Dutch Apple Fritters (Appelbeignets aka Appelflappen)
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Appelbeignets or Appelflappen are Dutch Apple Fritters. In the Netherlands this treat is known under both names and there’s always a lot of debate on what they’re called. If you want to know or read more about the debate I suggest you read my post on Appelflappen vs Appelbeignets. If you’re looking for the other version of Appelflappen, which is similar to Apple Turnovers check out my recipe for Dutch Apple Turnovers.
For this recipe I’ll be focusing on the Appelflappen which are deep fried in batter. I call these Appelbeignets, when you go to the supermarket in the Netherlands, if you ask for an Appelflap you would get an Apple Turnover, however if you ask for Appelbeignet, there will be a mix available for you to make the batter with for your apples, or they would have the Baker’s Apple Beignet available. If you’re looking for the puff pastry version, check out my recipe for Dutch Apple Beignets with Puff Pastry.
How To Make Dutch Appelbeignets aka Appelflappen
Dutch Appelbeignets / Appelflappen are best eaten while still warm. They can be eaten cold as well, but I prefer them warm. If you want them warm you can heat them up in the oven or microwave. I found an old recipe for Dutch Appelbeignets on a Dutch website named Coquinaria they shared a recipe for appelbeignets dating back to 1905. This recipe is a rich one which also calls for basting the apples in alcohol. For my recipe I didn’t do that, but you can of course do that if you want to. I also tweaked the recipe a bit to make it perfect for me but it’s all based on and inspired by the old recipe from 1905.
For the Dutch apple fritters you’ll need flour, cornstarch, melted butter, lukewarm milk, cinnamon sugar, apples, egg, dry yeast, sugar and salt. (a full list of ingredients including measurements can be found in the recipe card below).
Start off by adding flour, cornstarch, yeast and sugar to a bowl
Mix the dry ingredients you just added and add an egg. While mixing slowly add the milk till a batter forms and add the melted butter.
Add oil and salt as well and mix till all is fully incorporated.
Cover the batter with a damp cloth and leave to rest in a warm place for at least an hour. While the batter is resting you can prepare your cinnamon sugar and apple slices. Peel and slice your apples about 0.4 inch/1 cm thick. I usually do this about 20 minutes before the batter is done resting. Coat your apple slices with cinnamon and sugar.
When your batter is ready, dip an apple slice in the batter. Tap on the side of the bowl to tap off any excess batter, you should see the hole in the slice of apple. Slowly drop your coated apple slice into the hot oil. The oil should be 356°F / 180°C. Always use sunflower oil or peanut oil for the fritters.
Don’t overcrowd your deep fryer or pan, the batter will expand slightly around the apple slices. It takes about 5 minutes to cook the Dutch apple fritters, make sure to turn them over halfway. When they’re golden brown all way around, they’re done.
Recipe based on and inspired by: Coquinaria
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Passive Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
Dutch Apple Fritters |
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 gram
- 1/3 cup cornstarch 50 gram
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup lukewarm milk 175 ml
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast 2 gram
- 1 teaspoon sugar 5 gram
- 1 1/2 tablespoon melted butter 20 gram
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 2-3 apples firm sour or sweet and sour apples
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar 3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Ingredients
Batter
For Coating The Apples
| |
- In a bowl, mix flour, cornstarch yeast and sugar
- Add egg and while whisking continually, add the lukewarm milk. Mix until combined.
- Add melted butter, oil and salt and mix till fully incorporated. Cover the batter with a damp cloth and leave to rest in a warm place for at least an hour.
- While the batter is resting (roughly 20 minutes before the batter is done) you can prepare your cinnamon sugar and apple slices. Peel and slice your apples about 0.4 inch/1 cm thick. Coat your apple slices with cinnamon and sugar.
- Heat up your oil to 356°F / 180°C.
- When your batter is ready, dip an apple slice in the batter. Tap on the side of the bowl to tap off any excess batter, you should see the hole in the slice of apple. Slowly drop your coated apple slice into the hot oil.
- Don't overcrowd your deep fryer or pan, the batter will expand slightly around the apple slices. It takes about 5 minutes to cook the apple fritters, make sure to turn them over halfway. When they're golden brown all way around, they're done.
- Serve warm or cold dusted with a little bit of confectioners' sugar.
- Use firm sour or sweet and sour apples.
- If you don't have a warm place to rest your batter, you can use your oven. Preheat the oven to 95°F - 104°F ( 35°C - 40°C. Turn the oven off when it gets to 104°F. The oven will act as a warm place for the batter to rest and help it rise. If you feel the batter needs more warmth you can turn the heat back on and increase the warmth to 122°F - 50°C max. Make sure you don't increase the warmth any higher. And always turn OFF the oven once it reaches the desired heat. Don't leave it one while the batter is in the oven. Keep the bowl with the batter covered with a damp cloth.
- Preferably use sunflower oil or peanut oil for the fritters. If you don't have these, use a neutral vegetable oil.
- Keep the temperature of your oil consistent, if you don't have a deep fryer, use a thermometer that's save to use with hot oil to check the temperature regularly.
- Don't overcrowd your deep fryer or pan, the batter will expand slightly around the apple slices.
Please note:
- Please note that the US cup measurements in this recipe are approximate and are not the exact equivalent of the grams mentioned in the recipe. Either use US cup measurements OR grams. I have added cups for those that prefer using cups. The recipe is most accurate using weights/metric measurements.
These look fabulous. My dad, who was born in The Netherlands, made these at Christmas every year. I have always known them as apple flappen. People can call them whatever they want. I call them delicious. My dad died almost 30 years ago and I have never made them. This recipe looks very similar to his so I am going to try them this year. I will probably add raisins, as he did. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
My mom is from Netherlands also
And we make some like balls with raisin s
And apple and other ones shaped like flat rings with just apple we called them
Applefloppen as beignets are the French
Or Belgian way to say it. that is what my mom tells me
The balls are Ollie Bollen very delicious! And easy!
My mother always deep fried our appelflappen. They did not have a puff pastry and did not bake in the oven. In fact, many homes did not have ovens back in my day. The apples were always covered with with a batter more akin to pancake batter than puff pastry. I’m from Noord Holland. Maybe the difference depends on province from which one originates.
This recipe called for a batter, not a puff pastry.
I have always know these as Appelflappen. The ones with a hole in the centre as shown in this recipe. No matter what these are called, they are delicious. This is how my mom used to make them for New Year’s Eve (Oudejaarsavond).
I just wonder if anybody has tried to make these in an air fryer? If someone has tried, I’d appreciate to hear it. Thanks.
What are the best apples to use for Appel beignets.?
At home we used a green apple.
It’s best to use firm sour or sweet and sour apples. In the Netherlands we would use Goudreinet Apples, Granny Smith should work as well.
These are not appelflappen! These are apple beignets. Appelflappen are a filo dough-like pastry baked in the oven. Nobody in the Netherlands calls these appelflappen. Appelflappen literally translated are ”apple flaps” referring to the folding that occurs when shaping the pastry.
I personally call these Appelbeignets as well since I was a kid. But I’ve since learned that there is a group of people in the Netherlands that call these Appelflappen. I stick to calling them Appelbeignets though 🙂
An appelbeignet is something different than an appelflap. An appelflap is made with puff pastry dough and is made in the oven. So deliciousssss!!
They are definitely different in my eyes as well. But I’ve learned that there is a group of people here in the Netherlands that calls what I call Appelbeignets (the ones fried in batter) Appelflappen at home (van huis uit). I’ve since learned that it depends where in the Netherlands you’re from. In the store everyone calls them Appelbeignets though. It’s more what people call them at home.
I have a hard time keeping the dough on the apple before I fry it. I thought maybe it was too runny so I made it thicker but it still slides off Any suggestions?
It could be that your apple slices were too wet. Usually, dipping them in the sugar mixture helps suck up the moisture, but you can also pat dry the slices before coating them in sugar to take some of the excess moisture off.
If that still doesn’t help you can indeed make the batter a bit thicker, but moisture usually is issue when batter slides off.
Yes fridge the coated apple flappen for about an hour before deep frying.