German Apple Fritters | Apple cake

There’s something magical about biting into a warm German apple fritter or Apfelküchle – crisp on the outside, tender apple inside, with a delicious cinnamon-sugar dusting that makes you instantly slow down and savor the moment.

These little fritters are the perfect invitation to gather around the table, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, and feel like you’ve brought a piece of German fall right into your own kitchen.

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What are apple cake

Unlike typical apple fritters, Apfelküchle are made from whole rings of tart apple, gently coated in a barely-sweet batter that fries up golden and crisp while keeping the apple tender inside. While American apple fritters are usually chunks of apple folded into a thick doughnut-like batter, Apfelküchle celebrate the apple itself – every bite has a full slice inside.

In southern Germany, these fritters are a beloved staple at fall fairs and cozy Sunday gatherings.

Why you’ll love this recipe

KID FRIENDLY – While kids love Apfelküchle, they are a great dessert for the whole family.
EASY TO MAKE – With my step-be-step instructions, this recipe is not complicated at all.
QUICK – You can get these cripsy apple fritters on the table within 30 minutes.

Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you need:

Apples: While you can use any variety, I prefer heirloom apples with a bit of a tart flavor
Flour: Regular AP flour is best (and some extra for dusting the apple rings)
Baking powder: This helps make the batter a bit more fluffy
Sugar: Just a bit for a faint sweetness
Salt: A little bit of salt always enhances all the other flavors
Sparkling water: The “secret” ingredient that gives the batter a delicate crispness rather than being heavy or dense
Eggs: Keep the batter together
Butter: A bit of melted butter adds a nice flavor to the batter
Cinnamon powder: You can sprinkle the hot Apfelküchle with some of this classic spice pairing
Confectioner’s sugar: I love the dusted sweetness and visual contrast on the golden-brown fritters
Oil: Any neutral oil or ghee works

Simple substitutions

flour: you could use spelt flour and even einkorn or whole-wheat
sparkling water: if you feel a bit more festive you can use sparkling wine or white wine
butter: you can also use coconut oil
apples: pears will work beautifully in this recipe, too

How to make German Apple Fritters

This is a summary of the steps involved. For the complete instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add sugar and salt. Add the sparkling water, egg, and butter. Mix into a smooth batter.

Peel and core the apples. Cut them into ½” thick slices.

Heat the oil in a pot. Dust the apple rings with flour.

Dredge them through the batter to coat them on all sides.

Fry the battered apple rings until golden-brown on one side. Flip and fry on the other side.

Optional: dust with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon powder. Serve hot.

Helpful recipe tips

Don’t let the frying oil get too hot, otherwise the Apfelküchle will burn before they’re done.
Test the batter on one apple ring. If it’s too heavy, add just a bit more sparkling water to the batter.
Only fry a few slices at a time to keep the frying oil consistently hot and prevent the fritters from getting too soggy.

Serving suggestions

I recommend you serve the Apfelküchle hot or warm. You can mix some sugar with cinnamon powder and sprinkle that over the apple fritters.

You can also drizzle them with maple syrup or serve them with whipped cream, vanilla sauceor vanilla ice cream.

Storing and freezing instructions

While they are best enjoyed fresh, they will keep for up to three days. For best results, crisp them up in the air fryer at 275˚F for a few minutes.

If you have any questions, and/or to rate this recipeplease leave a comment below!