Heat the canola oil in an electric fryer or heavy-duty pot to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking tray with paper towels and a wire rack. Set aside.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the whole milk, large egg, and unsweetened applesauce.

Add the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir together with a rubber spatula just until combined and no lumps remain. The batter should resemble thick pancake batter.

Fold the diced apples into the batter just until evenly distributed.

Once the oil is hot, gently add 1/3 cup of batter and spread it out to a slightly flatter shape. This will help the apple fritters fry up evenly. Repeat with 2-3 more additions of batter, ensuring not to overcrowd the oil. Cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes. Gently flip the apple fritters over and cook for another 1 to 1.5 minutes, or until dark golden brown.

Using a large slotted spoon or metal spider, remove the apple fritters from the hot oil and place them onto the prepared baking tray. Allow the apple fritters to cool slightly before dipping them into the glaze. Repeat until all apple fritters have been fried.

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and 5 tablespoons of whole milk until the glaze is smooth. Add more milk if needed for a warm maple syrup consistency.

Dip each fried apple fritter into the glaze, covering both sides, then place each fritter back onto the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.

Once the glaze has set, the apple fritters can be plated and served.