Picarones: Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Doughnuts

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 02/3/22
Picarones

Jean Pierre Pinochet/Getty Images
Prep: 3 hrs
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 30 servings
Yield: 30 doughnuts
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
184 Calories
6g Fat
31g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories 184
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 35mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 29mg 147%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 266mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Picarones are addictively good, and not just because they are fried dough. They have an intriguing spicy sweet flavor, kind of like a spice cake, but they are crispy and warm and dripping with syrup. They are probably an adaptation of buñuelos, but they evolved into something quite different and unique.

The runny dough is shaped into lopsided rings and deep-fried. Experienced picarón makers use only one hand to throw perfect rings of dough into the oil, but don't worry if it takes some practice before your doughnuts are rings. The practice doughnuts will taste just as good.

Ingredients

  • 3 cinnamon sticks, divided

  • 2 teaspoons anise seed

  • 2 teaspoons whole cloves, divided

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes

  • 1 pound uncooked pumpkin, or 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1/4 cup pisco, or other brandy

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 orange

  • 2 limes

  • 1/4 cup molasses

  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup water

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 teaspoons anise seed, and 1 teaspoon cloves to the water.

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  2. Peel the sweet potatoes, and cut into large chunks. Cut the fresh pumpkin (if you are not using canned) in large chunks as well.

  3. Add the sweet potatoes and fresh pumpkin to the boiling water and cook until soft. You will need to remove the pumpkin first, as it will cook faster. Strain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and let cool.

  4. When the pumpkin and potatoes are cool enough to handle, mash them or run them through a food mill. Let cool. You will need 3/4 cup sweet potato purée and 3/4 cup pumpkin puree.

  5. In the bowl of a standing mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the 1/2 cup of cooled (slightly warm, not hot) reserved cooking water. Let rest for 5 minutes.

  6. Add the eggs, salt cooled sweet potato puree, cooled pumpkin puree, and the pisco and mix with the dough hook attachment until well mixed.

  7. Add the flour gradually and mix with the dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough should be stretchy and smooth but still sticky. If it is very liquid, you can add up to 1/2 cup more flour.

  8. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, or about 2 hours.

  9. Juice the orange and limes and reserve juice. Place the molasses, sugar, orange rind, lime rinds, orange juice, lime juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon cloves, and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring.

  10. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly. The consistency should be similar to pancake syrup, and it will thicken more as it cools. Strain to remove the orange and lime rind and spices.

  11. When the dough has risen, heat the oil in a pot to 350 F.

  12. Wet your fingers in the salted water. Form the doughnuts by grabbing a small handful of dough and stretching it into a ring around a couple of fingers, then tossing the dough quickly into the oil. Cook briefly, 20 seconds or so, and then flip the doughnuts using the handle of a long wooden spoon.

  13. Cook the doughnuts in the oil until they are golden brown (about 30 seconds longer), then remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.

  14. Serve immediately drizzled with the warm syrup.

Tip

  • Doughnuts can be kept warm in a 200 F oven for up to 1 hour.