Description
Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Apple Christmas Fritters — crispy, golden fritters with a creamy cottage-cheese center and tender diced apples, dusted with powdered sugar. These festive fritters are perfect for holiday brunches, Christmas dessert tables, or cozy winter breakfasts. They combine warm cinnamon, juicy apples, and a rich, custardy interior while packing a surprising protein boost from cottage cheese. Makes a great party finger food and pairs beautifully with coffee, cider, or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup diced apple (firm variety: Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Oil for frying (canola, vegetable, or sunflower)
- Powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon until combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder; stir gently until a thick, scoopable batter forms.
- Fold in the diced apples, a pinch of salt (optional), and any optional add-ins.
- Heat about 1/2″ of oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering and a small drop of batter sizzles.
- Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter into the oil, flatten slightly, and fry 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden.
- Transfer fritters to paper towels to drain excess oil and keep warm in a low oven if making a batch.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve warm.
Notes
- Use firm apples to avoid too-mushy pieces; toss diced apples with a pinch of sugar to enhance caramelization.
- For extra flavor add 1 tsp vanilla extract or the zest of 1 orange to the batter.
- Ricotta can be substituted for cottage cheese for a smoother interior.
- For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Reheat in an air fryer or oven to restore crispiness; avoid microwaving when possible.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fritter
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: Christmas fritters, cottage cheese fritters, apple cinnamon fritters, holiday breakfast, festive desserts, easy brunch recipes, cozy winter treats