Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts – The Sweetest Cross Between Breakfast and Dessert!

If you’ve ever wished your favorite apple fritter and fluffy breakfast waffle could become one amazing treat — this is your dream come true!

These Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts are golden, crisp, and bursting with sweet cinnamon-apple flavor. They’re cooked in a waffle maker for that irresistible texture, then glazed in a silky vanilla icing that sets to a perfect shine.

The best part? No deep frying required! These donuts are baked (technically waffled), which means less mess, less oil, and all the flavor of a bakery apple fritter — right from your kitchen.

🍎 Why You’ll Love These Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

• Crispy outside, soft inside: Thanks to the waffle iron magic.
• Loaded with real apples: Sweet, juicy bites in every mouthful.
• Simple & fun: No yeast or frying — just mix, pour, and cook.
• Perfectly glazed: That shiny vanilla drizzle is the cherry on top (or, the glaze on the donut!).
• Make-ahead friendly: Stays fresh for days or can be frozen and reheated.

🍏 Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Apple Fritter Batter:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup milk (or buttermilk for tanginess)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups peeled and finely diced apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work great)

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk (adjust for consistency)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

🧇 How to Make Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

Step 1: Preheat and prep.
Heat your waffle maker and lightly grease with nonstick spray or melted butter.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and both sugars.

Step 3: Combine wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined — don’t overmix.

Step 5: Add apples.
Fold in the diced apples gently until evenly distributed.

Step 6: Cook in the waffle maker.
Spoon about ¼ cup of batter into each section of your waffle maker (depending on its size). Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the edges.

Step 7: Cool slightly.
Transfer cooked waffle donuts to a wire rack. Let them cool for 5–10 minutes before glazing.

Step 8: Make the glaze.
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and slightly runny. Dip or drizzle over each donut.

Step 9: Set & serve!
Allow glaze to set for about 10 minutes. Then enjoy warm with a hot cup of coffee or cider.

Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts

Crispy, golden waffle donuts filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze — the perfect mashup of apple fritters and waffles!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 minutes mins

Total Time 19 minutes mins

Servings: 8 donuts

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 210

Ingredients

  

Apple Fritter Batter

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp nutmeg
• 0.33 cup granulated sugar
• 0.33 cup light brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs
• 0.5 cup milk or buttermilk
• 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups apples peeled and finely diced

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Waffle maker
• Whisk
• Wire rack
• Small bowl for glaze

Method

 

1. Preheat waffle maker and lightly grease with butter or spray.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugars together in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
5. Fold in diced apples.
6. Spoon batter into waffle maker and cook 3–4 minutes until golden brown.
7. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes.
8. Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and dip or drizzle donuts.
9. Allow glaze to set before serving.

Notes

Add chopped pecans or drizzle with caramel sauce for a decadent twist.

🍯 Tips for Perfect Waffle Donuts

1. Choose the right apples: Tart apples like Granny Smith balance the sweetness beautifully.
2. Don’t overfill the waffle maker: Too much batter will spill over when it rises.
3. Cool before glazing: If they’re too hot, the glaze will melt right off.
4. Add texture: A few chopped pecans or walnuts make these extra special.
5. Crisp them up: Reheat leftovers in the waffle iron for 1 minute to restore that crunch.

🍎 Serving Suggestions

• Breakfast upgrade: Serve with maple syrup and crispy bacon for a sweet-salty combo.
• Dessert treat: Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle.
• Fall brunch platter: Pair with pumpkin muffins, cinnamon rolls, and coffee.
• Gift-worthy: Wrap individually and tie with twine for a cozy homemade gift.

🧁 Storage & Freezing

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Refrigerate: Keeps for 5 days — reheat before serving.
• Freeze: Freeze glazed or unglazed donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, then warm in the oven or waffle iron.

🍏 Flavor Variations

• Caramel Apple Donuts: Drizzle warm caramel sauce over the glaze.
• Apple Cider Glaze: Replace milk with apple cider for an extra fall kick.
• Maple Glaze: Use maple syrup instead of vanilla for cozy flavor.
• Apple Pie Spice: Swap cinnamon/nutmeg for 1 tsp apple pie spice mix.

🍂 Why These Waffle Donuts Are a Fall Favorite

Apple fritters meet breakfast waffles in one irresistible hybrid — crisp on the outside, soft inside, with warm cinnamon apples in every bite.

They’re the perfect weekend treat: easier than frying donuts but just as indulgent. The vanilla glaze brings it all together with that bakery-style finish, making these Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts a show-stopping addition to any breakfast table or dessert lineup.

Once you try them, you’ll want to make them all year long.