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Crispy, buttery, delicious appelflappen a.k.a. apple beignets. Traditional Dutch appelflappen are made from proven dough which is then deep fried. But these are my cheats version of appelflappen. Instead, they are simple little treats, made from sliced cored apples, dipped in a simple batter, fried in butter then dredged in cinnamon sugar.
I love the combination of apples and cinnamon. The sweet apple, crisp dough, fragrant cinnamon sugar – it’s such a classic but I like how this recipe is a little different to an apple crumble, which tends to be the classic apple dessert. I know that deep frying is not everyone’s favourite task but I think it’s well worth it here and you only need an inch of oil in the pan, rather than a proper deep-fry.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s one of those simple desserts that is so delicious from just a few minimal ingredients.
- They are as good in summer as in winter, with the fresh apples leaning into the summer vibes and the cinnamon giving more autumnal vibes.
- They are also an easy dessert for small hands to get involved, with the batter dipping and with the cinnamon sugar dredging!
Ingredients:
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Apples – the key ingredient in appelflappen (use your favourite apples here, but not cooking apples. Since these apples don’t cook for long enough in the pan, you want an eating apple so that it remains nice and sweet)
Self-Raising Flour – self-raising flour puffs up the batter to make these light and airy.
Milk – I like whole or semi-skimmed milk here ideally.
Eggs – I like large free range eggs, stamped with the British Lion mark.
Sugar – caster sugar is ideal but you could use granulated in a pinch – it just will be a little chunkier on the outside.
Cinnamon – cinnamon is best here but you could experiment with a pinch of nutmeg alongside or ground ginger for another twist.
Substitutions and Variations
Flour: you could use plain flour mixed with baking powder, if you don’t have self raising. Try 100g flour with 3/4 tsp of baking powder.
Cinnamon: I’d say cinnamon is fairly crucial here but you could experiment with ground ginger or nutmeg, alongside the cinnamon.
Apple: I haven’t ever tried to make this with another fruit but I do think this could be good with pineapple, since it softens to a similar texture to an apple. But apple is of course the classic! I wouldn’t recommend using a softer fruit like a pear as it might disintegrate when frying.
Here’s how to make Apple Beignets (Appelflappen)
Below is a helpful step-by-step guide to go alongside the full recipe, which you can find at the bottom of the page.
ONE: Holding the apple carefully and with an apple corer, remove the apple core.
TWO: Slice the apple into rings.
THREE: Mix the batter together.
FOUR: Dunk the apple rings into the batter then transfer to hot oil.
FIVE: Fry in hot oil until puffed and golden.
SIX: Whilst still piping hot, add to the bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Toss together and enjoy whilst still hot!
Cooking Tips
Coring apples: this is easy for these appelflappen. If your apple is not totally straight between the top and bottom (of course!), just try your best with the corer down the middle. Then depending on the angle of the core, adjust the corer and press down. It means the hole in the donuts won’t be perfectly circular but at least there won’t be any seeds or bits left. If you don’t have a corer, use a sharp, thin knife and slice down and around the core.
Mixing the batter: you want it thick enough for it to coat the apples without dripping off completely but not so thick that it becomes cakey when fried.
Fry until golden on each side, this takes around 2 minutes. Make sure you dredge in the cinnamon sugar whilst still hot so that it sticks well and you don’t end up with a crumbly sugary mess. These are best served hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have self-raising flour, take 100g plain flour and mix in ¾ tsp of baking powder. This should have a similar effect when crisping up these apple donuts.
You can use any apple you like, other than cooking apples such as a Bramley apple. They can be too sour for this recipe. We like gala apples, Braeburn apples and pink lady apples too. Gala tend to be the sweetest of these three.
No you can also shallow fry. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter to a pan and fry the appelflappen for a few minutes a side until golden. They won’t be quite as crisp as when deep-fried but still delicious.
You could mix the batter ahead of time and then keep covered in the fridge. You can make this a day ahead. I wouldn’t cut, batter, or fry the apple slices until ready to serve.
Best served fresh, but if you have any leftovers, store covered or in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 180c until crisp and warm. You could also reheat in the oven at 180c but it will take longer.
More recipes you might like
For more apple recipes, try my Applesauce Fritters or these Sfingi Doughnuts for other fried sweet treats. Try my Easiest orange cake, Moist chocolate cake recipe or these Triple chocolate brownies and Lemon drizzle loaf are delicious. Finally, try my Polish apple pancakes for something similar but more breakfast-appropriate.
Easy Dessert Recipes
Applesauce Fritters
Puddings
Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Easy Dessert Recipes
Apple and Blackberry Crumble
Pancake Recipes
Poffertjes (Dutch Mini Pancakes)
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Apple Beignets (Appelflappen)
Ingredients
For appelflappen:
- 3 apples
- 100 g self-raising flour
- 1 egg
- 70 ml milk
- oil for frying, vegetable, sunflower or light olive oil
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
- Using an apple corer, remove the core from your apples. Cut into slices so you have apple rounds with a hole in the centre.
- Mix the batter in a bowl – flour, egg and milk.
- In a deep sided pan, add about an inch of oil. Once hot, dip the apple slices in the batter until well coated and then fry in the hot oil until golden on each side.
- Mix the cinnamon sugar together then dredge each hot donut in it. Enjoy whilst piping hot!
