These lemon fritters are soft and fluffy. The fritters need just 3 ingredients and don’t require any eggs, butter or oil. The dough takes only a few minutes to prepare and the fritters don’t need to be fried.
A stack of three lemon fritters

These lemon-flavored fritters are easy to make. You can fry them like traditional fritters but they can also be baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer for a healthier fritter.

Ingredients

  • Self-rising flour
  • Vanilla yogurt
  • Lemon

Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is a flour blend that already contains a leavening agent and salt. I like using self-rising flour because it saves a few extra preparation steps. However, you can make your own homemade self-rising flour blend if you don’t have self-rising flour on hand.

Vanilla yogurt: The recipe use a sweetened vanilla yogurt to add some sweetness and flavor. You can also use lemon flavored yogurt for even more lemon flavor but since lemon yogurt isn’t as easy to find, I used vanilla for this recipe. I recommend using whole milk vanilla yogurt rather than low fat for a richer fritter. This recipe works best with regular yogurt rather than Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt will make the fritter dough much denser.

Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest is added to the batter to give the fritters their lemon flavor.

How to Make Lemon Fritters

  • Mix together the flour and yogurt until a thick batter forms. Stir in the lemon juice and zest until evenly combined.
  • Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter and release it onto your prepared baking sheet.
  • My favorite method for cooking these is with the air fryer. The fritters fluff up more and have a crispy exterior. The fritters can also be baked in the oven, but they will not puff up as much and will be more flat. If you want the fritters to taste like traditional fritters, you can fry the fritters in oil.
  • If desired, you can dust the fritters with powdered sugar or top them with glaze.

Lemon fritters topped with a glaze

Texture

The fritters have a crispy exterior and a soft and fluffy interior if eaten while still warm. If you want them to taste like classic fritters you will need to fry them in oil. The air fryer and oven version will taste more like a healthier baked fritter.
A lemon fritter cut in half

Expert Tips

  • The fritters are only lightly sweetened because fritters are typically covered in powdered sugar or glaze. If you want to eat them without any toppings, you can add a little sweetener to the fritter dough.
  • I don’t recommend adding extra lemon juice to the fritter batter because it will cause it to spread out more. If you want more lemon flavor, you can add a few drops of lemon extract or use lemon-flavored yogurt.
  • Avoid using Greek yogurt. The recipe works best with regular yogurt for a more tender crumb.

Lemon fritters on a cooling rack

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5 from 3 votes

3 Ingredient Lemon Fritters

These fritters are soft and fluffy and don't need to be fried. They are just 3 ingredients and don't require any eggs, butter or oil.
Servings: 12 fritters
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (478g) whole milk vanilla yogurt
  • 2 1/4 cups (304g) self-rising flour, see note before starting
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice + 2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions
 

  • Air fryer: (My preferred method because the fritters come out fluffier) Line the air fryer insert or baking pan with parchment paper.
    Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Fill a large cast iron skillet or metal baking dish halfway up with water and add it to the bottom rack of the oven as it preheats. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Frying: Add 2 inches of oil to a medium saucepan or pot. Bring to medium heat (350°F/177°C)
  • Add yogurt and flour to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula until you have a thick batter/wet dough. Stir in the lemon juice and zest until evenly combined.
  • Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter and release onto your parchment lined baking sheet, spacing the fritters about 1.5 inches apart. If you are cooking these in the air fryer, you will likely need to do this in small batches. If using an oven, you should be able to fit all the fritters on a large baking sheet. (If frying the fritters, you will add the fritter batter directly into the preheated oil instead of placing onto baking sheet. See notes section for full frying instructions.)
  • Air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Once preheated, add the tray of fritters and cook for 11-12 minutes or until the tops are puffed, golden brown and the inside is cooked through.
    Oven: Add the fritters to the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they are cooked through and golden brown on the surface.
  • Allow the fritters to cool slightly before serving. Fritters are best enjoyed soon after they are done cooking and while still a little warm. If you eat them soon after they are done, they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Once fully cooled, the fritters will be more dense and bread-like. The fritters are very lightly sweet on their own. If desired, you can dust the fritters with powdered sweetener or add a glaze before serving. I share the glaze recipe I used in the recipe notes. Store uneaten fritters in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Reheat leftovers before eating.

Notes

  • Frying instructions: After preparing the batter in step 2, when oil is ready, measure 1/3 cup of batter and add to the hot oil. You will need to use a spoon or small spatula to help release the batter from the cup because it is thick. Try to release the batter in a way so that it spreads out. I drew a circle pattern as I released the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter, frying in small batches so that the pot does not get overcrowded and the oil temperature does not drop too much. Try to maintain a constant 350°F when cooking the fritters. If the oil temperature gets too low the fritters won’t fry well. Fry the fritters for a few minutes, flipping halfway, until they are dark golden brown on both sides and fully cooked. Mine took around 5 minutes. Remove finished fritters from oil and place onto a wire rack to cool. Allow fritters to cool slightly before serving. Fritters are best enjoyed while still warm.
  • Self-rising flour note: There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup serving) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30g) serving). The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with Gold Medal self-rising flour* (regular amount of protein). Please use a self-rising flour with a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup), or make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Homemade self-rising flour: To make your own self-rising flour, combine 3 cups all purpose flour, 4.5 tsp baking powder and 1.5 tsp salt. Whisk together until evenly combined. Measure out 2 1/4 cups for the recipe. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill. You do not want a high protein flour for these fritters.
  • Optional glaze. I made a simple glaze for the fritters. You can skip the glaze or use powdered sweetener instead of powdered sugar.
    • 1¼ cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1-2 tablespoons water 
    • Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and water until smooth. Drizzle over the fritters. You can also garnish with more lemon zest.
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional glaze.
Serving: 1fritter, Calories: 109kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 0.3g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 279mg, Fiber: 0.004g, Sugar: 4g, NET CARBS: 23
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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