Vegan Apple Fritter Rings (Crispy + Easy) (2024)

These crispy cinnamon apple fritter rings are quick and easy to make according to grandma’s original German “Apfelküchle” recipe, but made healthier and vegan as they are eggless and dairy-free. They are first pan-fried and then baked, making them extra crisp and delicious!

The Best Vegan Apple Fritters – German “Apfelküchle”

If you’re a fan of German apple cake and American apple donuts, these baked apple rings are for you! They’re super quick and easy to make in less than 30 minutes and are absolutely delicious! You don’t need any eggs, dairy milk, or butter for this recipe and you can easily make it gluten-free too! For this recipe, all you need to do is dip apple slices in a simple batter and bake them – and you’ll have a delicious dessert on the table.

These “Apfelküchle” are very popular in Germany – They’re not only perfect treats for birthday party’s, Thanksgiving or Christmas, but also for any other day on a cozy fall day when you’re craving something fruity and sweet. Your kids will love these healthier homemade apple fritters!

Depending on the country and region, there are different ways of making apple fritters, but all of them have apples and batter asmain ingredients. Traditionally, a thick pancake batter is made, but there are also recipes with yeast dough or beer batter. These apple rings, however, are battered in a simple eggless and dairy-free pancake batter made with wholesome oat flour. Oats provide you with valuable nutrients like fiber, complex carbohydrates and protein, while apples provide lots of vitamins and cinnamon gives the vegan apple rings a great flavor. Just like my apple and carrot muffins, this healthy dessert is perfect for breakfast! They are especially delicious and are great for quick and easy cooking.

A delicious, healthy and fruity snack

You can enjoy these baked vegan apple fritters anytime. Whether for breakfast on the weekend or as a snack or afternoon dessert along with a cup of tea or coffee – they are always perfect! Not only your kids, but also your family and friends will love them!

As mentioned above, I made this recipe healthier than traditional apple fritters by using wholesome vegan ingredients. I used oat flour instead of plain flour and coconut sugar instead of refined white sugar. Coconut sugar not only helps to control the blood sugar level but it is also rich in magnesium, iron, zinc and natural antioxidants.

Ingredients and possible substitutes

To make these battered apple fritter rings you only need a few simple pantry staple ingredients. The most important ingredients are apples, oats and plant milk but the rest of ingredients is just optional and can be varied to your dietary needs and personal taste.

• Apples: you can also try this recipe with other fruits like pears or bananas – These are also very delicious when pan-fried.
• Oat flour: or other flours like all-purpose flour, spelt flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend. However, you may need to adjust the amount of milk to get the right consistency.
• Baking powder: or baking soda helps to create an airy batter in combination with vinegar.
• Coconut sugar: or another type of sugar, e.g. raw cane sugar or brown sugar.
• Cinnamon: you can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
• Plant milk: such as soy, cashew, oat or almond milk.
• Apple cider vinegar: or white vinegar or lemon juice.
• Pinch of salt

How to make German Apple Fritters

As always, I recommend checking out the recipe video and these step-by-step instructions first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Slice apples and make batter

Start by slicing the apples into thick rings. You can peel them beforehand or leave their skin on – That’s up to you! Next, make the pancake batter by combining wet and dry ingredients to form a thick batter forms. If the batter is very thick, add a little more milk.

Step 2: Pan-fry and bake apple rings until crispy!

Heat a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan. One at a time, dip the apple slices into the batter, and place in the hot pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Then dip the fried apple rings in the cinnamon sugar mix and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 356 °F (180 °C) for 10 minutes until soft from the inside and crispy on the outside!

Tip: If using leftover soft apples, you can also serve these fritters straight from the pan. Drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil and serve immediately after sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your baked apple fritters with vegan vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream or nut butter such as almond, hazelnut or peanut butter. You can also drizzle your crispy apple rings with some chocolate or vegan caramel sauce. Then garnish with pomegranate seeds to give the apple fritters a beautiful, fruity and crunchy extra. However, you can also top your battered apple rings with chopped nuts, chocolate chips, raisins or other toppings. Or just dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Tip: You can also easily make confectioner’s sugar from scratch by finely grinding regular sugar in a coffee grinder.

How can I store homemade apple fritters?

I recommend to eat them all immediately as apple rings taste best when they come warm and crispy from the oven. However, if you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Then reheat in the oven before eating.

Can I freeze baked apple rings?

Theoretically yes, but after thawing, the apple rings become mushy and lose their delicious taste. Therefore, it’s best to make them fresh.

This recipe for crispy vegan apple fritter rings is:

• Eggless
• Dairy-free
• Quick and easy to make
• Can be made gluten-free and soy-free
• Fruity
• Loaded with fresh apples
• Versatile
• Very tasty
• Ideal for snacking or as a dessert with tea or coffee!

More vegan apple pie dessert recipes to try

• Apple Crumble
• Easy Apple Cake
• Apple Turnovers
• Invisible Apple Cake
• Apple Pie Roll-Ups
• Mini Apple Pies
• Apple Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
• Apple Carrot Muffins
• Moist Apple Blondies
• Apple Custard Cake
• Apple Stuffed Buns
• Apple Hand Pies
• Chocolate Apple Crumble Cake
• Vegan Apple Pie
• French Apple Tart

If you try this easy vegan German apple fritters recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your delicious German Apfelküchlein and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Enjoy! 🙂

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