I have made four batches of these baked apple fritters in the last two weeks.
There are currently no apple fritters in my house.
That’s the math on how good they are!
What’s Great About Baked Apple Fritters
When you’re a busy parent who’s short on time but trying to feed your kids well, things like this add up:
- There’s no frying involved! That means a more nutritious fritter, plus you get to skip a messy step.
- These baked apple fritters are full of fresh fruit but low in sugar.
- You can make a batch of dough ahead of time, store them in the fridge and bake when you’re ready.
How to Make Baked Apple Fritters
PrintBaked Apple Fritters
Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 packet)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 tablespoons soft butter, plus extra for lining the bowl
2 Granny Smith apples, chopped into small pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup baking soda
FOR THE GLAZE
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
FOR THE FRITTERS
- Pour the warm milk (microwaved about 30 seconds) into a medium bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla and 1 cup of the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in the softened butter. Add the rest of the flour (1 1/2 cups), chopped apple, cinnamon and kosher salt. The dough will be VERY sticky.
- Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly buttered large bowl and cover tightly with a plate or lid (or plastic wrap). Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough onto the floured surface one more time. Use a knife to divide the dough into 8 pieces.
- Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups hot water in a bowl. Gently dip each fritter in the soda solution (I use my clean hands). All the extra water to drip off, then set each fritter on the lined baking sheet.**
- Bake for 7-8 minutes.
** If you are prepping ahead of time, cover your pan with foil and leave in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Set the pan on the counter while the oven heats up. Remove the foil and bake as usual, below.**
FOR THE GLAZE
- Allow the fritters to cool completely. While they do, mix the maple glaze ingredients in a small bowl with a tiny whisk.
- Move fritters to a cooling rack, using a spatula. Set the rack over the top of the parchment lined baking sheet to catch the drips.
- When the fritters are cool, use a small spoon to apply the glaze mixture on top allowing the extra to drip off the edges.
If You Like Baked Apple Fritters, You’ll Love These
There are more great family recipes where this one came from! All with the foodlets promise of healthier, easier or more kid-friendly. Like these:
Simplified Cranberry Scones with Whole Oats
Healthy Waffles
Going to try these this weekend — look like a great spin on fritters — and totally justifiable for breakfast, right 🙂
Absolutely! One gorgeous breakfast, coming right up.