You're going to love these gorgeous, golden brown homemade apple fritters. The sweet fritters are tender and fluffy -- a favorite fall treat of mine! Every single bite is filled with juicy apple chunks, soft fried dough, and buttery salted caramel.
This post was originally published in October 2018 but has since been updated with better photography, step-by-step instructions in post, and more helpful content. Thanks for supporting Sweet Tea + Thyme!
The last four months of the year are all about the food for me. I mean yes, after the family and the merriment, of course -- I am desperately happy it's no longer 102 degrees anymore and we can enjoy the outdoors again -- but let's be serious, shall we, friend? We are just comfort food fiends until the end of the 'Ber months....
...And in September, we are all about the apples.
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Salted Caramel Apple Fritters
I wanted to bring the idea of county fair caramel apples to these old fashioned apple fritters: the taste of crunchy delicious apples coated in caramel...it's the taste of the autumn season!
If you haven't made apple fritters before, you're in luck! It's so easy to put together and I've broken down this step by step in post so any home cook can whip them up in just 30 minutes.
These old-fashioned apple fritters are simple to make with simple ingredients: a basic fluffy batter, folding in crisp apples, deep frying until perfectly golden brown, then dunking into melted caramel and sprinkling with flaky salt.
We aren't making the caramel from scratch, just using caramel bits! That cuts down on so much work because candy making is a whole 'nother situation. I just wanted these fritters to be easy and fun!
They're perfect any time but especially delicious on a cozy fall weekend or as a treat on the holidays while we wait for dinner.
The Best Apples for Baking and Frying
When it comes to whipping up the perfect apple fritters, the type of apple is key to getting that perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Granny Smith apples, with their tart bite and firm texture, bring the same magic they do in a classic apple pie.
But if you’re after a juicy, sweeter crunch, Honeycrisp apples are a dream! Using large, fresh apples is essential for the fritters to be absolutely packed with juicy apple chunks. Make sure the chunks don't have any bruising or tough core bits when you chop them up, though!
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vegetable or Canola Oil - you need a high heat oil to fry with!
- All Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar - I wanted to amplify the sweetness of the apples, not so much give a deep warm flavor like you get with brown sugar.
- Chopped Honey Crisp Apples - I love the flavor of honeycrisp, they're so perfectly sweet!
- Large Eggs
- Whole Milk - the fat in whole milk gives us more moist fritters than using a dairy-free or lower fat milk.
- Ground Ginger - I wanted to focus on that 'carnival caramel apple' flavor, so I didn't use cinnamon, which would make this taste more like an apple fritter donut. Ginger is slightly spicy and bright, instead, so I like it more here.
- Melted Butter
- Baking Powder - always use fresh leaveners. They start losing their lifting properties around 6 months, not great when you're starting your fall and holiday baking season!
- Kosher Salt and Finishing Salt - finishing salt is also well known as 'flaky salt' and this is what gives us that salted caramel essence. It has a lighter, sweeter salt flavor than kosher or table salt.
- Vanilla Extract
- Soft Caramel Bits - these are in bags in basically any grocery store during the fall and holiday seasons. If you can't find them in store, you can also buy caramel bits online.
How to Make Old Fashioned Apple Fritters
Step 1 | Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2 | Whisk together the wet ingredients in another bowl.
Step 3 | Mix them together and gently fold in the apples with a baking spatula.
Step 4 | Bring the oil to 375 degrees F in a dutch oven. You'll want about ¼ cup of batter per fritter, carefully drop the apple fritter batter into hot oil. Do this in small batches to keep the oil temperature from dropping too much. Fry the fritters for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Step 5 | Carefully remove the hot fritters from the oil with a slotted spoon or spider spoon, place them onto a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drip any excess oil.
Step 6 | Melt down the caramel bits with a little water in the microwave while you let the fritters cool to room temperature.
Step 7 | Dunk the fried apple fritters into the caramel or drizzle it onto them. Sprinkle on the flaky salt while the caramel is still wet.
Step 8 | Serve warm with a hot cup of coffee or tea, as a holiday morning treat or a fall dinner dessert!
Variations
- Instead of caramel apple fritters coat them in a powdered sugar glaze or toss them in cinnamon sugar fresh out of the oil.
- A dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom can give your fritters a cozy, autumnal flavor.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts add a satisfying crunch to each bite.
- Mix a splash of bourbon into the batter or glaze for a grown-up twist.
Tips and Tricks for Frying like a Pro
- Do Not Use Low Smoke Point Oils- no low-smoke-point oil (like sesame oil or olive oil) for this recipe, please! I think the only more terrible taste than acrid burnt oil is burnt garlic.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter - Over-mixing can make the fritters dense and tough. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined for that perfect light and fluffy texture.
- Maintain Oil Temperature - Fry at a steady 375 degrees F. Too hot, and the fritters will burn on the outside and be raw inside. Too cool, and they’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Don’t Crowd the Pan - Fry a few fritters at a time. Overcrowding lowers the oil temperature and causes uneven frying and greasy fritters!
Storage and Reheating
To keep leftover apple fritters fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want them to last longer, pop them in the fridge where they'll stay good for about 4-5 days.
For the best results, reheat them in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes to restore that crispy exterior.
You can also freeze them by wrapping each fritter in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe bag; they’ll keep well for up to 2 months. Just reheat in the oven straight from the freezer!
Equipment
- Apple Corer - you can use a simple corer and slice the apples with a knife. Or you can use a three-in-one slicer, corer, and peeler (which is really cool and so useful!)
- Candy Thermometer - it's super important to make sure the oil is at the correct temperature. A candy thermometer is also called a deep fry thermometer and will help you keep the temperature of the oil stable
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven - you'll need something with a heavy bottom and will hold heat well so the oil's temperature remains stable.
- Baking Sheet and Paper Towels
- Mixing Bowls and a Whisk
FAQs
A fritter is a fried food made by coating ingredients like fruit, vegetables, or seafood in batter and frying until crispy. They can be sweet or savory, depending on what's inside.
Your oil temperature was too low! Fry no lower than 350 degrees F!
Baking powder is generally better for apple fritters. It provides a light, fluffy texture and helps the fritters rise, giving them that perfect golden puff. Baking soda needs a powerful acid to lift, so it won't activate very much in an apple fritter.
More Apple Recipes You'll Love!
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Old Fashioned Apple Fritter Recipe with Salted Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
- vegetable oil , for frying
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅔ cup whole milk, warmed to 110-115 degrees F
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ¼ inch chunks
- 1 cup soft caramel bits
- splash of water, to melt the caramel bits
- finishing salt, to sprinkle on fritters
Instructions
Make the Apple Fritters
- Begin heating your oil to 375℉ (190℃) in a dutch oven or large, heavy bottom pot.vegetable oil
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, ginger, and salt. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, eggs, vanilla. Pour this into the large bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.⅔ cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon salted butter, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Use a baking spatula to gently fold in the apple chunks.3 honeycrisp apples
- Once the oil is at temperature, use a ¼ cup measuring spoon and drop apple fritter dough into the hot oil. Fry 2-3 fritters at a time at most, making sure the temperature stays around 375 degrees F using the candy thermometer.
- Fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until both sides are a deep golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet lined paper towels to drain any oil.
Make the Caramel Glaze while Frying
- Melt the caramel bits with the splash of water the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.1 cup soft caramel bits, splash of water
Glaze + Serve the Apple Fritters
- After the fritters have cooled for a few minutes and you can hold them, dunk them into the warm caramel. Sprinkle a light amount of finishing salt over the caramel. Serve the apple fritters warm!finishing salt
Recipe Notes
Variations
-
- Instead of caramel apple fritters coat them in a powdered sugar glaze or toss them in cinnamon sugar fresh out of the oil.
-
- A dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom can give your fritters a cozy, autumnal flavor.
-
- Chopped pecans or walnuts add a satisfying crunch to each bite.
-
- Mix a splash of bourbon into the batter or glaze for a grown-up twist.
Tips and Tricks for Frying like a Pro
-
- Do Not Use Low Smoke Point Oils- no low smoke point oil (like sesame oil or olive oil) for this recipe, please! I think the only more terrible taste than acrid burnt oil is burnt garlic.
-
- Don’t Overmix the Batter - Over-mixing can make the fritters dense and tough. Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined for that perfect light and fluffy texture.
-
- Maintain Oil Temperature - Fry at a steady 375 degrees F. Too hot, and the fritters will burn on the outside and be raw inside. Too cool, and they’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
-
- Don’t Crowd the Pan - Fry a few fritters at a time. Overcrowding lowers the oil temperature and causes uneven frying and greasy fritters!
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