Gluten free apple fritters?! Are you serious?! We thank Elizabeth Barbone and Serious Eats for this indulgent recipe!
“Apple fritters should not be jelly doughnuts in which the jam is merely replaced with an apple filling. No, an apple fritter is a nubby affair with crisp bits of chopped apples scattered throughout and just the slightest hint of confectioner’s glaze. Gluten-free fritters can be tough to make, but as it turns out, size matters. Our small fritters come out with the ideal ratio of crisp fried exterior to apple-packed crumb.
Why this recipe works:
- Apples are lightly cooked before being added to the dough. This cooks them just enough so that when the doughnuts are quick-fried, they aren’t too crunchy or too soft.
- Leavened with yeast, the fritter dough is chewy, something you don’t always get in gluten-free baked goods.
- A small amount of dough is dropped into the hot oil. This ensures that the fritters cook all the way through and aren’t raw in the center, a problem with larger fritters.”
– Elizabeth Barbone
Recipe by Elizabeth Barbone as displayed on Serious Eats
See more by Elizabeth Barbone at GlutenFreeBaking.com, and look for her books: Easy Gluten-Free Baking + How to Cook Gluten-Free!
- 1 package (7.5 oz) Chebe Original Cheese Bread or All Purpose Mix
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) white rice flour
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) sweet rice flour
- 1/4 cup (1.75 oz) granulated sugar plus 1 tsp divided
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup water warm
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk warm
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp butter melted and cooled
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Oil or nonstick cooking spray for greasing the bowl
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 3 cups large cooking apples peeled, cored, and diced (about 3 1/2 tota(Granny Smith work best)
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 2 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 4 Tbsp half and half
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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In large bowl, whisk together Chebe mix, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and salt. Set aside.
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In small bowl, whisk together warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar until sugar dissolves. Add yeast. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Set aside until doubled in size, about five minutes. (If yeast doesn’t bubble and double in size, it means the yeast is dead. Discard it and start with a new packet of yeast.)
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Add warm milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Pour milk-yeast mixture over the whisked dry ingredients. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until a stiff dough ball forms. Generously flour your counter top and turn sticky dough out onto counter. Dust dough with white rice flour and knead dough until smooth, about one minute. Lightly oil a medium bowl. Place dough in oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to double in size, about 2 hours.
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In large cast iron or stainless steel skillet, combine butter and dark brown sugar. Melt butter and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add apples and stir to combine. Cook until apples darken slightly and just begin to soften. In a small bowl, whisk together cider and cornstarch. Pour cider over the apples. Stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thick, about 3 minutes. Transfer apples to a bowl and allow to cool.
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When dough doubles in size, punch down or stir with a rice floured wooden spoon. Stir in cooled apple mixture. Cover and allow to rise until dough almost doubles in size, about 1 hour.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or wok to 350°Adjust flame during cooking to maintain temperature. Using two spoons, carefully drop balls of dough about 2 tablespoons each into the oil. Cook until edges turn golden brown. Turn and repeat. Using a wire skimmer, remove fritters from hot oil. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is fried.
Fritters are best served the day they are made but may be held overnight. Store leftover fritters on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.
Recipe by Elizabeth Barbone as displayed on Serious Eats