Baked Apple Fritters 

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Oven & the Apples 🍏🔥

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a medium bowl, toss your finely diced apples with the 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Set them aside to macerate while you make the batter.

Step 2: Mix Your Dry and Wet Whims 🌾🥣

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups of flour, ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 2 tsp of baking powder, 1.5 tsp of cinnamon, ½ tsp of nutmeg, and ½ tsp of salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: ¾ cup of milk, 2 eggs, ¼ cup of melted butter, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined. (The batter will be very thick, almost like a cross between cake batter and cookie dough!)

Step 3: Fold and Shape 🔄📐

1. Gently fold the seasoned diced apples (and any juices that pooled at the bottom of the bowl) into the thick batter until evenly distributed.
2. Use a large cookie scoop or a ⅓-cup measuring cup to drop 8 mounds of batter onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.
3. Use the back of a spoon or your fingertips to gently flatten the tops of the mounds into rustic, irregular oval shapes (about ¾-inch thick). The more craggy ridges they have, the crisper the edges will get!

Step 4: Bake to Golden Perfection ⏰🥖

1. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are a deep golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a fritter comes out clean.
2. Transfer the baked fritters to a wire cooling rack placed over a sheet of parchment paper (to catch any glaze drips later!). Let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.