Apple Fritter Rings
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Published
These Apple Fritter Rings are a fun spin on the popular donut shop Apple Fritter. Like a sweet apple version of an onion ring! We love them during the fall season when apples are at the forefront of baking, but they’re a perfect treat any time during the year.
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5 STAR REVIEWS
I got married in an apple orchard. It was amazing. Every year we are determined to get back up there before everything closes down – I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t get my annual batch of apple cider, apple pie moonshine, cider donuts, and of course, apples! Then I come home and make slow cooker apple sauce, apple butter, and these Apple Fritter Rings. Tender on the inside with a crisp cinnamon-sugar outside, they are absolutely irresistible, always magically disappearing in minutes!
Helpful Tips
- Type of apples. You can really use any type of apple here, but I prefer Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji, as opposed to a Granny Smith, which is tart. No need to peel them, but you can if you want.
- The raw apples need to be completely dry. Using paper towels, pat the apple slices completely dry or the batter won’t stick.
- Making the inner hole. You can make the inner hole pretty small like I did, using a single apple corer, or widen it up with a round biscuit cutter. You could even use the rim of a small glass if you put some muscle behind it.
- Keep the oil at an even 350 degrees F. If it’s too hot, the fritters will burn and if it’s too low, they won’t crisp up properly.
- Don’t overcrowd your pan. If you fry too many rings at once, the heat from the oil will create steam and you won’t get that golden color and crispy exterior.
- Using pancake batter. Using pancake batter is not my preference, since my homemade recipe has so much more flavor. Plus, it’s so easy to whip up! But, yes, you can use pancake batter.
Apple Fritter Rings
These Apple Fritter Rings are a fun spin on the popular donut shop Apple Fritter. Like a sweet apple version of an onion ring!Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Ingredients
APPLES
- 4 large apples, (see note)
FOR THE BATTER
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk, (or 3/4 cup whole milk)
FOR FRYING
- vegetable oil
FOR THE CINNAMON-SUGAR COATING
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.
- Slice the apples into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard the center core of each slice with a tiny cookie cutter or apple corer. Pat the slices dry.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add in the egg, vanilla, and buttermilk; stir until just combined and thick.
- Add about 2 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat, until it reaches 350 degrees F.
- Dip each apple ring into the batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully lower the ring into the oil. Fry 3 to 4 rings at a time without them touching, for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden, regulating the heat at 350F in between batches.
- Using tongs, transfer them to the paper towels.
- Repeat the process with the remaining apple slices.
- While still warm, coat them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Type of Apples. You can really use any type of apple here, but I prefer Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Gala, or Fuji, as opposed to a Granny Smith, which is tart. No need to peel them, but you can if you want.
Calorie calculation. Calorie count is per ring and does not include the oil, since amount will vary and the majority of what is needed will remain in the pan. A rough estimate is 1/2 tablespoon of oil is used per ring, which would be an additional 62 calories, for a total of 158 per ring.
Air fryer. This recipe doesn’t really work in an air fryer because of the batter. You could, however try the apple rings simply coated in the cinnamon-sugar or spice cake mix in an air fryer.
Helpful tips and how to reheat leftovers are included in the article.
Nutrition
Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How To Make Apple Fritter Rings Step By Step
- Slice the apples. Slice 4 large apples into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
- Make a hole in the center. Remove and discard the center core of each slice with a tiny cookie cutter or apple corer.
- Make the batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a 1/4 teaspoon each baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Add in 1 large beaten egg, 1 & 1/4 cups buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; stir until just combined.
- Heat oil. Add about 2 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, until it reaches 350 degrees F.
- Dunk apples in batter. Dip each apple ring into the batter, shaking off any excess.
- Fry apples. Carefully lower the battered ring into the oil. Fry apple rings 3 or 4 at a time, but don’t allow them to touch, for about 1 minute per side, or until golden.
- Drain on paper towels. Using tongs, transfer the rings to paper towels.
- Coat in cinnamon-sugar. While still warm, coat the fried rings with cinnamon-sugar.
- Enjoy. Serve right away while they’re warm and crispy!
Making Ahead and Proper Storage
- Can I make the batter ahead of time? You’ll want to use the batter within 1 hour of preparing it. After that, the batter thins out and won’t produce a nice fluffy coating. The reason: baking powder. It reacts quickly, releasing most of its gas in a short period of time. And adding more baking powder won’t help, but instead lend an unpleasant chemical taste to the fritters.
- These are best served warm. If you want to serve them all at once, you can place the cooked rings on paper towel-lined baking sheets and keep them in a 225 degree F oven until you finish making all of the rings. Once they’re all done frying, sprinkle each apple ring in the cinnamon-sugar.
- Storing leftovers. As with any deep fried food, they should be eaten immediately for optimal taste and texture. But you can refrigerate the cooked fritter rings in a shallow airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350F degree oven for 5 or so minutes until crispy. Or in an air fryer until crispy again.
More Apple Desserts:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
OMG, I made these today for my belated birthday. “BellyFull” is apt. I can not stop eating them. Well, the only thing stopping me is I’m too full to get up and go fetch more! Thank you for this deliciousness, and for your love and joy, and for all the tips and encouragement.
I’m loving your recipes. I get a lot of inspiration from them. I do, however, have to make some adjustments because I cook for a diabetic. We try to incorporate sourdough starter in things with flour to reduce the glycemic impact. Do you think I could mix a little starter in and let it sit, then add the baking powder before frying?
Hi Anne. I can’t advise on that, sorry. I’d have to do further testing to vouch for results. You could try it, though.
Tasty! Thanks! I had no buttermilk so I used Kelfir natural and it was delicious
Amy just a quick question….do you have to use buttermilk for this recipe?
Hi Nicki – This recipe has only been tested using buttermilk so I can’t vouch for results using substitutions.
Can you bake them instead of frying
Amy, can this work with an air fryer? My wife just got one for her birthday, I know I am a dollar short and a day late. You don’t need to post this, just an idea, Thanks!
Hi Shawn – unfortunately, these do not work in an air fryer because of the batter. But I did include notes in the recipe card for another option to try.
Thank you for sharing your lovely recipe. The apple fritter rings turned out perfect. Crispy, tender and delicious. Quick and really easy to make. I’ll be making these often. BK
Thank you for printing this recipe. My grandmother used to make these for me when I was very young. (63 years ago) I have been looking for this recipe for years. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I can’t wait to make these for my grandkids.
These were so delicious omg!! I peeled my apples but probably won’t next time.
Addictive! Left over batter can be used with other fruit. I used green grapes.
There’s just two of us so I halved the recipe. Good thing because I’m certain we would have eaten all of them!
As with any deep fried food, they should be eaten immediately for optimal taste and texture. But you *can* refrigerate the cooked fritter rings in a shallow airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 3-5 minutes, wrapped in foil until crispy.
They look so delicious
These were downright delicious.
What if you didn’t want to deep fry but bake how long and temp
I substituted Almond Flour to make it gluten free and less impact for diabetics. They were great!
These were crazy delicious!