Now that you have your ingredients ready, let’s dive into the steps for making this delightful Easy Baked Apple Fritter. It’s as easy as pie, and I promise you’ll feel like a culinary superstar!

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray. For easier cleanup, you can use muffin liners, but greasing the tin directly will give the fritters more of a traditional, craggy exterior.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, ½ cup of granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Whisk for at least 30 seconds to ensure the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl or a large liquid measuring cup, whisk the 2 room-temperature eggs until frothy. Then, whisk in the ½ cup of milk, the ⅓ cup of melted (and cooled) butter, and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined.

Step 4: Mix the Batter
Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together until they are just combined. The batter will be thick and shaggy, and it’s okay if there are a few streaks of flour. Do not overmix.

Step 5: Fold in the Apples
Add the 1 ½ cups of finely diced apples to the batter. Gently fold them in until they are evenly distributed throughout the thick batter.

Step 6: Portion and Bake
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. They will be quite full, which is perfect for creating a generous, domed fritter. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool Slightly
Allow the fritters to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack placed over a sheet of parchment paper (to catch the glaze drips).

Step 8: Create the Glaze
While the fritters are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until completely smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a thick but pourable consistency.

Step 9: Glaze the Fritters
While the fritters are still warm, use a spoon to drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the top of each one. The warmth will help the glaze set into a beautiful, crackly shell.