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September means apples first, pumpkin later. These shortcut apple fritters bake up flaky and golden—no frying, no fuss. Think cinnamon-sugar Honeycrisps tucked between buttery layers of puff pastry, then finished with a simple vanilla (or vanilla-coffee!) glaze.
They’re quick for a weeknight treat and cute enough for a weekend apple-picking spread. Warm from the oven is best… and they smell like a cider mill.
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I say this every single season, but this is my time of year. These are the days I love so much. It’s funny because I’m in New York this week for multiple events and meetings, but it feels more like summer here. It’s 90 degrees and humid, but I’m still in my fall mode and so happy to be!
With September here, it’s time to focus on our apple recipes! Too many people jump ship and go right to pumpkin everything. But as I say every year, September is for apples, October is the time to break out the pumpkin recipes.
With that in mind, I have so many new apple recipes coming up – both sweet and savory! But per usual I had to share one of my favorites first. These apple fritters are the best treat!
When I set out to make these, I had every intention to make a more traditional fritter, but baked, not fried in hot oil.
I adore a really great apple fritter made with local apples. Especially a New York State Empire apple (perfection). Just like the ones we used to get in western New York when I was little. Those memories inspired me to want to share a baked fritter recipe that would be just as delish.
Unfortunately, the baked fritters I was attempting to make weren’t turning out so great, so I kept thinking. And then while I was hiking I had this idea.
They aren’t classic fritters, but they’re so delicious. And they’re the easiest way I could think of to bake up a delicious apple fritter.
Details
Step 1: layer the pastry
We’re working with puff pastry for these fritters. The idea is to sandwich chopped-up apples between two sheets of puff pastry.
You’ll first want to layer the pastry with butter, apple butter, cinnamon sugar, and then the apples.
Next, roll the pastry up into a log and cut it into cute little rolls. As I type this out, it sounds kind of tricky, but it’s one of the easiest things.
Use the photo as guidance. And what I love about a fritter is that they’re naturally messy. The more not perfect they are, the better!
Don’t stress.
Step 2: flatten the pastries
Now that you have cute little apple rolls, you need to flatten them down so your fritters will be perfectly baked all around.
Use the palm of your hand to flatten each roll down.
Step 3: bake the fritters
Next, bake each fritter inside a paper cupcake liner. I ordered these on Amazon. Of course, you can skip these if you prefer and just bake the fritters directly in a sheet pan.
The liner just helps contain any apples that fall out.
Step 4: the glaze
I kept this glaze simple. These fritters are pretty darn yummy just as they are.
Powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and sea salt. I sometimes add a touch of coffee too, which highlights that delish vanilla flavor.
You can dip or drizzle each fritter in the glaze or just skip the glaze altogether. I do one quick dip and always an extra sea salt sprinkle. Tis so delicious.
FAQ:
Can I skip the cupcake liners?
Yes—bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan and space well. Expect a few caramelized juices; slide a spatula under quickly while warm.
How do I keep the pastry from unrolling?
After slicing, press to flatten and tuck loose ends under. Chilling the log before slicing helps the spirals hold.
My apples were juicy and the bottoms got soggy—help?
Pat diced apples dry and keep to a single, even layer. Bake until bottoms are deep golden and crisp; use the middle rack and preheated pan for extra insurance.
Can I make the glaze ahead?
Yes, whisk and refrigerate in a sealed jar. It will thicken; loosen with a splash of milk and re-whisk before dipping or drizzling.
Looking for other sweet apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters
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 Shortcut Easy 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!
Shortcut Easy Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons apple butter
- 3 cups chopped honeycrisp apples
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 teaspoons instant coffee powder , (optional)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Arrange 12-15 paper cupcake liners on a baking sheet. 2. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl.3. Lay one pastry sheet flat on your counter. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon apple butter, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar. Arrange 1/2 of the apples over the sugar. Place a second sheet of pastry directly over the apples to cover. Gently press down to seal everything inside. Roll the dough into a log, like a cinnamon roll. 4. Cut the log into 6-8 rounds, placing each in the prepared paper cupcake liners. Repeat with the remaining pastry/apples. Use the palm of your hand to smoosh the round down to about 1/2 it's size (see photos). Sprinkle the tops lightly with any remaining cinnamon sugar. 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden brown. 6. To make the glaze, whisk all ingredients in a bowl, adding additional milk as needed to thin. Dip or drizzle the glaze onto the fritters. Eat warm. And enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made these for the 1st time for an easy, light Thanksgiving morning breakfast and they were a huge hit! Will definitely become a holiday season tradition!
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
I have been meaning to try these and so glad I did this weekend. They were easy to make and easy clean up too ( it was easy to use the parchment the dough comes in for easy rolling without a mess) only con is that u bake too long u will have Burnt tops and burnt sugar on the sheet pan..
Hi Malika,
Wonderful!! I am so glad that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a go! Be sure to use the muffin liners to avoid any burning! xx
Made these yesterday. I only had 1 sheet of pastry so I halved the recipe and rolled up like a cinnamon roll. I baked on a sheet pan, only con was the sugar/butter mixture burned so I have burnt Carmel on all my fritters.
Hi Dionne,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe! Sorry to hear you had some burnt caramel, did you use the muffin liners? xx
how you would stored these? room temp or fridge okay?
Hi Caitlin,
These are great to keep in an airtight container on the counter for a couple days and then pop in the fridge if you still have them after 2 days:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
I have made these twice now and they re delish! However I cannot get the middle of them fully cooked, are they supposed to be doughy in the middle? I am at high altitude so that may make a difference?
Hi Kendra! I would bake a little bit longer if they’re still doughy in the middle! xT
Talk about bang for your buck! Easy to put together, look like a show stopper and the taste is just as amazing!!
Thanks so much Mandy! xT
Well this certainly got our guests here at the Inn into the spirit of Autumn! Fabulous recipe and so easy with a look of WoW! Shared the recipe with them; they are hooked.
Thank you Kelly!! Love to hear that! xT
I made these this weekend and we loved them! I try to always keep some puff pastry in the freezer because it’s useful for so many things and this was a simple but delicious breakfast that my family is already asking me to make again. We especially liked that it wasn’t too sweet and as a result we polished them all off 🙂 Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Thank you so so much Anna!! xT
Ideas on how to do this with peach instead of apples?
What do you do with the sea salt?
These were easy and delicious!
Thank you! So glad to hear you’re enjoying this recipe! xT
I made this last night and it was perfect! Rolled up the pastry logs, wrapped in plastic to transport, chilled for about 10 minutes, and they were easy to slice. Used parchment on a baking tray and they did not stick at all. I made half the amount of glaze, and it was plenty for drizzling. I used the coffee powder, and everyone loved that flavor. Could use orange zest for another flavor. This will be a go to dessert!!
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
Can you make these ahead of time? Can I refrigerate before I cook them the night before?
Hi there! Yes, that should work well! xT
So easy!! And delicious! No more donut shop fritters for me, these are much better and with fresh ingredients of my choosing. Thank you!
Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! Hope you enjoyed! xT
Made these tonight and the flavor is absolutely delicious! I gave 4 stars because as easy as this recipe is, it is still a little tricky! I also got confused at first, then reread that it’s 2 batches. The dough has to be the perfect temperature in order to use and roll. I was able to get 16 big rolls, and I used a pan with parchment paper, since I didn’t have cupcake liners. I tested the first batch by laying them on their side. The juice from the apple’s still leaked, but not very visibly and I think the caramelizing of the sugar helped seal it in. They are definitely more brown than expected, but not hard or difficult to eat. The second batch I laid standing up, but when I checked half way through, the juice was all over the parchment, and the pastry looked more undercooked. I put them all on their side into the juice and cooked them a little longer than the first. They came more puffy and golden. Overall great recipe, but will probably try the cupcake version next time. If I use the pan again, I will probably lower the temp and cook longer. Also the glaze is delicious, and I suggest adding the coffee!
Important question though, how many days do these last? And do they need to be refrigerated? Sorry if this was asked already, but I couldn’t find it in the few pages of reviews I checked. It would be great if that information could be added to the recipe! Thank you!!
Hi there! You can refrigerate if you’d like! They also can be left at room temp on the counter. Thank you for your feedback on this recipe! xT
Made these!!! OMG! So easy! So good!!!
Thank you for taking the time to try out this recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT