Keto Apple Fritters

Keto Apple Fritters, my favourite donuts! Although, they aren't technically donuts.

Every time I ever went to a donut shop I'd always get an apple fritter. I've tried them from so many places.. and personally my favourite ones are the ones with lots of glaze and apple chunks inside. I also like when their dough is more flavourful and spiced with cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

So for this recipe, I did my best to replicate those delicious Apple Fritters.

These low carb apple fritters are made with a combination of almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum and vital wheat gluten in place of white flour. This combination makes them extra “doughy” inside and not dry or crumbly.

Now I do want to talk a bit about Vital Wheat gluten. I constantly get asked if it’s keto, what it is, where to buy it, etc. So I’ve written an entire article on it you can see here to learn more.

In summary, vital wheat gluten is the protein found in wheat. It’s what creates gluten strands and provides the soft but chewy texture in bread and baked goods. Vital wheat gluten is extracted and separated from the wheat so on it’s own, it’s only a protein with minimal carbs attached to it. It’s perfectly fine on a keto diet if you track the NET carbs in this recipe like anything else but the only people who absolutely should NOT consume it is those with a gluten allergy or who are celiac. For them I’d reccomend playing around with xanthan gum and ground psyllium husk in place of vital wheat gluten. It doesn’t produce quite the same dough-like texture but it’s a close second!

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy these and let me know how they go for you!

Ingredients In Keto Apple Fritters

As I mentioned above, Vital Wheat Gluten is necessary for this recipe but can potentially be replaced with a psyllium for those who must eat gluten free but I have yet to try it! See this article if you’d like to learn more about vital wheat gluten.
Xanthan gum – a great way to improve elasticity in gluten-free baked goods. It’s used alongside vital wheat gluten to provide the best possible “crust-like” texture. If you do not have this ingredient you can still go ahead with this recipe but I’d recommend it if you can get your hands on it.
Almond & Coconut Flour – I use the Kirkland Costco brand of almond flour (I buy it in bulk on Amazon or at Costco itself occasionally) and this brand of coconut flour for this recipe. As I’ve noted in many of my past recipes, the brand of almond and coconut flour can affect the final outcome of the recipe because absorbency can vary depending on how the flour has been processed.
Powdered/Granular Monkfruit Erythritol Sweetener – I use the SoNourished brand for both granular and powdered sweetener and love it! The powdered is the best option for no-bake goods and desserts where you want a very smooth final product. But it bakes well in any recipe. **UPDATE** lately I’ve switched over to THIS brand of powdered sweetener because of trouble ordering the first one so you can order whichever is easier for you!

Tools I Used To Create Keto Apple Fritters

Low Carb Substitution Guide – This is totally optional but if you like my recipes, I now have a $5 guide available with all of the substitutions I use to create every recipe on my site. You can use this to convert old traditional recipes and create new keto recipes! You can purchase it here and/or read more if you are interested. 🙂 I appreciate your support so much guys!
Nutritional Food Scale – AKA my best friend. This little buddy has been with me for over 4 years and never fails. Perfect measurements and only needs the batteries replaced maybe once a year!

Tips For Making Keto Apple Fritters

The hardest part of making these is making sure your oil is the right temperature. If you have a thermometer, definitely use it! The oil should be around 350-375*F. If you don't have one, I recommend doing a few small test donuts. You basically want the outside to brown quickly but not TOO quick. 1 min is a good about of time. Then flip the donut and repeat for the second side. If your donuts are coming out super light and taking forever to cook, then your oil is not hot enough. If they are burning without the insides cooking, it's likely too hot.
You can also play around with your batter if you are finding your donuts to be cooking too wet in the middle, some almond/coconut flours vary in absorbency. You can add an extra tablespoon of coconut flour if this is your issue. Alternatively, if your inside batter is getting too dry or your donuts aren't browning much on the outsides even at a high temperature, you an add 1 tbsp extra of cream.
Finally, don't make your donuts too large and make sure to flatten them slightly after placing them in the oil. This will ensure even cooking and prevent the insides from being under-cooked.

Keto Apple Fritters

Serves: 15 small apple fritters

Ingredients:

Donuts

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour, 63g
1/2 cup almond flour, 56g
1/2 cup granular monkfruit/erythritol sweetener, 96g
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten, 40g
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice or ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk, light cream or heavy cream (I used 18% cream in Canada), 120g
2 eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted, 15g
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 granny smith apple, chopped into small chunks, ~180g
2 tsp butter, 10g
1 tbsp granular monkfruit/erythritol sweetener , 12g
Extra 2 cups coconut oil for frying, 480g

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered monkfruit/erythritol sweetener, 144g
1/4 cup half and half, milk or light cream, 60g, don't use heavy cream or it will end up too thick
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients including the sweetener.
In another bowl, whisk together your cream, eggs and vanilla extract.
Add the wet mixture to your dry ingredients, stir, then add your melted coconut oil as well.
Mix until a thick batter forms. Set aside.
Add your oil to a large wok and begin to heat it over low-medium heat *(if you have a thermometer, the temperature should be around 350-375*F)
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over medium heat as well along with your butter. Let the butter cook until it begins to turn a slightly golden colour.
Once golden, immediately add your apples and sauté until they are tender but still with some crunch to them. Add your 1 tbsp of sweetener and toss to coat.
Add your apples to your batter you made earlier and stir until combined.
When your oil has come to temperature, drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and slightly flatten it with a spoon to help it cook evenly. (I'd recommend a test donut before you go and do a bunch, see my tips on how to check if your oil is ready/hot enough).
Cook each donut for 1-2min per side or until dark brown but not burnt.
Use a slotted spoon to pick the donuts up and place them on paper towel to drain the excess oil, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
To make the donut glaze, whisk together the three ingredients in a bowl until smooth!
Drizzle the glaze over each donut. (I leave mine on the wire rack and place that over top of a baking sheet to catch the excess) Let the glaze set for a couple minutes, then serve warm or store in an airtight container for later!

Nutrition for 1/15th of recipe: 129 calories | 9.7g fat | 3.6 NET carbs | 4.4g protein | 2.2g fibre

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links

Print Recipe

4.39 from 18 votes

Keto Apple Fritters

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: apple fritters, Keto Donuts

Servings: small apple fritters

Calories: 129kcal

Ingredients

Donuts

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour 63g
1/2 cup almond flour 56g
1/2 cup granular monkfruit/erythritol sweetener 96g
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten 40g
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice or ginger
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk light cream or heavy cream (I used 18% cream in Canada), 120g
2 eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil melted, 15g
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 granny smith apple chopped into small chunks, ~180g
2 tsp butter 10g
1 tbsp granular monkfruit/erythritol sweetener 12g
Extra 2 cups coconut oil for frying 480g

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered monkfruit/erythritol sweetener 144g
1/4 cup half and half milk or light cream, 60g, don't use heavy cream or it will end up too thick
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients including the sweetener.
In another bowl, whisk together your cream, eggs and vanilla extract.
Add the wet mixture to your dry ingredients, stir, then add your melted coconut oil as well.
Mix until a thick batter forms. Set aside.
Add your oil to a large wok and begin to heat it over low-medium heat *(if you have a thermometer, the temperature should be around 350-375*F)
Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over medium heat as well along with your butter. Let the butter cook until it begins to turn a slightly golden colour.
Once golden, immediately add your apples and sauté until they are tender but still with some crunch to them. Add your 1 tbsp of sweetener and toss to coat.
Add your apples to your batter you made earlier and stir until combined.
When your oil has come to temperature, drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and slightly flatten it with a spoon to help it cook evenly. (I'd recommend a test donut before you go and do a bunch, see my tips on how to check if your oil is ready/hot enough).
Cook each donut for 1-2min per side or until dark brown but not burnt.
Use a slotted spoon to pick the donuts up and place them on paper towel to drain the excess oil, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
To make the donut glaze, whisk together the three ingredients in a bowl until smooth!
Drizzle the glaze over each donut. (I leave mine on the wire rack and place that over top of a baking sheet to catch the excess) Let the glaze set for a couple minutes, then serve warm or store in an airtight container for later!

Notes

The hardest part of making these is making sure your oil is the right temperature. If you have a thermometer, definitely use it! The oil should be around 350-375*F. If you don't have one, I recommend doing a few small test donuts. You basically want the outside to brown quickly but not TOO quick. 1 min is a good about of time. Then flip the donut and repeat for the second side. If your donuts are coming out super light and taking forever to cook, then your oil is not hot enough. If they are burning without the insides cooking, it's likely too hot.
You can also play around with your batter if you are finding your donuts to be cooking too wet in the middle, some almond/coconut flours vary in absorbency. You can add an extra tablespoon of coconut flour if this is your issue. Alternatively, if your inside batter is getting too dry or your donuts aren't browning much on the outsides even at a high temperature, you an add 1 tbsp extra of cream.
Finally, don't make your donuts too large and make sure to flatten them slightly after placing them in the oil. This will ensure even cooking and prevent the insides from being under-cooked.