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Crispy, buttery, delicious appelflappen a.k.a. apple beignets. Traditional Dutch appelflappen are made from proven dough which is then deep fried. But these are my cheats version of appelflappen. Instead, they are simple little treats, made from sliced cored apples, dipped in a simple batter, fried in butter then dredged in cinnamon sugar.
Table of Contents
I love the combination of apples and cinnamon (like in my easy cinnamon apple tart). The sweet apple, crisp dough, fragrant cinnamon sugar – it’s such a classic, and I like how this recipe is a little different to an apple crumble, which tends to be the iconic apple dessert. I know that deep frying is not everyone’s favorite task, but I think it’s well worth it here and you only need an inch of oil in the pan, rather than a proper deep-fry.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s one of those simple desserts that is so delicious from just a few minimal ingredients.
- They are as good in summer as in winter, with the fresh apples leaning into the summer vibes and the cinnamon giving more autumnal vibes.
- They are also an easy dessert for small hands to get involved, with the batter dipping and the cinnamon sugar dredging!
Ingredients
- Apples – The key ingredient in appelflappen. Use your favorite apples here (Gala, Pink Lady, and Braeburn are good choices), but not cooking apples. Since these apples don’t cook for long enough in the pan, you want an eating apple so it remains nice and sweet.
- Self-Rising flour (self-raising) – Self-rising flour puffs up the batter to make these light and airy.
- Milk – I like whole or semi-skimmed milk in this recipe.
- Eggs – I prefer large free-range eggs, stamped with the British Lion mark.
- Sugar – Superfine (caster) sugar is ideal, but you could use granulated in a pinch – it just will be a little chunkier on the outside.
- Cinnamon – Mixed with the sugar to finish the beignets, ground cinnamon is a classic pairing with apples.
Substitutions and variations
Flour: Plain flour mixed with baking powder is a good option if you don’t have self-rising. Try 3 1/2 oz (100 g) flour (about a generous 3/4 cup) with 3/4 tsp of baking powder.
Cinnamon: I’d say cinnamon is fairly crucial for the apple beignets, though you could experiment with ground ginger or nutmeg, alongside the cinnamon.
Apple: I haven’t tried to make these doughnuts with another fruit, but I do think this could be good with pineapple, since it softens to a similar texture to an apple. Of course, apple is the classic! I wouldn’t recommend using a softer fruit like a pear, as it might disintegrate when frying.
How to make apple beignets (Appelflappen)
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Holding the apple carefully, use an apple corer to remove the apple core.
TWO: Slice the apple into rings.
THREE: Mix the batter together.
FOUR: Dunk the apple rings into the batter, then transfer to hot oil.
FIVE: Fry in hot oil until puffed and golden.
SIX: While still piping hot, add to the bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Toss together and enjoy while they’re still hot!
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Coring apples: This is easy for these appelflappen. If your apple is not totally straight between the top and bottom (of course!), just try your best with the corer down the middle. Then, depending on the angle of the core, adjust the corer and press down. It means the hole in the donuts won’t be perfectly circular but at least there won’t be any seeds or bits left. If you don’t have a corer, use a sharp, thin knife and slice down and around the core.
- Mixing the batter: You want the batter to be thick enough to coat the apples without dripping off completely, but not so thick that it becomes cakey when fried.
- Keep them hot: Fry until golden on each side; this takes around 2 minutes. Make sure you dredge in the cinnamon sugar while still hot so that it sticks well and you don’t end up with a crumbly sugary mess. These are best served hot.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t have self-raising flour, take 3 1/2 oz (100 g) flour (about a generous 3/4 cup) and mix in 3/4 tsp of baking powder. This should have a similar effect when crisping up these apple donuts.
You can use any apple you like, other than cooking apples such as a Bramley apple. They can be too sour for this recipe. We like Gala apples, Braeburn apples, and Pink Lady apples too. Gala tend to be the sweetest of these three.
No you can also shallow fry. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter to a pan and fry the appelflappen for a few minutes a side until golden. They won’t be quite as crisp as when deep-fried but still delicious.
You could mix the batter ahead of time and then keep covered in the fridge. You can make this a day ahead. I wouldn’t cut, batter, or fry the apple slices until ready to serve.
Best served fresh, but if you have any leftovers, store covered or in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 355°F (180°C) until crisp and warm. You could also reheat in the oven at 392°F (200°C/180°C fan), but it will take longer.
More recipes you might like
For more apple recipes, you’ll also like Applesauce Fritters or these Sfingi Doughnuts for other fried sweet treats. Try my Easiest Orange Cake or Moist Chocolate Cake. These Triple Chocolate Brownies and Lemon Drizzle Loaf are also delicious. Finally, try my Polish Apple Pancakes for something similar but more breakfast-appropriate.
Easy Dessert Recipes
Easy Glazed Applesauce Fritters
Puddings
Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Easy Dessert Recipes
Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Pancake Recipes
Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Apple Beignets (Appelflappen)
Ingredients
For appelflappen:
- 3 apples
- 3.5 oz self-rising flour (self-raising flour), about generous 3/4 cup
- 1 egg
- 2.3 fl oz milk, about generous 1/4 cup
- oil for frying, vegetable, sunflower or light olive oil
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp superfine sugar (caster sugar)
Instructions
- Using an apple corer, remove the core from your apples. Cut into slices so you have apple rounds with a hole in the center.
- Mix the batter in a bowl – flour, egg, and milk.
- In a deep-sided pan, add about 1 inch of oil. Once hot, dip the apple slices in the batter until well coated and then fry in the hot oil until golden on each side.
- Mix the cinnamon sugar together, then dredge each hot donut in it. Enjoy while piping hot!
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
Make-ahead: You could mix the batter ahead of time and then keep it covered in the fridge. You can make this a day ahead. I wouldn’t cut the apples, dredge, or fry them until ready to serve. To store: The beignets are best served fresh, but if you have any leftovers, store covered or in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat: Place in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 355°F (180°C) until crisp and warm. You could also reheat in the oven at 392°F (200°C/180°C fan), but it will take longer.More quick tips
Serving suggestion: These are delicious drizzled with a caramel sauce! Shallow-fry option: I prefer doing these this way, where you deep fry them, but you can also melt together 2 tbsp butter and a tablespoon of oil and fry them like that too.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is exactly how my mother used to make appel flappen when I grew up in the Netherlands. We consumed stacks and stacks of these beauties every New Years Eve mixed in with Ollie Bollen.
I am definitely going to make this recipe this year.