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A plate of pumpkin fritters or barriguitas de vieja
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5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Fritters (Barriguitas de Vieja-Old Lady Belly's)

Sweet, gently crispy pumpkin fritters. Dusted with cinnamon powdered sugar. These pumpkin fritters have all the goodness of pumpkin pie.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert, Puerto Rican Inspirations
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Servings: 12 fritters
Calories: 89kcal
Author: Zoe Morman

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Each | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5535IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg