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    Home > Doughnuts

    Published: Sep 12, 2022 · Modified: Sep 24, 2023 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

    Apple Fritters with Speculaas Spice

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Apple Fritters with Speculaas Spice are sure to become a fall favorite. There's a speedy version of an Apple Cake Doughnut and a Carrot Cake Baked Doughnut that can be yours in about 30 minutes. Warm and crisp, they comes together easily using a few pantry ingredients, a bowl, a whisk, and a few measuring utensils.

    The liquid used can be milk, water or beer. I like to use beer because it makes a lighter fritter and gives a bit more lift to the batter. That's pretty much it.

    Apple Fritters with Speculass Spice

    Fall Spices are often added to the batter as well as to the sugar in which the fried apple fritters are finished. I use Speculaas spice which is a combination of eight or more spices used in the German cookie of the same name. It has a deeper profile than just cinnamon alone. It can be used anywhere gingerbread spice is called for. An easy homemade version is included in the apple fritter recipe.

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    There's a speedy version of an Apple Cake Doughnut and a Carrot Cake Baked Doughnut which can be yours in about 30 minutes.

    Ingredients

    Apple Fritter ingredients

    Back row: sugar, flour, beer. Middle row: vanilla, egg, salt, diced apple. Front row: baking powder, Speculaas spice

    Apple Fritter with Speculaas Spice Batter

    • Granny Smith Apple - these give the most apple taste to the fritters. The apples can be peeled or not. I don't.
    • Egg will bind the ingredients, give crispness and color.
    • Beer, water or milk - the beer or water makes a crisper apple fritter. If using beer, use a light beer such as Stella Artrois.
    • All-Purpose Flour is best to use here
    • Baking powder provides the lift and lightness
    • Speculaas spice - recipe below
    • Vegetable oil - I use canola oil but any vegetable oil, except olive oil, can be used.

    Speculaas Spice Ingredients - woody, spicy, warm, and sweet.

    Speculaas spice ingredients

    TOP ROW: Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg

    BOTTOM ROW: Anise Seed, ground, cardamom, ground coriander, white pepper

    Substitutions

    • The apple fritters can be finished with granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar if desired.
    • Cinnamon or another spice can replace the Speculaas spice.

    Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Speculaas Spices and Sugar

    Spices layered in a jar

    Step 1. Put all the spices in a jar.

    Spices shaken in the jar to mix.

    Step 2. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to mix the spices.

    Sugar and Speculass spice

    Step 3. Granulated sugar and speculaas spice.

    Speculaas sugar

    Step 4. Sugar and spice mixed together for speculaas sugar to finish the fritters.

    Apple Fritters

    Egg beaten for Apple Fritters

    Step 1. Beat the egg in a medium size bowl.

    Vanilla Added

    Step 2. Add the vanilla, mix well.

    Beer being added to batter

    Step 3. Add the beer to the batter, mixing in completely. Milk or water may be substituted.

    Dry ingredients being added

    Step 4. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

    Batter without the apples mixed

    Step 5. Batter without the apples mixed.

    Apples added to batter

    Step 6. Add the apples to the batter.

    Batter with apples added

    Step 7. Batter completed with apples. Ready to fry.

    350°F on thermometer

    Step 8. Heat about 1 ½ inches of oil in a pan or skillet to 350°F.

    Apple Fritters frying

    Step 9. The apple fritters should be fried in vegetable oil about 2 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.

    Fried Apple Fritters draining

    Step 10. Drain on paper towels.

    Warm fritter in spiced sugar

    Step 11. Immediately add the fritters to a bowl of speculaas sugar. Make sure the fritter is very warm or hot or the sugar will not stick to it.

    Sugared Fritter

    Step 12. Roll the fritter around until completely coated in the sugar.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is an apple fritter batter made of?

    A batter of egg, flour, beer or other liquid, a leavening agent, sugar and flavorings encase apples either in rings or cut into pieces and deep fried. They are then rolled in sugar, or a flavored sugar.

    What makes a fritter?

    There are various types of fritters but all are deep fried. They can be plain fritters of deep-fried chou paste or a yeast dough. Generally they can be small pieces of meat, seafood, vegetables, or fruit coated in or stirred into a batter and deep fried. The pieces used in the fritter

    How to keep fritters crispy?

    Try to keep whatever is being coated or stirred into the batter free of as much moisture as possible. The prepared fritters can be refrigerated until cold and then deep fried which keeps them from absorbing as much oil.

    Storage

    Fritters of any kind are best eaten immediately or within a few hours of making as is any deep fried item. To store any remaining, cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until the next day.

    Apple Fritters are in a white bowl with rippled edges sitting on a multi-colored plate.

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    Speculaas Spiced Apple Fritters

    Apple Fritters with Speculaas Spice

    Helen S Fletcher
    Apple Fritters with Speculaas Spice are a great way to welcome the fall. These warm and crispy treats are only  30 minutes away when you follow this easy recipe.  The Speculaas spice used in the batter and for the sugar coating gives a deeper flavor than cinnamon alone and can be used anywhere gingerbread spice is needed.  
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 minutes mins
    Total Time 24 minutes mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 servings
    Calories 94 kcal

    Ingredients

    Speculaas Spice

    • 5 tablespoons cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    • ½ teaspoon ground aniseed
    • ½ teaspoon white pepper
    • ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

    Apple Fritters

    • 2 cups diced apples, peeled or unpeeled
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 ⅓ cups beer, water or milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 ¾ cup flour (245 grams)
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon speculaas spice
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Canola oil as needed

    Speculaas Sugar

    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon speculaas spice

    Instructions
     

    Speculaas Spice and Sugar

    • Combine all of the ingredients in a small jar.  Place the cap on the jar.
    • Shake the jar vigorously to mix.
    • Combine the sugar and speculaas spice, stirring until completely mixed together.  Set aside.
    • Yield:  ⅓ cup

    Apple Fritters

    • Cut the apple in about ⅓ inch dice.  Set aside. 
    • Whisk the egg to mix. Add the vanilla and mix well.   
    • Pour in the beer, water or milk and whisk to blend together.
    • Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, spice and salt.  Whisk together until smooth.         
    • Stir in the apples.  
    • Heat about 1 to ½ inch of oil to 350°F in a medium size frying pan.  
    • Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons and fry to a golden brown.  Turn and fry the second side.  This will take about 2 minutes on each side.
    • Drain on paper towels and immediately roll in the speculaas sugar. 

    Notes

    A 12 ounce bottle of beer will  yield the 1 ⅓ cups needed.
    1 large apple will produce the 2 cups of diced apples.
    If the apples are juicy, blot them dry with paper towels before adding them to the batter so the moisture won't thin out the batter.
    Chilling the batter will yield a crisper batter as will the beer. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 1gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 81mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 22IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @helensfletcher or tag #pastrieslikeapro!
    Print Friendly, PDF & Email

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pat Sussman says

      January 12, 2024 at 1:19 am

      How can you convert this to a baked, not fried fritter? Haven't made anything from your site yet, but the recipes look great.

      Thanks!

      Pat Sussman

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        January 12, 2024 at 6:37 am

        Hi Pat, I've never considered baked sweet fritters, but it is certainly something I will work on. Thanks for the great idea.

        Reply
    2. Tim Malm says

      September 13, 2022 at 9:03 am

      You had me at doughnuts! Thanks Helen, this recipe looks like fun.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        September 13, 2022 at 10:18 am

        Hi Tim - I'll be doing an update on the baked or fried doughnut article which, believe it or not is always 1 or 2 on the most read list.

        Reply
    3. Ess Kay says

      September 12, 2022 at 1:14 pm

      Would it be possible to make these as muffins - i.e. in a muffin pan? (Sadly, I can't eat deep fried)

      Reply
    4. Barbara says

      September 12, 2022 at 5:15 am

      Is 14 tsp of salt correct?

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        September 12, 2022 at 6:33 am

        Nope. Should be 1/4 teaspoon. Thanks for the catch.

        Reply
    5. Hilda Willman says

      October 20, 2015 at 3:04 pm

      Helen, I hope your nose is itching or whatever the saying is when someone is thinking of you. I made 4 desserts for an auction dinner last week and 3 of them were Helen creations--Pave d'Amour, Basketweave Chocolate Caramel Tart and the Peach Frangipane Rosemary Tart. All turned out splendidly, except the Flan, which was not your recipe--I should have known and stuck with Helen recipes exclusively, but the theme was A Night in Seville so I had to throw in a Spanish dessert. Anyway, I think of you so often, especially when making fabulous Helen desserts, and hope you and Mike are well. You are the best!

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        October 20, 2015 at 3:23 pm

        Hi Hilda - Thank you for this lovely note. I miss seeing you, although I have to admit since I stopped teaching, I rarely into KC. We are very well and extremely happy in the apartment. So big, so much storage, so wonderful. There is a full time maintenance person and whatever needs to be done, he just does it. He is ordering me a new range because the light in my oven keeps going out. So healthy, happy and so glad you keep in touch. Take care my friend.

        Reply
    6. Caryn says

      October 20, 2015 at 10:14 am

      Can't wait to try these! Apple fritters are my husband's favorite. Thank you!

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        October 20, 2015 at 11:27 am

        Hi Caryn: Mine too! These were even good the next day, which surprised me. I would be embarrassed to tell you how many we ate the first day.

        Reply

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