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Welcoming Friday and the autumn apples with these Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze. Sweet Honeycrisp apples in a light and airy batter with warming fall spices, fried and coated with a sweet vanilla coffee glaze. If you’re heading out apple picking this fall, make these fritters. They’re easy to make and beyond delicious. Truly the ultimate fall treat.

overhead photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

Before we get into today’s post, I want to take a minute to acknowledge the importance of this date. Nineteen years ago today so many lives were forever changed by terrorist attacks. I know that a lot of memorial events have been canceled this year, but as Alice M. Greenwald, head of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum stated, “This year, its message of hope, endurance, and resilience are more important than ever,”.

So please take a moment to remember all those we lost, to have hope for our future, and to be grateful for all that we have.

Apples…

For me, September is all about the apples. I know many of you are looking for pumpkin recipes right now (which I can see by the number of people making last year’s chocolate chunk pumpkin cookies). But it’s my thinking that we’ve got all of October and November to embrace all things pumpkin, so let’s leave September for the apples.

Enter these fritters. Oh, how I love them. I’ve been wanting to make apple fritters for the longest time and have had this recipe idea in the back of my head all summer long. Everything from the cinnamon spiced fritter to that sweet vanilla coffee glaze. I knew exactly how I wanted to create these, so when it was finally time, I couldn’t have been happier. Sounds dorky, I know, but I really love September apple season.

I’ve made fritters before, but it was many years back. And while the recipe was good, these are better and so much easier. My older recipe uses a yeasted dough. That’s great, but it’s much more time-intensive and will give you a fritter more like a doughnut. These on the other hand are quick and easy, light and airy, and just beyond good.

prep photo of mixing apples into the fritter batter

And the best part…these are so easy!

If you’ve made a basic pancake batter, you can easily make these fritters. The batter is basic – flour, eggs, milk, etc. But then what makes these fritters extra special?

First, the spices. Instead of just a plain fritter, I really wanted these to be warming and smell like our favorite spiced latte or apple cake baking away in the oven. I used a mix cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, which I always find to be the perfect autumn spice blend.

Second, the apples. As you guys have probably noticed, I love using Honeycrisp apples for both cooking and baking. I find them to have the best flavor, the perfect amount of sweetness, and always to be crisp. The other thing I do? I like to leave the skin on my apples. I know this is a little controversial, as some might say the skin adds an odd texture, but I find the skin to be one of the more delicious parts to the apple and never understood why you’d peel it away.

Of course, this is just my personal preference. If you already know you don’t enjoy apple skins in your baked apple treats, just peel them away. The recipe is great either way.

prep photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritter batter

Moving along…

Once the batter is mixed up, simply fry it in oil and you’ll have perfect apple fritters minutes later.

So I usually try to avoid frying at all costs. For instance, I love an “oven fry” when possible. But for a really good autumn apple fritter, you need to break out the oil and do a little fryin’.

Annoying? Yes, for sure.

But, worth it? Yes, for sure. Especially if you’ve just picked up a couple of buckets of fresh apples from your local farm or market.

As the apples are frying, you slowly start to get wafts of cinnamon and sweetness flowing through the air. If fall had a scent, this would be it. It’s delightful.

photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze being drizzle over each fritter

Now on to that glaze…it might just be my favorite.

So, I don’t love a straight powdered sugar glaze. I find it to be pretty bland and really, it’s just too sugary for my taste.

With this glaze, I wanted it to be exciting, but not overpowering. I wanted the flavors within the glaze to help highlight the flavors in the fritters. I’ve always loved anything with autumn spices and a side of coffee, so naturally, I thought the glaze needed to be one flavored with coffee. The perfect fritter pairing, right?

I used my favorite espresso powder, a nice splash of vanilla, and a drizzle of maple syrup, to create a coffee glaze. Not too strong, not too sweet, but just right. Especially when you dunk a warm fritter right into it.

Delicious.

overhead close up photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

So with that, can I encourage you all to go apple picking this weekend? Oddly I’m on Ohio right now for my cousin’s wedding. I’d love to hit up one of the local farms for their fresh from the tree apples. Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll have any time in between wedding festivities, but it would sure be fun!

Any of you who are close to an apple farm…or just have a market close by (so that should be all of us), let’s agree to make these fritters. And if not this weekend, sometime soon. I promise you guys, these are the fall breakfast, afternoon snack, or after-dinner dessert we’re all in need of most this season!

overhead close up photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

My suggestion? Apple picking on Saturday…then Sunday afternoon fritter making…with a side of your favorite latte. Such a perfect way to spend a fall weekend.

See you guys on Sunday for another favorites post.

side angled photo of Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze broken in half

Looking for other sweet apple recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Drizzled Cider Caramel Apples

Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars

Lastly, if you make these Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Spiced Honeycrisp Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 20
Calories Per Serving: 131 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Vanilla Coffee Glaze

Instructions

  • 1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add the eggs, butter, 1/2 cup milk, and maple, and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix the batter. If the the batter feels thick, add 1/4 cup milk to thin. Fold in the apples.
    2. Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop tablespoons size balls of batter into the oil for 4-5 minutes or until golden and crisp on all sides. Remove and drain on a wire rack with paper towels underneath.
    3. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, maple, vanilla, and coffee powder. Add a pinch of flaky seas salt. Drizzle the glaze over the warm fritters. Eat warm. And enjoy.
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Comments

  2. 4 stars
    I made these yesterday afternoon, using gluten-free flour and non-sweetened almond milk. I didn’t peel my apples either as my family practice doc hubs tells us the peel is very healthful to leave on. As mentioned already, they don’t take that long to fry up, so I fried them in batches of 5 so that I could keep a better eye on them. The glaze/sauce smelled divine when they were done. A great scent for Autumn, BTW! We had them for dessert last night and again with our breakfast this morning. Many thanks, Tieghan, for yet one more fantastic recipe!

    Reply

      1. Hi Teaghan! I’m so excited to make these tomorrow for a brunch I’m hosting. Could I substitute buttermilk for the whole milk in the batter? If so, how do I alter the baking powder/soda situation? Thank you!!

        Reply

        1. Hey Katie,
          I’ve only tested this recipe with buttermilk, but if you use the whole milk I would just keep the recipe the same. Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx

          Reply

  6. I am excited to try this recipe. I would like to make them in my air fryer, if possible. I know the flavor is better with fried in oil, but it’s too hot in AZ as yet. So if you could offer time and baking temp for our air fryers, I would be very grateful! Otherwise I will wing it… I so enjoy your recipes! I was introduced to you by Pampered Chef and I bought your recipe book! Love it!

    Reply

    1. Hi Wendy,
      So sorry, but this is not a batter that would work well in the air fryer. Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Made them tonight for my daughter and me. So I halved the recipe. We had enough for the 2 of us . Of course that depends on how many you want to eat! It was difficult to stop eating them but we ran out of fritters, and that was a good thing!
    Followed the recipe, did not peal the apples. Used my deep stock pot or Dutch oven to fry in because it definitely prevents spatters. Heated the oil to 350 degrees and that worked well. Didn’t take very long to fry them up and make the glaze. Yum!

    Reply

  10. Hi Tieghan! Do you think you could bake these, or put them in an air fryer, instead of pan frying them? Thanks so much!

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    Made these using C4C gluten-free flour today. They were fantastic. I cut the recipe in half and still ended up with 16 nice size fritters. I made the glaze, omitting the coffee granules because I was making them for kids. That said, I am sure the coffee granules would elevate the end result!! Easy tasty fall treat for sure.

    Reply

    2. Hi Tieghan!

      I’m so excited to make these!! What kind of oil do you recommend for the frying?

      Ps – I love every single one of your recipes I have made!! So creative and love the look 🙂

      Jacqui

      Reply

    1. Hey Gabi,
      Sure, that would work well, you can also just skip the coffee powder. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

      Reply

  14. I just found this recipe and I am Sooo excited to have everything in the house to make these! My kids will devour them so I’ll have to hide a few extra for my hubby and I to enjoy. Thanks!

    Reply

  15. Hello! Has anyone successfully traded out milk for a non dairy option? These sound delicious and would love to make them!

    Reply

    1. Hey Jessica,
      That would be just fine to do. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

      Reply