Gluten Free Apple Fritters are a delicious and delectable treat that can be enjoyed by all! Crisp on the outside with a sweet sugary glaze and soft on the inside, these tender treats will melt in your mouth.
The flavor of apples pairs perfectly with the cinnamon and sugar creating an addictive flavor combination.
Whether served alone or paired with ice cream, Dairy Free Apple Fritters provide a satisfying sweet treat that's easy to make.
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Honestly, nothing beats fresh apple chunks in a light, doughy cinnamon sugar ball, deep fried and glazed.
Seriously, y'all, we can eat these right out of the skillet even without glaze!
And if deep frying is new to you or you've had bad experiences before, keeping reading.
Below we are sharing tips and utensil suggestions for making this recipe an enjoyable experience without the fear of burning yourself.
No special deep fryer or special equipment either.
Why Make Homemade Fritters
- Apple Fritters are a delicious and satisfying snack or dessert that can be enjoyed all year round.
- They're easy to make and require minimal ingredients which makes them ideal for busy days.
- They give you the opportunity to use up any apples that may have gone bad or that you otherwise don't have plans for.
- You can control the ingredients, so you know exactly what is going into your food.
- They are a great way to get creative with flavors and textures - add in nuts, spices, chocolate chips, etc!
- Deep frying fritters adds a unique flavor and texture to them that you just can't get from baking alone.
- The gluten and dairy free fritters fry up beautifully. Look at the golden brown color.
Ingredients notes
Get more info on these ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
These are just what you need to get from the grocery stores and some of our brand recommendations.
For the Fritters:
- eggs
- sugar- we used granulated but you could use sugar in the raw and may need to adjust as per your tastes
- gluten free all-purpose flour: Bob's Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Mix or Mama's Almond Blend work great
- xanthan gum: omit if GF all purpose flour blend contains this or guar gum
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- salt
- dairy free milk: unsweetened almond milk works well but you can use your choice of dairy free milk alternative
- fresh lemon juice
- Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- several cups of vegetable oil for frying
For Glaze:
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- warm water
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- This recipe will go more smoothly by using an ice scream scoop with a trigger to release the batter into the hot oil. We like to use this ice cream scoop
- A large slotted spoon (like this one) seems to be the safest and easiest way to turn and remove the fritters from the oil onto a cooling
- Using a deep fryer thermometer in this recipe is a must. For the best fritters have your oil at 375 F. If you don't have one, I found one I like on Amazon. Check it out here. I use my thermometer often with other recipes for candy or even gluten and dairy free deep fried chicken.
- Grab a large skillet with higher sides to help keep the oil contained.
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Fritters
- Place vegetable oil in a large skillet with high sides. Heat on medium to high heat until a thermometer reaches 375°F. This is the most important part of this recipe. A thermometer is a must.
- While the oil heats, cream eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes in a large mixing bowl.
- Now for the dry ingredients. Add in gluten- free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and milk to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
- In separate bowl, combine the diced apples and lemon juice. Add this to the dry batter and stir well.
- Once the oil is heated use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the apple fritter batter and safely drop into the hot oil with the scoop trigger. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
- When the fritters turn brown, use a large slotted spoon to carefully flip. Brown on the other side which usually takes another 2-3 minutes. Watch yours as yours may be done faster.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove apple fritters and place on paper towels. Allow them to drain and slightly cool while you make the glaze.
- For the glaze: In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water.
- Use a pastry brush to paint the glaze over all sides of each apple fritter and place on a cooling rack. Let sit for a few minutes and serve warm. These are best eaten the same day they are fried.
- Optional: Sprinkle fritters with powdered sugar instead of glaze.
Storage
Just like traditional apple fritters, the best way to store fresh made gluten free fritters is in an airtight container.
Keep the container in a cool, dry place such as the pantry or refrigerator.
Enjoy apple fritters within 3-4 days for best taste and texture.
Can you freeze deep fried fritters?
If you need to store them for longer, freeze the fritters for up to a month.
To freeze, place the cooled apple fritters on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for 2-3 hours until they are frozen.
Then transfer them to an airtight storage container or bag and return to the freezer.
Make sure you use freezer safe bags and containers if freezing.
FAQ
When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Place the apple fritters on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes until heated through.
You can also reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warmed through.
Keep in mind that reheating in the oven or the microwave won't give you the same texture that you enjoyed when you first made this gluten-free apple fritters recipe.
We don't recommend baking this apple fritter recipe.
You won't get the same crispy texture and tender inside on this special treat that you will when you fry these.
We love using Granny Smith apples for this recipe. But you can use any apple that will hold it's firmness when being fried in the dough.
You don't have to use fresh apples either, they can be starting to near the end of their lifespan, just make sure they aren't too mush.
These deep fried apple fritters can also be enjoyed with a dusting of powdered sugar instead of this sweet glaze.
Additionally, you can just dust them with some cinnamon sugar and that'll enhance the apple cinnamon flavors even more.
Helpful Tips
- Keep in mind this oil is hot! No multitasking while these are frying. Surprisingly these apple fritters fry up fairly quickly too.
- Once your used oil has cooled, store it in a container to reuse for the next batch.
- And this recipe will made 6 large fritters or 12 small fritters.
- Always check the labels of your herbs, spices, and extracts, etc. Double check that they are still gluten and dairy free as manufacturers have been known to change ingredients out without properly notifying everyone and making them aware before they buy.
- When letting your fritters cool down on the paper towels, you can also opt to set them on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch the grease drippings before glazing them. Either will work for this easy recipe
More Apple Recipes
If you loved these amish apple fritters, you'll enjoy these other apple treats.
- Apple Fritter Bread- just as delicious as a traditional apple fritter, but in a bread form and with a lovely glaze as well
- Apple Spice Loaf- Another great apple bread loaf recipe
- Apple Pie Pops- a fun way to enjoy an apple pie on a lollipop stick
- Apple Salsa- a fun cinnamon apple dip to enjoy
- Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls- a fun take on our yeast free cinnamon rolls with some yummy diced apples
This recipe was inspired by The Grateful Girl Cooks. She has an Amish apple fritter recipe found here I thought looked delicious, but needed both gluten and dairy substitutes.
Deep Fried Apple Fritters
Ingredients
For the Fritters:
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour see suggestions in post
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if the all-purpose flour has this) omit if GF all purpose blend contains this or guar gum
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dairy free milk see suggestion in post
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and chopped
- 4-5 cups vegetable oil for frying may need more or less
For Glaze:
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 teaspoons warm water
Instructions
- Place vegetable oil in a large skillet with high sides. Heat on medium to high heat until a thermometer reaches 375°F. This is the most important part of this recipe. A thermometer is a must.
- While the oil heats, cream eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and milk. Mix well.
- In separate bowl, combine the chopped apples and lemon juice. Add this to the dry batter and stir well.
- Once the oil is heated use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the apple fritter batter and safely drop into the hot oil with the scoop trigger. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
- When the fritters turn brown, use a large slotted spoon to carefully flip. Brown on the other side which is usually another 2-3 minutes. But be sure to watch carefully as yours may need less time.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove apple fritters and place on paper towels. Allow them to drain and slightly cool while you make the glaze.
- For the glaze: in a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water.
- Use a pastry brush to paint the glaze over all sides of each apple fritter and place on a cooling rack. Let sit for a few minutes and serve warm. These are best eaten the same day they are fried.
- Optional: Sprinkle fritters with powdered sugar instead of glaze.
Notes
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sarah
Tuesday 12th of July 2022
recipe doesn't make sense? add the ingredients to the dry batter and then ... fry the dry batter? what do we do with the wet batter?
Jill
Friday 15th of July 2022
Thanks for reaching out, Sarah. We have double checked the recipe instructions and find in steps 2-4 all the batter ingredients are mixed together. Note step 4 incase you looked over it. Thanks, Jill