These gluten-free apple fritters taste and feel exactly like the classic done shot treat you’ve been missing. Don’t let the homemade goodness fool you, though – they’re ready to enjoy in less then 45 minutes, start to finish, and as simple as mix, scoop, and drop. No rising, no yeast, no donut experience required. It’s that easy and I’ll show you how.

Gluten free apple fritter covered in glaze sitting on a drying rack.
If you thought making apple fritters gluten free would be too complicated, this recipe changes all that. Simple ingredients, process, and ready to enjoy in less than 1 hour.

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Easiest Gluten-Free Apple Fritter Recipe, Seriously.

Making a legitimately good gluten-free apple fritters recipe was on that list of how-could-it-possibly-be-done-as-good? To be honest, though, after knocking these doughy soft gluten-free cinnamon rolls out of the park, I was kind of feeling like a baddie and thought, why not?

Man, did I do one helluva of a happy dance when I discovered not only do these homemade apple fritters taste just as good as I remember them, but they were actually ridiculously easy to boot. The batter is similarly as easy as gluten-free apple streusel bread, just dump the ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand.

While some GF fritters require a rise (or even two), rolling out the dough and shaping, I found these extra steps only added complexity to the process, but didn’t make a better donut in the end. So why bother? Let’s take the win.

The only extra step I did keep is sautéing the apples before mixing them into the batter. Since apple donuts have a short cook time, adding fresh apples to the dough didn’t have time to soften. It’s also a good excuse to add more goodness to the recipe, like butter and brown sugar!

OMG, the original fritters isn’t this good. These fritters are hitting all the marks; light, airy and soft on the inside and crispy texture on the outside. This is a absolute magical gluten free recipe and so easy. 

—Cheryl

Ingredient Tid Bits

  • Apples – I used Honey Crisp, but Golden Delicious are another baking fave of mine. If you use something tarter, like Granny Smith, I suggest increasing the amount of brown sugar in the apple filling to 3 tablespoons.
  • Whole Milk – If you need a dairy-free recipe, you can swap this out for a non-dairy version (same with the butter). However, I do like using something with a higher fat content to coat the GF starches, eliminating grittiness. This is the only source of fat for the dough, besides what is used to cook the apples in.
  • Unsweetened Applesauce – Two fold goodness! Adds moisture to the batter and boosts the apple flavor.
  • Gluten-Free Flour – When testing the recipe I used Cup4Cup gluten-free all purpose flour, which I recommend for my entire collection of GF baking recipes. It’s a little pricier then other brands, but after a lot of testing, it replicates traditional versions the best, and isn’t that the ultimate goal?!

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Cinnamon fresh apple filling

One extra step, but so key for a copycat, bakery-style fritter. Peel and chop the fresh apples and sauté for about 5 minutes in a butter, brown sugar, cinnamon mixture. Set aside until ready to mix into the dough.

Seasoned apple pieces in a bowl with wooden spoon stirring.
The fritters don’t cook long, so partially cooking the apples first helps soften them.

Prep for success

For frying you will need a large deep, heavy skillet. Why do recipes call for “heavy” skillets? They maintain heat temperature better, which is immensely helpful for even cooking.

Pour about 1 ½-2 inches of oil in the pan and heat over medium heat until it reaches 350℉. To check and maintain the temp set a candy thermometer in place or pop in an instant read thermometer intermittently to check.

I start this process before mixing together anything because it takes about 10-15 minutes to come to temperature. Also line a baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack on top. This is where the donuts will be transferred after they cook.

Pot of oil.
Start warming up the oil before stirring together the dough.

Unbelievably easy dough – no yeast, no rolling!

Ready for this? Whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg, milk, applesauce, and finally the apples. That’s it. 🤯

Dough and apple pieces in a glass bowl.
This is easy enough your kids can make the dough. Just dump and mix.

Easy GF fritters in action!

Here’s a little unique, but totally doable, way to get that batter in the hot oil without having to shape first. Scoop out an even ⅓ cup of dough and use silicone spoon to plop it out of the cup into the oil. Use that same spoon to flatten the dough slightly so it spreads out.

A measuring cup holding a doughy fritter over pot of oil.
I find the looser the GF dough, the more fluffy it turns out. Therefore I use a greased measuring cup to plop the dough in the oil.
Blue spatula dropping in a doughy fritter.
Once it’s in the oil use a silicone spoon to flatten the fritter slightly.

Cooked to perfection

I drop about 3 fritters at a time into the oil. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan or it will affect the oil temperature, bringing it down too much. Once the dough is scooped out fry for 2 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for 2 more minutes before lifting out onto the wire rack.

Gluten-free donuts require a little longer cooking time to make sure the moisture cooks off enough so you aren’t left with a dense or gummy texture. If the outside is becoming too browned before they are cooked through, check the oil temp and adjust the heat accordingly.

Fritter frying with a red slotted spatula.
Use a slotted spoon to move it from the oil to paper-towel lined baking sheets.

Last essential piece – gooey glaze coating

An apple fritter is not completely without that glossy, sweet coating oozing into all those crispy grooves and crevices. It’s simply a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, but it’s all about nailing the perfect consistency for coating.

It needs to be thick enough to stick, but fall off the spoon in a smooth trail. You can adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or milk.

Use a fork to plop the fried fritters in the bowl, flip, and then lift out with the fork, letting the excess drip away. Set back on the wire rack for the coating to set, but chances are good you’ll be digging in before that…

Glaze dripping from a spoon.
The glaze should be thin enough to coat the donut and harden to nice shiny glaze.
Apple fritter close up with a slice of apple.
Crackly, shiny glaze hardens on a sweet, fluffy fritter. I guarantee no one will know these are gluten-free!

Use this dough to transform into more yummy creations! Use a large cookie scoop to portion out donut holes into the oil, frying for a slightly reduced time. Sprinkle on slivered almonds to the coating before it sets or opt for a cinnamon sugar coating immediately after coming out of the oil, similar to gluten-free stuffed churros.

3 apple fritters piled on one another with one showing the inside texture.
It’s not just the outside that is perfect. Look at the tender, fluffy interior!

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Gluten free apple fritter covered in glaze sitting on a drying rack.
5 stars (5 ratings)

Donut Shop Gluten-Free Apple Fritters (Scoop & Drop)

Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
Yield: 9
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
These gluten-free apple fritters taste and feel exactly like the classic done shot treat you've been missing. Don't let the homemade goodness fool you, though – they're ready to enjoy in less then 45 minutes, start to finish, and as simple as mix, scoop, and drop. No rising, no yeast, no donut experience required. It's that easy and I'll show you how.
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Ingredients
 

Apples

Fritters

Glaze

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, stirring to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the apples start to soften. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool.
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cups apples, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • To save time, this is when I start heating the oil because it takes about 10-15 minutes to come to frying temperature. Pour the oil in a large, heavy, deep skillet. Add enough oil to cover about 1 ½-2 inches deep. Heat over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350ºF. Use a thermometer to maintain and keep testing the oil temp as the fritters fry. This ensures they don't cook too quickly (over browning with undercooked middles) or too slow (overly greasy and heavy).
    oil, for frying
  • Meanwhile whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, applesauce, and egg. Finally stir in the cooled apples. Set aside while oil finishes heating.
    1 ½ cup gluten-free all purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup whole milk, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 large egg
  • Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack over the top. This is where the fritters will go after frying.
  • When ready to fry, use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to scoop out the batter evenly to the top. Use a small silicone spoon to scrape it out into the hot oil and flatten the dough slightly with the spoon. Fry 3 fritters at one time. Cook for 2 minutes on one side. Use tongs or a wire skimmer to flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack. Continue to fry the remaining fritters.
  • Once they are all cooked, it is time to make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar with milk and vanilla until smooth. The glaze should be thin enough to coat the donuts and excess drip off. Place the donut in the glaze, flip with a fork to coat the other side. Move the glazed donut back to the wire rack for the excess glaze to drip off. Enjoy (immensely!) the day they are made.
    2 cups powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Notes

Storing and Freezing
If you don’t enjoy the day they are made, I recommend wrapping and freezing.
Cool completely on the wire rack and place that in the freezer to harden the fritters. Remove, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and transfer to a ziplock freezer bag.
When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature or unwrap and defrost in the microwave. I also suggest warming the slightest bit, microwaved about 15 seconds, to soften the texture again.
Calories: 270kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 169mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 193IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 1mg
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