Sweet, gently crispy pumpkin fritters. Dusted with cinnamon powdered sugar, it makes a great treat to go with your coffee or as an on-the-go breakfast. These pumpkin fritters have all the goodness of pumpkin pie.
Why you would love this recipe
- Quick: This recipe can be made from start to finish in 20 minutes.
- Versatility: It can be eaten as a doughnut or breakfast item.
- Canned or fresh: Canned pumpkin works just as well as fresh pumpkin. So this recipe can be done with whichever you have available.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin: As I mentioned, this recipe can be made with either canned or fresh pumpkins. The benefit of the fresh pumpkin is you have much more control over the moisture the cooked pumpkin ends with. Instead of boiling the pumpkin, try roasting it in the oven. Then scooping the tender meat. You might have to adjust the moisture and compensate with extra flour with canned pumpkin. I always have canned pumpkin in my cupboard because I enjoy it, and I never know when I will break into a pumpkin flavor craving.
- Flour: The binder of the recipe. It adds texture and form to the fritters.
- Sugar: Both granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness, while powdered sugar, although sweet, is more for decoration.
- Egg: I added one egg to create a binder between the flour and the pumpkin and add airiness. The egg also helps with the thickening of the mixture since canned pumpkin is much softer than the calabaza, or pumpkin, used on the island.
Variations and Substitutions
These fritters are as easy as can be and perfect for the fall season, but here are a few suggestions to try:
- Sweet Potato: There is an old rivalry or schools of preference between sweet potato and pumpkin. While these two vegetables are not related, with the exception of the color and texture once cooked, they have been regularly used to substitute for one another. If you are House Sweet Potato, consider roasting a few tubers to substitute for the pumpkin. Canned sweet potatoes would work well as well. Adjust the excess liquid by allowing it to drain or adding more flour.
- Apples: Turn these pumpkin fritters into Apple Pumpkin Fritters and enjoy the best of apple and pumpkin in one bite.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I used canned pumpkin to create this recipe instead of calabaza to see how it turns out. Due to the amount of moisture from the canned pumpkin plus its softness, I decided to add an egg to see if it helped with thickening the mixture, which it did. To start, open the can and empty the contents over a colander lined with cheesecloth for about 30 minutes to allow all the excess moisture to render.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour and a pinch of salt.
- Add the egg, and mix until well combined.
- Mix into the Pumpkin mixture; sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. (I ran out of vanilla and forgot the cinnamon when I took the picture, but I added the cinnamon later on).
- I added the flour in thirds only because I wanted a smooth texture and no clumps. The batter will be loose but not as runny as a pancake.
Cooking the Fritters
- Fill a skillet to two-inch deep with vegetable oil. If you do not have a thermometer, heat the oil on medium to medium-low. You want the oil to be hot but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, heat the oil to 325℉
- You can take a small batter and gently drop it into the oil to test the batter and the oil. If the batter is too runny, consider adding a small amount of flour. If the oil is too hot, remove it from the heat. Do not use oil that has smoked, or the flavor, texture, and color of the fritters will be off.
- With a spoon, gently drop the batter into the oil. You will see how it almost immediately sears on the bottom, and there should be enough oil for the batter to float.
- After a few minutes, gently flip the fritter to the other side and brown it for another few minutes. If the oil is too hot, the fritters darken quickly while the center is still gooey. Lower the heat, and try again.
- Remove fritters from the oil and let them rest on a plate lined with paper towels, a baking pan, and a cooling rack.
- I like to serve my barriguitas with a mixture of cinnamon and powdered sugar or cinnamon and regular sugar.
My best advice for this recipe
Use a thermometer. There will be plenty of batter to test it out and be patient. My background is in professional restaurants and culinary arts. We always use thermometers for almost everything we use. Granted, a professional fryer has a built-in thermometer. This recipe is made for the use of a skillet.
Here are my suggestions for a good, overall use thermometer. ThermoWorks Cooking Alarm Thermometer and Timer. A programmable thermometer will let you know when your food, water, or oil has reached the desired temperature. For a more affordable contender, Taylor Precision Products Instant Read Wired Probe. Also, a programmable probe which will help ensure your roast doesn't dry and your oil doesn't smoke.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I made this recipe with canned pumpkin. Keep in mind the canned variety tends to have slightly more moisture. You might have to add an egg, as I did to make my fritters, and/or adjust your flour.
Traditionally, Calabaza is the pumpkin we use on the island for many recipes. From adding them to beans to making desserts. I use the word calabaza because I have seen it labeled as such here in the United States. Calabaza means pumpkin in Spanish. Calabaza is smaller and has green or tan outer skin with bright orange pulp. The squash is not fully spherical, as it looks like a pumpkin that has been "squashed" on the top. You will find calabaza whole, half, or quarter in Latin markets.
Roast. Not sure if that is the traditional method other than boiling, but roasting the calabaza will be the way to cook it without adding excess liquid to the recipe.
Ginger. My mom always made sure to add ginger to her pumpkin pie, and ginger adds a different flavor to the recipe. I like using Gourmet Garden Ginger Paste. It is the easiest way to add ginger flavor to anything you are cooking. I do not use ginger enough in my recipes, so buying the root is wasteful. For my needs, the tube provides the ginger I need when I need it.
I want to know what you think! Did you make this recipe? Please, leave a review and a rating below. You can also find me on Instagram! Did you know you could bookmark it on your browser or save it to Pinterest for later?
More delicious desserts
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Fritters (Barriguitas de Vieja-Old Lady Belly's)
Ingredients
- 1 can pumpkin
- 1 large egg
- 1 Cup flour
- ½ Cup sugar
- 1 Pinch salt
- 1 Rsp vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- I used canned pumpkin to create this recipe instead of calabaza to see how it turns out. Due to the amount of moisture from the canned pumpkin plus its softness, I decided to add an egg to see if it helped with thickening the mixture, which it did. To start, open the can and empty the contents over a colander lined with cheesecloth for about 30 minutes to allow all the excess moisture to render.
- In a separate bowl, sift flour and a pinch of salt.
- Add the egg, and mix until well combined.
- Mix into the Pumpkin mixture; sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. (I ran out of vanilla and forgot the cinnamon when I took the picture, but I added the cinnamon later on).
- I added the flour in thirds only because I wanted a smooth texture and no clumps. The batter will be loose but not as runny as a pancake.
- Fill a skillet to two-inch deep with vegetable oil. If you do not have a thermometer, heat the oil on medium to medium-low. You want the oil to be hot but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, heat the oil to 325℉
- You can take a small batter and gently drop it into the oil to test the batter and the oil. If the batter is too runny, consider adding a small amount of flour. If the oil is too hot, remove it from the heat. Do not use oil that has smoked, or the flavor, texture, and color of the fritters will be off.
- With a spoon, gently drop the batter into the oil. You will see how it almost immediately sears on the bottom, and there should be enough oil for the batter to float.
- After a few minutes, gently flip the fritter to the other side and brown it for another few minutes. If the oil is too hot, the fritters darken quickly while the center is still gooey. Lower the heat, and try again.
- Remove fritters from the oil and let them rest on a plate lined with paper towels, a baking pan, and a cooling rack.
- I like to serve my barriguitas with a mixture of cinnamon and powdered sugar or cinnamon and regular sugar.
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