
- As long as you use non-dairy milk, this recipe is dairy-free.
- You may be able to make this recipe vegan by using an egg substitute, but I have not tested it!
Delicious Gluten Free Apple Fritters
Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, homemade apple fritters are a favorite autumn treat. You'll learn step-by-step how to easily make these tasty treats without any gluten.
Ingredients
For the Fritters
- 3 to 4 apples, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup gluten free baking flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup milk of choice
- 1 egg
- Oil for frying
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk of choice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
For the Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk of choice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Fritters
1. In a deep frying pan, add at least two inches of oil and warm over medium heat to 370 degrees.
2. Combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Toss to coat the apples and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
4. In a small bowl or large measuring up, whisk together the milk and egg. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Pour the apples into the batter and stir to coat all the apples.
6. Scoop ¼ cup of batter into the heated oil and cook until golden brown, around 3 minutes. Flip the fritter halfway through to ensure even cooking.
7. Place the cooked fritters on a wire rack to cool.
For the Glaze
1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, three tablespoons of milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl until a smooth glaze forms. Add more milk if the glaze is too thick.
2. When the desired consistency is reached, spoon the glaze over the top of the warm fritters. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 2gSugar: 48gProtein: 3g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily via Nutrifox.
Have you ever tried to make homemade gluten-free apple fritters?
