If you are gluten free you will love these gluten free apple fritters! Fresh apples, gluten free flour blend, cinnamon, and more come together in a super easy apple fritters recipe.
Each sweet bite is full of apple cinnamon flavors! They cook in just minutes in your air fryer. (I also include frying directions for those who don't have an air fryer!)
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This gluten free apple fritter batter is easy to whip up. It will give you that light and fluffy texture of a fritter you would like. These air fryer apple fritters taste amazing being served fresh and warm.
I tried to modify an old recipe of my grandmother's...my version isn't quite the same but I used her process. This is an old-fashioned apple fritter recipe. The only difference is I adapted it to be gluten free. This made it perfect for our family and allowed for that classic flavor we all know and love.
If you love apples as much as we do, check out all of my incredible Gluten Free Apple Recipes!
Why this recipe is great:
One of the things I love most about this gluten free apple fritters recipe is how adaptable it is. You can make in in a traditional way by frying them in a light oil or make them low-fat by cooking them in your air fryer.
You can also use or add different fruits like peaches or blueberries for even more flavor. If you air fry them, they will be a lot healthier than if you deep fry them, but again...you have options! If you love having healthier options, you will want to try my Paleo Apple Cinnamon Donuts recipe too!
I made my apple fritters in my Air Fryer in order to cut down on calories and fat. You can easily fry these fritters and I include directions down below. Many often ask which air fryer I use, right now I primarily use my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. If I need a larger basket area for a recipe, I use my Corsori Air Fryer.
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Apples - The best apples to make these gluten free fritters are the more sweet tart apples like Granny Smith, Fuji, and Pink Lady. Peeling the apples is optional.
- Sugar - Feel free to use plain sugar like I did, or use brown sugar.
Recipe step by step directions:
Gather your ingredients and preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 375º F. Keep the air fryer closed after preheating to keep the heat in.
Step 1: Add the dry apple fritter ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: Melt your butter so it is warm, not hot, and add the other wet ingredients. Whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add your apple chunks.
Step 4: Mix the wet and dry ingredients into a batter.
HINT: Do not overmix your dough or your fritters will turn out denser.
Step 5: Spray a piece of parchment paper with a coconut oil spray. Use a cookie scoop to drop balls of apple fritter dough onto the piece of parchment paper. If you are frying, see below for the oil frying directions.
Step 6: Take a pair of scissors and cut around each fritter. You want to do this so that air can circulate all around each fritter. They will fry more evenly this way.
Step 7: Place the fritters into your air fryer basket. My air fryer has two sections so I can fry 6 at a time with the two baskets. Spray the tops of the fritters with the same coconut oil spray.
Step 8: Air fry the fritters at 375º F for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and look to see if they are done. They should look golden on the outsides. (These will take between 10-12 minutes to cook. This time greatly depends on how large your fritters are.)
Step 8: Add the glaze ingredients to a bowl.
Step 9: Mix well. You want your glaze to be a bit runny. Put your fritters on a wire rack and drizzle each with the glaze. Allow the glaze to dry and enjoy!
HINT: I drizzle the glaze while my fritters are still hot. This helps the glaze coat the fritters more evenly.
I love sweet fruity fritters, but I also recommend you try my Gluten Free Delicata Squash Cheddar Fritters recipe for something savory!
Oil frying directions:
- To fry these gluten free apple fritters in oil, heat a light oil in a Dutch oven. Be sure to use an oil that tolerates high heat like canola, coconut, or avocado oil.
- Follow all of the steps to make the apple fritter dough.
- When the oil is 165º F, drop spoon fulls of the batter into the hot oil. Fry on each side for 2 minutes. Remove when the fritters are golden all around and place them on a paper towel to absorb oil.
- Follow the same directions to make the icing and drizzle over the fritters.
Tips and Recipe Q&A:
If you are trying to cut some of the calories out from frying, I personally recommend using the air fryer. This is going to give you the texture of fried but without the oil and the calories.
You can use any baking apple. You want a firmer apple so when you cook it up, that it holds up and doesn't get too mushy. Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Courtland, and more are great options.
You don't have to but it does make it taste better. A little drizzle helps add the perfect amount of sweetness to these fritters. But, if you are not a fan just leave it off.
Sure, you are welcome to make it a different flavor of fruits. Cherries, blueberries, or even strawberries could be a great swap in the recipe.
I find with the fresh apples in this recipe it is best to be stored in the fridge. It will help prolong the shelf life of these fritters. You can eat them cold or toss them in the microwave for a quick reheat for a fresh out of the oven taste.
You can also freeze leftover fritters if you would like. This is a great way to meal prep down the line. I just recommend leaving off the powdered sugar glaze so it doesn't soften up the fritters.
More gluten free apple recipes to try:
- Gluten Free Apple Bundt Cake
- Easy Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Fool-Proof Gluten Free Apple Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Recipe
Gluten Free Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour * see note
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder *I prefer aluminum free
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup apples peeled and chopped
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375º F for 5 minutes. Leave it closed so it stays warm.
- Add the dry apple fritter ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
- Melt your butter so it is warm, not hot, and add the other wet ingredients. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add your apple chunks.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients into a batter. HINT: Do not overmix your dough or your fritters will turn out denser.
- Spray a piece of parchment paper with a coconut oil spray. Use a cookie scoop to drop balls of apple fritter dough onto the piece of parchment paper. If you are frying, see below for the oil frying directions.
- Take a pair of scissors and cut around each fritter. You want to do this so that air can circulate all around each fritter. They will fry more evenly this way.
- Place the fritters into your air fryer basket. My air fryer has two sections so I can fry 6 at a time with the two baskets. Spray the tops of the fritters with the same coconut oil spray.
- Air fry the fritters at 375º F for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and look to see if they are done. They should look golden on the outsides. (These will take between 10-12 minutes to cook. This time greatly depends on how large your fritters are.)
- Add the glaze ingredients to a bowl.Mix well. You want your glaze to be a bit runny. Put your fritters on a wire rack and drizzle each with the glaze. Allow the glaze to dry and enjoy!
- See notes for air frying directions.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These fritters will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
- I made my fritters in my Air Fryer in order to cut down on calories and fat. You can easily fry these fritters and I include directions down below. Many often ask which air fryer I use, right now I primarily use my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. If I need a larger basket area for a recipe, I use my Corsori Air Fryer.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Elayne
Can I use egg replacer in this recipe? I don't eat eggs.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Elayne, I haven't tested any egg replacer, but as I mentioned in your other question on my cookie recipe, I would recommend Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer.
Rebecca
Can these be baked? I don't have an air fryer, and don't want the extra calories and fat oil frying would add.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Rebecca, they can be baked, but they won't have that fried outside crisp. It would probably be more donut like.
Stephanie Marko
So delish! I made in my Ninja Foodi this morning. I used Melt dairy free butter and oat milk in the icing and they were a hit!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Stephanie. Thank you for letting us know what dairy-free butter you used!
Linda
Would love to try this recipe. I don't see instructions for frying.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Linda, Frying instructions are in the post. if you go to the table of contents at the top, you can click on Oil Frying, you will be taken to the directions.
Sabine
The first cool, rainy day of the summer, so it was a perfect day to try this recipe. It is very easy to work with thanks to the terrific instructions. My fritters turned out a bit more with a bisquit texture. In saying that 10 minutes may have been a bit long in my air fryer as they were ‘very’ golden. Next time I will try less time. The fritters were still very tasty and I really loved the icing!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Sabine, It may be the air fry time needs to be different. It will vary by the size of the fritters everyone is making. Did you spray the tops of each dough ball with oil?