Apple Fritters Recipe

Making the Apple Filling

1. Peel, core, and chop the apples into small chunks. Toss with lemon juice.
2. In a large pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the water or apple juice, whisking to combine.
3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Boil for 1 minute, then add the butter and apples. Stir together, then decrease the heat to medium and cover with a lid.
4. Continue to cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples have softened, then remove from the heat and cool completely. You can speed up the process by filling a larger pan with ice and nestling the pot in it to cool the outside quickly.

Make the Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes to proof until foamy.
2. Add remaining sugar, milk, eggs, butter, salt, nutmeg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat using the paddle attachment until smooth. Then switch to the dough hook and add another 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 5-6 minutes until a soft, smooth dough forms. If the dough is super sticky, go ahead and add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.
3. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size, or transfer to the fridge and let rise slowly overnight. If using the fridge approach, set the dough out on the counter for 15-20 minutes to take some of the chill off before proceeding.
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large oval shape. Spread with 3 cups of the apple filling then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the extra flour and 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon.
5. Roll up into a log like when making cinnamon rolls. Then use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the log into strips on the diagonal all the way down one way. Then cut on the opposite diagonal the other way to chop up the dough into quarter-size pieces with even dispersal of apple filling.
6. Scoop up about 1/2 cup of the chopped up apples and dough and dump it on a generously floured surface. Sprinkle it with more flour on top and use your hands to squeeze and pat into a patty. All the extra flour is really important because it will help bind and seal the fritter so it doesn’t fall apart when frying.
7. Transfer the fritter to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough. You should get about 16-18 generous sized fritters and will need 2 baking sheet so they can be spaced out a bit. Let them rest for about 20 minutes while getting the glaze ready and heating the oil.
8. Fill a large skillet or dutch oven with about 2 quarts of vegetable or canola oil so it is at least an inch or two deep. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. It’s really important to have a good thermometer handy to monitor the oil temp while frying so you can adjust your heat as needed. Have a pair of tongs and a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack set up so you are ready to fry.
9. Use a metal spatula to lift and gently flip the fritters into the hot oil. Only plan to cook 2-3 fritters at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much and there is room for them to expand. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side, then use a slotted spatula to lift the fritters out of the oil and transfer to the wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch any dripping oil. Repeat with the remaining fritters.

Glaze

1. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until thin and smooth. Only dip the top side of your fritters into the glaze, then transfer back to a wire rack for the glaze to set. It will run down into all the crevices and crannies on top of the fritters and set up within about 15 minutes or so. Repeat with all of the fritters. You may need to spoon the glaze over the last few when it is running low and dipping becomes difficult.
2. Let sit for 15-20 minutes until the glaze hardens.