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These Cottage Cheese Apple Fritters are soft, fluffy and packed with 8 grams of protein per fritter thanks to the cottage cheese. They’re ready in just 20 minutes and air fried instead of deep fried.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know cottage cheese has basically taken over my kitchen this year. From my Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough to my Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls, it’s become one of my favourite ways to sneak extra protein into recipes. And let me tell you these cottage cheese apple fritters recipe might be my new favourite of the bunch!
Instead of deep frying in a pot of hot oil, these go into the air fryer, so you get that same crispy, golden exterior and soft, cinnamon-apple centre with almost no cleanup. (But if you don’t have an air-fryer I also give instructions on how to bake these in the oven. I tested them both ways and while the air fryer is preferred, they both come out great!) For more air-fryer treats also try my single-serve Air Fryer Apple Crisp!
This is the kind of recipe I make on a weekend mornings or afternoons with my daughter when we want something a little special that doesn’t take too long, the same way I feel about my Skillet Cinnamon Apples once apple season rolls around.
Recipe Highlights
- High in protein: Each fritter has 7 grams of protein from the cottage cheese and egg, so they hold you over longer than a bakery-style apple fritter would. For another high-protein breakfast also try my Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels.
- Air fried, not deep fried: No standing over a pot of hot oil and no mess.
- Unreal texture: The cottage cheese keeps the inside tender and moist, while the chopped apple adds little pockets of sweetness in every bite.
- Naturally sweetened: Coconut sugar and cinnamon do the work here instead of a heavy dose of refined sugar, and the glaze is just enough to finish them off and totally optional.
- Great for meal prep: Make a batch on Sunday and you’ve got a grab-and-go breakfast or snack for the week, similar to how I use my Jalapeno Cheddar Cottage Cheese Biscuits.
Key Ingredients
Cottage Cheese: I recommend using very thick cottage cheese for this recipe. If your cottage cheese is liquidy, strain it in a cheese cloth first. You can also substitute the Cottage Cheese with thick Greek yogurt like I use to make this Greek Yogurt Chocolate Mousse. Leftover cottage cheese can be used to meal-prep a batch of my Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns which freeze well and can be reheated in the oven.
Apples: Use a firm baking apple like Honeycrisp or Gala so it holds its shape. Chop it small, smaller than you think you need to, so it cooks through fully in the short air fry time. If you have a lot of apples on hand also make my viral Cinnamon Roll Apple Bread, it’s a favourite around here!
Coconut sugar: Keeps things naturally sweetened. Brown sugar works as a straightforward swap if that’s what you have on hand.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Apple Fritters
*This is a recipe overview. The full recipe with measurements and instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
Step 1: Add the blended cottage cheese to a bowl with the egg and vanilla and mix.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients and gently mix.
Step 3: Mix the apples with the cinnamon sugar.
Step 4: Add the apples to the batter and gently mix.
Step 5: Air-fry for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Step 6: Let cool, then optionally top with some glaze.
Can I Make These In The Oven?
Yes! If you don’t have an air fryer, bake the fritters at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through in the centre. They won’t get quite as crisp on the outside as the air fried version, but they’ll still be soft and delicious.
Jess’s Tips
- Don’t overmix: The batter should stay thick and a little shaggy, closer to cookie dough than pancake batter. Overmixing makes the fritters spread too much and lose that fluffy texture.
- Chop the apples small: Large chunks won’t fully soften in the short air fry time, so aim for pieces about the size of a pea.
- Line the basket with parchment: These fritters are soft going in, and parchment (or a light spray of oil) keeps them from sticking to the basket.
- Blend cottage cheese first: This will give you a smooth batter.
- Let the fritters cool slightly: Before glazing, give them a couple minutes to cool so the glaze doesn’t melt off.
- Double the batch: These freeze well, so I usually make a double batch and freeze half for busy mornings.
- Serve them warm: They’re best eaten right after they’re made and still warm!
Try These Apple Recipes Next!
Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese Brownie Batter
Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese Pop Tarts
Main Dishes
Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Roll Ups
If you tried these Cottage Cheese Apple Fritters leave a review below and tag me @choosingchia on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook I love seeing your recreations!
Cottage Cheese Apple Fritters
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 fritters
- Category: Snack
- Method: Air fry
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Cottage Cheese Apple Fritters have 8 grams of protein each and come together in just 20 minutes. They’re light and fluffy and bake up right in the air-fryer!
Ingredients
- 1 cup apples, chopped very small
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for the glaze
- 1 tablespoon milk, for the glaze
Instructions
- Mix the chopped apples with the coconut sugar and cinnamon.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cottage cheese, egg, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Fold in the apple mixture until evenly distributed.
- Spray with cooking spray (optional, but helps them brown on top) then air fry at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or bake at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk for the glaze.
- Drizzle over the fritters and serve.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter
- Chop the apples small
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment, or lightly spray it with oil, so the fritters don’t stick.
- Blend the cottage cheese first for a smoother batter.
- Let the fritters cool a couple of minutes before glazing so the glaze doesn’t melt straight off.
- These are best enjoyed warm and fresh!
Storage & Reheating
- Store fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes, or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fritter
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 10g
- Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
