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1 Comment These apple cinnamon oliebollen are my slightly more festive version of the classic Dutch New Year’s Eve treat. They have all the good things you want in an oliebol, crispy outside, fluffy inside but with little pieces of apple, raisins, dried cranberries and plenty of warming spices.
Basically, if a traditional oliebol and apple pie decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve together, this would be the result.
Oliebollen are traditionally eaten in the Netherlands around New Year’s Eve and you can make them plain or filled. For everything you need to know about classic Dutch oliebollen, including frying tips and how to prevent greasy oliebollen, have a look at my basic oliebollen recipe.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The combination of fresh apple, cinnamon and gingerbread spices makes these a little different from traditional oliebollen. The apple keeps the inside lovely and moist, while the raisins and cranberries add sweetness and texture.
And yes, there should be a generous cloud of powdered sugar on top. New Year’s Eve is not the moment to be stingy with powdered sugar.
Recipe Ingredients
Making these apple cinnamon Dutch Doughnuts is not very different from my basic oliebollen recipe, but it has extra fillings. Make sure to always double-check the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Flour – regular all-purpose flour is perfect for making oliebollen.
- Milk – I use full-fat milk. Make sure it is lukewarm rather than cold when you add it to the batter.
- Yeast – instant yeast makes this nice and easy and can be added directly to the flour.
- Sugar – you only need a small amount in the batter as the dried fruit and powdered sugar provide plenty of sweetness.
- Cinnamon – one of the main flavors in these apple oliebollen.
- Gingerbread spices – use a ready-made spice blend or a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.
- Apple – use one firm apple and cut it into (very) small cubes. A slightly tart apple works particularly well.
- Raisins – these add sweetness and are a classic addition to oliebollen. You can leave them out if you don’t like them.
- Dried cranberries – I love the slightly tart flavor of cranberries here, but you can replace them with extra raisins or currants.
- Oil – use a neutral oil suitable for deep frying, such as sunflower oil.
- Powdered sugar – for a generous dusting before serving.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Oliebollen
1. Make the batter
Place the flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon and gingerbread spices in a large bowl and mix together.
Gradually add the lukewarm milk and stir until you have a smooth, fairly loose batter. Add the salt and mix through.
2. Add the filling
Fold the diced apple, raisins and dried cranberries through the batter.
Make sure your apple pieces are quite small. Large chunks make the oliebollen more difficult to portion and can stop them cooking evenly.
3. Let the batter rise
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it somewhere warm for about 1 hour.
The batter should increase noticeably in volume.
4. Fry the oliebollen
Heat the oil to around 175-180˚C (340-350˚F).
Use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to scoop portions of batter into the hot oil. Dipping your scoop briefly into the oil first helps the sticky batter slide off more easily.
Don’t add too many oliebollen at once. Frying in smaller batches helps keep the oil at the right temperature.
Fry for approximately 5-6 minutes in total, or until deep golden brown and cooked through. They will often turn over by themselves; if not, give them a little help halfway through.
5. Drain and serve
Remove the oliebollen from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper.
Leave to cool slightly and then dust generously with powdered sugar.
Serve warm if you can. That first warm apple cinnamon oliebol is one of the perks of being the person standing next to the fryer.
How to Store Apple Cinnamon Dutch Doughnuts
Keep completely cooled oliebollen in an airtight container at room temperature for around 1-2 days.
They are best on the day you make them, but reheating them briefly will improve the texture the following day.
Reheating
Reheat the oliebollen on a baking tray in an oven at 200˚C (390˚F) for approximately 5-10 minutes.
They can also be reheated in the microwave, but they won’t be as crispy. Always add the powdered sugar after reheating rather than before.
Freezing
Apple cinnamon oliebollen can also be frozen. Let them cool completely and freeze without powdered sugar in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for around 2-3 months. Let them defrost and reheat briefly in the oven before serving.
FAQ Apple Cinnamon Dutch Doughnuts
I prefer a firm apple with a slightly tart flavor. You don’t want an apple that immediately turns to mush during frying.
No. You can use only raisins, replace the raisins with currants or leave the dried fruit out completely.
If you skip the dried fruit, I would still keep the apple, cinnamon and spices, that’s what makes this version different from the classic oliebol.
You can, but it isn’t essential. If you do soak raisins or currants, make sure they are thoroughly drained and dried before adding them to the batter. You don’t want excess moisture in the batter or near the hot oil.
Absolutely. The gingerbread spices give these oliebollen a warmer, more complex flavor, but you can simply add a little more cinnamon if that’s what you have.
The oil was most likely too cool or you fried too many at the same time. Keep the oil around 175-180˚C and fry in small batches.
The oil was most likely too cool or you fried too many at the same time. Keep the oil around 175-180˚C and fry in small batches.
You’ll find more troubleshooting tips in my classic Dutch oliebollen recipe.
More Dutch Recipes
Dutch spiced breakfast cake recipe (ontbijtkoek)
Hot Lightning (Hete Bliksem Recipe) – Dutch Apple Potato Mash
Recipe Card Apple Cinnamon Oliebollen
Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 500 gr flour
- 7 gr instant yeast
- 25 gr sugar
- 1 tsp gingerbread spices cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom
- 1,5 tsp cinnamon
- 500 ml full fat milk + 1 tbsp full fat milk, at roomtemperature
- 7 gr salt
- 80 gr cranberries dried
- 80 gr raisins
- 1 apple peeled and cut into small cubes
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Deep fryer
Instructions
- Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the yeast, spices and the sugar.500 gr flour, 7 gr instant yeast, 1,5 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp gingerbread spices, 25 gr sugar
- If the milk is still cold, heat it in a small saucepan until luke warm. Add little by little to the flour mixture until you have a smooth batter. Add the salt and mix it with dough hooks or a wooden spoon until you have a smooth batter. It needs to be liquid.500 ml full fat milk, 7 gr salt
- Now add the filling to the batter. Whisk everything with your wooden spoon until it is an airy mixture. Leave this to rest covered with a clean tea towel in a warm spot. It should rise for about an hour.80 gr cranberries, 80 gr raisins, 1 apple
- Heat your fryer or place the oil in a large pan or wok. The oil needs to be at 180˚C (350˚F) to bake the donuts.oil
- Before baking stir through the batter just briefly and use an ice scoop or two tablespoons to make balls that you carefully lower into the oil. This works best if you dip the spoon you're using briefly into the hot oil before you scoop out the batter. That way it slides easily of your spoon. Don't add too many donuts into your pan or everything will stick together. Once one side is browned the donut should turn over automatically. If not, help it along with two forks. Bake each donuts roughly for 5-6 minutes or until golden.
- Remove with a slotted spoon from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Happy New Year! And what a terrific looking recipe — thanks.