Go Back
–+ servings

Sourdough Peach Fritters

These Sourdough Peach Fritters have crispy golden edges, soft fluffy centers, and juicy peaches packed into each bite. A tangzhong makes the dough extra pillowy before the fritters are fried and dipped in a sweet glaze that melts into every craggy edge. If you have fresh peaches, this is a recipe you need to make.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 15

Equipment

  • Stand mixer (optional) - for kneading dough. You can also mix by hand but a mixer is easiest.
  • Small and medium sized pot - for making tangzhong and glaze.
  • Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons - for measuring ingredients.
  • Rolling Pin - for rolling out donuts.
  • Long ruler or tape measure (optional) - for measuring length and width of dough.
  • Bench scraper or knife - to cut up the fritter chunks.
  • Large saucepan- - to cook the peach filling.
  • Spatula - to spread peach filling.
  • 15 4x4 parchment squares - This make frying the donuts so easy! You can either cut your own squares or buy them, I've linked pre-cut squares here.
  • Deep pot or Dutch oven - for frying donuts.
  • Frying thermometer - for keeping oil at 340–350°F. I strongly recommend using this tool to avoid burning I use this one linked here and love it.
  • Slotted spoon or spider - to flip donuts. The spider I use is linked here.
  • Chopsticks (optional) - helpful for flipping donuts. I like these reusable chopsticks linked here.
  • Cooling rack + paper towels - for drying donuts after frying.
  • Tongs - for removing parchment from oil while frying.
  • Digital Thermometer (optional) - helps with assessing when tangzhong is done.
  • Wire rack - for draining excess glaze from donuts after glazing.

Ingredients
  

Sweet Levain:

  • 2 (25g) Tbsp sourdough starter 100% hydration (please see FAQ's for yeast or discard options)
  • ⅓ (100g) cup water
  • ¾ (100g) cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 (25g) Tbsp granulated white sugar

Tangzhong:

  • 2 (20g) Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ (100g) cup whole milk

Dough:

  • 1 (225g) cup whole milk
  • 1 (200g) cup sweet levain
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ⅓ (75g) cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • All of the tangzhong
  • 4 1/2 (530g) cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 (10g) tsp fine sea salt
  • 6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter softened

Peach Filling:

  • 4-5 firm peaches about 600g, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
  • ⅓ (70g) cup granulated white sugar
  • ¼ (50g) cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp ground cardamom optional but highly recommended
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 (30g) Tbsp heavy cream
  • ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 (16g) Tbsp cornstarch

Binder:

  • 1 (135g) cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze:

  • 4 (480g) cups powdered sugar do not use granulated
  • ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ (120g) cup heavy cream
  • 4 Tbsp whole milk

For Frying:

  • 3-4 cups coconut oil, I use Carrington Organic coconut oil linked here. or any neutral frying oil

Instructions
 

Step 1: Make the Sweet Levain (Night Before)

  • In a clean jar, mix your mother starter with the flour, water, and sugar. Give it a good stir, and allow it to rest at room temperature (optimally 73-75 degrees F). I like to mark the volume in my jar with a rubber band so it's easy to asses the rise the next morning. When the sweet levain has doubled in size, it's time to mix your donut dough.
    2 (25g) Tbsp sourdough starter, ⅓ (100g) cup water, ¾ (100g) cup all-purpose flour, 2 (25g) Tbsp granulated white sugar

Step 2: Make the Tangzhong

  • Before you get started on mixing your dough, you'll make your tangzhong. Whisk milk and flour together in a small saucepan.
    2 (20g) Tbsp all-purpose flour, ⅓ (100g) cup whole milk
  • Cook the tangzhong over medium/low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a paste that is similar to pudding (about 2–3 minutes). For precision, use your digital thermometer and heat to 148-155 F. Do not overheat, or your mixture will be too thick.
  • Scrape into a bowl immediately to prevent further cooking, cover, and let cool to room temperature before adding to your dough.
  • Prepare your dough while tangzhong cools.

Step 3: Mix the Dough

  • In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or large mixing bowl, add the whole milk, sweet levain, egg and egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and all of the tangzhong. Whisk ingredients together quickly, it's okay if it's lumpy.
    1 (225g) cup whole milk, 1 (200g) cup sweet levain, 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, ⅓ (75g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, All of the tangzhong
  • Add your flour and salt into your wet ingredients.
    4 1/2 (530g) cups all-purpose flour, 2 (10g) tsp fine sea salt
  • Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down bowl if needed. If using your hands, knead until you work dough together. This is a higher hydration dough, so be aware it will be sticky.
  • Once the dough has come together add softened butter, a tablespoon at a time mixing each tablespoon in until adding the next. Use a dough scraper to scrape the edges of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed in.
    6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Continue mixing on medium-low (speed 2–3) for 8–10 minutes, until dough is smooth, elastic, and tacky but not sticky. If mixing by hand knead dough until butter has fully incorporated and dough is smooth and tacky.
  • Mixing Notes: If kneading in a mixer or if dough is very wet when mixing by hand, add an additional 25 grams (3 Tablespoons) of flour and mix into dough. Make sure to work flour in completely and assess if you need more flour. I did this twice adding in a total of 50 grams (6 Tablespoons) of flour for the dough consistency I liked.
  • Do not add more than 50 grams of flour at this stage, or you will lose the high hydration of the dough and end up with a dense donut.
  • If using a stand mixer, dough can become more warm and sticky and I have found kneading dough with my hand (perform a set of stretch and folds) for a minute after mixing in my stand mixer really helps bring the dough together.

Step 4: Bulk Fermentation

  • Spray a clean bowl with oil. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.
  • Stand mixer instructions: perform one set of stretch and folds after 30 minutes to strengthen your dough.
  • Hand kneading instructions: perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30 minute intervals at the beginning of bulk fermentation. After stretch and folds are completed, cover dough and allow to continue proofing.
  • How to perform a stretch and fold: Starting at the edge of the dough with lightly wet hands, gently lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl or container 90 degrees and repeat with the next side. Do this for all four sides of the dough to form a ball.
  • Let dough rise at 75–80°F until doubled in size, this takes about 5–6 hours. If your house is very cold, you can put dough in the oven with the light on for a warmer atmosphere. This proofing time is a general guide, this process may take longer the key is to assess when the dough has nearly doubled that's when it's ready.
  • Overnight Fermentation: Once dough has finished rising, you can cover and transfer to the refrigerator overnight for a longer ferment or you can skip this step and go straight to making your fritters. I do find it to be easier to shape the donuts when the dough has been refrigerated but it isn't necessary.

Step 5: Make the Peach Filling

  • Gather your peaches, and wash and peel the skins if desired. Chop your peaches into roughly 1/4 inch cubes. You don't want these peach pieces too small or you won't taste them, but you also don't want them too large or they won't mix properly. The key is even chunks.
    4-5 firm peaches
  • Note on peaches: If your peaches are too soft, they will release more water and may make the filling more wet and the dough stickier. You want to use firmer peaches that can hold up when cooking the filling and don't release as much water.
  • Toss your peaches into a bowl, and add your lemon juice, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, cornstarch, vanilla, and cream. Toss your peaches in this to thoroughly coat them.
    1½ Tbsp lemon juice, ⅓ (70g) cup granulated white sugar, ¼ (50g) cup brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, ⅛ tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 (30g) Tbsp heavy cream, ½ tsp fine sea salt, 2 (16g) Tbsp cornstarch
  • Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the peach filling to the pan. Keep the peaches at medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid the bottom burning.
    ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter
  • Cook the peach filling about 5-8 minutes, you want the peaches to be tender when you stick a fork in the center but still have some firmness. Depending on the ripeness of the peaches, this time may vary.
  • Remove from heat when done and transfer to a bowl for cooling. This mixture needs to be fully cooled before you proceed to shaping the fritters.
  • Easy Preparation Note: You can make this filling ahead if you'd like and refrigerate it until you're ready to shape and fry the fritters.

Step 6: Shape the Peach Fritters

  • If you refrigerated the dough overnight, remove from the frig and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off.
  • When dough is ready, flour a surface well and dump the dough onto the work area.
  • Roll your dough out to a 14 inch by 14 inch square. This doesn't have to be perfectly accurate, but if you'd like you can use a tape measure or ruler to make sure you're on the right track.
  • This next step is very important- we are going to add a binder of flour on top of the peach filling to make sure that the fritters can hold together. On top of the peach filling sprinkle your layer of flour and cinnamon.
    1 (135g) cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Starting at the side of the dough square, roll up the dough like you would a cinnamon roll.
  • Once you've rolled up your dough, you're going to use a sharp knife or bench knife to cut diagonally up and down the roll opposite directions to create a crisscross of dough cubes.
  • You can cut up any large chunks with your knife as well to make sure the peach filling is really well marbled and mixed in. This doesn't need to be pretty!
  • The next step may seem counterintuitive to the work we just did, but bear with me! Flour the top and sides of the dough chunks WELL, and start to work the dough back together to from a log or loaf. If it's sticky, add more flour.
  • I can't stress the importance here of flouring everything with every step. This flour is essential to making the fritters work, so don't be shy. This flour will absorb the moisture from the peach filling and help the dough chunks stick back together so the fritters don't fall apart when you fry them.
  • You can gently knead, pat, shape this loaf back together using flour as you go to help. The concern isn't over flouring, it's not using enough.
  • Now it's time to shape your fritters! Use a bench knife to cut sections off of the dough log. I measured my fritters out, and each weighed roughly 120-125 g and this made 15 fritters.
  • Be aware that if you make these too large, you may struggle to flip them during frying, and they may be raw in the center. The sweet spot for me was 120g fritters.
  • To form your fritter, flour a surface well and flour a 4x4 square of parchment. Press your fritter together (think hamburger patty), gently flipping and pressing the other side as well to form a circle.
  • Transfer the shaped fritter to the floured square of parchment, and place on a baking sheet for proofing. Don't skip the parchment this is key to frying later.
  • Repeat this shaping step with the remaining dough until all of your fritters are shaped and lined on baking sheets to proof.
  • Cover your pans with plastic wrap and allow fritters to proof at room temperature 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step 7: Fry the Peach Fritters

  • Line a cooling rack with paper towels. Fit your candy thermometer into your deep pot. Transfer 3–4 cups of organic coconut oil to a deep pot or Dutch oven, and heat to 345-350°F on medium heat.
  • If oil gets hotter than this, reduce heat accordingly. Watch your temperatures very closely and adjust your heat as needed to avoid burning the fritters.
  • When oil is ready, transfer 2 donuts with parchment paper into oil (you can remove paper with tongs when it separates). Avoid over crowding the pot or you may have difficulty getting the donuts cooked.
  • Fry 30 seconds at a time per side, flipping fritters gently using chopsticks or a slotted spoon. I repeat this step a few times rotating fritters to avoid burning. Remove after 2-3 minutes with a slotted spoon or spider spoon and donuts are a golden brown. Transfer fritters to a rack lined with paper towels to cool.
  • Repeat until all your fritters have been fried. Allow to cool while you prepare the glaze.

Step 8: Make the vanilla Glaze

  • Melt the butter for your glaze in a medium sized pot over low heat.
    ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter
  • When the butter has melted, add the powdered sugar and cream. Whisk until the powdered sugar has completely dissolved, making sure to keep this on LOW heat.
    4 (480g) cups powdered sugar, ½ (120g) cup heavy cream
  • Remove from heat immediately after sugar has dissolved, and whisk in the vanilla and salt.
    1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • If the glaze is too thick, thin with a couple tablespoons of milk at a time until it reaches the desired thickness.
    4 Tbsp whole milk
  • Be aware that if you overheat the glaze, it will be more thin. I try to heat it just to the point that it needs just a minute to cool and then I can comfortably dip the fritters in the glaze.

Step 9: Glaze the Donuts

  • Dip cooled donuts face-down into glaze. Flip to the other side and coat. Remove from glaze and let excess drip off, then transfer back to an unlined wire rack. After donuts have cooled for roughly ten minutes, dip both sides again to coat with more glaze if desired.
  • Let glaze set for 30 minutes before serving.
  • And the last thing to do is brew a fresh cup of coffee to enjoy with your warm glazed Sourdough Peach Fritter Donuts!
  • Yields 15 fritters (120g)

Notes

How to Store:
Room Temperature- Keep fritters in an airtight container at room temp up to 2 days. But in my opinion, these are best enjoyed fresh!

Nutrition

Serving: 1fritterCalories: 630kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 7gFat: 26g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!