Description

These baked apple fritters offer a deliciously soft and tender treat filled with cinnamon-spiced tart apples and topped with a sweet, smooth glaze. Unlike traditional fried fritters, this version is baked, providing a lighter, less greasy alternative without compromising on flavor or texture. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack, they combine the comforting flavors of cinnamon, apples, and vanilla in a yeasted dough that’s easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

1 ½ Tablespoons (14 g) active dry or instant yeast
½ cup (120 ml) warm water
2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
2 cups (250 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled (can substitute all-purpose flour)
¼ cup (50 g) white granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon mace (or substitute nutmeg)
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
2 Tablespoons (30 g) shortening or lard (can substitute vegetable oil)
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Apple Filling

2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup (50 g) white sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon bread flour

Glaze

2 cups (280 g) confectioners/icing sugar
1 ½ teaspoons light corn syrup or golden syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon white sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) water

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Instructions

Prepare the dough. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine bread flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder, mace (or nutmeg), and salt. Stir well to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the shortening, egg, vanilla extract, and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until they form a sticky dough.
Knead the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 6 to 8 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Add a little flour if the dough is too sticky to handle.
Let the dough rise. Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl. Cover and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
Prepare the apples. While the dough is rising, toss the chopped apples with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside to macerate and develop flavor.
Roll out the dough. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface to about ½-inch thickness.
Assemble the filling. Spread the macerated apples evenly over the rolled-out dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of bread flour evenly over the apples.
Fold and cut. Fold the dough over the apples gently, pressing to seal the edges. Cut the filled dough into 12 equal pieces.
Second rise. Place the cut fritters onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it is fully heated for baking.
Bake the fritters. Bake the fritters for 18 to 22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Prepare the glaze. Whisk together the confectioners sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract, white sugar, and water until smooth. Adjust the thickness by adding more water or sugar as needed.
Finish and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the warm fritters before serving to add sweetness and a beautiful sheen.

Notes

You can substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour if needed, but bread flour provides a chewier texture.
Using shortening or lard adds richness, but vegetable oil can be used as a healthier alternative.
For a nutmeg substitution when mace is unavailable, use an equal amount of ground nutmeg.
Ensure apples are tart for balanced sweetness, such as Granny Smith.
The glaze consistency can be adjusted by adding more or less water to suit your preference.
Do not skip the second rise after shaping to ensure soft and fluffy fritters.