These Baked Apple Fritters are ready in 20 minutes, and I promise you won't miss the frying pan one bit! This small-batch, easy applesauce fritters recipe is made with chopped fresh apple you don't have to peel. We’re baking instead of frying, which means no greasy cleanup.
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Baked Apple Fritters solve a problem I've had for years. I love a good fritter, but I don't love using a big pot of oil, so these bake up golden and then glazed right on a sheet pan! If you love apple fritters as much as I do, try my Fried Apple Rings with Cinnamon-Sugar next!
My husband and I made a trip up to the Apple Festival in the Blue Ridge Mountains a while back, and their fried apple fritters were absolute perfection. Crisp on the outside, tender in the middle, and worth every bit of the drive. But I didn't love the idea of cleaning up the messy pot of oil.
My mom had recently served me some apple fritters she had baked in the oven. It was a genius shortcut! So I developed this small-batch version (with applesauce) because I figured y'all would want that shortcut, too.
I tested this recipe 8 times (yes eight!) to get the texture, baking temperature, and yield just right. So, y'all can trust these glazed apple fritters are going to turn out perfect on your very first try!
Ten fritters is just right for the two of us these days, being empty nesters and all, with a few extra to share with the neighbors and church friends!
You'll want to bookmark a few more of my apple recipes! My Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter is a hands-off way to use up extra apples, and my Easy Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze is perfect for when company's coming!
Shortcuts
- No peeling required. There's no need to peel the apple for this recipe, just chop it up, peel and all and it bakes into the fritters just fine.
- Apple pie spice does triple duty. One spoonful of apple pie spice gives you cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice all in one, so you're not measuring out three separate jars (see the recipe notes if you'd like to make your own blend). You can also just use cinnamon.
- One sheet pan, one batch. This small-batch recipe makes just 10 fritters that fit comfortably on a single large baking sheet, so there's no rotating pans or baking in shifts.
Ingredients
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Large egg - Helps bind the batter together.
- Applesauce - Sweetened, unsweetened or cinnamon applesauce, all 3 work. This is what keeps the fritters moist without needing extra oil or butter in the batter itself. I just measure out the small amount from an applesauce snack pack.
- Granulated sugar - For sweetness in the batter itself, in addition to the glaze on top.
- Vanilla extract - Adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
- Apple - I like Gala and Honeycrisp, but really any apple works well here since the fritters don't bake long enough for the apple to break down or turn mushy.
- All-purpose flour - The base of the batter. Just double check it's all-purpose and not self-rising.
- Baking powder and baking soda - Both are needed here to give the fritters the right amount of lift and golden brown color.
- Apple pie spice or ground cinnamon - Adds classic warm fall flavor.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness.
- Salted cold butter - Cut into pieces and worked into the dry ingredients for a tender, slightly flaky texture, similar to biscuit dough.
- Powdered sugar and milk - For the simple glaze that goes over top once they're baked.
What if I don’t have any applesauce?
You can still make this recipe for baked apple fritters. Swap the applesauce for ¼ cup whole milk and add one additional tablespoon cold butter.
How to Make Oven Baked Apple Fritters
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat the egg in a large bowl, then stir in the applesauce, sugar and vanilla.
- Chop the apple (no need to peel!) to get about 1 cup chopped, then set it aside.
Pro Tip: I like to chop the apple into four slices close to the core, then dice. It's the best way to avoid using an apple corer!
- In a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt until combined.
- Add the cold butter pieces and pulse just until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, don't overmix.
- Alternatively, you can cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
- Add the dry mixture on top of the applesauce mixture, then toss the chopped apple in with the dry ingredients to coat it before stirring everything together.
- Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened; the batter should be lumpy, like a muffin batter.
- Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, to make 10 fritters.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and done in the middle, then move to wire racks.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk for the glaze, then spoon or drizzle it over the fritters while they're on the rack.
Little tip: Place your wire rack right on top of the parchment-lined baking sheet before glazing. That way any drips land on the parchment instead of your counter, and cleanup is as easy as tossing the paper.
Can I fry this batter?
Yes, you can also fry this applesauce fritter batter instead of baking it. Drop by 2 tablespoonfuls into hot oil like vegetable oil (350F) for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides. Let cool and glaze.
Pro Tips
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter should still look lumpy with a bit of visible flour, similar to muffin batter. Overmixing leads to tougher, denser fritters instead of that light, tender texture you're after.
- Keep your butter cold. Cold butter is what gives these fritters their slightly flaky texture, so work quickly when cutting it into the flour and avoid letting it soften along the way.
- Toss the apple in flour before mixing. Coating the chopped apple in the dry ingredients before stirring everything together helps distribute the fruit evenly through the batter instead of it all sinking to the bottom.
- Glaze while they're warm, not hot. Let the fritters cool just slightly before glazing so the glaze sets up nicely instead of melting into a thin, runny puddle, though I'll admit I always sneak a taste of one while it's still warm!
Substitutions & Variations
- Best apples for fritters: Any variety works, since the fritters don't bake long enough to worry about the apple breaking down. I like Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious.
- No food processor? Use a pastry blender, or simply press and mash the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like small peas.
- Air fryer Apple Fritters: You can air fry them on a parchment-lined rack, four at a time, for 4 minutes at 375F.
- Butter: If using unsalted butter instead of salted, add an extra ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the batter.
- Glaze: Any milk works here, including oat or almond milk, if that's what you have on hand.
- Size: Divide the dough into 8 larger fritters, or make them smaller for an even dozen. Just keep an eye on the bake time either way.
- Skip the glaze: Shake the warm fritters in a zip-top bag with cinnamon sugar instead of glazing them for a simpler finish. This really gilds the lily and I love it this way!
What to Serve with Applesauce Fritters
These baked applesauce fritters are perfect on their own with a cup of coffee, but they're also a wonderful addition to a full breakfast or brunch spread. Kids would love these as an after school snack.
Serve them alongside fresh fruit and crispy bacon for a heartier morning meal, or set them out with brunch next to Pecan Pumpkin Waffles or a Crescent Roll Ham & Cheese Bake! If you're hosting a crowd, they pair beautifully with a warm mug of apple cider or a spiced latte.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store glazed fritters at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you tightly cover them, for some reason the glaze gets sticky.
- I do not recommend refrigerating them. The glaze gets sticky.
- Freeze: Freeze unglazed fritters in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze just before serving.
- Reheat: Warm fritters in the microwave for 12 to 15 seconds, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 1 to 2 minutes to bring back a bit of crispness.
FAQ's
Yes! Baking apple fritters in a hot oven (around 425°F) gives you that same golden, glazed treat without the mess or extra oil of frying.
Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened so it stays a bit lumpy, like muffin batter. Keeping your butter cold and working it in quickly also gives the fritters a tender, slightly flaky texture instead of a dense one!
For every 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice needed, combine ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice. This lets you make just the amount you need without buying a whole jar.
A baking apple holds its shape well when cooked, while a snacking apple tends to turn soft or mushy with heat, and yes, some varieties like Honeycrisp and Gala do double duty well in both roles. Since these fritters don't bake very long, you actually have more flexibility here than you would with a longer-baked apple dessert.
No, a food processor is just a shortcut for cutting the cold butter into the flour quickly and evenly. You can use a pastry blender, or simply work the butter in with your fingertips until it resembles small peas.
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Applesauce Fritters
SAVE THIS RECIPE
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup applesauce, sweetened or unsweetened (I measured from a snack pack)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium apple (peeling is optional) I used Gala (about 1 cup chopped)
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon See NOTES to make your own apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons salted cold butter cut into 6 pieces
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (any milk will work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the pan.
- Beat the egg in a large bowl with a fork or spoon. Stir in the applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.
- Chop the apple. No need to peel! Pro Tip: This is a trick to avoid having to use an apple corer. Make 4 slices, close to the core, from top to bottom. Now, chop enough of the apple to get 1 cup. Set aside, for now.
- In a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt. Pulse until combined.
- Add the cold butter pieces. Pulse just until the butter is cut into tiny pieces and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Don’t overmix.No food processor?: Two ways to incorporate the butter if you don’t have a food processor. Use a pastry blender in a bowl. Or, use your fingertips pressing and mashing the butter into the flour until it is the size of little peas.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl on top of the applesauce and apple mixture, without stirring yet.
- Before stirring together, add the apple to the flour mixture on top. Toss the apple with the flour mixture to coat the apple.
- NOW, you can stir the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. The batter will be lumpy and you will still see a little bit of flour, like a muffin batter.
- Drop the dough/batter evenly onto the prepared baking sheet with a large spoon, 2 inches apart, to get 10 fritters. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges and done in the middle. Remove to wire racks.
Glaze:
- Pro tip: Place a wire rack on the same parchment paper on the baking sheet pan to catch the glaze drips for easy clean up. No need to use a new sheet of parchment.
- Combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl right before glazing them.
- You can either dip the tops in the glaze. Or, I found it easier to spoon or drizzle the glaze over the fritters while on the rack. You can wait until they cool or slightly warm… although I always sneak one while still warm!
Notes
- To make your own apple pie spice, combine ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice for every 1 teaspoon needed.
- No applesauce on hand? Swap the ¼ cup applesauce for ¼ cup whole milk and add one extra tablespoon of butter.
- Don't overmix the batter. It should still look lumpy with a bit of visible flour, similar to muffin batter.
- Store glazed fritters at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you tightly cover them, for some reason the glaze gets sticky.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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