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Jump to recipeA Little Disclaimer:
It’s my favorite time of year. Not just because of the flavors (apples, pumpkin, and cinnamon) that abound. It’s the time of year where friends and families gather around to reconnect and share a meal. That said, I will be focusing on food-centric posts until the new year. There’s a new Burger-of-the-Month series (one new burger recipe every month), the Thanksgiving series (one each week, perfect for your Thanksgiving table), and some comfort food to get you through the winter. Now, onto the perfect food to kick off National Apple Month and fall in general… Apple Fritters!
Local Farms = The Apple of my Eye
Another apple season, and another year that I didn’t get to go to pick my own apples. (sad face) Apple picking has been on my list of things-to-do for a while. I just love the whole idea about pick-your-own farms. You get super fresh, local produce while supporting a small, local business and spending time outside.
On top of pick-your-own apples, most pick-your-own places have things like ciders, jams, and apple/pumpkin butter all made from the fruits and veggies grown on the farm. And, while I know apple cider doughnuts are a huge draw for most, I don’t get to try them. (Sad face) BUT, I make my own version of apple fritters and I’m sharing that recipe with you today.
The “Sweet” Memories that Stick With You
Doughnuts were a big part of my childhood. Growing up, my dad was a teacher/football coach, meaning he had the summers off. During the break, we would spend our days at the pool or Mount Vernon and for us, that meant early morning trips to the bakery! There was a bakery called Schuman’s in Alexandria, VA and we had to get there early! This was not an easy task with 2 girls (3 when we included mom) in the house.
With a crunchy crust and fluffy center, cloaked in a slightly hardened glazed, apple fritters were always dad’s pick… and always the 2nd doughnut pick of my sister and I. Obviously, two kids under the age of 10, we went straight for the chocolate glazed or maple, if we got there before they were gone. Hands and faces covered in sticky, sugary glaze made for great mornings. But, getting a bite or two of dad’s “healthy” apple option was always a requirement for me! And, now that I’m officially thirty (yikes), if I could find a vegan doughnut shop nearby, I’d probably pick the apple fritter first!
SIDE NOTE: VEGAN DOUGHNUT SPOTS
When I was living in DC, Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats was my favorite spot for vegan doughnuts! Available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the flavors are constantly changing. And, when visiting my mom in NYC, Dunwell Doughnuts was always a must stop and shop!
But what’s a girl in Cincinnati to do when she’s craving doughnuts but there’s no quick fix around? Make some! I’ve made doughnuts before, they were the classic, risen yeast doughnuts. They were delicious… but it was a 3-hour process so I don’t really get around to making a batch of those as often as a craving hits. I needed a quick fix, and that’s when I decided on fritters. A quick dough mixed with chunks of apple and fried.
These are one of my favorite things to make and share. They come together quickly and make for an amazing breakfast on a cool fall or winter morning when it’s too cold to leave the house for doughnuts! I tend to make a couple of batches at a time and used to take them to the restaurants I worked in or now, I’ll send them into the sheriff’s office. (Cliche, I know!) You don’t need anything special here in the terms of kitchen tools. In fact, you don’t even need a deep fryer. I REPEAT, NO DEEP FRYER NECESSARY!
I use a:
- A large mixing bowl
- A wooden spoon
- An enameled dutch oven for frying. This is the ideal piece of cookware for frying if you don’t have a deep fryer. It evenly distributes heat, has high sides, and a heavy bottom which makes for safer frying.
- A spider basket. This is the perfect tool for removing anything from hot oil. It allows for the food to drip off excess oil before moving it to a cooling rack.
- A big jug of oil. Use peanut, canola, vegetable, or soybean oil for frying. They have a neutral flavor and can be heated to a high temp.
I can’t tell you how happy this recipe makes me. Doughnuts are just a fun memory that I rarely get to partake in anywhere. Though, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rumors I’ve heard about Dunkin Donuts offering vegan doughnut options in the near future are really true!
Final Thoughts…
If doughnuts are vegan, does that make them healthy?
Ingredients
FOR THE FRITTERS
- 2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch chunks
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 TBSP Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 3/4 cup Apple Cider
- 2 TBSP Melted Earth Balance (or butter)
- Egg Replacer equivalent for 2 eggs
- 3 cups Vegetable Oil
FOR THE GLAZE
- 2 cups Confectioners' Sugar
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Instructions
- Spread apple chunks in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat throughly dry with paper towels.
- Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together cider, melted earth balance and egg replacer. Stir apples into the flour mixture, coating all the apples. Stir in the wet mix until incorporated.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Following step 1, use a 2-inch cookie scoop to transfer batter to oil.
- Use the back of a spoon to flatten the fritters slightly while they fry to a deep golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes. Keeping the oil at 350 degrees, repeat with remaining batter.
- Meanwhile, whisk confectioners' sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until smooth. Dunk cooled fritters into glaze, covering the whole thing. Let it drain over the bowl and return to the wire rack to allow excess glaze to drip off.
- Allow the glaze to harden slightly, about 10 minutes.
