These delectable apple fritter bites are soft, tender, and packed with chunks of real apple!
They’re like mini poppable versions of the classic pastry – so you can enjoy as many as you like with less mess.
And don’t even get me started on the apple cider glaze! It’s sweet, tangy, and perfectly caramelized.
I dare you to eat just one bite – it’s impossible!
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Why You'll Love These Apple Fritter Bites
Perfectly Bite-Sized: They're ideal for parties, brunches, game days, and snacks.
Packed with Apples: Every bite bursts with juicy, cinnamon-spiced apple goodness.
Crispy and Golden: They're fried to perfection for a light, crispy outside and fluffy inside.
Sweet Glaze Finish: Coated in a luscious apple cider glaze that adds the perfect touch of sweetness, they're almost too good to share.
Ingredients
- Apples: Use Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best taste and texture.
- All-Purpose Flour & Baking Powder: For structure and a light, fluffy consistency.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Make all the flavors pop!
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and a classic apple pie-like flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the batter and helps create a golden-brown exterior.
- Eggs: Act as a binder and help with rise.
- Whole Milk: Adds moisture and keeps the batter from being too thick.
- Powdered Sugar & Apple Cider: For the sweet, apple-flavored glaze and a gorgeous shiny finish.
How to Make Apple Fritter Bites
If you're craving something sweet but not ready to commit to a full-sized dessert, try these bite-sized apple fritters.
The steps are super simple:
1. HEAT 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat to 375°F.
2. WHISK the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until combined.
3. MAKE a well in the center and add milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix into a thick batter. FOLD IN diced apples.
4. DROP heaping tablespoon-sized portions of batter into the hot oil in small batches to avoid overcrowding.
5. COOK until golden on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side, flipping as needed. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
6. WHISK the powdered sugar and apple cider into a smooth glaze.
7. DUNK warm fritter bites in the glaze, turning to coat fully. Place on a wire rack to drip and dry.
8. SERVE warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Apple Fritter Bites
These apple fritter bites look and taste like they came straight from a bakery!
I like to sneak some in with my morning coffee, but they’re too good not to share.
Speaking of sharing, I’ve got some helpful tips I’ve picked up on after a few trials.
- Avoid overmixing. Stir the batter very gently. It will be pretty thick, but that's normal. You can just mix gently by hand – no mixer is needed.
- Dice finely. Evenly dice the apples into small pieces. That way, they distribute and cook evenly.
- Watch closely. Fry in batches and flip them when they're golden. Keep an eye on the oil temp, too. Use a thermometer if you have one.
- Try other spices. Add nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger to complement the cinnamon and elevate the flavor.
- Double glaze. Dunk and coat the fritters, let them set, then dunk them again!
- Skip the glaze. Toss the hot bites in cinnamon sugar instead!
- Mix things up! Swap apples for pears or peaches, add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, or try a maple or caramel drizzle instead.
How to Store
Every time I make these fritters, they disappear fast! So, I like to double up the recipe. That way, everyone gets a few.
Unfortunately, they won't store well. Such is the nature of fried treats.
But if you absolutely have to, here's how to save leftovers:
To Store: Place cooled bites in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
To Freeze: Freeze unglazed fritters in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw before reheating, and add fresh glaze before serving.
To Reheat: For the best texture, bake leftovers at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
More Delicious Apple Desserts to Try
Apple Fritter Cake
Easy Apple Fritters
Apple Fritter Bread
Amish Apple Fritter Bread
Apple Fritter Bites
25-30
servings15
minutes15
minutes90
kcalThese glazed apple fritter bites are soft, fluffy, and bursting with juicy apple chunks. They are a delightful mix of warm cinnamon and autumn flavors.
Ingredients
- Apple Fritter Bites
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- Apple Cider Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup apple cider
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet, warm 2-3 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Make a well in the center, and add the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk gently to break up the eggs, then stir into a thick batter. Fold in the diced apples.
- Drop the batter in heaping tablespoon-sized portions into the hot oil. Work in small batches to keep from overcrowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature.
- Cook the fritter bites, flipping as needed, until golden on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and apple cider until smooth. Dunk the warm fritter bites in the glaze, turning with a fork to coat fully.
- Place on a wire rack to drip and dry. Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Notes
- Stir the batter very gently. It will be pretty thick, but that's normal. You can just mix gently by hand – no mixer is needed.
- Evenly dice the apples into small pieces. That way, they distribute and cook evenly.
6 Comments
The flavor is very good but the fritters were soft. How can I get them to be crispy? Admittedly I may have over mixed the batter? Any suggestions? thank you?
Hi, Sid!
So, soft fritters could result from a few different things.
1. Oil temp. If the oil didn’t remain at a consistent 375 degrees, the fritters may have absorbed too much of it. That will make them soft. Cooking too many at once could also cause the same problem.
2. Overmixing, as you mentioned. If the batter seemed really thin after you mixed it, you may have overworked it a bit. If it does seem too thin, try adding a smidge more flour to thicken it.
3. Glazing too soon. If you glazed them while they were too warm, they could have soaked up some of the glaze and become soft. Try letting them cool a bit longer next time and see if that helps.
Hopefully one of those will help! And remember, even if they’re soft, they’re delicious and everyone will love them. <3
Could this be done in the air fryer?
Hi, Barb!
I’ve never tried this recipe (or a similar one) in the air fryer. But yes, I think it could be done. Here’s how I’d adjust the recipe, I think:
1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line the basket with a liner.
2. Prepare the batter as directed.
3. Drop the batter in heaping tablespoon-sized portions into the basket. Leave about 2 inches of space between each for air circulation.
4. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until done. (The times are an estimate on my part and might require some tweaking.)
5. Add glaze to the warm fritters if you want.
If you try this, please let me know how it turns out. We may want to add a tip to the recipe.
Can this recipe be baked instead of fried? TU
Hi Mary!
Since this recipe uses batter, it won’t work in the oven, unfortunately.
But this Amish Apple Fritter Bread has the same great taste if you want to try that instead:
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/amish-apple-fritter-bread/