How to make pumpkin fritters
If you ever wanted to figure out how to make pumpkin fritters, then this easy recipe is for you. This Caribbean-style fritter uses fresh pumpkin and aromatic spices to create the perfect breakfast or snack.
We just love using pumpkins in the Caribbean. I mean we use it in soups, make drinks, ice creams, and even desserts. Sooo delicious!
These Caribbean pumpkin fritters can be the perfect breakfast option or as a snack.
And then they become even more amazing dusted with some powdered sugar just like I do with my banana fritters.
The main pumpkin we have in the Caribbean is called calabaza. It is also referred to as the West Indian pumpkin.
It is a winter squash that comes in various sizes. You can find some very small ones to some as large as watermelons. The color on the inside can vary from light orange to a very deep orange color.
I find personally, that the ones I get here in Florida are not as sweet in taste as the ones I used to get back in Tobago.
They are extremely difficult to peel and cut up. They are very firm in texture and the skin is thin. So you have to be careful when peeling them.
They are a few places that sell it already cut up, but not peeled, but that’s a good start.
If you do happen to get a whole calabaza, I suggest first cutting it into half, or even pieces that are more manageable to handle. Then using a knife, cut the skin off carefully. Then cut those pieces into smaller cubes.
How to make Caribbean pumpkin fritters
Ingredients for pumpkin fritters
Cutting up is the hardest part. After that, it’s an easy road.
As is typical, a lot of our recipes use a lot of basic pantry items. We hardly really use fancy ingredients in our food (especially the older traditional ones that we refer to as “grassroots” food). They just use simple ingredients.
So there are a lot of pantry staples on the list.
- Pumpkin (or canned purée) – Fresh pumpkin will give the best flavor and texture, but canned works just fine if that’s what you’ve got.
- All-purpose flour – Nothing fancy needed here. I’ve only ever used all-purpose, so if you try another kind, just know the texture might shift a bit.
- Brown sugar – Adds a nice depth of sweetness, but if you’re out, granulated sugar will do the job.
- Milk & egg – These bring the batter together and add richness.
- Vanilla extract (or mixed essence) – A splash of flavor that gives it that “bake by Granny” feel.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg & ground ginger – These warm spices are a must for that cozy pumpkin flavor.
- Raisins (optional) – Totally up to you. I usually skip them, but some folks swear by that extra bite.
- Vegetable oil – For frying. Just enough to get that golden finish.
- Powdered sugar – For dusting on top if you’re feeling extra. Call it a sweet little finishing touch.
Instructions
1. Boil the pumpkin until tender
2. Once boiled, in a large bowl, you want to mix it with the egg, sugar, spices, and extract. Make sure you mash up all pieces of pumpkin into a puree during this time. We don’t want any lumps.
3. To the mashed pumpkin mixture, gradually add in the flour and the milk (at room temperature) and whisk till combined.
4. Get your oil ready. I use medium heat to medium-high heat. I sometimes have to lower the heat as the batch is going down.
5. Use a kitchen tablespoon and scoop the batter into the oil. You can also use a measuring cup. I think a 1/3 cup is a good size, but you can make these any size that you prefer. The size difference would determine how much you get.
6. When the sides are getting golden, flip them. Each side should take about 2 – 3 minutes to be golden in color. A test to see doneness would be to poke the middle with a toothpick and see if cooked.
7. Remove the fried fritters from the oil, and place on a plate covered with a napkin or even brown paper so that more excess oil can be absorbed while you go through the other batches.
8. Drizzle with some icing sugar or castor sugar. And eat these delicious fritters hot.
Tips
- Oil temperature matters – Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying. I use the wooden spoon-in-oil trick: if bubbles form around the spoon, it’s ready.
- To deep fry or not – I don’t use a ton of oil for these. I like to flip them instead. Also, I’m unashamedly afraid of hot oil (don’t judge!), so shallow frying gives me more control and fewer heart palpitations.
- Golden but not cooked? – If your fritters are browning too fast but still raw inside, lower your heat a bit. My first one usually sacrifices itself for the cause while I figure out the perfect temp.
- Use a slotted spoon – When they’re done, use a slotted spoon to lift them out. It helps drain off excess oil instead of dragging it onto your plate.
Storage
I would not encourage the storage of these at all. They are definitely best eaten fresh and hot. But if you just happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
I also would not let them stay there for more than the next day. And I definitely do not suggest freezing them.
Reheating
To be honest these are best eaten fresh. If you do happen to have any leftovers, put them in the fridge in an air-tight container. I would not suggest freezing them.
These can easily be reheated in the microwave. I wrap them with a paper towel and heat them in 15 seconds spurts.
You can also put them in your toaster/oven or even air fryer. Place on a baking sheet and heat them for about five minutes till warmed through.
Pumpkin Recipes
And if you love pumpkin like I do, here are some of my other favorite recipes that use it:
Recipe
How to make pumpkin fritters
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the pumpkin in water until tender.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, egg, sugar, spices, and extract. Whisk well.
- Once combined, gradually add the flour and milk.
- Heat the oil in a medium-large skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is warmed place batter into the oil. You can use a 1/4 cup of batter or use a large eating spoon and drop batter.
- Fry on each side for about 3 minutes. The sides will get golden brown and crisp. Flip when ready. Poke the center for doneness.
- Once done cooking, remove from the pan and place on a plate covered with a napkin to absorb the excess oil.
- Repeat till all the batter is used up.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar.
- Serve hot
This look absolutely delicious! Here in Panama we call those pumpkins "zapallo" (there's also calabaza but I think those are the bright orange ones used for Halloween, and those aren't grown here).
My trick to peel them is to roast them in the oven. I try to buy zapallo at least cut in half, so I don't have to cut it, but I've also roasted it whole. This is what I do: take either the halved or whole zapallo, rub some oil all over it (I usually use olive oil because it's what I have, but coconut oil would be good, too), and then put it in the oven on a baking sheet, for about 45 minutes or so, checking the flesh from time to time to see if it's tender. Then I take it out, let it cool down, and scoop the flesh right off. Would work wonders for your recipe! I'm dying to try it soon.
Oh Tess.. You just might have given me the best tip ever. I'll be trying that for sure. Yes that would be perfect for doing that and would also add another level of flavor "roasted". Thanks for sharing.
The halloween pumpkins are Luminas I think.