These delicious Applesauce Fritters are the perfect sweet treat. Imagine gloriously golden crispy batter with a light, fluffy and fruity apple centre, finished off with a sweet spiced cinnamon sugar coating. So good. Plus, they take less than 30 minutes to make!
If you are looking for a quick and easy sweet treat, these apple sauce fritters should be top of the list! There is just something about the crispy batter, fluffy apple centre and sweet cinnamon sugar coating that is impossible to resist. Imagine all the deliciousness of a doughnut, but without any of the fuss.
I often enjoy them as a snack, but they are also brilliant for a crowd-pleasing dessert. Sometimes we have them as a special occasion breakfast, a bit like you would waffles or pancakes.
I think people get a bit stressed about deep-frying as it seems like extra effort and then you have to think about disposing of the oil. However, for a fritter like this, it really is a necessity and it's just a special treat, it's not something you'll do every day. They really are simple. If you can make Sfingi Doughnuts and/or Apple Beignets (Appelflappen), you can definitely make these.
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Why you will love this recipe:
- They are super simple and take less than 30 minutes to make.
- They are a delicious autumnal treat. Ideal to make when apples are in season.
- They are full of flavour and texture. Imagine a crispy batter filled with fruity apples, tossed in sweet, spiced cinnamon sugar.
- They use budget-friendly store cupboard ingredients you are likely to have at home.
- They are a guaranteed crowd pleaser and sure to become a family favourite. Enjoy as a special breakfast, sweet snack or dessert.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Ground cinnamon - cinnamon and apples are a match made in flavour heaven. It adds a delicious spiced flavour to these applesauce fritters.
Caster sugar - this adds sweetness to the apple sauce batter. It also creates the most incredible cinnamon sugar coating.
Self-raising flour - also known as ‘self-rising’ flour. This helps create light and airy apple sauce fritters.
Milk - this helps give the batter the right consistency. Opt for full-fat milk for the best results.
Egg - opt for a free-range large egg. I recommend ones stamped with the British Lion mark.
Apple - you can use any for these apple sauce fritters but I would avoid cooking apples as they are more tart and I like these for being sweet and mellow. If you like more tart flavours, then try with a cooking apple!
Apple sauce - this helps enhance the apple flavour in these apple sauce fritters. You can use homemade or shop bought. Always taste it first and adjust the sweetness in your batter accordingly.
Vegetable oil - you need a flavourless oil with a high smoking point for deep-frying. Sunflower oil or rapeseed oil also work well.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Vanilla: a hint of vanilla is delicious in these applesauce fritters. You can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod. Just avoid vanilla essence as I find it gives the apple sauce fritters a synthetic taste. Try adding to the batter and/or the sugar coating.
- Spice: these applesauce fritters are delicious with all sorts of spices. Feel free to swap the ground cinnamon for ground ginger or mixed spice if you prefer.
- Apple: you can use all sorts of different apples for these applesauce fritters. I love experimenting with Pink Lady, Braeburn and Coxes. A mixture is also lovely. You can use cooking apples as mentioned above but as they are more tart, the final result isn't as sweet. I would stick to an eating apple.
- Sugar: I use caster sugar for these applesauce fritters. However, you can use golden caster sugar or regular granulated sugar, if you like. Alternatively, using soft light brown sugar in the batter will give these applesauce fritters a deeper toffee-molasses flavour.
Here's how to make simple Applesauce Fritters:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: Line a baking sheet with kitchen paper and set aside. Start by making the cinnamon sugar: in a shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and caster sugar. Set aside.
TWO: For the apple fritters: add the flour, caster sugar, milk and egg into a large mixing bowl and whisk until you have a smooth batter.
THREE: Peel and grate the apple using a box grater.
FOUR: Add to the batter with the apple sauce and mix until combined.
FIVE: Next, pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan - it should come at least ½ but not more than ¾ up the side of the pan. Place over medium heat - it is hot enough when a small piece of apple sizzles after being dropped in. You can also use a deep-fat fryer and heat the oil to 175C.
SIX: Once the oil is at the correct temperature, drop in a spoonful of the batter. It should puff up a little. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden underneath, before carefully flipping over and continuing to fry for around 2 more minutes.
SEVEN: When golden all over, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave for about a minute to let any excess oil drain off.
EIGHT: Pop the fritter into the shallow bowl of cinnamon sugar and gently toss to coat. Repeat with the remaining batter - as you get more confident you can do up to 3 at a time. Serve straight away.
Cooking Tips:
- Taste as you go: taste your apples so you know how much sugar to add. Apples vary in sweetness so add a little more sugar to the batter if they are particularly sour.
- Safe frying: make sure your deep-fat fryer or saucepan is between ½ and ¾ full of oil. If it is too full, you risk the hot oil spluttering.
- Testing temperature: your oil needs to be around 175C. If you don’t have a thermometer or aren’t using a deep-fat fryer, don’t panic! It is very simple to test if your oil is hot enough. Carefully drop a small dollop of batter into the hot oil. It is ready if it sizzles immediately.
- Avoid overcrowding: don’t be tempted to fry off too many of these apple sauce fritters at once. I stick with 3 maximum. If you do too many, you risk dropping the temperature of the oil. This will end up with greasy fritters which is not what we are going for!
Frequently Asked Questions
Applesauce fritters are a delicious crispy sweet snack or dessert. You can enjoy them like you do a sweet pastry. However, they are more similar to doughnuts as they are deep-fried in oil. They usually have a glaze or sugar coating. Again, very much like doughnuts! If you like my Apple Beignets (Appelflappen), you’ll LOVE these.
Utterly delicious! These applesauce fritters are sweet and fruity - with a lovely spiced cinnamon flavour. The texture is incredible too. Imagine a light, fluffy inside and irresistibly crispy golden outside. Yum! Bear in mind the fritters will vary in sweetness depending on the type of apples you use. I love experimenting with different varieties.
You can serve apple sauce with all sorts of things. Sweet and savoury. It is delicious with waffles and French toast. I also love it with pancakes - both the thicker variety (like American or Scotch pancakes) and thinner British pancakes. You can also use it in lots of baking recipes as an egg replacer. It makes great egg-free cake batters! Ideal for vegan baking recipes. It is also brilliant for breakfast. Try adding a spoonful to your granola, porridge, overnight oats or yoghurt bowls.
On the savoury front, apple sauce is the perfect partner to roast pork. Whether that be a traditional Sunday roast or hog roast/pulled pork rolls. It is also a traditional accompaniment to potato latke. I definitely recommend trying it with my giant skillet potato latke.
These apple sauce fritters are best made fresh to serve. That way, they are deliciously warm and crunchy. They take less than 30 minutes to make, so it's not a time consuming recipe. If you do have leftovers, pop in a sealed container and chill for up to 2 days. Reheat on a non-stick baking sheet in a 200C / 180C Fan oven for about 10 minutes.
Leave the oil in the pan to cool COMPLETELY. Hot oil can be very dangerous so don't be tempted to try and dispose of it when hot. As you never want to pour the oil down the drain, I like to use either an old, empty plastic bottle or a sandwich bag with a sealable top. Once the oil is cool, pour it into the empty bottle/sandwich bag and then you can place the whole thing in the bin.
However, in the interest of waste, if the oil remains fairly clear and not full of charred bits, you can reuse it to fry other things. I would strain it and pour it in a clean bottle and keep in a dark place for 1-2 months. I wouldn't reuse oil more than three times. You could use it for sfingi doughnuts for something else sweet or for chicken katsu sandwiches for something savoury.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like the sound of these apple sauce fritters, I have so many recipes for you to try. My apple and blackberry crumble is one of my favourite comforting apple puddings. Although my Apple crumble cheescake is ideal if you need a show-stopping dessert. Also don’t miss my cheat’s Apple Beignets (Appelflappen). They are crispy, crunchy and utterly irresistible. If you love fruity recipes, you'll love my Blackberry Pie with Cream Cheese.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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PrintApplesauce Fritters
These applesauce fritters are the perfect autumn treat. Imagine gloriously golden crispy batter with a light, fluffy and fruity apple centre, coated in a sweet and spiced cinnamon sugar. So good…
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: Makes 15-18 depending on size 1x
- Category: Dessert and Cakes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g caster sugar
For the fritters:
- 100g self-raising flour
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 75ml full-fat milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 large apple
- 50g apple sauce
- About 500 ml vegetable oil
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with kitchen paper and set aside.
- Start by making the cinnamon sugar: in a shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and caster sugar. Set aside.
- For the apple fritters: add the flour, caster sugar, milk and egg into a large mixing bowl and whisk until you have a smooth batter.
- Peel and grate the apple using a box grater. Add to the batter with the apple sauce and mix until combined.
- Next, pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan - it should come at least ½ but not more than ¾ up the side of the pan. Place over a medium heat - it is hot enough when a small piece of apple sizzles after being dropped in. You can also use a deep-fat fryer and heat the oil to 175C.
- Once the oil is at the correct temperature, drop in a spoonful of the batter. It should puff up a little. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden underneath, before carefully flipping over and continuing to fry for around 2 more minutes.
- When golden all over, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave for about a minute to let any excess oil drain off.
- Pop the fritter into the shallow bowl of cinnamon sugar and gently toss to coat. Repeat with the remaining batter - as you get more confident you can do up to 3 at a time. Serve straight away.
Notes
- Apples: you can use any kind of apples in these applesauce fritters. I like Royal Gala because they are deliciously sweet. If you use a more sour variety, you may like to add more sugar to your batter.
- Spice: I coat these fritters in a delicious cinnamon sugar. However, you can try all sorts of different spices. Ginger and mixed spice work well too. Alternatively, toss gently in vanilla sugar.
- Leftovers: Pop in a sealed container and chill for up to 2 days. Reheat on a non-stick baking sheet in a 200C / 180C Fan oven for about 10 minutes.
- Discarding frying oil safely: Leave the oil in the pan to cool COMPLETELY. Hot oil can be very dangerous so don't be tempted to try and dispose of it when hot. As you never want to pour the oil down the drain, I like to use either an old, empty plastic bottle or a sandwich bag with a sealable top. Once the oil is cool, pour it into the empty bottle/sandwich bag and then you can place the whole thing in the bin. However, in the interest of waste, if the oil remains fairly clear and not full of charred bits, you can reuse it to fry other things. I would strain it and pour it in a clean bottle and keep in a dark place for 1-2 months. I wouldn't reuse oil more than three times.
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