Happy new year! I can’t believe it’s 2026. I still feel like it’s 2016 sometimes. Time is going by fast. And this week I needed another simple recipe to keep my head above water. I normally start my recipe in the middle of the week, but with the holidays and a power outage, I was only able to start on Friday. So, I took a look in the fridge and realized we had a ton of apples. I always regret not making more fall recipes in season, so I settled on making sweet apple latkes with cinnamon and spices. I used apples in place of potatoes and dusted them with sugar. 

Apple Latkes + New Year

It’s been a blur of a couple weeks here in Maine. Christmas was beautiful, and the days between that and new years day are always lazy and unproductive. Which is necessary and relaxing. I made a killer Mac and cheese last week, which has been sustaining me on days when I’m too tired to cook. I’m also deep in the planning process for my next big adventure, involving menu planning, logo design, and lots of anticipation. I’ve been thinking about seasonality because of buying produce, so apples were not on my radar in January. 

But I always love fall more than any other time of year. We went to an amazing farm in September and a cooking store in October. I’m longing for that time again as we endure the short, dark, cold days of winter. Now that Christmas has passed, the snow is a nuisance. Apples aren’t in season. But I’ve been craving sweets. Thanks to a gift my grandmother got for me – pumpkin seed brittle covered in chocolate. I didn’t know if I’d like it at first, but it’s my new favorite thing. 

A Quick and Easy Recipe

I’ve been craving acid in my desserts, too, after very rich Christmas sticky buns and gingerbread treats. Chocolates and peanut butter balls. I thought about making apple pancakes, but I worried the apple flavor would get lost. Some years, when I’m feeling super festive, I prepare latkes to go with Christmas breakfast. I love my classic potato recipe, but I’ve always wanted to create sweet and sour apple latkes, dusted with cinnamon sugar or whipped cream. Or with warm applesauce and maple syrup. 

When it was crunch time Friday I decided to make carrot cake. But I had no carrots. And frankly, I’m still feeling lazy. I didn’t want to drive to the store, so I found a huge bag of apples sitting in the fridge and decided to utilize them. Out of season, but still delicious. The first thing that came to mind was my apple latkes. I’ve been watching that Kristen Bell show on Netflix about her dating a rabbi and refusing to convert to Judaism and it’s made me think about my own family. My grandfather was Jewish, but my mom wasn’t raised religious at all.

New Year New Snow

Neither was my dad. So I never had a connection to Judaism or religion of any kind. The closest connection I have is my love of latkes, which I always make this time of year. They’re so comforting and crisp and savory. I have them on my menu for this new project I’m starting in place of English muffins in eggs Benedict. And since I’ve been ruminating a lot on menu planning, I naturally felt drawn to making them again. My apple latkes would be just as good, I decided, but sweet, a bit tangy, and coated in cinnamon sugar. 

I spent New Year’s day on the couch, catching up on rest and good TV. Playing video games. And finally, after a nice lunch and a sleepy afternoon, the power went out. It was snowing, like it did on Christmas Day, and everything was covered in white. It turned out that someone crashed into a telephone pole and it had nothing to do with the weather, but I have been dreading this time of the year for this reason. I was alone during a week-long power outage a couple years ago (at the very start of this blog) and it was tough. 

Shredding Apples

This time it only lasted about 8 hours, thankfully. I lit my new favorite gingerbread candle and relaxed with some music. Ironically I enjoyed not having technology, or at least giving my mind a break. I fell asleep just after the power came back on. And then Friday came. After a business meeting and a quick lunch I decided to tackle my recipe. And I started my apple latkes by peeling and grating several different colors and flavors of apples to make sort of a franked-apple mixture. Tangy from the granny smith but sweet from the honey crisp. 

When I had a mountain of apple shreds ready to juice, I wrapped them in the kitchen towel and gave it a good squeeze. When there was barely any liquid left I scraped them into a bowl and started to feel excited. I’ve been dreaming of this recipe for a long time. And I didn’t expect to make it in January but here we are. I knew it would be delicious nonetheless. I always mix my latkes with cornstarch and a little bit of flour at the beginning to soak up any remaining juices. This time I added plenty of fall spices, too, along with salt, lemon juice, and sugar.

Frying Latkes

All that was left to do, really, was heat up my cast iron skillet and fry them. So I spent a few minutes measuring them with an ice cream scoop and molding them into pucks. Typically I use a Mellon baller for potato latkes and I press them into flatter, thin patties so they get extra crispy. You’re welcome to try that method, too, but I wanted the inside of these apple latkes to be more moist and apple-pie like. Thick and hefty. They should be able to stand up to the sugar coating or any whipped cream, creme anglaise, or maple syrup I decide to douse them with.

I could tell my oil was ready because I could smell it, and as soon as I put a latke in it sizzled away. I finished placing them all in and watched the edges grow golden after a few minutes. And the house filled with a delicious cinnamon-sugar scent, covered in sharp apple essence. It reminded me of apple cider donuts. Or a great bakery in fall. It was just what I needed to improve my dreary January mood. And after a few minutes I flipped them and finished frying. 

Powdered Sugar Tops

They rested on paper towels when they were done. I tore into one right away to see how it tasted. Flaky, apple-filled, and steamy on the inside. Coated in a crown of jagged, crisp crust. It was the perfect bite. All I had to do was secure some powdered sugar, or roll them in cinnamon sugar. But I couldn’t find powdered sugar anywhere.

Thankfully I learned long ago how easy it is to make. Just blend regular sugar with cornstarch. I did just that, and I added a dash or two of cinnamon for extra flavor. My latkes were mostly lukewarm by then, so I generously dusted them with my homemade sugar and ate a couple as I took photos. Warm, sugary, and delightfully spiced.

Delicious, Spiced Apple Fritters

They’re so tasty. The lemon and salt really brings out the apple flavor a lot. Since they’re in such small shreds and I didn’t add breadcrumbs (like I do for potato latkes), it was almost pure apple essence on the inside. The cinnamon, spices, and sugar really added a great sweet pastry flavor, too, and the sugar helped the outside caramelize a lot. I was thankful for the simple, successful recipe after a long week. And even more excited about how they tasted. These would be incredible in fall on a cold morning with tea or coffee. Or apple cider.

I’m looking forward to eating the rest for Sunday breakfast. I might even drizzle them with maple syrup this time, or give them a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream on top. I’ll pretend for a moment that it’s fall and the sun is setting at 6 or 7 and I can have a big mug of orange-scented tea. The new year is always a little rough for me. Seasonal depression kicks in. Everyone focusing on self-improvement to a somewhat masochistic degree is exhausting. Reevaluating goals, figures, and imagining a perfect and successful year makes me anxious. 

Happy New Year!

So, for now, I’ll continue to try and live in the moment. To not compare myself to last year or ruminate on things I didn’t accomplish in 2025. I’m proud of how much work I’ve put into my biggest passion – cooking and art. This blog. I have hundreds of paintings now of recipes I’ve created. I have chronicled my quiet life for the past 100+ weeks. Which will be so valuable to look back on when I’m older. I never had a journal growing up, or even into my adulthood, because it seemed like so much work. But I’m so happy to have this outlet. 

I hope your 2026 is full of good things. Simplicity and relaxation, too. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Of course push yourself to be your best and to accomplish your goals, but don’t forget to give yourself a break. Rest. Make apple latkes on a weekend if you want, or take the easy road once in a while. I did this week, because I needed it. And I’m so glad I have apple latkes to eat! Thank you for being here and supporting my art. I hope to continue to grow and connect with more people this year. Stay tuned for this big project I’ve been teasing!

If you enjoy my recipes and art, be sure to check out my Etsy for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. Happy new year!