Prep the apples. Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces, about 1/4 inch. Smaller pieces cook through faster and help the fritters hold together. Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Preheat the air fryer. Set it to 370°F (188°C). Lightly spray the basket with oil or line it with a perforated parchment liner rated for air fryers.

Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Break up any sugar clumps with the whisk.

Mix wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth. The butter should be cool enough that it doesn’t scramble the eggs.

Combine. Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be thick but scoopable. If it’s too stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons milk.

Fold in apples. Add diced apples and fold to distribute evenly. The batter will look apple-heavy—that’s good. This gives each fritter lots of fruit.

Portion the fritters. Use a 1/4-cup scoop to drop mounds of batter into the basket, leaving space between them. Lightly flatten the tops with the back of a spoon so they cook evenly. Spray the tops with a little oil for better browning.

Air fry the first side. Cook for 6–8 minutes at 370°F, until the tops are set and lightly golden. The edges should look dry, not wet.

Flip and finish. Carefully flip each fritter with a spatula or tongs. Spray again. Cook another 5–7 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through. A toothpick should come out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs.

Glaze or sugar-coat. For glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. Dip warm fritters or drizzle over the tops. For cinnamon sugar, brush warm fritters with a little melted butter and toss in the mixture to coat.

Rest briefly. Let glazed fritters sit 5–10 minutes to set. They’re best slightly warm, when the edges are crisp and the centers are tender.