These Baked Apple Fritters offer all the warm, cozy flavor of classic apple fritters without the deep-frying. Lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and studded with tender apple chunks, these soft, cake-like fritters are baked to a golden perfection, making them a perfect healthier alternative for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Baked Apple Fritters

Ingredients:

For the Batter:

For the Apples:

For Topping:

Instructions:

1. Step 1: Preheat the Oven Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.
3. Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients In another separate bowl, lightly beat the 1 large egg. Then, stir in the ½ cup milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
4. Step 4: Fold Everything Together Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough fritters. Gently fold in the diced apple chunks last, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. If using, sprinkle the diced apples with a little lemon juice to prevent browning before adding to the batter.
5. Step 5: Portion & Shape Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to drop rounded portions of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave some space between each fritter. Slightly flatten each portion with the back of a spoon to ensure more even baking.
6. Step 6: Bake Until Golden Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the fritters are golden brown on the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of a fritter comes out clean.
7. Step 7: Cool & Top Let the baked fritters cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool further. Once slightly cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey or maple syrup. Optionally, for an added crunch and sweetness, you can toss them in a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle while still warm.

Tips for Success

• Choose Firm Apples: Varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples are ideal as they hold their shape well during baking and provide a lovely tartness that balances the sweetness of the fritters.
• Don’t Overfill: Ensure you space the fritters evenly on the baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together and to allow proper air circulation, which helps them bake evenly and crisp up.
• Adjust Sweetness: The recipe provides a good base, but you can always adjust the amount of granulated sugar in the batter based on your personal sweetness preference. For a less sweet or more savory version, you can reduce or even omit the sugar entirely.
• Make It Vegan: To make these fritters suitable for a vegan diet, you can easily swap the eggs for flaxseed “eggs” (mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of water per egg needed and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken). Also, ensure you use plant-based milk (like almond milk) and plant-based butter alternatives (or coconut oil).