Apple Matzo Fritters

A Passover dessert that uses matzo meal in place of flour, which makes these apple fritters kosher for Pesach when wheat flour is off the table. Sliced apples get folded into a simple eggy batter, fried in hot oil until golden, and showered with cinnamon sugar while still warm. The result is a crispy-edged, custardy-centered fritter that holds together better than its short ingredient list suggests.

Matzo meal behaves differently from regular flour. It absorbs liquid and binds with eggs but doesn’t develop gluten the way wheat flour does, so the fritters end up tender and slightly cake-like rather than chewy. The salt and water give the batter just enough body to coat the apples without overwhelming them.

This is the kind of recipe that gets pulled out of grandma’s index card box during the eight days of Passover, when finding interesting kosher-for-Pesach desserts becomes a sport. They work just as well year-round.

Pro Tips

• Slice the apples thin and uniform. Thick slices stay crunchy in the center while the batter overcooks
• Heat the oil to about 375°F (190°C) before adding the first fritter. Cooler oil makes them greasy
• Don’t crowd the pan. Each fritter needs space to brown evenly without steaming its neighbors
• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar onto the fritters while they’re still hot. The sugar sticks to warm grease

Variations

• Substitute pears, peaches, or even sliced bananas for the apples for different fruit fritters
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom directly into the batter for spiced fritters
• Drizzle with honey or maple syrup instead of cinnamon sugar for a richer finish