Introduction

Best Baked Apple Fritters are golden, cinnamon-spiced, apple-packed rings of pure comfort — crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and drizzled with a sweet vanilla glaze that tastes like your favorite donut shop but with half the guilt. These oven-baked beauties deliver all the fried-fritter flavor without the mess, rising tall and gorgeous with chunks of real apple in every bite. Served warm with coffee or milk, this Best Baked Apple Fritters recipe offers a stunning, appetizing aesthetic that instantly turns any morning or afternoon into pure apple-cinnamon bliss.

Why you’ll love this recipe

45 minutes total — baked, not fried.
Real apple flavor — fresh diced apples + cinnamon sugar.
Make-ahead dough — fridge overnight for weekend luxury.
Freezer-friendly — raw or baked up to 3 months.
Endlessly riffable — caramel, maple, or cheddar versions.

Ingredients (12 large or 18 small fritters)

Apple Filling

3 medium apples (Granny Smith + Honeycrisp), peeled & diced small
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

Fritter Dough

2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅔ cup (160 ml) warm milk (105–110 °F)
1 large egg
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze

1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
3–4 tbsp milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Essential Tools and Equipment

Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
Baking sheets + parchment
3-inch round cutter or glass

Step-by-step process

Cook apples — melt butter → add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt → cook 8–10 min until soft and jammy. Cool completely.
Make dough — whisk flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and cinnamon. Add warm milk, egg, butter, vanilla → knead 8–10 min until smooth (stand mixer 6 min).
First rise — cover → rise 60–90 min until doubled.
Roll & fill — roll dough to a ½-inch thick rectangle. Spread cooled apples over half → fold the other half over → seal edges. Cut into 1-inch pieces → gently press together into rough ball (rustic = good).
Shape — flatten balls → cut a hole in the center with a cutter (or pinch). Place on parchment → cover → rise 30–45 min.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190 °C).
Bake 15–18 minutes until deep golden.
Glaze — whisk glaze ingredients → dip warm fritters or drizzle.

Mistakes to avoid

Hot apples — melt the dough; cool completely.
Over-kneading — tough fritters; stop when smooth.
No second rise — flat fritters; 30 min minimum.
Thin glaze — wait 5 min after baking for a thicker coating.
Crowding pan — space 2 inches for even rise.

Variations of the Best Baked Apple Fritters

Caramel Apple — swirl dulce de leche in filling + salted caramel glaze.
Cheddar Apple — fold ½ cup shredded cheddar into the dough.
Maple — maple extract in glaze + candied bacon bits.
Mini — 2-inch cutters → 10–12 min bake.
Gluten-Free — 1:1 GF flour + ½ tsp xanthan gum.

Tips for better storage & make-ahead

Make-ahead — dough after first rise → fridge overnight → shape & bake morning of.
Freezer raw — shape → freeze on tray → bag → bake from frozen +5 min.
Freezer baked — cool → freeze → reheat 350 °F 8–10 min.

Frequently Asked Questions

No yeast? A baking powder version exists, but the texture is different.
Fresh apples only? Yes — canned gets mushy.
Air fryer? 350 °F 10–12 min, flip halfway.
Less sweet? Cut the glaze sugar to 1 cup.
Double batch? Easy — just use two sheets.

Conclusion

Best Baked Apple Fritters are pure fall comfort — each warm, cinnamon-apple-packed bite with that crispy glaze tastes like the ultimate donut-shop cheat day made at home. One bowl turns fresh apples into the most addictive, most requested breakfast treat you’ll ever bake. Keep apples and yeast stocked, and bakery-level fritters are literally 45 minutes away. Whether you’re feeding a crowd, making a weekend special, or proving baked can beat fried, these fritters deliver pure joy and empty plates in perfect harmony. One bite, endless “these are dangerous,” and the quiet thrill of apple fritter mastery.