Apple Fritter Recipes: 12 Glazed Cinnamon Bakes That Taste Like the Donut Shop, No Deep Fryer Needed

Apple fritter recipes usually mean a pot of hot oil and a messy stovetop, but the flavor everyone loves can come straight out of the oven. That donut-shop mix of cinnamon sugar, tender chunks of apple and a crackly vanilla glaze works just as well in a loaf pan, a muffin tin or a casserole dish. A buttery apple fritter quick bread recently pulled hundreds of reactions on MSN, and it is easy to see why: one slice tastes like a bakery treat with none of the frying. Below are 12 cozy bakes built on that idea, from fritter bread and pull-apart loaves to cinnamon knots, waffles and glazed scones. Each one keeps the same three things that make a fritter special: lots of apple, a swirl of cinnamon and a generous glaze. Pick a firm, tart apple and you are halfway there..

Apple Fritter Recipes Start Here: Glazed Apple Fritter Bread

This is the loaf that started the craze, and it is the easiest of all the apple fritter recipes to master. A tender buttermilk batter is layered with diced apples and a brown sugar cinnamon swirl, then a little more batter and swirl go on top so every slice shows ribbons of spice. Once it cools, a thick vanilla glaze runs down the sides and sets into a sweet, crackly shell. Chef John’s popular version on Allrecipes uses the same layered method, and it keeps well for three days wrapped on the counter..

You will need: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2/3 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 cup milk, 2 apples peeled and diced, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk for the glaze.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. 2. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and toss the diced apples with half of it. 3. Beat butter and white sugar until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla, then stir in flour, baking powder and milk. 4. Spread half the batter in the pan, add half the apples and sugar, then repeat and swirl with a knife. 5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, cool 15 minutes and pour the glaze over the top.

Apple Fritter Sheet Cake for a Crowd

When the loaf is not enough, the same flavor spreads into a 9 by 13 pan and feeds twenty people at a potluck. The cake is soft and buttery, with a thick layer of cinnamon apples baked right into the middle. While it is still warm, you poke shallow holes all over and pour on a vanilla glaze so it soaks in like a tres leches. Every square tastes like the sticky center of a fritter, and it travels well to church suppers and tailgates. It is one of the best apple fritter recipes for feeding a big crowd.

You will need: 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 apples diced, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 by 13 inch pan. 2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then stir in milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. 3. Toss the apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. 4. Spread half the batter in the pan, scatter the apples, then cover with the rest of the batter. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, poke holes and pour the glaze over the warm cake.

Apple Fritter Pull-Apart Bread

Pull-apart bread is the showstopper of the bunch, because everyone gets to tear off their own buttery layer. Squares of soft yeast dough are brushed with butter, dusted with cinnamon sugar and stacked in a loaf pan with little cubes of apple tucked between them. In the oven, the sugar and apple juices melt into a sticky caramel that glues the slices together. A last drizzle of glaze finishes it off. Serve it warm on a weekend morning and watch it disappear layer by layer. Among baked apple fritter recipes, this one gets the most gasps at the table.

You will need: 1 lb pizza dough or homemade sweet yeast dough, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 apples finely diced, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into a 12 by 20 inch rectangle and brush with melted butter. 2. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and apples, then cut into 6 strips and stack them. 3. Cut the stack into 6 pieces and stand them on edge in a greased loaf pan. 4. Let rise 30 minutes, then bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes, turn out and drizzle with vanilla glaze.

Crumb Bars With a Brown Butter Glaze

Bars are the lunchbox friendly answer to a fritter craving. A thick, cake-like base gets a layer of cinnamon apples and a crumbly brown sugar topping, so each square has a soft middle and crisp edges. The secret is a brown butter glaze: melt the butter until it smells nutty, then whisk in powdered sugar and a splash of milk. It sets with a toffee-like flavor that tastes surprisingly close to a bakery fritter. Cut them small, because people always come back for seconds. Bars are also the easiest apple fritter recipes to pack and share.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 cups diced apples, 4 tablespoons butter browned, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment. 2. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then stir in butter, eggs and vanilla. 3. Fold in the apples and spread the batter in the pan. 4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden and set in the middle. 5. Whisk the browned butter, powdered sugar and milk, pour over the warm bars and cut once cool.

Apple Fritter Recipes for the Muffin Tin

These muffins pack a whole fritter into a portable breakfast. A cinnamon apple batter goes into the tin, a spoonful of brown sugar swirl goes on top, and a quick twist with a toothpick marbles it through. They bake up tall with a crackly sugar crust, and a thin glaze brushed on while they are warm sets like the shell on a glazed donut. Make a batch on Sunday and freeze half; they reheat in twenty seconds in the microwave and taste freshly baked. Kids often rank these first among all the apple fritter recipes here.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup oil, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups diced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a 12 cup muffin tin. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in milk, oil and egg just until combined. 3. Fold in the apples and fill the cups three quarters full. 4. Top each with brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and swirl with a toothpick. 5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, then brush with glaze while warm.

Air Fryer Apple Fritter Bites (No Deep Frying)

If you miss the craggy, crispy edges of a real fritter, the air fryer gets you surprisingly close with no pot of oil at all. A thick batter loaded with diced apple is scooped into small mounds on parchment and cooked until golden and crisp outside, soft and steamy inside. A dunk in thin vanilla glaze while they are hot gives that shiny, crackly coating. Of all the apple fritter recipes here, these are the quickest, ready in about twenty minutes from start to finish.

You will need: 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 1/2 cups finely diced apple, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in milk, egg and butter to make a thick batter. 2. Fold in the apple. 3. Line the air fryer basket with parchment and scoop tablespoon mounds, leaving space between them. 4. Air fry at 370 F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden. 5. Dip the warm bites in the glaze and let them set on a rack.

Glazed Cinnamon Knots With Chopped Apple

Cinnamon knots look like they came from a fancy bakery, but they are just strips of soft dough twisted with a filling of butter, cinnamon sugar and finely chopped apple. As they bake, the apple juices and sugar bubble up into the twists and turn into a sticky, golden glaze of their own. Brush them with a thin vanilla glaze while warm and every knot gets those shiny, crackly ridges that make a fritter so irresistible. They are lovely for a holiday brunch and they freeze well, too. They prove apple fritter recipes can look elegant, too.

You will need: 1 lb sweet yeast dough or pizza dough, 4 tablespoons soft butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 apple very finely chopped, 1 egg beaten, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into a 12 by 16 inch rectangle and spread with soft butter. 2. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped apple, then fold the dough in half. 3. Cut into 12 strips, twist each strip and tie it into a loose knot. 4. Place in a greased muffin tin or on a lined sheet, let rise 30 minutes and brush with egg. 5. Bake at 375 F for 18 to 22 minutes and brush with vanilla glaze while warm.

Crumb Coffee Cake With a Hidden Apple Layer

Coffee cake and fritters share the same soul: butter, cinnamon and a little crunch. This version layers a sour cream cake with spiced apples and a thick crumb topping, then finishes with a light glaze so it eats like the two treats rolled into one. Sour cream keeps the crumb moist for days, so it is perfect to bake the night before guests arrive. For more cozy orchard flavors, try our apple cider bakes, which pair beautifully with a mug of hot coffee on a cool morning.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 apples diced, 1 cup flour plus 1/2 cup brown sugar and 6 tablespoons butter for the crumb, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 inch square pan. 2. Beat butter and sugar, add eggs, sour cream and vanilla, then fold in flour, baking powder and soda. 3. Rub the crumb ingredients together with your fingers until clumpy. 4. Spread half the batter, add the apples, then the remaining batter and the crumb. 5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, cool and drizzle with glaze.

Apple Fritter Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls get the fritter treatment with a filling of cooked apples, brown sugar and butter rolled into every spiral. Sauteing the apples first keeps the dough from getting soggy and gives the filling a jammy, caramel flavor. Once baked, the rolls are swirled with a thick vanilla icing that melts into the cracks. Make the dough the night before and let the rolls rise slowly in the fridge, so all you have to do in the morning is bake them while the coffee brews. Holiday guests always ask for these apple fritter recipes first.

You will need: 1 batch sweet roll dough or 2 lb frozen bread dough thawed, 2 apples diced, 2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons soft butter, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Cook the apples in 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup brown sugar for 5 minutes, then cool. 2. Roll the dough into a large rectangle and spread with soft butter, the rest of the brown sugar and cinnamon. 3. Scatter the apples, roll up tightly and cut into 12 rolls. 4. Let rise until puffy, then bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. 5. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla and spread over the warm rolls.

Brunch Apple Fritter Recipes: Glazed Waffles

Waffles may be the smartest way to get fritter flavor on a busy morning. A cinnamon batter is folded with finely diced apple and cooked in a hot waffle iron, which caramelizes the sugar in every little square. Instead of syrup, you spoon a thin vanilla glaze over the top while they are hot, so it pools in the pockets just like the glaze on a real fritter. Add a few sauteed apple slices on the side and brunch feels like a trip to the bakery. Few apple fritter recipes come together this fast on a weekday.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 3/4 cups milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup finely diced apple, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Preheat the waffle iron. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in milk, eggs and butter. 3. Fold in the diced apple. 4. Cook the waffles until deep golden, about 4 to 5 minutes each. 5. Whisk the glaze and spoon it over the hot waffles.

Glazed Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a clever way to rescue day-old loaves, and with apples and cinnamon it tastes like a warm fritter in a dish. Cubes of brioche or leftover fritter bread soak overnight in a vanilla custard, then bake with sauteed apples until puffy and golden on top. A pour of warm vanilla glaze or caramel sauce over each serving brings back that donut-shop sweetness. It is one of those apple fritter recipes that works as both a holiday brunch and an easy dinner party dessert.

You will need: 8 cups cubed day-old brioche or challah, 3 apples diced, 2 tablespoons butter, 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Cook the apples in butter for 5 minutes until just soft. 2. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. 3. Toss the bread and apples in a greased 9 by 13 inch dish and pour the custard over. 4. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. 5. Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes and drizzle with glaze.

Apple Fritter Recipes for Teatime: Glazed Scones

Scones are tender, flaky and quick, which makes them a perfect vehicle for apple and cinnamon. Cold butter is grated into the flour so the scones rise in buttery layers, and small apple cubes keep them moist. Shape the dough into a round, cut it into wedges and bake until the tops are golden. A thick glaze spooned over each wedge drips down the sides like the coating on a fritter. Serve them with tea in the afternoon or wrap them for a fall picnic. They round out these apple fritter recipes with a little teatime charm.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup cold butter grated, 1/2 cup cream, 1 egg, 1 cup finely diced apple, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet. 2. Mix the dry ingredients and rub in the grated butter. 3. Stir in cream, egg and apple until the dough just comes together. 4. Pat into an 8 inch round, cut into 8 wedges and bake 18 to 20 minutes. 5. Cool slightly and spoon glaze over each scone.