Dessert · Snack · Latin American ·

Fluffy Peruvian Picarones with Spiced Syrup

Name: Fluffy Peruvian Picarones with Spiced Syrup
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: Sweet potato, 1 cup, peeled and cubed; Pumpkin, 1 cup, peeled and cubed; Anise seeds, 1 teaspoon; Instant yeast, 1 tablespoon; All-purpose flour, 3 cups; Sugar, 1/4 cup; Salt, 1 teaspoon; Ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon; Oil, for frying; Dark brown sugar, 1 cup; Water, 1 1/2 cups; Cinnamon stick, 1 piece; Cloves, 4 pieces; Orange peel, 1 piece; Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon

Light and airy Peruvian doughnuts made with pumpkin and sweet potato, drenched in a spiced syrup.

4.2(104 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·June 22, 2025

Fluffy Peruvian Picarones with Spiced Syrup — Dessert served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h

Cook

3 h

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Picarones Dough

For the Spiced Syrup

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 500 kcal
Protein: 7.5 g
Carbs: 99.4 g
Fat: 8.5 g
Fiber: 2.9 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 3000 kcal
Protein: 44.9 g
Carbs: 596.3 g
Fat: 50.7 g
Fiber: 17.6 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
Sweet potato 1 cup, peeled and cubed	114	2.1	26.8	0.1	3.8
Pumpkin 1 cup, peeled and cubed	30	1.2	8	0.1	0.5
Anise seeds 1 teaspoon	7	0.2	1	0.3	0.4
Instant yeast 1 tablespoon	21	2.1	2.6	0.3	1
All-purpose flour 3 cups	1365	39	286.5	4.5	9
Sugar 1/4 cup	194	0	50.6	0	0
Salt 1 teaspoon	0	0	0	0	0
Ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon	6	0.1	1.9	0	1.2
Oil for frying	400	0	0	45	0
Dark brown sugar 1 cup	836	0	215	0	0
Water 1 1/2 cups	0	0	0	0	0
Cinnamon stick 1 piece	3	0	0.6	0	0.4
Cloves 4 pieces	6	0.1	1.3	0.3	0.7
Orange peel 1 piece	6	0.1	1.5	0.1	0.6
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon	12	0	0.5	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Picarones Dough

1
Boil vegetables
Boil sweet potato and pumpkin in a pot until tender.
2
Mash mixture
Drain and mash the sweet potato and pumpkin together with anise seeds.
3
Form the dough
In a mixing bowl, combine mashed mixture, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Mix into a smooth dough, cover, and let it rise for 2 hours.
Tip: Let the dough rise for the full time to ensure the fluffiest Picarones.

Preparing the Spiced Syrup

1
Combine ingredients
In a saucepan, combine dark brown sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel.
2
Simmer
Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
3
Finish syrup
Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat.

How to Make Fluffy Peruvian Picarones with Spiced Syrup

Total time: 4 h · Yields 6 servings

1
Frying the Picarones
Heat oil in a deep pan. Shape small doughnut rings and fry them in hot oil until golden and cooked through.
2
Coating with Syrup
Once fried, dip each Picarone immediately in the prepared spiced syrup.
3
Cooling
Place coated Picarones on a wire rack to drain excess syrup.