Apple Fritters Recipe – Cinnamon Sugar Cider Batter Rings

Difficulty:

2/5

Serves:

6 PEOPLE

Prep Time:

20 minutes

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Apple Fritters Recipe

Apple Fritters transforms Honeycrisp apple rings into shatteringly crisp golden rings through rice flour-cider batter fried 375°F then immediately dusted cinnamon sugar — state fair perfection served hot with melting vanilla ice cream. From A IS FOR APPLE “Apple and Anchovies,” hosted by Lauren Gulyas, these 6 dramatic rings showcase bubbly 6% apple cider creating lacy tempura-style crust while >¼-inch thickness prevents soggy cores.

The Inspiration

From county fair deep fryers to German apfelküchle evolution, apple fritters endure through batter geometry — here, pancake-thin consistency prevents doughnut density while single-finger buoyancy technique ensures flat frying position. Gulyas emphasizes no-more-than-2-at-a-time rule (temperature stability), immediate sugar coating (sticky melt), and vanilla ice cream service (temperature contrast). Episode’s apple-anchovy theme finds sweet counterpoint; 6 fritters serve intimately or stack for sharing. Recipe scales perfectly — double batter for 12 rings, pear variation maintains crispness.

Ingredients

2 large honey crisp apples
2 tablespoons (30ml) white sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cinnamon
1 cup (250ml) all-purpose flour for dredging
Vegetable oil for frying approximately 4 cups (1liter)
Vanilla ice cream

Batter

1 cup (250ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125ml) rice flour
1 teaspoon (5ml) baking powder
1 ¼ cup (310ml) bubbly apple cider (6%)

Method

Peel the apples and using an apple corer remove the core.
Cut rounds of apple a little thicker than a ¼ inch (.25cm). Place in a bowl. You should have 6 rings.
In a separate bowl sift the flour, rice flour and baking powder.
Add the apple cider to make a slightly thin pancake batter.
Preheat vegetable oil to 375F (190°C).
Mix the white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Place the 1 cup (250ml) flour in a bowl large enough to dip an apple ring in.
Place apple ring in flour and toss to coat and shake off excess.
Dip into batter holding the ring in the center and coat. Shake off any extra batter.
Place in oil slowly so it floats holding it with your finger. Let go when half of the fritter has buoyancy.
Cook until one side is golden brown and crispy.
Flip and repeat for the other side.
Remove from oil using a spider or slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined tray to drain.
Immediately sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture while hot so the sugar will stick.
Continue cooking apples no more than 2 at a time.
Serve hot with vanilla ice cream

Serving Suggestions

Stack Apple Fritters towering with vanilla ice cream cascade filling ring centers, drizzling salted caramel for decadence escalation, or serve canal-style single fritters afloat bourbon ice cream lake — episode’s apple-anchovy theme begs salted anchovy toffee alongside providing umami shock while cider caramel sauce doubles deliciously. Brunch towers feature whipped mascarpone cloud; fall festivals convert to paper boat service. Pair crisp Chenin Blanc cutting oil or milk stout embracing malts; deconstruct into sundae where chopped fritters layer with apple butter and candied pecans. County fair replication uses candy thermometer precision; freezer storage maintains crispness vacuum-sealed.

Final Thoughts

Apple Fritters recipe from A IS FOR APPLE “Apple and Anchovies,” hosted by Lauren Gulyas, transforms Honeycrisp apple corer rings into 6 shatteringly crisp carnival masterpieces battered in bubbly apple cider-rice flour tempura fried 375 yielding lacy golden lattice around tender fruit cores then immediately coated cinnamon sugar served under vanilla ice cream melt — flour dredge adhesion and finger-buoyancy frying guarantee perfect flat crispness serving intimately or shared festival-style. Slightly >¼-inch thickness prevents sogginess while state fair technique scales effortlessly from kitchen treat to county fair replication with salted caramel providing essential decadence balance.

Find more recipes from A is for Apple here!