Easy Grated Apple Fritters (No Yeast)
Servings: 4 portions
Calories: 218kcal
Crispy around the craggy edges and delightfully tender inside, these quick grated apple fritters are made without yeast or milk in under 30 minutes. Naturally sweetened by fresh apple juices, they make the ultimate cosy breakfast or afternoon treat.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Box grater coarse side
- 2 mixing bowl
- 1 Frying Pan or deep skillet
- 1 Slotted Spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 3 pcs apples (approx. 450 g, sweet-crisp varieties like Gala, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp), peeled and cored
- ½ pcs lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 200 g wheat flour all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon sugar caster
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt fine
- 2 pcs eggs free-range, large
- 250 ml sunflower oil or neutral vegetable oil, for shallow frying
Instructions
- Prep the Apples: Peel, core, and coarsely grate the apples on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice directly over the grated apples and toss gently to prevent browning. Do not drain or squeeze out the liquid—keep all the natural juices in the bowl.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Eggs: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, caster sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Add the two eggs and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk. The mixture will look quite thick, clumpy, and crumbly at this stage.
- Fold in the Grated Apples: Add the grated apples along with all their accumulated juices into the bowl. Fold gently with a spatula or your hands until well combined. The juices will hydrate the flour, turning the dry crumb into a thick, moist, spoonable drop-batter.
- Heat the Frying Oil: Pour the oil into a wide frying pan so it reaches about 1.5 to 2 cm (approx. ½ inch) deep. Place over medium heat until it reaches around 170°C (340°F). (Test by dropping a speck of batter in: it should sizzle steadily and float immediately without browning too quickly.)
- Fry in Batches: Dip a metal tablespoon into the warm oil (to prevent sticking), scoop up a heaped portion of batter, and drop it carefully into the pan. Lightly flatten with the back of the spoon into a patty roughly 1.5 cm thick. Fry in batches of 3 or 4 for 1½ to 2 minutes until the underside is a deep golden-copper, then carefully flip and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
- Drain and Rest: Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Allow them to rest for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up before serving.
- Serve Warm: Dust with powdered sugar, toss in cinnamon sugar, or serve European-style with a generous spoonful of strawberry or apricot jam.
Video
Notes
- Do Not Drain the Apples: This recipe uses zero milk or butter. The moisture from the eggs and the freshly released apple juices is the sole liquid that brings the batter together. If you discard the juice, the batter will remain dry and crumbly.
- Keep Oil at Medium Heat: If the oil is too hot, the outside will darken before the interior cooks through; if it is too cool, the fritters will absorb excess oil and turn greasy. Maintain steady medium heat (~170°C / 340°F).
- Avoid Overcrowding: Only fry 3 to 4 fritters at a time so the oil temperature does not drop.
- Storage & Reheating: Store cooled leftover fritters in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in an air fryer or toaster oven at 175°C (350°F) for 2 to 3 minutes to restore full crispness. (Avoid the microwave, which turns them soft and soggy.)
- Gluten-Free Option: You can replace the plain flour with an equal 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum.
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
