Golden apple rings, kissed with cinnamon sugar, crisp on the outside and tender within. A fairground-in-October treat with all the cozy magic of fall, ready in under an hour!
It’s official: fall is apple fritter season 🍂🍎
There’s just something about standing over a cast iron pan, the smell of cinnamon sugar wafting through the house, and pulling out golden apple rings that feels like the coziest thing you could possibly be doing with your Saturday afternoon!
It smells like a fairground in October, and it tastes like warm apple pie in handheld format. Full disclosure? Frying stresses me out a little – but every fall, I decide these fritters are worth it. My kids inhale them as fast as I can fry them, and honestly… same!
✨ What makes these so good
Honestly, it shouldn’t be possible for a handful of such simple ingredients to turn into something this delicious. Few things are perfect, but this recipe truly is storybook magic come to life.
- Crisp apples (room temperature – not fridge-cold!)
- Flour, egg, milk, baking powder, salt (for the simple batter – all-purpose flour works best. I prefer whole milk.)
- Sugar, and cinnamon (for the sparkly fall magic!)
- A splash of maple for flavor (honey works in a pinch.)
- Oil for frying (I use a cast iron pan, not a fryer – and it still works perfectly.)
Printable recipe
Cinnamon Sugar Apple Fritters
Ingredients
For frying
- 2 cups vegetable oil
For the cinnamon sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the fritters
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch thick rings)
Instructions
- Prep for frying: Pour 2–3 inches of vegetable oil into a deep cast iron skillet or heavy pot. Slowly heat over medium until it reaches 350–375°F. Line a plate with paper towels. Mix the cinnamon sugar in a shallow bowl.2 cups vegetable oil, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Make batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, maple syrup, egg, and oil. Whisk until smooth and thick.1 ½ cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon oil
- Prep apples: Peel, core, and slice 4 medium apples into ½-inch rings. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.If you struggle with batter grip, you can lightly dust the apple slices with cornstarch.
- Fry: Working one at a time, dip each apple ring into the batter and gently lower into the hot oil. Fry 1–2 minutes per side until golden and puffy.
- Finish: Drain briefly on paper towels, then immediately toss in cinnamon sugar. Set aside on a plate. Continue until all apple rings are fried.
🍂 The fritter tricks you need to know
- Dry your apples: Pat the rings with paper towels before dipping so the batter sticks.
- Cornstarch is magic: A light dusting on the apple rings before battering = way better grip.
- Work one at a time: Coat in batter right before frying — don’t set them down on a plate or it’ll slide off.
- Keep your oil happy: Aim for 350–375°F. If you don’t own a thermometer, test with a drop of batter — it should float and brown quickly.
- Coat while hot: Toss each fritter in cinnamon sugar as soon as you can handle it for maximum sparkle + stick.
🧺 Serving & storing
These fritters are best fresh — hot, crispy, and sugar-dusted. If you need to hold them, keep them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a low oven (200°F). But truthfully? They’ll be gone before you even think about storage.
More fall treats to try
I first shared this recipe in 2014. Updated with better text in 2019, and once again with new text and photos in September 2025. The recipe has always remained the same.
Terry Adams says
Easy and delicious recipe.