Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (2024)

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Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (1)

Picarones or Peruvian doughnuts are a typical Peruvian treat and are as good as American Doughnuts but are easier to make. This is a traditional Picarones recipe that’s simple to make and the resulting Picarones will tempt you to devour them all.

This recipe uses butternut squash but you can also use pumpkin (which is part of the squash family) and sweet potato.

In fact, a mix of all three is a good way to change the flavors. This would not be considered an easy recipe but with a little care and some practice, you can make delicious desserts that accompany any Peruvian meal, especially anticuchos de corazón.

This is a classic street food that has made it into the homes and restaurants of the entire country. Finding picarones on the menu of a Peruvian restaurant overseas is always a treat and if you get the chance to try them don’t hesitate to order.

Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (2)

There is some debate over the origin of picarones. Several countries claim to be the inventor of the dessert. In February 2016 a facebook group called Marca Chile (Brand Chile) published an article about ‘Chilean Picarones’.
The article went viral with hundreds of shares.

In the end, it really doesn’t matter who invented the dish. What matters is who prepares it best. Peruvians do an excellent job of it and it’s a regular dish in almost every household and restaurant.

If we look at the history of the dish we can trace it back to Spanish buñuelos which are essentially balls of fried dough. You can find them in most parts of Spain.

Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (3)

I love to eat Picarones with Lucuma Ice Cream. Warning: The flavor explosion followed by sugar withdrawal symptoms might make you sleepy, but very happy. Deep-fried and delicious, picarones are not for dieters, but the pumpkin or squash does contain good levels of nutrients.

Print Recipe

4.91 from 11 votes

Picarones

A classic Peruvian breakfast food or dessert. Easy to make and delicious.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Peruvian

Servings: 52 Picarones

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs. dry baking yeast
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbs. ground corn or cornmeal
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed anise
  • 3 cups white flour
  • 1 cup premium beer
  • 1 cup cooked butternut squash pureed.
  • 1-2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 lemon or orange peel shreds

Instructions

  • Doughnut Instructions: Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water, use a small bowl for this.

  • Mix cornmeal, salt, anise seed, 1 cup flour and beer in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and mix.

  • Add squash or pumpkin and 2 cups of flour. Mix together to form a soft dough texture. Cover with a towel and let the mixture rise in a warm place for around 2 hours. You can also let the mixture rise in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours if covered with film.

  • Syrup instructions: Add the Syrup ingredients in a saucepan and leave to boil over medium heat level. Reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer until a thick syrup forms after 15 minutes or so. Remove saucepan from heat.

  • To prepare doughnuts: Heat oil in a wok. Drop tablespoons of dough into hot oil and fry until crispy golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with hot syrup.

Notes

Makes 52 doughnuts.

Helpful hints: To test for proper temperature, drop a small spoonful of dough into hot oil; if it rises quickly to the surface, the oil is hot enough.

If using the new quick-acting yeast, use half as much. Add to dry ingredients. Rising time will be reduced by about half.

To reheat doughnuts, place on baking sheets in a 350-degree oven until hot, about 5 minutes.

Nutritional Values:PER SERVING: 58 CAL, 0.8G PROTEIN, 0.6G FAT,2G CARBS, 0 .0, 24MG,SODIUM, 0g FIBER, VEGAN FRIENDLY

You Might Also Like These Recipes:

Classic Peruvian banana bread: Easy queque de platano recipe

Besos de moza: Peruvian chocolate-covered marshmallows

Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (7)

Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (8)

Eat Peru

Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AdriP

    This is sooo going to be on the menu on friday night in my house! Can’t stop looking at the picarones

    Reply

  2. Sara

    I see that it says to mix until to form a soft dough texture, would you recommend using a dough hook then?

    Reply

  3. Natalia

    Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (9)
    Can you make the syrup a day ahead?

    Reply

  4. Natalien

    Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (10)
    This was the best picarones ever! It took me back to my time in Lima. My boys said it’s a keeper. I make it every other weekend. Muchísimas gracias.

    Reply

  5. nick

    Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (11)
    Amazing!

    Reply

  6. Dev

    Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (12)
    good

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Picarones Recipe - Delicious Peruvian Dessert Food | Eat Peru (2024)

FAQs

What are picarones made of Peru? ›

Its principal ingredients are squash and sweet potato. It is served in a doughnut form and covered with syrup, made from chancaca (solidified molasses). It is traditional to serve picarones when people prepare anticuchos, another traditional Peruvian dish.

What is the most popular dessert in Peru? ›

1. Mazamorra Morada (Purple corn Pudding) Mazamorra Morada is perhaps the most consumed Peruvian dessert in the Andean country. This well-known pudding is made with purple corn as the main ingredient and it gives its iconic color and distinctive flavor.

How many calories are in picarones? ›

Tip
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories184
% Daily Value*
13 more rows
Feb 3, 2022

What is picarones made of? ›

Picarones are one of the favorite desserts by all Peruvians, being considered one of the most traditional and exquisite of Peruvian pastries. Bathed in chancaca honey, this delicacy made from pumpkin and sweet potato has always been present in the popular culture of this country.

What do picarones taste like? ›

Picarones have a spiced flavor that Americans would most likely describe as "fall flavor" or "pumpkin spice flavor." The batter is mostly made up of tubers, usually, a mixture of sweet potato and a local squash found in Peru called macre, per Peru Delights.

What is the most delicious food in Peru? ›

  • Ceviche. Top of any list of must-try foods in Peru is Ceviche, which originated here in Peru and is the national dish of the country. ...
  • Lomo Saltado (Beef stir-fry) ...
  • Pollo a la Brasa (Roasted Chicken) ...
  • Ají de Gallina (Creamy chicken) ...
  • Causa (Potato Casserole) ...
  • Anticuchos (Beef heart skewers) ...
  • Picarones. ...
  • Papa a la Huancaina.
Oct 17, 2022

Are picarones vegan? ›

Picarones. Another delicious dessert that's 100% vegan is picarones. These are luxurious rings made from sweet potato and squash that are deep-fried like donuts. They're served with a sweet syrup made from figs that's out of this world.

How much are picarones in Peru? ›

Truly the snack of the Peruvian people, picarones continue to thrive in the streets of Peru, costing only about 2 to 4 soles (60¢ to US$1.20).

Are picarones gluten free? ›

Can this Picarones recipe be made gluten-free? Yes, you can make a gluten-free Peruvian donut by substituting the all-purpose flour with either quinoa flour, or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

What is the history of picarones in Peru? ›

It was enslaved African cooks who refitted the original buñuelos recipe to make use of Peruvian sweet potato and squash. They kneaded flour and salt with mashed produce and fried spoonfuls of the orange dough in hot lard. To finish off the warm, chewy treat, they doused its crisp exterior in sweet syrup.

What are Peruvians made of? ›

The people of Peru are a mix of many different cultures, including Indians, Spaniards and other Europeans, descendants of African slaves, and Asians. Until recently, most people lived in the countryside. But now, more than 70 percent live in cities. Most Peruvians follow the Catholic religion introduced by the Spanish.

What are the raw materials of Peru? ›

Peru has a wealth of mineral resources. Copper, iron, lead, zinc, bismuth, phosphates, and manganese exist in great quantities of high-yield ores. Gold and silver are found extensively, as are other rare metals, and petroleum fields are located along the far north coast and the northeastern part of Amazonia.

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