Apple Fritters - Vegan, Gluten Free, Delicious!

These apple fritters are just like the old fashioned kind, unhealthy as hell because they're deep fried, but life is short. A few easy substitutions make them perfect for everybody. I took a my second batch to our family Memorial Day gathering and they were a hit.

Cooking the apples first gives a nicer consistency, I think. I used organic coconut sugar because white sugar is frequently bleached through dead animal-bone ashes--ew!--and raw sugar crystals are too coarse. Naturally you can use any type of sugar you want. Next time, I'll try the beet sugar. Our recipes are super adaptable!

INGREDIENTS

APPLE FRITTERS - VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal & 6 tablespoons water: Stir together in small bowl and set aside

4 large or 5 medium apples, peeled, cored, diced

1 tablespoon vegan butter

3 tablespoons organic coconut sugar or organic beet sugar

2 & 1/2 cups 1-to1 gluten-free flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup organic coconut sugar or organic beet sugar

2 generous tablespoons maple syrup

1 scant tablespoon grated orange rind

2 tablespoon melted vegan butter

1 cup apple cider

2 cups canola oil for frying

Glaze

1/2 cup raw sugar, powdered in a blender

1 tablespoon apple cider

1 tablespoon grated orange rind (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

FIRST: As instructed above, mix 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons water and set aside.

THE APPLES

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and cook diced apples, covered, over low heat, for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add 3 tablespoons sugar, cook 3 to 5 more minutes. The apples will not cook much more inside the fritters, so cook them to the consistency you like. Some like a little crispier, some softer.

THE DRY STUFF

Dump all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir them all together. That's 2 & 1/2 cups GF flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

THE WET STUFF: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together your pre-soaked flaxseed mixture, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, the cooked and slightly cooled apples, 1 tablespoon grated orange rind, 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter, and 1 cup apple cider. Mix well.

Stir wet and dry ingredients together in either of their bowls. Mix well. The batter will seem thin, but resist the temptation to add more flour.

COOKING

Heat your canola oil first. It's ready when a tiny droplet of water flicked into it causes it to sizzle. BE CAREFUL. Hot oil and I have a bad history, so trust me when I tell you to take precautions. Long sleeves, snug-fitting are a great idea. You do not want your oil smoking, just sizzling. If the sizzles get too angry, lower the heat.

Drop batter into hot oil about 2 tbsp at a time. As soon as you drop one in, flatten in with your spoon. Just press it down. Do not skip this step or your fritters will be doughy in the middle. Cook about three and a half minutes, then flip them with extreme caution, and cook for another three and a half minutes. They should get golden to light brown. Dark brown is too much. The best way to judge doneness is to get one out and tear it open with a fork. The apples in the center will be soft. It's hard to judge until they're cool. I tried 2 minutes on each site, and they were doughy. Then I tried 4 and the outsides got too dark. 3 and a half minutes seemed about right for me. Your mileage may vary.

When you remove the fritters very carefully from the oil, put them on a paper towel-covered tray to absorb excess oil.

THE GLAZE

While the fritters are cooling, whisk up the glaze.

If using raw sugar, pour it into a good blender to grind it into powdered sugar.

Whisk together about 1/2 cup powdered sugar, about 1 tablespoon apple cider, and a few dashes of finely grated orange rind.

Drizzle the glaze over cooked and slightly cooled fritters

STORAGE

I found the fritters went soft and gooey in a tightly covered plasticware container, so I left my second batch out on the tray with a paper towel draped over the tops until they were consumed, which did not take long.

WARNING

Put them out of sight. Otherwise you're going to eat one every time you walk by them. I think I had 5 yesterday.

GROCERY LIST

I'm adding a linked shopping list here for the uncommon items. These are affiliate links. I am choosing the brands I use myself, and I'm obviously a big fan of Bob's Red Mill products.

Bob's Red Mill Golden Flaxseed Meal

Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour

Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Sugar

Now Foods Organic Coconut Sugar

Real Maple Syrup

Organic Canola Oil