Protein Apple Fritter
Everyone's favorite donut that's kind of not a donut made with 18g protein
It doesn’t take a genius to know that apple fritters are a must have every time you visit a coffee or donut shop.
It also doesn’t take a genius to know if you actually do that, your arteries are going to be trouble.
Which is exactly why for the past week, I’ve been desperately trying to crack the code on making a protein apple fritter at home without all the oil from deep frying or the long wait of a yeast-rising dough.
I thought it was going to be a fun project but it quickly turned into a nightmare.
It all started when I made the first batch of fritters with whey protein powder and flour. Those produced some of the most limp, chewy looking “fritters” (if I can even call them that) that have ever existed.
The next batch had a better texture being cooked in an air fryer and using altered ingredients, but the air fryer blew the excess baking paper over the top of the fritter, making it cook unevenly and have the weirdest oblong looking shape.
After about 4 batches, I felt like I other sucked at making baked goods or some of these cooking videos on social media conveniently excluded a disclaimer about all of the terrible attempts you would have to go through to get it right.
You might be asking why I’m telling you all this.
It’s because I know most people avoid making protein baked goods for fear of it not turning out well and it seeming too hard.
That’s why I’ve gone through the pain of testing this multiple times, so I can assure you of this:
If I can make these apple fritters, so can you.
You don’t have to be a chef to make these, but you do have to use a little technique to make them have the best texture and look that’s possible.
The secret to making that happen with these fritters is mixing the ingredients in stages and folding fluffy egg whites into the batter to mimic the lightness of deep frying.
If you can do those two things you’re gonna have some of the best guilt-free apple fritters you can possibly have in less than 30 minutes. With 18g of protein per fritter, you get nice bites of caramelized apple, a soft yet slightly chewy mouthfeel, and a light greek yogurt icing.
There’s no need to wreck your diet having a traditional apple fritter sometimes when you can have this one anytime you like!
Quick Update: I’ll be updating the site with a few weekly meal plans soon. Stay tuned.
Here are some notes about this recipe:
These fritters can be made in both the air fryer and the oven.
If using an air fryer aim for cooking at 300 - 325°F for 7-8 minutes.
If using an oven aim for cooking at 350°F for 7-8 minutes and then broil them for around 1 minute.
A Whey-Casein blend protein powder is a MUST for this recipe. I recommend PEScience Vanilla.
Use Honeycrisp apples or Granny Smith apples to balance out the sweetness of the fritter.
If you don’t have zero-calorie confectioners sugar, take your zero-calorie granular sweetener and blend it into a powder.
If you can’t find light butter, just use 1/2 tbsp of regular butter.
Use any pancake mix you have if you can’t find buttermilk pancake mix.
Make sure the egg whites are beaten into stiff cloudy looking peaks.
Use a hand mixer to make them fluffy in 2-5 minutes.
Use a whisk by hand to make them fluffy in 10 minutes or so.
Air fryer cooking times will vary so check your fritters halfway through cooking.
You will know it’s done when you can stick a toothpick through the middle and the toothpick is clean. Cook an additional minute at a time if it’s not done.
18G Protein Per Fritter | 187 Calories | 30 Minutes | 4 Servings
RECIPE
Ingredient List
Apple Fritter Mix
1/2 cup buttermilk pancake mix (60-80g)
2 scoops Whey-casein protein powder (62g)
1 apple, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
2 tbsp light butter
4-5 tbsp fat-free milk
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp zero-calorie sweetener
2 tsp cinnamon
Pinches of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Parchment paper
Cooking spray
Fritter Icing
4 tbsp non-fat Greek yogurt
4 tbsp zero-calorie confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp of milk (and more for consistency)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking Instructions
Cook The Apples 🍎
Preheat your air fryer to 325°F.
Add the egg whites to a bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat them until fluffy cloud-like peaks form. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of light butter. Add the chopped apples to the skillet.
Season the apples with 2 tbsp of zero-calorie sweetener, 1 tsp of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the apples have softened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Make The Fritters 🍩
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolk, 2 tbsp of zero-calorie sweetener, 1 tsp cinnamon, a pinch each of nutmeg and salt, and the cooled apples. Stir well.
Add in the protein powder and pancake mix, stirring until the mixture becomes crumbly. Gradually add milk 1 tbsp at a time, stir, and mix until all the milk is added in.
Add 4 tbsp of the egg whites into the bowl. Use a non-stick spatula or spoon to gently fold the egg whites into the apple mixture 4 or 5 times, until a sticky yet moist dough forms. Divide the dough in four.
Cut some parchment paper to fit the exact size of your air fryer basket. Spoon the dough close to the edges of paper and form into two fritters.
Spray each fritter lightly with cooking spray and cook in the air fryer at 325°F for 7 minutes.
While the fritters are cooking, prepare the icing by mixing the ingredients under the Fritter Icing list in a bowl.
Take out the fritters and let them cool. Repeat steps 8-9 with the remaining dough. Top the fritters with the icing and enjoy!
Don’t forget to check out the archive here for other gourmet high-protein recipes.
Eat Well,
Marcus Matkins