These air fryer apple fritters are truly special. They take only minutes to make, and taste just like traditional apple fritters, except healthier! And the sticky sweet glaze really is the perfect finishing touch.
It's safe to say I am quickly becoming obsessed with air fryer desserts. I shared my cinnamon bites and air fryer Oreos and, since then, I keep tossing around different ideas. And because apple fritters are just delicious, I knew I had to make air fryer apple fritters happen.
My husband claims this is one of his favorite recipes, which is pretty bold. But I can totally see why! Not only are they gluten free, the air frying vs. deep frying makes them a little bit healthier.
These little guys have got the perfect texture, plus the flavors go really, really well together. We've got apples, we've got applesauce (which also acts as an egg substitute), we've got cinnamon, and we've got a classic glaze.
So go ahead, whip up a batch of these fritters on a crisp autumn day and enjoy (ideally with a large cup of coffee)! Good luck having just one though!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Because these taste JUST like traditional apple fritters. Seriously, no one will know they're gluten free AND air fried.
- They come together in no time at all. You don't even need an electric mixer, we're mixing it all up by hand!
- That glaze is everything. Truly. The sweetness from the glaze pairs perfectly with the tartness from the apples.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Gluten free flour: My favorite gluten free flour blend is Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. I use this flour in every recipe unless otherwise noted. If you are using a different blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum. And, if you are not following a gluten free diet, you should be able to substitute AP flour.
- Applesauce: Make sure you're using pure, unsweetened applesauce. We don't want any added ingredients here.
- Milk: You can use any kind of milk you'd like for the fritters and the glaze!
- Apples: I recommend Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples for this recipe, but any type of apple should work just fine.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP ONE: Start by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Give that a quick whisk and set it aside.
STEP TWO: Next, grab a larger bowl and stir the sugar with the melted butter.
STEP THREE: Add in the applesauce, milk, and vanilla and keep stirring.
STEP FOUR: Now add the dry ingredients right into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
STEP FIVE: Fold in your diced apples and, you're ready to get air frying!
STEP SIX: Lightly spray the basket of your air fryer and preheat to 400ºF. Once the air fryer is ready, scoop out about ¼ cup of batter per fritter and arrange in the basket in a single layer. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then transfer to a plate to cool.
STEP SEVEN: While the fritters are cooking, make your glaze. All you have to do here is stir together the powdered sugar and milk until you have a drizzling consistency. For a thinner glaze, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Drizzle the glaze over the fritters while they are still warm. For best results, I recommend enjoying the fritters the day you made them, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Expert Tips
- As always, I highly recommend using a scale to weigh the flour. This will ensure accuracy, as using measuring cups can sometimes inadvertently lead to adding in too much flour. We'll need 222 grams of flour for this recipe.
- You may need to use your hands to press the fritters together as you're forming them and placing them in the basket. The batter will be sticky.
- All air fryers are different. When I preheat mine, I just set it to the desired temperature and set a timer for 2 minutes. This usually warms it up just enough.
- You can either grease your air fryer basket or use air fryer liners.
- Make sure not to overcrowd your air fryer basket! Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches. You want the fritters arranged in a single layer and not piled on top of each other.
- For a smooth glaze, you'll want to sift your powdered sugar. I will be the first to say that I don't think this is always necessary in every recipe but I did find that it works better here.
- And when it comes to glaze, I always recommend adding the milk one tablespoon at a time, so you can really control how thin or thick it gets. If you do accidentally thin it out with too much milk, go ahead and add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
For dairy free apple fritters, you just need to substitute your favorite non-dairy butter and milk. I have successfully substituted oat milk in this recipe.
I recommend storing the fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that, if the fritters are glazed, they will get softer the longer you store them. They're best consumed the day you make them.
Did you try my air fryer apple fritters? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog! And don't forget to subscribe to get new recipes directly in your inbox.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Apple Fritters
Ingredients
Fritters:
- 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (128g) unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk of choice room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large apple peeled and diced
Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk of choice
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- In a separate bowl, mix the sugar with the melted butter. Add the applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract and stir to incorporate.⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (128g) unsweetened applesauce, ¼ cup (60ml) milk of choice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the apples.1 large apple
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Once preheated, arrange mounds of batter, each measuring about ¼ cup, in the basket. Do not overcrowd the fritters. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Glaze while the fritters are still warm.
Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, stir the powdered sugar and milk together. Drizzle a generous amount of glaze over the warm fritters.1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons milk of choice
Notes
- All air fryers are different, but I typically only preheat mine for 2-3 minutes.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may want to work in batches. Just be sure you're not overcrowding the fritters.
Laurin says
Hi! Can these be deep fried or put in the oven instead?
Taleen Benson says
Hi! I'm honestly not sure, as I haven't tested that myself. You may be able to bake these in the oven. Maybe try 350F for 10-12 minutes? Good luck, please let me know how it goes!
Christine says
This looks really good. Please send me the website thank you