These gluten free apple fritters are the most perfect fall treat! One of my favorite fall outings is apple picking and these are amazing to make with your leftover apples. These apple fritters are lightly pan-fried and drizzled with a 3-ingredient vanilla date-based icing. The ingredients in these are also much cleaner than your typical deep-fried apple fritter, without sacrificing the apple cinnamon flavor! These gluten free apple fritters are also easily made vegan as well. Get ready for your kitchen to smell amazing!
Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Apple Fritters
They are the perfect fall treat!
These apple fritters are so flavorful and delicious!
They are made with a 3-ingredient homemade icing.
These apple fritters are perfect for dessert or a sweet breakfast or snack.
They are gluten free and can easily be vegan as well!
These apple fritters come together in under 30 minutes.
The 3-ingredient icing takes 2 minutes to make!
These apple fritters make your kitchen smell amazing!
They are kid-friendly.
Equipment Needed
To make these apple fritters, all you need is a bowl, a pan, a spoon and a high-speed blender. My favorite pans for this are my Caraway pans because they are non-toxic but also non-stick. If you use my link you can get 10% off!
Ingredients
Gluten Free Flour: My favorite flour to use is Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour, but you can use any 1:1 gluten free baking flour. I love ordering staples like this from Thrive Market because they have great prices and they deliver right to your doorstep. If you use my link, you can get 40% off your first order.
Baking Powder: Baking powder helps inflate these apple fritters!
Salt: My favorite salt is Redmond’s Real Salt because it is high-quality and made with zero fillers. If you use my discount code LESSWITHLAUR you can get 15% off their website.
Spices: Feel free to use cinnamon here for a traditional flavor! If you have issues with histamine, I recommend substituting with cardamom, as it is lower histamine than cinnamon, but still provides a fun fall flavor.
Coconut Sugar: I love using coconut sugar because it has a lower glycemic index, but feel free to use regular sugar instead.
Milk: I am dairy free, so I used almond milk here, but feel free to use regular milk instead. You will need milk for both the fritters and the icing.
Vanilla: I love the flavor that vanilla extract gives to this recipe and the icing! You will need vanilla extract for both the fritters and the icing.
Apple: My favorite kind of apples are honey crisp, so that’s what I used. Feel free to use any kind you would like! It can be fun to experiment with different flavors and varieties, such as trying out Granny Smith, Gala or Red Delicious.
Binder: If you are able to tolerate eggs, feel free to use 1 egg here. If not, use applesauce. I used applesauce in my recipe because I am egg free. I have not tried any other egg substitutes in this recipe, but feel free to experiment here.
Avocado Oil: I used this to cook the apple fritters, but feel free to use any oil with a high smoke point.
Dates: These are used to sweeten the icing naturally. I love using dates in my baking because they are an incredible natural sweetener.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and coconut sugar to a bowl.
Step 2: Add in milk, vanilla and egg or applesauce. Fold in apples.
Step 3: Form batter into small fritters and place in pan generously coated with avocado oil.
Step 4: Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until crispy on the outside.
Step 5: While the fritters are cooking, make the icing by combining dates, vanilla and milk in a blender.
Step 6: Drizzle the icing over the apple fritters and enjoy!
Storage
These are best served immediately to retain their crispiness! I do not recommend making these ahead of time, if possible. If there are leftovers, feel free to store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat them in a skillet for best texture and taste!
Recipe FAQ
What is the best way to cook these?
Make sure you have plenty of oil in the pan and heat up the pan first! Making the fritters smaller can also make them easier to flip and handle.
How small should you chop the apples?
I would recommend chopping the apples into 1/4 cubes.
Why are my apple fritters soggy?
One reason your apple fritters might be soggy is that you did not cook them long enough. You want to cook these apple fritters until the outsides are crispy and golden. If you are concerned that your apples are too juicy, you can also use a paper towel to soak up some of the moisture from the apples before placing them in the batter. Adding a pinch of baking soda to the batter can also help to achieve crispier apple fritters!
Should the batter be thick?
Yes! You want a thicker batter for these apple fritters. If the batter is too thin, add more flour.
Is an apple fritter the same as a donut?
Donuts are typically made from a yeast risen dough whereas fritters usually contain baking powder to make them rise. Fritters fall into their own category of dessert where the dough is mixed with the fillings before being cooked. When it comes to donuts, they may be cooked and stuffed with filling later on.
Are traditional apple fritters fried?
Traditional apple fritters, such as ones from McDonald’s or Krispy Kreme, are typically deep fried. These gluten free apple fritters are lightly pan-fried, reducing the amount of oil being used and creating a healthier option!
Related Recipes
Be sure to try these gluten free dessert recipes next:
If you make this gluten free apple fritter recipe, I would really appreciate a review! I also love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram or Tik Tok.
Gluten Free Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Dash salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon or cardamom
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (feel free to use dairy-free milk here)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 honeycrisp apple (or apple of your choice), chopped
- 1 egg or 1/3 cup applesauce
- avocado oil
Icing
- 1/4 cup milk (feel free to use dairy-free milk here)
- 4 dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and coconut sugar to a bowl.
- Add in milk, vanilla and egg or applesauce and fold in apples.
- Form batter into small fritters and place in pan generously coated with oil.
- Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until crispy on the outside.
- While the fritters are cooking, make the icing by combining dates, vanilla and milk in a blender.
- Drizzle icing over apple fritters and enjoy!
These are super yum! I’ve made them twice now & my whole family loves them!! I used maple sugar & coconut sugar & both turned out great!