Description
Delight in these Baked Apple Fritters featuring a tender crumb infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, studded with juicy apple pieces, and finished with a luscious caramelized apple cider glaze for a perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (6 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
Fruit
- 1 cup peeled and chopped apple (about 1 large apple)
- 1/2 cup peeled and shredded apple (about 1 small apple)
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly spray two mini muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly mixed.
- Cut in butter: Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form, creating a crumbly texture that will give the fritters their tender crumb.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, and vanilla yogurt until smooth and well blended.
- Combine mixtures and fold in apples: Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir until fully combined. Gently fold in the chopped and shredded apples to incorporate fruit throughout.
- Fill muffin cups: Spoon a few teaspoons of batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling them adequately but not to the top to allow room for rising.
- Bake fritters: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the fritters just start to brown and are set.
- Prepare for broiling: Remove the fritters from the oven. Switch the oven setting to the broiler on high. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and transfer the baked fritters onto them.
- Make thin glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of apple cider until the glaze is very thin and pourable.
- Caramelize glaze under broiler: Brush the thin glaze over each fritter, allowing it to drip down the sides. Place the cookie sheets under the broiler and broil for 2 to 4 minutes until the glaze caramelizes the tops, rotating the pans every minute to promote even caramelization. Monitor carefully to avoid burning.
- Make thick glaze: Remove the fritters from the broiler. Whisk the remaining powdered sugar with the rest of the apple cider to create a smooth, thick glaze.
- Apply thick glaze and set: Brush the thick glaze evenly over the caramelized fritters. Let them set on the cookie sheets for about 15 minutes until the glaze hardens.
Notes
- Use cold butter to achieve a crumbly texture for tender fritters.
- Monitor closely when broiling to prevent the glaze from burning.
- Filling the muffin cups adequately but not too full allows for proper rising and texture.
- Using both chopped and shredded apples adds varied texture and moisture to the fritters.
- Let the glaze fully set for best texture and flavor before serving.
