When are Donut (Flat) Peaches in Season?

No donut is healthier than a donut peach. Find out when these flat saucer shaped peaches are in season and where to buy them.

Also learn about an heirloom variety as well as donut nectarines.

Donut peaches sitting on a white wood looking background with the words "When are Donut Peaches in Season" over top in a white circle.

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Mmmmm....donuts.

Words so elegantly described by the famous philosopher Homer J. Simpson.

Donuts are worthy of mmmmm to the infinity.

Problem is a donut based diet isn't going to do you any favors.

But alas, we can have our donuts and be healthy at the same time. Thanks to the donut peach.

Besides having the name and shape in common, these peaches are sweetly divine. They may not be as good as donuts, but for health reasons, they will suffice.

When and how does one acquire these better for ya donuts? Well that's what this post is all about.

Jump to:

🌎 Where are They Grown?
🌞 When are They in Season?
❓ White or Yellow Flesh?
❔ Do They Have Fuzz?
🛒 Where to Buy
📋 Varieties of Donut Peaches
📧 Email List
📚 Resources
🍑 More Peach Reading
🍴 Recipes

A plastic clamshell package of donut peaches that looks like a pack of donuts on display at the grocery store.

🌎 Where are They Grown?

The majority of the donut peaches grown for commercial production in the United States is California. Almost all the donut peaches I have seen in stores comes from the Golden State.

You can also find them from other states, but it will be more of a hunt. While the southern states of Georgia and South Carolina are big regular peach growers, I don't know of a lot of orchards growing them.

The only grower I have come across is Watsonia Farms. I have never had one of their donut peaches, I have seen their products (summer squashes, Muscadine grapes) on store shelves at Whole Foods Market.

One grower that is nearby me that I have checked out is Quarry Hills Orchard in Berlin Heights, Ohio (between Toledo and Cleveland). They harvest peaches from July to September. They are one of my favorite places to visit on this plant. Their apple cider is die for and they have a selection of newer and classic varieties of apples.

In the last couple years I have been seeing Virginia grown flat peaches showing up in the produce department of Walmart. I tried them once and was not pleased with them. Still need to give them a 2nd chance.

If you are a peach growing state, check your local farmers market to see if anyone there grows donut peaches.

🌞 When are They in Season?

Mid May through September. Peak season mid July to mid August.

To determine the season, I look at the availability a couple of my favorite stone fruit growers.

Kingsburg Orchards calls them Flying Saucer peaches. These are white fleshed donut peaches. Their earliest ones (May Flying and Galaxy) are available at the month of May. Then there is a gap all the way until August when their next couple varieties (Pink and Late) are ripe.

Kingsburg also have a yellow flesh variety called Golden Moon, which comes out in July.

BuenOs Donut Peaches hanging in a tree. — These donut peaches are called BuenOs. They have an amazing flavor. I took these photos at Johnston Fruit Farm in Swanton, Ohio. It was really cool to see a donut peach tree in person and how the peaches grow on them.

Another of my favorite growers is Family Tree Farms. Their donut peaches, called Saturn peaches are available from the end of May through the end of June and then again around the end of July to late August.

Final crops for Family Tree Farms are between early September and mid October - although I think by then you don't seen most stores carrying them as they have moved onto to larger displays of apples and pears.

A cut open donut peach showing a little yellowish interior being held in someone's hand over top of whole donut peaches.

❓ White or Yellow Flesh?

The answer is both.

However, The majority of donut peaches will you find in stores are going to be the white flesh varieties, known for their incredibly sweetness and lower acid.

I will mention some yellow fleshed varieties below. Actually these are my favorite flat peaches.

To tell whether the color on the inside look at the color of the skin that is not the red blush. If it's more yellowish, than the inside will be so, but if it's more white, the inside will be white.

❔ Do They Have Fuzz?

Donut peaches tend to only have a little fuzz on the skin as compared to regular peaches that can be a lot more fuzzy. If that is something that bothers you about peaches, maybe these will be better for you.

Also I think donut peaches have a thin skin.

🛒 Where to Buy

Local farmer's markets are a great place to look for them. Not many grow them but when you can't find them at the market, they are usually the best you'll ever have!

As for grocery stores, here are some stores to look in:

Whole Foods Market
Kroger
Meijer
The Fresh Market
Trader Joe's
Wegman's
HyVee
Sprouts

I have never seen them at places like Costco or Sam's Club before. Have you?

Where have you found donut peaches? Have you ever tried any of the varieties listed below? Leave a comment in the comments section when you finish reading the post 🙂

📋 Varieties of Donut Peaches

I am sad to say that many of the donut peaches in stores are really more style than substance. They lack any real flavor - especially the white flesh varieties.

Over the years I have managed to track down a few varieties that you NEED (yes with all CAPS!) to check out and buy up if you are lucky enough to find them.

Peach Pie Heirloom Peaches from Family Tree Farms in plastic clamshell containers that looks like a donut container. — Four peaches to a case that resembles an actual donut container. Even has an easy to hold handle on top. An adorable idea from Family Tree Farms. These particular ones I found at Kroger in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Peach Pie Donut Peaches

This variety comes your way from Family Tree Farms. They take a while to ripen, but are full of flavor if you eat them at the right moment.

Peach Pie Donut peaches do have notes of pie spices in their flavor profile. Definitely worth checking out. Sometimes they even come in a cute, carrying case, that makes them look like they are actually donuts! I found these at Trader Joe's and Kroger.

Read our review of Peach Pie Donut peaches

Nectafire Donut Nectarine

This is actually a nectarine. It's a donut nectarine. In fact it's the best tasting nectarine variety I have ever had.

By far. No contest. J

Juicy and just bursting with flavor. These have both style and substance. They have a beautiful red color. I just love them.

I used to buy them at Hiller's Market each summer, however that store was bought out by Kroger and I can no longer find them in my area. Rest asure, I will find them again. Nectafire is harvested in mid July by Rembrandt Fruit.

Nectapie Donut Nectarine

Ok another nectarine variety, I thought this was a donut peach post. What can I say, I love the very few donut nectarines I have had the privilege of trying.

These Nectapie Donut Nectarines are another variety from Family Tree Farms. I had them for the first time in 2019. Oh my were they delicious. Full flavor. Sweet. I want another right now!

📧 Email List

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📚 Resources

If you are really into peaches, and fruit in general I have a great book you need to check out, it's called How to Pick a Peach. I have learned so much about fruit from this book from history to what to look for when shopping for fruit. It's a fave of mine.