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5 from 3 votes

Sourdough Apple Fritters | Discard or Starter

These sourdough apple fritters come out of the oil with crispy golden edges and soft apple pockets throughout, seasoned with apple pie spice in both the dough and the glaze and finished with a vanilla powdered sugar glaze poured over while still hot.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Additional Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert, Sourdough
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 -36
Calories: 170kcal
Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

  • 1 Stand mixer with whisk, paddle, and dough hook attachments or large bowl and Danish whisk
  • 1 Dutch Oven or deep heavy-bottomed pot
  • 1 Thermometer
  • 1 Spider strainer or slotted spoon
  • 1 Bench scraper
  • 1 Parchment lined baking sheet
  • 1 Paper towel lined plate

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 cup sourdough starter or discard 240 grams
  • 1½ cups warm milk or water 110°F, 360 grams
  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 480 grams
  • 1 teaspoon salt 6 grams
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice seasoning 7 grams

For the Additions After the Bulk Rise

  • 2 apples finely chopped, about 300 grams
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 grams

For the Glaze

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted, 90 grams
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 60 grams
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 grams
  • 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice seasoning 4 grams

Instructions

  • Combine the base ingredients – Add the sourdough starter or discard, warm milk or water at 110°F, 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, salt, and apple pie spice seasoning to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix until combined. Alternatively use a Danish whisk and mix by hand in a large bowl.
  • Add the remaining flour – Switch to the paddle attachment and mix in the remaining 2 cups of flour until a shaggy, wet dough forms throughout the bowl.
  • Rest the dough – Remove the paddle attachment, cover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  • Knead until smooth – Attach the dough hook and knead for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough comes together into one smooth, cohesive mass. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
  • Bulk rise – Lightly oil a medium bowl and transfer the dough into it. Cover tightly and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours until noticeably puffed and developed.
  • Overnight ferment option – After the bulk rise, cover the bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator to ferment overnight. The next day remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come fully to room temperature before proceeding with the next step.
  • Fold in the apples – Toss the finely chopped apples with the cinnamon. Remove the dough from the bowl and stretch it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Scatter the cinnamon apples over the top of the dough, then fold and tuck the dough repeatedly until the apples are distributed throughout. Press any remaining pieces firmly into the dough.
  • Shape the fritters – Cut the dough into fritters using a bench scraper, pizza cutter, or knife. Aim for pieces around 2 by 2 inches for the most even fry. Place the shaped fritters on parchment paper and allow them to rise for 1 to 2 hours before frying.
  • Heat the oil – Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of frying oil and heat to 375°F. Use a thermometer to confirm the temperature before adding the first fritter.
  • Fry the fritters – Working in small batches, lower the fritters carefully into the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and beginning to float. Turn each fritter carefully using a slotted spoon or spider strainer and fry the other side until evenly golden throughout.
  • Drain the fritters – Remove the finished fritters from the oil using a spider strainer or slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate for 1 to 2 minutes to absorb excess oil before glazing.
  • Make the glaze – Whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and apple pie spice seasoning until smooth. Add more cream one teaspoon at a time if the glaze is too thick to pour.
  • Glaze and serve – Pour or drizzle the glaze over the fritters while they are still hot so it sets into the crispy edges. Serve immediately for the crispiest result.

Video

Notes

Monitor the oil temperature throughout – Heat the oil to 375°F before the first fritter goes in and check between batches. Oil below 375°F produces greasy fritters because the dough absorbs oil before the exterior sets.
Keep fritters around 2 by 2 inches – Smaller fritters fry more evenly and cook through to the center without overbrowning the exterior. Larger pieces risk a raw interior even when the outside looks done.
Pat the apples dry before folding in – A quick pat with a paper towel removes surface moisture from the chopped apples and prevents the dough from becoming wet and difficult to shape during frying.
Glaze while still hot – Pour the glaze over the fritters immediately after draining so it sets into the crispy edges rather than pooling at the bottom of the plate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg