Apple Fritter Doughnuts
A few weeks ago when I made the pumpkin doughnut muffins, I talked about my lack of doughnut consumption while growing up. I guess you could say I’m trying to make up for lost time. I have been borderline obsessed with the doughnut recipes that I’ve come across on Pinterest over the past couple of months, however there is one recipe that has been alluding me… the apple fritter doughnut. Believe it or not, the first time that I tried one of these beauties was earlier this year while taking a tour of a new grocery store. I had previously seen these doughnuts at other grocery stores and bakeries, and I’ve had my grandma’s apple fritters before, but once I took my first bite of an apple fritter doughnut, I immediately realized I had been missing out big-time. What an insanely delicious treat – it’s part fritter, part doughnut, packed full of apple chunks, and covered in a sweet glaze. Otherwise known as heavenly pillows of fall-spiced bliss.
I have seen tons of recipes for apple doughnuts, apple cider doughnuts, apple fritters, and about a million variations of each, but for some reason I had the hardest time nailing down a recipe for apple fritter doughnuts. I had certain requirements – they couldn’t be round with a hole in the middle, they needed to have that bumpy, craggly surface, and they needed to be covered in that barely sheer glaze that grabs hold of every bump, nook and cranny.
I finally found a string of posts on a recipe forum website and was able to piece together a recipe from what I found there. The result was exactly what I had hoped for – a prominent apple flavor… chunks of apple… a soft interior… a thicker exterior… a bumpy surface… and the perfect glaze.
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While I may not have been a doughnut aficionado as a child, I can certainly work to amend that as an adult. I think these apple fritter doughnuts are a fabulous first (or second? or third? or fourth?) step, and a gateway to even more fabulous fried treats!
What is your favorite type of doughnut?
One year ago: Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Two years ago: Homemade Cracker Jack
Four years ago: Buttermilk-Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
Five years ago: Bostini Cream Pie
Apple Fritter Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2¼ teaspoons (2.25 teaspoons) instant yeast
- ⅔ cup (162.67 ml) whole milk, warm to the touch
- 3¼ cups (406.25 g) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (78.67 ml) apple cider
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
For the Apples:
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter
- 2½ pounds (7) Granny Smith apples (about 5), peeled, cored and finely chopped
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (236 g) apple cider
- ¼ cup (59.75 g) apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (1) vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (59.5 ml) apple cider
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
For frying
- 2 quarts (1.89 l) vegetable oil
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Place the yeast in a mixing bowl. Pour the milk over the yeast a let sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the flour to the yeast and milk mixture, but do not stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the surface of the flour cracks, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Add the apple cider, melted butter, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, 1¼ cups of the flour and whisk until combined, then add to the yeast mixture. Using an electric mixer, with paddle attachmnt, beat the dough on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium for another 30 seconds. The dough will be VERY soft and sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
- Make the Apples: Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Heat the butter until it is bubbling, then add the chopped apples, tossing to coat them with butter. Add the sugar and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the apple cider and vinegar, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and transfer the apples to a baking sheet to cool.
- Assemble the Doughnuts: Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat into a rectangle 2 inches thick, flouring the surface as necessary. Spread half of the apples over the dough, leaving space around the edges. Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter) by folding the bottom up and then the top down.
- Use your hands to again pat the dough into another rectangle about 2 inches thick. Spread the remaining apples on top and fold into thirds again.
- Gather the dough together in a rough ball and return it to the oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat to 375 degrees F.
- Scrape the dough out again onto a well-floured surface and gently pat it out to ½-inch thickness, flouring the surface and the dough as necessary. Using a pizza cutter, bench scraper or sharp knife, slice the dough into 1-inch pieces in a checkerboard pattern. Shape 4 ounce portions of the dough into round mounds and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the Glaze: While the dough is resting, mix together the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, apple cider, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water over low heat. Heat and whisk occasionally until the mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from the heat.
- Fry the Doughnuts: Very carefully drop each mound of dough into the hot oil, only adding as many as will comfortably fit in the pot so they are not crowded (I found I could do 4 or 5 at a time in my 7¼-quart Dutch oven). Fry until the underside is golden brown, about 3 minutes, then using a spatula or spider skimmer, carefully turn them over and continue to cook until the other side is golden brown as well, another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the doughnuts to a paper towel-lined pan or a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts, allowing the oil to come back up to temperature between batches.
- After removing each batch of doughnuts, allow them to sit for about 5 minutes, then brush with the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
They look delicious. I’ve made a lot of doughnuts at home, but never fritters.
You asked what my favorite is – it’s maple bars. Any chance of seeing them here soon? :)
Oooh, good one! I will add them to my ever-growing list! :)
Yum! Apple fritters are one of my favorite treats, delicious!
Mmmm, fritters! We actually had apple fritter donuts instead of cake at our wedding! My mom thought we were insane but people were stealing the boxes with table numbers on them and stuffing them with fritters. I’ve never tried making them at home before. Thanks so much for posting the recipe!
yummilicious – i gotta try these out!
omg – these look so dangerous but soo good!!
Oh my yes! I love apple fritters :)
These look fantastic. I don’t think I have ever had an apple fritter. Guess I better remedy that SOON!!!!
These look AMAZING!
These look fantastic! I love how soft and pillow-y the inside looks!
Whoa. Pure heaven!
I am so impressed by the time and thought you put into all of your recipes! Thank you for the step by step photos, it does help to know that this recipe *is* possible for those of us without the baking gene :P
Yeah!! I can make these without a donut pan!! Still need to get one of those :)
I do, too! I forget about it until I realize I need one for a recipe I want to make. I need to get on that!
WOW, these look amazing. I grew up eating grocery store apple fritters and THEY were fabulous, so I bet these would kick them to the curb. Love the new site design!!
those looks so good right now. We were without power because of the hurricane and I would have love to have these laying around during that time.
So I definitely need about 6 of these right now. Preferably hot. They look AMAZING!!
This looks like something out of a fancy bakery! wow!
These look absolutely DELISH!!! And thank you!! for the way you take pics, not only of the process, but the outside and inside! I really am enjoying your new blog design and yours is still my favorite food blog!! :D
My SIL used to work in the bakery where they make fruit fritters. She told me to use pie filling on the dough, fold it in thirds, chop it with a scraper and keep turning, folding and chopping. That makes all those little indentations where the glaze can adhere. Thanks for this yummy recipe.
Oh my goodness! These look FABULOUS! Would I get the same result if I baked them? probably not, huh? oh my, they look perfect! Love the inside shot!
Definitely would not get the same results if you baked them :)
My stomach literally just growled- these look SO good. I love apple fritters, but never think to make my own. I’m eating an apple cinnamon Chobani yogurt right now and it’s good… but not quite the same as this!
I’ve never had much desire to make doughnuts from scratch, until I saw these. They look amazing!
Apple fritters are my all-time favorite fried pastry, hands down. I think I inherited that from my father. I don’t eat them very often, as these days I tend to think of them a gigantic calorie and fat bombs, but when I do indulge, ooooh, the happiness. Thanks for the recipe, I may have to break my diet for these!
I LOVED the apple fritters I got once a year while visiting an apple orchard! Good thing I didn’t have access to them year-round!
Good morning ! I was wondering what the ” &frac 13;” means after ½ cup granulated sugar. Thank you, the recipe looks fantastic !!
Hi Leamlass, So sorry about that. I poked around and found that for some reason the fraction codes weren’t working on IE and the Android mobile browser, although it looked fine in Firefox and Safari. I edited the code and it looks to be working on all browsers now, so please double check and let me know. In any case, it is 2/3 cup whole milk and 1/3 cup apple cider for the dough.
Omg. The oatmeal I’m eating seems incredibly lame now. These look and sound awesome!
Those look straight from a doughnut shop! Amazing, I can’t wait to try these out :)
Oh my gosh! I haven’t had an apple fritter since I was a kid! I love it! I want one for breakfast , like right now! By the way I love the new look of your blog!
Dont know if it is my screen or not but the ingredient list is messed up for the milk and cider amounts. Could you post the correct amounts please?
Hi Leanna, So sorry about that. I poked around and found that for some reason the fraction codes weren’t working on IE and the Android mobile browser, although it looked fine in Firefox and Safari. I edited the code and it looks to be working on all browsers now, so please double check and let me know. In any case, it is 2/3 cup whole milk and 1/3 cup apple cider for the dough.
I love you!!! Apple fritters are my secret passion, I just love them. Thank you for the EXCELLENT tutorial photos, I am definitely going to make these!!
I agree. Just made these…. yes after midnight… lol. And my family loves them! Thanks.
They look so good! I ate TONS of apple fritters growing up. And to me, this is what I would have called an apple fritter. I didn’t even know there was a distinction between ‘apple fritter’ and ‘apple fritter doughnuts’ but I guess there is! Whatever you call them, they are just like what I ate growing up and I want some!
Hi Averie, I know my grandma would just make a batter, fold apples in and then drop spoonfuls in oil to fry. These are actually yeasted dough with apples folded in, so a little bit different, but not too much!
These did’t taste like any apple fritters we have had before. they were awful. A sticky mess to work with, too many apples and no taste. I would try another recipe instead.
These are VERY time consuming to make; are very good and made 3 dz. smaller fritters. I will not make again. Using yeast in this fashion was way too time consuming. Age 59 – lots of baking/cooking in this farm woman’s life.
I agree. As a working women, who has time for this. Just go out and buy yourself a dozen at Timmy’s
Ugh! Spent half or more of the day preparing these things, and they were among the worse, maybe THE worse, food experience I can recall. I am a baker, not just home and hobby but had a bakery business. I can remember a good number of catastrophes, but this experience was so exasperating! Too much prep, way, way too many apples, the dough a gooey mess, the method of folding and cutting rather strange and very messy (unnecessarily), frying time (in recipe) too long….what more can I say? I agree with the comments above. Go to Hatteras and buy Apple Uglies, or to your local store, or find another recipe that works. Sorry, Brown Eyed Baker, but this was my experience. Never again.