What is the difference between a fritter and a doughnut?

My easy answer is that they're essentially the same thing - they're both fried dough . A fritter is like a freeform doughnut and usually has chopped fruit mixed in. Fritters can also be savory and have chopped seafood or vegetables in them (e.g. corn fritters). Doughnuts are usually round, and frequently filled or glazed. They're more often sweet, but savory donuts exist too.

Glazed Caramel Apple Fritters

Caramel Apple Fritters

Caramel apple fritter on a small white speckled plate with a bite taken out.

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Freshly fried apple fritters are already amazing, but this recipe is made even better by adding caramel flavor! In addition to mixing in caramel bits for pockets of caramel throughout, they're topped with a delicious apple cider caramel glaze.

Author: Kelly @ Butter and Thyme
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8-12 fritters 1x
Category: Dessert, Breakfast & Brunch
Method: Deep Frying
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Caramel Apple Fritters

2 cups flour, all-purpose
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Honeycrisp apples, ~ 2.5 cups apples, peeled and diced*
1/2 cup caramel baking bits*
1.5-2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Apple Cider Caramel Glaze

1.5 cups caramel baking bits
4 tablespoons apple cider (or water)

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Instructions

Make apple fritter batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, sour cream, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Then, fold in the diced apples and ~ 1/2 cup of caramel baking bits.
Fry apple fritters in oil: Fill a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with at least 3 inches of oil. Set the pot over medium heat and heat the oil until it reaches 325-350 °F. Gently drop ~ ⅓ cup of batter into the oil, 4 at a time, and fry until golden brown on both sides, ~ 3 minutes per side. Remove the fritters with a heatproof slotted spoon or spider and transfer them to a wire rack set over paper towels or a sheet tray. Continue this process with the remainder of the batter, maintaining an oil temperature of ~ 325 °F.* Let the fritters cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.
Make Apple Cider Glaze: Add 1.5 cups of caramel baking bits + 4 tablespoons of apple cider or water to a small pot and set it over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to melt, stirring frequently until it's completely smooth. Remove from heat.
Carefully dip the top half of each fritter into the warm glaze, invert, and return to the wire rack. Alternatively, you can drizzle the glaze on top of the warm apple fritters using a spoon. Let the glaze sit for ~ 10 minutes before serving.*

Notes

Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples are also good substitute options.
An 11 oz bag may leave you just short of the quantities listed above but will work great for this recipe. Measure 1.5 cups for the glaze first, then add whatever is left to the fritter dough.
Use a candy thermometer to constantly monitor the oil temp. Be careful not to let it get above 350 °F or drop below 300 °F for best results.
Apple Fritters are best served warm. After glazing them, let the fritters sit just long enough for the glaze to mostly set before serving.

Find it online: https://butterandthyme.com/glazed-caramel-apple-fritters/