Ingredient: baking apple (Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, peeled & finely diced

Whether you’re a fan of savory or sweet flavors, there’s no denying the universal appeal of fritters. Traditionally, fritters were fried until golden. But this recipe bakes them instead. This makes them healthier, with less fat and calories.

The humble classic fritter — a piece of fruit, vegetable or meat dipped in batter and fried in oil. Cousins to the fritter are the doughnut and the cruller — the former heavier in flour, the latter fattier. Fritters can be savory or sweet, spicy or mild. Every country has their own versions, including sweet (French beignets, Italian bigne and Greek loukoumades) and savory (Indian pakoras and Italian fritto misto) recipes.

Fritters have been a part of culinary traditions worldwide, evolving through the ages from simple fried doughs to the vast array of flavors and ingredients that are seen today.

Baking fruit fritters elevates the traditional fried fritter to a whole new level. Not being a fried food lover, I’m always looking for an alternative and baking seems to be a good fit.  

Here in Canada, the apple fritter remains especially popular; Tim Hortons, a leading Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, reported that the apple fritter became their top-selling ‘doughnut’ in 2023. As autumn approaches, these seasonal fruit fritters are a tasty treat.

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Baked Seasonal Fruit Fritters

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Rating: 5
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Course

Brunch

Cuisine

European

Keyword

baked seasonal fruit fritters

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Fruit

• 1 cup rhubarb, finely diced
• 1 cup baking apple (Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, peeled & finely diced
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Fritter batter

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted & cooled
• 2 tsp pure vanilla

Glaze (Optional)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk or apple cider
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Course Brunch Cuisine European Keyword baked seasonal fruit fritters Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Fruit 1 cup rhubarb, finely diced 1 cup baking apple (Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, peeled & finely diced 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp cinnamon Fritter batter 1 1/2 cups flour 2 Tbsp sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cardamom 1/3 cup milk 2 large eggs 3 Tbsp butter, melted & cooled 2 tsp pure vanilla Glaze (Optional) 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tbsp milk or apple cider 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Fruit

1. In a small bowl, toss the finely diced rhubarb & apple with 2 Tbsp sugar & 1 tsp cinnamon. let sit for 10 minutes to draw out a little moisture & soften the rhubarb's sharp edge.

Fritters

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, white & brown sugar, baking powder, salt , cinnamon & cardamom.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter & vanilla.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Gently fold in the spiced rhubarb/apple chunks along with any juices left in the bowl.
5. Scoop heaping 1/4-cup portions of the batter onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
6. Bake 15-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Glaze

1. If you are using the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk (or apple cider) & vanilla in a small shallow bowl until smooth. Let fritters cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then dip the tops of the warm fritters into the glaze. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.