Apple Fritters

This post is a lot about my dad. My dad LOVES doughnuts! When I was a kid he took me and my sister to get donuts almost every Saturday. I remember one time we all thought he was at work and we went to pick up something at the dry cleaners, which happened to be right next door to his favorite doughnut shop. When we pulled his car was outside and he was sitting in there eating his doughnuts and drinking his coffee. There were 2 that he frequented, one by our house, and one by his office. So, if he wasn't around, you could usually find him at one of those.
So, Dad, this is for you!! I made apple fritters and they were awesome! You can dust them with powdered sugar, or make a glaze for them, either way, they are yummy.

Apple Fritters (adapted from the Pioneer Woman)

FRITTERS

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2-¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-¼ teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• ¾ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 2 whole Granny Smith Apples, Peeled And Diced
• Powdered Sugar (optional, For Dusting)
• GLAZE (optional)
• 1-½ cup Powdered Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¼ cups Milk

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, then add milk, melted butter, and vanilla.

Gently fold dry and wet ingredients together until just combined (do not overmix.) Fold in apples. Add enough apples to make a very chunky batter. You want the apples to shine though!

Heat a couple of inches of canola oil over medium to medium-low heat. When it gets hot, drop a little drop of batter into the oil. If it sizzles immediately and rises to the top, the oil is ready; if it burns quickly, turn down the heat.

Drop teaspoons of batter into the hot oil, six or eight at a time. Sometimes they’ll flip over by themselves; sometimes you have to flip them. Just watch them and make sure they don’t get too brown, but cook them long enough to make sure the batter’s cooked through, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes total.

Remove and drain on a paper towel. Dust very generously with powdered sugar, or dip fritters in a light doughnut glaze (mix all glaze ingredients together, then dunk warm fritters).

Serve warm!

**May be heated up the next day in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.

Finished Product, dusted with powdered sugar!!