Baked Apple Fritters

Skip the Messy Deep Frying!

One of my absolute favorite things to get at the donut shop is a good apple fritter! They’re so hard to turn down! Chunks of apples nestled in soft dough that’s fried to perfection and coated in a sweet sugary glaze. YUM.

With the weather cooling down and apples abound, we’ve gone apple crazy over here. I’ve made so much Fresh Flourless Apple Bread, Fresh Apple Cake and this easy and healthier Apple Nachos recipe. I’ve been craving apple fritters and decided it was due time to make my own.

I’m not a huge fan of frying, so I decided to create a baked apple fritter recipe instead. I knew this would be tricky because nothing usually beats a good fried apple fritter, but I took the risk and I’m proud to report…I succeeded! These Baked Apple Fritters are the real deal and you’d never guess they weren’t fried. It wasn’t long before I added Baked Blueberry Fritter Bites and Baked Pumpkin Fritter Bites to my list. They’re fabulous too!

Simple and Delicious

These apple fritters are made from simple, delicious ingredients. I love that they’re bite-sized for easy eating and they have a strong apple flavor from the outside in. I use Granny Smith apples, but you don’t have to! Once they came out of the oven, we couldn’t resist. It’s a miracle I actually had some to photograph for you! Warm from the oven or at room temperature, they’re amazing and addicting! Some other sweet bites you might want to try:

• Fuel your busy day with quick and delicious No-Bake Energy Bites. With peanut butter and bits of dark chocolate, there’s no sacrificing taste when it comes to these healthy treats!
• These Healthy Edible Cookie Dough Bites are so so yummy!  Just 5 ingredients for an easy-to-make treat that you can eat right out of the bowl! 
• With the same great taste as the original, these Muddy Buddy Bites deliver all the crunchy, peanut-buttery goodness without all the mess. You’ll have a ball with these delicious treats!

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Butter
• Egg
• Pure vanilla extract
• Vanilla yogurt
• Apples
• Powdered sugar
• Apple cider

Supplies:

• Mini Muffin Tin
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper
• Pastry cutter
• Large mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl

Watch Me Make Baked Apple Fritters

Join me in the kitchen as I make a batch of these amazing baked apple fritters!

How to Make Baked Apple Fritters

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two mini muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla and yogurt. Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Fold in the chopped and shredded apples.

• Place a few teaspoons of batter in each muffin cup. You can use a spoon or an ice cream scoop. Bake for 15 minutes until they just start to brown.

• Remove the fritters from the oven and turn the oven broiler on high. Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Transfer the fritters to the cookie sheets.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons apple cider. The glaze should be very thin.
• Brush the glaze over each fritter and let it drip down the sides. Return the fritters to the oven and broil for 2-4 minutes until the glaze starts to caramelize the tops of each fritter. Rotate the baking sheets every minute to insure even caramelization. Be sure to watch the fritters carefully so they don’t blacken and burn.
• Remove from the oven. Whisk remaining powdered sugar and apple cider into leftover glaze until it’s smooth and thick. Brush glaze evenly over broiled fritters. Let set on cookie sheets until glaze hardens, about 15 minutes.

Storage

For breakfast or brunch, serve baked fritter bites warm or at room temperature. For dessert, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days.

To freeze, allow fritters to cool completely. Then place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or in individual freezer-safe baggies. If layering, place parchment between the layers.

To defrost, let them them sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, so they don’t absorb too much of the moisture.

To reheat and crisp again, bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.