Air Fryer Apple Fritters – Recipes From A Pantry

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what these treats are made of! Classic apple fritters are a hugely popular donut shop treat.

The dough is sweet and filled with bits of sweet apples and a hint of cinnamon. And the whole thing is topped off with a sweet drizzle of icing. YUM to that apple cinnamon flavor!

And folks, thanks to air fryers, they are sooooo easy to make at home. Yeap, air frying apple fritters is so quick and so simple, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

Plus, just like these easy Air Fryer Apple Chips and crispy Air Fryer Banana Chips, you get all the deliciousness of this nostalgic sweet treat without the excess oil and calories that come with deep frying. #airfryerforthewin

Whipping up apple fritters from scratch means you get to stay in your pajamas and skip the trip to the bakery or donut shop. Dunk these fritters in a warm mug of coffee, apple cider, or an ice-cold glass of milk for a totally delightful breakfast treat. Hello, lazy Sunday mornings!

These also make a delicious dessert or snack for those me-time moments.

What Are Apple Fritters?

These are like deep-fried donuts that are filled with fruits in this case apple pieces. Then these are finished off with a delicious glaze!

Why Make This Recipe

• Delicious – Apples, cinnamon, crunchy fried dough! Tastes like an apple donut and perfect for fall and all year round!
• Easy – The dough is yeast-free and easy to mix up in a single bowl.
• Nostalgic – Apple fritters have been a popular bakery treat for decades.
• Healthier – Air fried foods don’t use as much oil as their traditional counterparts, so you can still enjoy your favorites on occasion and feel better. Healthier than if you deep fry them.

Ingredient Notes

• Flour – this recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
• Sugar – use regular sugar.
• Baking powder – make sure to level your measurements (no baking soda needed)
• Spices – flavor comes from ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and an optional pinch of ground cardamom. You can add your favorite spices.
• Eggs – to help bind everything.
• Milk – just use your favorite milk.
• Citrus – a little bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Apples – this calls for fresh apples peeled, cored, and diced.
• Cooking spray – us cooking spray or vegetable oil for brushing.
• Optional – use your favorite glaze if preferred.

Ready to make this apple fritter recipe? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Apple Fritters In The Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then add milk and eggs, and lemon juice (wet ingredients) to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
3. Add in the diced apples and mix into the fritter batter. Dough should hold together at this point.
4. Measure out around a ⅓ cup of dough for each fritter, and add to the lined air fryer basket. Make sure to leave space in between. Spray or brush the fritters with oil, then air fry for 8 minutes.
5. Flip the apple fritters, spray or brush the other side with oil and cook for an additional 3 minutes until deep golden brown.
6. Remove from the air fryer, place apple fritters on a cooling rack, drizzle with glaze (if desired) with a spoon or pastry brush, and serve.

Pro Recipe Tips

• Cook 1 or 2 apple fritters at a time depending on the size of your air fryer basket or skillet. You want to give them ample space so they can cook evenly.
• If the dough is very wet, line the basket of your air fryer with parchment paper and spray with a thin layer of cooking oil before adding the batter. 
• Dry the chopped apples with a towel before adding to the batter to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
• Avoid over-mixing the batter so you don’t end up with tough fritters.
• Use an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter to the air fryer or skillet. 
• Let fritters cool on a wire rack to avoid them getting soggy.
• Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness, then adding more time as needed.

Delicious Variations

• Use an apple cider glaze  – Traditional icing is made by combining powdered sugar and cream. Using an apple cider glaze intensifies the apple flavor in these fritters. Combine 2 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of apple cider, and cinnamon to taste.
• Other glaze – feel free to make a brown butter glaze or brown sugar glaze.
• Swap the fruit – You can use just about any kind of fruit to make a fritter. Try peaches, pears, strawberries, blueberries, etc. The possibilities are endless. 

Prep Ahead and Storage 

• Make-Ahead – This is easy especially as it is not a yeast dough. This dough comes together in just a few minutes so it’s best to make it when you are ready to fry the fritter.
• Store – Baked goods will taste best when eaten right away, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. You will want to reheat the leftover fritters in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the air fryer for 30-60 seconds. 
• Freeze – Cook and glaze the fritters and allow them to cool completely. Flash freeze by placing them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Place the fritters into zip-top freezer bags and seal. Thaw on the counter and reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving. 

FAQs

Can I Serve These for Dessert?

If you prefer a more savory breakfast, you may want to make apple fritters for dessert. Serve them as is or top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, icing sugar, maple syrup, honey, or a caramel drizzle.

Can I Bake These in the Oven?

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem. Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees F. 

What Apples Are Good For Making This?

Use different apples – Apples can be sweet or tart or something in between. A firm, crisp apple will hold up best but experiment with different varieties until you find your favorite. Try a mixture of granny smith apples and honeycrisp apples.

Other Air Fryer Recipes You May Like

Some of my favorite Air Fryer Recipes are below.

Serving Suggestions

Weight Watchers Points

There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Tools Needed 

Thank you for reading my homemade apple fritters recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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Print Recipe

Air Fryer Apple Fritters

It’s so easy to make these classic fritters in the air fryer.

Prep Time8 mins

Cook Time11 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: air fryer, American, Western

Servings: 3

Calories: 341kcal

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and spices in a mixing bowl.

• Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract, whisking to combine.

• Stir in the apples; the dough should hold together.

• Measure out around a ⅓ cup of dough for each fritter, and add to the basket of the air fryer. Makeing sure to leave space in between. Spray or brush the fritters with oil, then fry for 8 minutes.

• Flip the apple fritters, spray or brush the other side with oil the and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

• Remove from air fryer, drizzle with glaze (if desired), and serve.

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Notes

• Cook 1 or 2 apple fritters at a time, depending on the size of your air fryer basket. You want to give them ample space so they can air fry evenly.
• If the dough is very wet, line the basket of your air fryer with parchment paper and spray with a thin layer of cooking oil before adding the batter. 
• Dry the chopped apples with a towel before adding them to the batter to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
• Use an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter to the air fryer.
• There are 9 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 3mg