If you’re looking for a recipe that combines the warm, comforting flavors of classic apple fritters with the crisp charm of homemade waffles and the fun shape of donuts, you’re in for a true treat. Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts are everything cozy mornings dream about—soft, warm, spiced, glazed, and bursting with fresh apple goodness. This recipe takes everything you love about apple fritters and transforms it into a quicker, easier, and far less messy version by using a waffle iron to create donut-shaped fritters.

Unlike traditional fried apple fritters, these waffle donuts are lightly crisp on the outside and tender inside, without deep frying. They’re finished with a beautiful vanilla glaze that soaks into all the waffle crevices and highlights the sweet apple flavor. Whether you enjoy them for breakfast, dessert, weekend brunch, fall gatherings, or special holiday mornings, they deliver big flavor and nostalgic comfort in every bite.

This comprehensive recipe guide will walk you through the ingredients, instructions, variations, best tips, fun facts, and more—ensuring your Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts turn out perfectly golden and delicious every time.

⭐ What Makes Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts So Special?

1. Apple Fritter Flavor Without Frying

Traditional apple fritters require hot oil, careful frying, and cleanup. Waffle donuts skip the oil but still deliver that warm apple-cinnamon punch.

2. Use Any Waffle Maker

Round, square, mini, or donut-shaped waffle makers all work beautifully.

3. A Perfectly Pourable Batter

The batter is thick enough to hold diced apples but thin enough to cook evenly in a waffle iron.

4. Fresh Apple Texture

Using real apples—not sauce—creates juicy bites and natural sweetness throughout the waffle donut.

5. Glazed Like a Donut

The glaze fills every groove and adds the signature donut-shop shine.

6. Fun to Make

Each donut cooks in minutes, making it a great family, brunch, or holiday activity.

⭐ Ingredients for Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

Apple Mixture

• 2 cups apples, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Waffle Donut Batter

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⭐ Instructions (Step-by-Step)

1. Prepare the Apple Filling

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
3. Cook 5–7 minutes until the apples soften slightly and begin to caramelize.
4. Remove from heat and let cool while preparing batter.

2. Make the Waffle Donut Batter

5. In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
7. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
8. Fold cooked apples gently into batter.

3. Cook the Waffle Donuts

9. Preheat waffle iron and lightly grease it.
10. Spoon batter into waffle iron cavities (or across plates if using standard waffle iron).
11. Cook 3–5 minutes until golden and crisp.
12. Remove with a fork and cool slightly on a rack.

4. Make the Glaze

13. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
14. Dip each waffle donut into glaze or drizzle over top.
15. Let glaze set 5–10 minutes.

5. Serve

16. Serve warm with extra glaze, warm apples, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar dusting.

Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

A quick, delicious fusion of classic apple fritters and waffle donuts, glazed to perfection and packed with warm cinnamon-spiced apples.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 donuts

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Fall

Calories: 260

Ingredients

  

Apple Filling

• 2 cups apples diced, peeled
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.125 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Waffle Donut Batter

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.33 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs large
• 0.25 cup butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• Waffle iron
• Mixing bowls
• Skillet
• Whisk
• Cooling rack

Method

 

1. Heat butter in a skillet and cook diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until softened.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in another bowl.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in apple mixture.
5. Heat and grease waffle iron, spoon batter, and cook until golden.
6. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make glaze.
7. Dip or drizzle waffle donuts with glaze and let set before serving.

Notes

For extra crispiness, cook donuts an extra 30–60 seconds. Dip in glaze twice for a thicker coating.

⭐ Tips for Perfect Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

Use firm, sweet apples

Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady. Avoid mushy apples.

Don’t overmix the batter

Tender donuts depend on lightly mixed batter.

Make them crisp

Leave waffle donuts in iron 30 seconds extra for golden edges.

For a bakery-style glaze

Dip twice — once warm, once cooled.

Add texture

Try chopped pecans or walnuts in the apple mixture.

⭐ Variations

Caramel Apple Waffle Donuts

Drizzle caramel over glaze.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Donuts

Add a cinnamon swirl mixture before closing the waffle iron.

Apple Maple Waffle Donuts

Swap glaze for maple syrup drizzle.

Gluten-Free Version

Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.

⭐ Serving Suggestions

• Serve with warm maple syrup
• Pair with apple cider or hot coffee
• Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert
• Dust with powdered sugar for a café-style finish

⭐ Fun Facts

• Apple fritters date back to ancient Rome.
• Waffle irons were invented in the 1300s in the Netherlands.
• Donuts became popular in America thanks to Dutch settlers.
• This recipe merges three classic treats into one modern hybrid dessert.