Portuguese Christmas Pumpkin Dream Fritters

Who doesn’t love a good pumpkin fritter? These are sweet fried treats with a pumpkin base, and I have to say I tend to enjoy this type of fritter much more than the traditional ones that are just made with plain dough. When you make them with pumpkin, they have a much creamier texture and a more interesting flavour that pairs beautifully with sugar and cinnamon! This is just one variation of the countless Christmas fritters we make in Portugal, we have ones with just simple dough, others with enriched doughs, some with lemon, others with orange, and this delightful version with pumpkin for all you pumpkin lovers out there ;D

Don’t get me wrong, I love that combination of cinnamon and sugar, but so many Portuguese sweets, especially at Christmas, taste predominantly of cinnamon and sugar. These pumpkin fritters bring something special to the table with their creamy interior and more complex flavour profile. They also end up being a traditional Christmas sweet with a more festive taste, pumpkin and sweet potato are some of the most common flavours during this time of year, regardless of Christmas shenanigans, ;D So let’s get to the recipe!

Portuguese Christmas Pumpkin Dream Fritters

Servings: 12
Time: 50mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Who doesnt like some creamy pumpking fritters for Christmas, these in Portuguese are called Dreams, and they are indeed fluffly and dreamy to try!

Ingredients

Pumpkin – 500g (Peeled)
Flour – 175g
Butter – 20g
Eggs – 4 (L)
Water – 200ml
Orange – 1/2 Zest
Salt – A Pinch
Sugar – For Sprinkling
Cinnamon – For Sprinkling (Optional)
Sunflower Oil – For Frying

Directions

Start by peeling the pumpkin and cutting it into small cubes. Place them in a pan with water and a pinch of salt, cook until the pumpkin is tender, then drain, allow to cool slightly, and finally squeeze with a cloth. You want the pumpkin pulp with as little water as possible, but do not discard the water.
Remove 200ml of this cooking water (add more if necessary to make 200ml), add the butter and a pinch of salt if necessary, and bring to a boil.
Add the sifted flour to the pot with the water, stir until you get a ball of dough, then remove from the pot and let the dough cool slightly.
When it is lukewarm, knead it a little, then add the eggs one by one, kneading well, then add the well-squeezed pumpkin pulp and orange zest, knead again until your dough is ready.
Heat a frying pan with the oil, then spoon the dough into the pan and fry well on all sides. Use a large toothpick to turn these types of doughnuts. When they are golden brown, place them on paper towels or rack to drain, then roll them in sugar while still warm, and that’s it! Ready to serve! Merry Christmas!

Notes: These fritters are also often dusted with a little cinnamon along with the sugar. You can dust them with powdered sugar if you want a cleaner version, or serve them with an orange syrup which is also delicious.

The key to perfect fritters is getting as much water as possible out of the cooked pumpkin. Really squeeze it well in that kitchen towel, the drier your pumpkin pulp, the better your fritters will hold together when frying.

Also make sure your oil is hot enough (around 350°F/175°C) before adding the dough. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the fritters will absorb too much oil and become greasy.

These are best enjoyed fresh and warm, but unlike plain dough fritters that tend to get hard quickly, these pumpkin fritters stay softer longer thanks to the moisture from the pumpkin.

Serve them warm with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, they’re absolutely divine for a cozy Christmas evening!

This recipe for Portuguese Christmas Pumpkin Dream Fritters was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Sonhos de Natal de Abóbora foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.