Peach Fritters

All the best parts of a peach fritter, minus the pot of frying oil. These easy baked peach fritters are packed with fresh summer peaches, have no added sugar in the batter and sneak in a little extra protein too. A simple coconut butter drizzle gives them that classic glazed fritter finish without a pile of powdered sugar.

I’ve been on a mission lately to figure out where I can add a little extra protein to recipes without making them taste like “protein recipes.” Because we’ve all had those baked goods that are dry, weirdly spongy and taste more like vanilla chemicals than whatever they’re supposed to be.

Peaches seemed like a good place to put all that testing to work. They’re one of my favorite parts of summer and when they’re perfectly ripe, they really don’t need much help. I wanted to see if I could make a version I’d happily eat for breakfast or an afternoon snack without turning it into something that tasted aggressively “healthy.”

After playing around with the batter, I landed on my favorite protein powder for a little boost and left the sweetening entirely up to the peaches. The coconut butter drizzle on top makes them feel enough like a real fritter without undoing everything I was going for.

Why Baked Peach Fritters?

Traditional peach fritters are usually dropped into hot oil and fried until crisp and golden. They’re great, but I wanted something I could make with fresh peaches that felt a little more like an everyday breakfast or snack. Plus, I legit can’t handle the smell of lingering deep fried food in my house for days.

So these are baked instead. There’s no pot of oil to deal with, which makes the whole process a lot simpler. And while I was rethinking the traditional fritter, I skipped the sugar in the batter too. Ripe summer peaches (the kind where the juice drips down your chin) bring plenty of sweetness on their own.

They’re definitely not trying to impersonate a bakery fritter. The texture is a bit softer and more cake-like, but you still get golden edges, juicy pieces of peach and that icing drizzle on top.

A Little Extra Protein

Instead of making these with all flour, I replace some of it with vanilla protein powder. Eggs add more protein while oat flour helps give the fritters structure.

I’ve tested a LOT of protein powders in baked goods at this point and really honed in on what works. Promix vegan vanilla protein powder has become my go-to for baking. The vanilla flavor is natural without that weird artificial taste, it adds just the right amount of sweetness and, most importantly, it gives baked goods structure. For these peach fritters, it’s a big part of how they’re able to deliver 9g of protein in each one.

I use beef isolate and bone broth protein for other things, but they don’t behave the same way when you bake with them. The plant-based protein in Promix absorbs moisture and works almost like part of the flour, which is especially helpful in a recipe like this with juicy fresh peaches.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These aren’t your typical flour, sugar and deep-fried fritters. The ingredient list is simple, with fresh peaches front and center and a few strategic swaps to add protein and keep the batter naturally sweet. Full details are in the recipe card below. This is a quick overview of the main ingredients.

• Fresh peaches: Use ripe but still firm peaches for the best flavor and texture. My guide to peaches can help if you’re standing in the produce section squeezing peaches and hoping for the best. Dice them relatively small so they’re evenly distributed throughout the fritters and don’t bother peeling them. Frozen peaches will work in a pinch if they’re thawed and well drained, but fresh summer peaches are definitely the way to go here. My air fryer peaches are another one to make when you’ve got a few perfectly ripe ones sitting on the counter.
• Oat flour: Adds structure while keeping the fritters soft. You can buy oat flour or make your own by finely blending rolled oats.
• Gluten-free flour: I use King Arthur Measure for Measure. Regular all-purpose flour can be used if you don’t need the fritters to be gluten-free.
• Vanilla protein powder: I use Promix vegan vanilla protein powder. You can replace it with additional flour if you don’t want to use protein powder.
• Coconut oil: Just one tablespoon goes into the entire batch.
• Coconut butter: This is my shortcut to an icing-like drizzle without making a traditional powdered sugar glaze. Thin it with a little milk or water until it’s pourable.

The Easiest Coconut Butter Icing

Instead of the typical powdered sugar glaze, these peach fritters get a drizzle of coconut butter. It’s naturally a little sweet and creamy, so there’s no need to mix up an icing with cups of powdered sugar.

Warm it just enough to make it runny then drizzle it over the fritters. As it cools, it firms back up and creates a thin shell on top that gives you some of that glazed fritter effect.

The subtle coconut flavor also works really well with fresh peaches without overpowering them. It’s the same pairing I use in my creamy peach popsicles and one I come back to every summer.

How to Store Peach Fritters

These are best the day they’re baked, especially while the edges still have some texture. That’s why this is a small batch recipe that makes four fritters.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I’d reheat them briefly in the toaster oven or air fryer rather than the microwave if you want to bring back some of the texture.

If you’ve still got peaches to use up, my peach tart with streusel topping is the move when you want a more traditional dessert. Or keep things simple with grilled peaches if you don’t want to turn on the oven.