Apple Fritters Recipe + Video
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I may receive a commission at no cost to you if you use a link provided. All opinions shared are my own. You can review my full disclosure policy here.
Apple Fritters – an easy and delicious yeast doughnut with chunks of apples, ground cinnamon, and a sweet glaze.
*This post is brought to you by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Dessert Now Dinner Later possible.
While I was in college as a culinary arts student, I interned at a local grocery store bakery. One of my jobs was to frost the doughnuts in the early mornings before the store opened.
The apple fritters were probably my least favorite doughnut at the time. They used all of the scraps from the other cut-out doughnuts, and just put them in a mixer with some apple pie filling and cinnamon. I always looked at apple fritters as the “leftovers” doughnut, but they were popular nonetheless and my husband loves them!
Apple Fritters Recipe
This apple fritters recipe uses Rhodes’ pre-made frozen dough (thawed), because yeast dough that I don’t have to make from scratch is always a win! Add apple pie filling and cinnamon for an easy homemade doughnut.
These apple fritters are a lot like monkey bread that is fried together. You want chunks of dough, chunks of fruit, and extra cinnamon for flavor. Knead it all up together by hand or mixer. (I love my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer!)
(Tip: Scoop the apples out of the pie filling with as little sauce as possible. It can get messy! Use extra flour as needed.)
Divide the dough into roughly 3-ounce pieces. Place on a floured sheet pan and flatten with your hand. Let the dough rest/rise for 1 hour. Heat oil to about 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scoop dough with a floured spatula (turner) and gently flip the apple fritter over into the hot oil. Cook roughly 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove and place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any excess oil.
Mix the glaze in a 13×9-inch dish. Glaze doughnuts while still slightly warm. Place a doughnut into the glaze, and turn it over. Spoon glaze over the apple fritter as needed to cover the whole surface. Place the doughnut back onto the cooling rack and allow glaze to set.
My family sure enjoyed these fall inspired apple fritters, and they’re so easy to make at home!
Apple Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 24 Rhodes white dinner rolls*, thawed
- 21 oz (595 g) can apple pie filling, (extra fruit)
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (120 g) (+/-) all-purpose flour
- oil, (canola/vegetable) for frying
Glaze:
- 6 cups (720 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (177 ml) milk, water, or apple juice
- 1 ½ tsp maple extract, optional
Instructions
- Thaw *rolls on a lightly greased sheet tray covered with sprayed plastic wrap for approximately 2-3 hours (or in the refrigerator overnight), until thawed, but hardly risen.
- Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Scoop apples out of the canned pie filling, and cut into chunks. (Try not to get too much of the sauce because things will get sticky.)
- Combine the cut up rolls, apples, and cinnamon. Knead everything together by hand or with a stand mixer adding flour as needed, until it clumps together. (Will look like monkey bread.)
- Pat dough into a flat disc on a floured surface. Cut dough into 16 pieces (approximately 3oz each). Dust two large sheet trays with flour. Place 8 doughnuts on each tray, shape each doughnut into a ball and flatten slightly with hand. Cover fritters with sprayed plastic wrap and let rest/rise for one hour.
- Heat oil in a large pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently scoop up the dough with a floured spatula (turner) and carefully flip the apple fritter over into the hot oil. (May cook several at a time, but don’t overcrowd the doughnuts.) Cook roughly 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove and place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any excess oil.
- Mix the glaze ingredients in a 13×9-inch dish. Glaze doughnuts while still slightly warm. Place a doughnut into the glaze, and turn it over. Spoon glaze over the apple fritter as needed to cover the whole surface. Place the doughnut back onto the cooling rack and allow glaze to set. Store any leftover doughnuts in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
You Might Also Like...
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Welcome!
Hi, I’m Amber! I am a culinary graduate and dessert lover! This is where I share my favorite sweet and savory recipes alongside my knowledge and skills as a culinary graduate. I hope you find something you like!
34 Comments on “Apple Fritters Recipe + Video”
I haven’t tried it yet but buy a box of those latex gloves are latex-free gloves at sams club or any pharmacy use them instead of your hands won’t be so sticky I keep them in my kitchen keep your hands nice and nails if you have them
Sticky Apples, empty canned apples into a strainer and rinse with cold water, then place on some paper towels to dry,chop and add to your dough.
I just put together the fritters. I did have a problem. I used my Kitchen Aid which worked ok but not great. Come I have used my Cuisinart with the dough blade? I also made 18 instead of the 24 because we wanted more Apple flavor. The batter was major sticky and difficult to work with. I not only used the cup of flour, but I had to continually add more. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I haven’t fried them as yet.
Unfortunately, it is quite messy to make, there’s really no way around it. I try to use as little of the sauce from the apple filling as possible. If you used less rolls, you will most definitely need extra flour. Just keep going, use just enough flour to get them shaped, but keep them slightly sticky still. You can try dabbing the dough with paper towels to absorb some of the sauce too.
Love this! Also, I’ve been searching your site and cannot find a link to the mixer you use. Please share! I love that it’s open at the top and blends from below!!!
Hi Heather! It’s a Bosch Universal Mixer. Click HERE for more information. I really love it! So much stronger than a KitchenAid.
Just tried these today. I could only find Rhodes sweet bread dough in the store but they turned out awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad it worked out! Thanks for your comment Cindy!
So excited to see this recipe. I love apple fritters, and these look just divine!
Thanks Diane! It’s a great recipe! Made it twice already!
Couldn’t you use fresh apples? Also if using the canned apples the juice that’s left can be used in the glaze?
If you use fresh apples, you will need to cook them in a skillet first (with a little butter and sugar) because frying them alone won’t cook them completely and they will be pretty crunchy. The apples I used are from canned pie filling, so the juice/sauce is thicker. You can absolutely experiment by adding the sauce to the glaze to help flavor it. You may still need a little milk or water to get the right consistency for glazing the donuts. If you choose to use the pie filling sauce in the glaze, it may not set completely and be sticky to the touch. Something to think about.
Oh my! Can’t wait to try these. I fried a zillion apple fritters when I worked for Winn Dixie back in the 70’s. I love using Rhodes dinner roll dough. Thanks for the recipe
That’s awesome you fried the fritters! I actually made these again today. Yum!
Have you tried an air fryer? They work great!!
An air fryer is on my wish list! I’ll hopefully get one for Christmas!
What temp in air fryer? How long? Do you grease the air fryer?
Could these be naked instead of fried? Suggest temp and time? We don’t eat anything fried any more.
I would do 350 degrees Fahrenheit and start checking at the 15-20 minute mark.