Gluten-Free Apple Fritters Recipe (2024)

  • Apple
  • Gluten-free Desserts
  • Frying
  • Desserts
  • Doughnuts

By

Elizabeth Barbone

Gluten-Free Apple Fritters Recipe (1)

Elizabeth Barbone

Elizabeth Barbone develops delicious and creative recipes for the food allergic and gluten-free communities through her site Gluten-Free Baking. Author of three cookbooks: Easy Gluten-Free Baking (2009), How to Cook Gluten-Free (2012), and The World's Easiest Paleo Baking (2016).

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Updated May 07, 2020

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Gluten-Free Apple Fritters Recipe (2)

Apple fritters should not be jelly doughnuts in which the jam is merely replaced with an apple filling. No, an apple fritter is a nubby affair with crisp bits of chopped apples scattered throughout and just the slightest hint of confectioner's glaze. Gluten-free fritters can be tough to make, but as it turns out, size matters. Our small fritters come out with the ideal ratio of crisp fried exterior to apple-packed crumb.

Why this recipe works:

  • Apples are lightly cooked before being added to the dough. This cooks them just enough so that when the doughnuts are quick-fried, they aren't too crunchy or too soft.
  • Leavened with yeast, the fritter dough is chewy, something you don't always get in gluten-free baked goods.
  • A small amount of dough is dropped into the hot oil. This ensures that the fritters cook all the way through and aren't raw in the center, a problem with larger fritters.

Notes: Chebe mix, which contains modified manioc starch, adds important elasticity to this recipe. It can be ordered online

How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Fritters

Recipe Details

Gluten-Free Apple Fritters Recipe

ActiveAbout 2 hrs

Total0 mins

Serves24 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Dough
  • 1 (7.5 ounce) box Chebe original cheese bread mix (see note)
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) sweet rice flour
  • 1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup water, warm
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup milk, warm
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Oil or nonstick cooking spray for greasing the bowl
  • For the Apples
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 3 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 3 1/2 cups total) (Granny Smith work best)
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
  • For Frying
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • For the Glaze
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 4 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. For the Dough: In large bowl, whisk together Chebe mix, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In small bowl, whisk together warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar until sugar dissolves. Add yeast. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Set aside until doubled in size, about five minutes. (If yeast doesn’t bubble and double in size, it means the yeast is dead. Discard it and start with a new packet of yeast.)

  3. Add warm milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixturere. Pour milk-yeast mixture over the whisked dry ingredients. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until a stiff dough ball forms. Generously flour your countertop and turn sticky dough out onto counter. Dust dough with white rice flour and knead dough until smooth, about one minute. Lightly oil a medium bowl. Place dough in oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to double in size, about 2 hours.

  4. For the Apples: In large cast iron or stainless steel skillet, combine butter and dark brown sugar. Melt butter and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add apples and stir to combine. Cook until apples darken slightly and just begin to soften. In a small bowl, whisk together cider and cornstarch. Pour cider over the apples. Stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thick, about 3 minutes. Transfer apples to a bowl and allow to cool.

  5. When dough doubles in size, punch down or stir with a rice floured wooden spoon. Stir in cooled apple mixture. Cover and allow to rise until dough almost doubles in size, about 1 hour.

  6. To Fry: Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or wok to 350°F. Adjust flame during cooking to maintain temperature. Using two spoons, carefully drop balls of dough about 2 tablespoons each into the oil. Cook until edges turn golden brown. Turn and repeat. Using a wire skimmer, remove fritters from hot oil. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is fried.

  7. Prepare the glaze: whisk together confectioner’s sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wire rack over the baking sheet. One by one, dip the fritters into the glaze. Shake excess glaze off and place fritters on wire rack.

  8. Fritters are best served the day they are made but may be held overnight. Store leftover fritters on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.

Special equipment

12-inch cast iron skillet

This Recipe Appears In

  • How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Fritters
Gluten-Free Apple Fritters Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my apple fritters falling apart? ›

Sprinkle it with more flour on top and use your hands to squeeze and pat into a patty. All the extra flour is really important because it will help bind and seal the fritter so it doesn't fall apart when frying.

Why are my apple fritters not crispy? ›

Best tips for apple fritters:

Use two spoons to drop the batter into the oil and spread gently. If you drop a scoop of batter into the oil, the outside will be crispy and the center will be raw. To make them really crispy, I prefer to fry them until they are dark brown not just golden brown.

How can I thicken my fritter batter? ›

Adding flour to a wetter batter will give you the thick consistency you want. Add crumbled stock cubes for a flavourful kick! Add as little or as much as you like (or none at all), depending on the flavour you want.

Why are my fritters soggy in the middle? ›

The most common causes for soggy fritters are too much batter (basic flour and egg batter like used in pancakes will never cook up crispy), and whatever you're frittering leeches too much water when cooking.

How do you keep fritters from falling apart? ›

Get the skillet searing hot.

A hot skillet will start cooking the fritters as soon as they hit the pan. That helps sear a crust on each fritter that will hold them together. A pan that's too cool will create a lackluster crust that could result in a floppy fritter if you're not careful.

Should fritter batter be thick? ›

You want a thick batter for these fritters. If you find it's a little too thin simply add in some more flour. If the batters too thick (can still see flour etc), add a dash of milk. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape on a tablespoon without pouring off everywhere.

Does baking soda make fritters crispy? ›

Is baking soda or powder best for frying? A pinch of baking soda can help produce crispy fried foods. It reacts with the acid in the batter to create carbon dioxide bubbles. These lead to an airy batter and a crisper, fluffier result.

Can you shallow fry fritters? ›

While baking the fritters may seem like a more wholesome choice, I encourage you to fry them. Frying ensures you'll get that extra-crispy exterior, which is the sign of a great fritter. Plus, these are shallow-fried, rather than deep-fried, in just a couple of tablespoons of oil.

What is used to coat fruit for fritters? ›

Batter is a simple mixture of flour and water is used to make crepes and pancakes. It is also used to coat fruit for fritters.

What is the purpose of the egg in fritters? ›

Alternatively, don't use them at all. The eggs are there with the flour to bind the fritters together, and to make the fritters rise a little, but they're not absolutely necessary where cheese will melt and act as binding.

Why are my apple fritters greasy? ›

The oil temperature is important!

I like to cook my Bourbon Apple Fritters at about 350°. If the oil is too hot, the outside will burn and the inside will be under-cooked. If the oil is not hot enough, the fritters will absorb a lot of oil and will be greasy.

How do you keep fritters crispy? ›

Keep the food warm in the oven.

If you're not serving fried food immediately, you'll need to keep it warm to prevent it from getting cold and losing crispiness. One way to do this is to place the fried food on a wire rack in the oven at a low temperature, around 200°F to 250°F.

What can I use to bind fritters instead of egg? ›

Some common egg substitutes include:
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

Why are my Doughnuts falling apart? ›

If the donut collapses when touched, it is overproofed. Frying -- Proper temperature of the shortening is 375° F (190.5° C). Allow donuts to dry off at least five minutes before frying. Let the underside attain a golden brown color (55 to 60 seconds) then turn and finish the second side.

What consistency should fritters be? ›

As batters go, fritter batter is far to the simplistic side of the spectrum: merely 1 part flour, 1/2 part milk, and 1/2 part egg, mixing up to a relatively thick consistency.

Why are my fritters tough? ›

Overmixing can cause the fritter to be gummy and tough. Only mix as much as you need to. I recommend skipping a mixer and doing this by hand to avoid overmixing. Use a cookie scoop.

Why are some apples crumbly? ›

Why do some apples become dry and mealy? When apple cells age, their cytoplasm and vacuoles lose moisture over time and can no longer reinforce the rigid cell wall. As a result, the cells become deflated and flimsy. The middle lamella that once held cells together also weakens over time.

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