Apple cider is always great. Fall or summer, alcoholic or not, there's really never a bad time for it. It's even better when you can make pastries that taste like it. And I challenge you to find me a person who doesn't like both apple cider and apple fritters. Allergies don't count.
Let's roll. Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a large bowl. Stir together the apple cider, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a separate small bowl. Add the apple cider mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Gently fold the diced apples into the resulting mixture.
Now for the glaze. This part's easy; just whisk together all of the Glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Boom, done.
Pour the canola oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium to 360°F to 370°F. In batches, drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the heated oil. Fry 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
And now, the fun part. Dip the fritters in the glaze, and place on a wire rack on a baking sheet to catch drips. Serve warm or at room temperature. Now there's a smell I wish I could bottle.