Pumpkin Fritters

Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) Headshot By Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
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Folks tend to only know about apple fritters and maybe peach fritters but don’t sleep on how good pumpkin fritters can be. I pull the batter together in a few minutes with simple ingredients. The pumpkin dough gets deep fried until golden then I top with powdered sugar and a bourbon cream cheese glaze drizzle. I always make these as soon as the fall season begins because they are just so cozy. Get at it boos.

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A stack of pumpkin fritters on a white plate with glaze drizzled on top

How to Make Pumpkin Fritters

For the Fritters:

  1. Pour 2 inches of veggie oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Prep a plate with paper towels for post-fry drainage.
  2. In one bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Grab a larger bowl and whip together pumpkin puree, milk, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla until it’s smooth.
  4. Gradually add the dry mix to the pumpkin mixture. Stir together. Your cue that it’s ready is a thick batter consistency.
  5. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, carefully drop that batter into the hot oil. I would probably only fry just 3-4 fritters per batch so it isn’t overcrowded.
  6. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes until they’re golden brown. Lift them out and drain on those paper towels. Powder with powdered sugar.

For the Glaze:

  1. While your fritters are frying, whisk together your glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Too thick? Thin it out by adding a teaspoon of milk at a time until you get that perfect drizzle consistency. Drizzle over the top and serve.

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A stack of pumpkin fritters on a white plate with glaze drizzled on top

Pumpkin Fritters Recipe

These Pumpkin Fritters with Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze are the perfect treat to enjoy the seasonal pumpkin flavors. Great for a fall breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert.
4.93 from 13 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 fritters

Ingredients

For the Fritters

  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze

  • 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 tbsp bourbon more or less to taste
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp milt optional, if you want to thin the glaze more
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the Fritters

  • Add about 2 inches of vegetable oil to a sauce pan and heat-up over medium heat. Place a few sheets of paper towels on a large plate or baking sheet to drain excess oil from fritters.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Using a larger bowl, add the pumpkin puree, milk, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Using a whisk or an electric hand mixer, whisk the mixture until it is thoroughly combined.
  • Begin adding the flour mixture, half at a time, into the pumpkin mixture. Stir it together until it is fully combined. Batter should be on the thick side.
  • Use a tablespoon, or a small cookie scoop to add the fritter mixture to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, depending on the size, add 3-4 fritters at a time.
  • Cook fritter for 2-3 minutes and use a slatted spoon to gently turn it over. Cook an additional 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them on the paper towels to drain excess oil.

For the Glaze

  • While fritters are frying, use a medium size bowl and add all ingredients, excluding the milk.
  • Using a hand mixer or whisk, mix the glaze until it is thoroughly combined.
  • If the glaze is too thick, slowly whisk in a teaspoon of milk at a time- until desired consistency is achieved.

Notes

If you have any leftover (because they are that good), you can easily reheat them in the oven. Simply place them on a baking sheet and heat them in the oven on low-broil mode for 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2515IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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Recipe Help

Can I fresh pumpkin for this recipe?

Yep, fresh pumpkin can be substituted in place of the canned version but the ease of using canned can’t be dismissed. Understand that there are quite a few extra steps you will have to take to get the smooth texture that canned has. That includes roasting (or boiling), then pureeing and straining until smooth. It makes the recipe much more complicated overall.

Can these be baked instead of fried?

No. Baking these fritters will not work for this particular recipe. The batter is on thinner side, and rises best when it hits the hot oil.

A pile of pumpkin fritters with powdered sugar on top next to a cream cheese glaze bowl

More Pumpkin Recipes

Thank you to Tamara from Razzle Dazzle Life for guest posting this incredible recipe!

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Filed Under:  Breakfast, Dessert and Baking, Doughnuts and Fried Dough, Fall Recipes, Seasonal Recipes, Stovetop

Comments

  1. This was a great recipe and I will certainly make it again! There is a typo in your ingredients list for making the glaze. I’m confident you meant milk and milt. I was a bit confused at first and googled “milt” it’s definitely not something I want to add to my fritter glaze, or to anything for that matter.

    Reply
4.93 from 13 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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