In the blink of an eye, it seems like we’ve gone from steamy-hot to crisp-cool weather.  It also seems like over night the grocery stores have gone from a bounty of melons, berries, and peaches to huge displays of pumpkins, apples, and cider.  Although the weather and store displays have changed, I’m not ready to give up one of my favorite summer fruits, peaches!  When I saw what looked like the last of the summer peaches, I just had to snap up a few.  Lucky for me, I did…

When I came across the very lovely, Sweet Paul website I was inspired to make fritters.  He’d made the most beautiful apple fritters by battering apple rings and frying them.  Can you imagine…peaches, cut into rings, batter dipped, fried, and dusted with powdered sugar?!  I could and did, and it was sooooo good!

If I were an enabler, I’d suggest vanilla ice cream 🙂

Cut peaches “crosswise” in half, remove pits and stems before slicing each half into 3 rounds.  Cut away the outer peeling.

Dredge in seasoned, sweetened flour mixture.

Dip into batter, shaking off excess…

Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and enjoy!

Easy Peach Fritters
Makes 12

2 large clear seed* peaches, ripe but firm
dredge(recipe follows)
batter(recipe follows)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar(powdered sugar)

*Clear Seed means that the fruit does not adhere to the peach pit.  Sometimes it’s printed on those tiny round stickers on the peaches.

Dredge:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Stir ingredients together in a shallow dish and set aside until ready to use.

Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla extract until completely blended.  Pour milk mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, stirring until blended.  Set aside until ready to use.

When ready to prepare fritters, cut peaches in half, crosswise at the middle of each peach.  Pull halves apart, remove seeds and stems.  Cut each peach half into three slices/rounds and cut peel from each round.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high.  Working in batches, coat four peach rounds in dredge mixture, shaking off excess.  Dip into batter, completely coating peach rounds and allow excess batter to drop off before frying.  Fry for 1 minute per side, until golden brown.  Transfer to paper towel lined platter to drain excess oil.  Repeat with remaining peaches until finished.  Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.