Onion Fritters

These old-fashioned crispy onion fritters are so easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients. Full of delicious onion flavors, these Amish-style onion fritters are absolutely irresistible.

I am obsessed with crispy pancakes and fritters (see my Korean Scallion pancakes (pajeon), kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon), and green onion and shallot sourdough discard pancakes) and these onion fritters combine my love for crispy bites and onions. They’re so good and I can eat the whole plate myself!

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• I am always able to whip up a batch last minute, as these Amish onion fritters use simple pantry staples to make.
• They’re so easy to make! Simply mix together the ingredients and spoon it into some hot oil. They also don’t take long to make.
• They taste almost like onion rings but are even better! I’m obsessed.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• flour — you don’t need anything fancy to make these fritters, just plain ol’ all-purpose flour. However, you can switch the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour if you prefer the onion fritters to be gluten-free.
• cornmeal — adding a bit of cornmeal into the batter adds a little bit of texture and crunch to the fritters. You can add more if you’d prefer.
• sugar — for some sweetness.
• baking powder — make sure the baking powder is fresh and not expired. This will help keep the fritters from being too heavy and dense.
• seasoning — I use a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
• milk — I prefer making my batter here with milk instead of water for more flavor.
• lemon juice — I like a bit of lemon juice for some brightness.
• onions — you can use yellow onion or sweet onion.
• green onions — use both the white and green parts of the green onions.
• oil — you’ll need some hot oil to fry the fritters in. I use vegetable oil. You want something with a high smoke point, so the oil doesn’t burn.

How to Make Onion Fritters

• Add about an inch of oil to a heavy-bottomed pan. Place it over medium heat.
• Line a small sheet pan or large plate with paper towels and set aside.
• Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
• Add the cold milk and lemon juice to the bowl and stir until combined.

• Add the diced onions and green onions to the bowl and quickly stir to combine.

• Carefully spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter at a time into the hot oil. Avoid overcrowding the pan, making sure there’s space between each spoonful. You will need to do this in multiple batches.
• Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on how large the spoonful is, before flipping and frying for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the batter is crispy and golden.
• Transfer the fried onion fritters to the paper towels to drain any excess oil and continue to fry the rest of the batter. Serve immediately as is or with a dip of your choice.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• You can add a bit of shredded parmesan to the batter if you’d like a little cheese to the fritters. If adding parmesan, reduce the salt a bit as the parmesan is salty.
• If you’d like some heat in your fritters, add some cayenne or red pepper flakes to the batter.
• Check if the oil is hot by carefully inserting a wooden chopstick into the oil and see if the oil is bubbling around the chopstick. If yes, it’s ready.
• I love to eat these crispy onion fritters as is, but you can serve them with aioli, sour cream, ranch, yogurt, honey mustard, or ketchup.
• Make sure the onions are diced into small, even pieces, so you don’t get large chunks of onion in the batter.
• This is the skillet I use.
• If the spoonful of batter doesn’t spread out as you spoon it into the oil, you might have to gently flatten the mound, so the fritter is flat.

Storage Tips

• Meal prep: once cooled, store the onion fritters in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I like to reheat mine in the air fryer, so they stay crispy.
• Freezer: allow the onion fritters to cool before transferring them into an airtight container or bag before storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 3 months.

More Easy Appetizer Recipes to Try

• Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
• Garlic Butter Chicken Wings
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Teriyaki Chicken Wings
• Baked Cheesy Shrimp Wontons

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