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    Home » In the Kitchen

    Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts with Free Printable

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    closeup of picarones on a Made In baking slab

    "This form of the buñuelo was created by African slaves in Lima during the Vice Royalty of Peru, who adapted the dough to include squash and, sometimes, sweet potato. They are a common street snack around Peru and are drizzled in miel de chancaca, a syrup made from unrefined cane sugar."

    - Chef Virgilio Martínez

    We are back in the kitchen to share another exciting recipe and we think you're going to love it. Today, we're making picarones - Peruvian butternut squash and sweet potato donuts.

    This recipe gives off autumn vibes that make you want to grow your own squash and sweet potatoes (if you don't already), and get a real knife.

    We like it so much, we made you a free printable recipe with pictures to try at home. You can find it at the bottom.

    If you like this recipe, you're going to love this homemade cinnamon pound cake, Bahian stew, and Argentine pizza.

    Learn more about cooking with kids.

    Contents hide
    1 What are Picarones?
    2 What is Miel de Chancaca?
    3 Free Cooking Course for Families
    4 Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts
    4.1 Ingredients
    4.2 1. Prep the Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato for Kids
    4.3 2. Cut the Squash and Sweet Potato into Cubes
    4.4 3. Transfer the Squash & Sweet Potato Cubes to the Dutch Oven
    4.5 4. Cook for 15-20 Minutes
    4.6 5. Weigh the Yeast Using a Kitchen Scale
    4.7 6. Add Stevia to the Bowl with Yeast
    4.8 7. Make Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Purée
    4.9 8. Add the Yeast Mixture to the Purée
    4.10 9. Add the Flour and Knead
    4.11 10. Let the Dough Rest for 2 Hours
    4.12 11. Make the Miel de Chancaca
    4.13 12. Strain the Miel de Chancaca and Keep Warm
    4.14 13. Add the Oil to a Dutch Oven or Large Pot
    4.15 14. Form Rings with the Dough and Place Them in the Pot
    4.16 15. Remove them from the Oil With a Fine Mesh Strainer or Tongs
    4.17 16. Serve Picarones Hot with Miel de Chancaca Drizzled on Top
    5 Summary for Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts
    6 Free Picarones Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up
    6.1 Montessori Continent Boxes
    7 Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts
    7.1 Equipment
    7.2 Ingredients 1x2x3x
    7.2.1 Picarones
    7.2.2 Miel de Chancaca
    7.3 Instructions
    7.4 Notes
    7.5 Nutrition

    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Amazon links are not affiliate links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure.

    Picarones, Peruvian butternut squash and sweet potato donuts on a Made In Baking Slab

    This delicious picarones recipe comes from The Latin American Cookbook by Chef Virgilio Martínez and we're excited to be able to share it with you today.

    Cover of The Latin American Cookbook

    What are Picarones?

    As discussed in The Latin American Cookbook, picarones are a form of buñuelos, round or disc-shaped fritters originally introduced by the Spanish, that were modified by African slaves to include squash and on occasion sweet potato. They are drizzled in a delicious syrup known as miel de chancaca.

    What is Miel de Chancaca?

    Chef Virgilio Martínez states in The Latin American Cookbook:

    "Similar to panela, chancaca often refers to the sweet syrup made from the unrefined cane sugar in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. It is often flavored with cinnamon and orange peels and is most often drizzled over fried sweets like picarones or sopaipillas."

    - Chef Virgilio Martínez
    images of food and description for free cooking lessons for kids

    Free Cooking Course for Families

    Discover recipes for every continent! Sign up to receive free cooking lessons for the whole family. Learn from some of the most talented chefs around the world, including Virgilio Martínez, and participate in the quality practical life experiences Montessori education is known for.

    angled image of picarones on a Made In baking slab

    Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts

    ingredients for making picarones

    Ingredients

    • Sweet Potato
    • Butternut Squash
    • Anise Seeds
    • Yeast
    • Stevia
    • Water
    • All-Purpose Einkorn Flour
    • Oil
    • Swerve Brown Sugar Replacement, Panela Sugar, or Light Muscovado
    • Cinnamon
    • Orange
    • Plantain
    • Cloves
    • Fig Leaf
    butternut squash sliced in half on a cutting board with a Made In Santoku knife

    1. Prep the Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato for Kids

    Wash your hands with soap and water.

    Depending on the child, you may want to assist with peeling and cutting the butternut squash and sweet potato prior to giving them to your child to cut into cubes.

    The butternut squash in particular requires some strength to cut through. You can see I hacked at it a little before deciding to go get a real knife to finish the job.

    Afterward, I removed the seeds from the squash, weighed the squash and sweet potato, and then each child took some of the pieces over to their cutting boards.

    You can also buy the squash cubed if you prefer.

    children sitting around a table, cutting butternut squash and sweet potato into cubes
    Kids sitting around a table.  They are exploring The Latin American Cookbook while cutting butternut squash and sweet potato

    2. Cut the Squash and Sweet Potato into Cubes

    Kids can also explore the cookbook as they finish up the prep work.

    child placing cubes of butternut squash and sweet potato to a dutch oven.  Another child is adding anise seeds to the dutch oven.

    3. Transfer the Squash & Sweet Potato Cubes to the Dutch Oven

    Add water to the dutch oven or large pot. Transfer the squash and sweet potato cubes to the dutch oven. Add the anise seeds to the pot using a measuring spoon.

    Kids standing in a learning tower at the stove.  One child is stirring butternut squash and sweet potatoes in a dutch oven using a wooden spoon

    4. Cook for 15-20 Minutes

    Turn the stove on medium heat. Cover the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash and sweet potato are tender.

    While the squash and potato are cooking you can move on to the next step.

    a child weighing yeast in a bowl using a digital scale

    5. Weigh the Yeast Using a Kitchen Scale

    Kids can practice using the tare button to zero the scale and then weigh the yeast needed for the picarones.

    A child sitting at a table, scooping stevia out of a jar using a measuring spoon

    6. Add Stevia to the Bowl with Yeast

    Add water to the bowl and mix with a spoon. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

    A child is standing in a learning tower at a kitchen counter and transferring cubes of butternut squash and sweet potatoes to a dutch oven.

    7. Make Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Purée

    Turn off the stove. Pour the contents of the large pot into a colander. You may need to assist with this step.

    You can save the water for your garden or compost and if you are using a blender for this recipe you will save some water for making the purée.

    Use your blender or a potato masher to create a purée out of the cooked butternut squash and sweet potato cubes.

    If you use a blender as we did, add a small amount of water to the blender.

    Afterward, transfer the purée to a large bowl.

    A child is at the kitchen counter, sampling cubes of butternut squash and sweet potato.

    The butternut squash and sweet potato flavored with anise seeds are delicious enough to eat on their own. Knowing that we're going to transform them into picarones is pretty exciting at this point.

    A child is holding an orange bowl and pouring its contents into a larger bowl.

    8. Add the Yeast Mixture to the Purée

    Mix everything together with a spoon.

    a child is smiling and kneading dough to make Picarones, Peruvian Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Donuts

    9. Add the Flour and Knead

    Slowly add the flour to the bowl while kneading by hand. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes or until it is soft and uniform.

    hands in a bowl of sticky dough for making picarones

    The kids love working with dough. They noted that this is a sticky dough compared to the dough formed when making thumbprint cookies, kolach, bannocks, and cabbage pie.

    They each came up with their own hypothesis about how they thought the stickiness of the dough would affect the final outcome of the recipe.

    Looking for a free printable resource for exploring the scientific method with kids? My friend Julie over at Nature Inspired Learning has free printable scientific method worksheets for you to download and use with your science activities. Head on over to download your free printable pack.

    a bowl with a kitchen towel resting on top

    10. Let the Dough Rest for 2 Hours

    Wash your hands. Cover the dough with a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen. Let it rest for 2 hours.

    A pan with ingredients for miel de chancaca cooking on the stove

    11. Make the Miel de Chancaca

    While the dough is doing its thing, you can make the delicious miel de chancaca that will be drizzled on top of these delicious picarones.

    Peel the plantain. Cut the orange in half and slice the plantain as desired.

    Place the brown sugar or panela sugar along with the cinnamon, orange halves, plantain, and cloves in a pan. If you have a fig leaf, add that as well.

    Add water until the ingredients are submerged and cook uncovered over medium heat for around 35 minutes, or until it is thick.

    Wondering what to do with your orange peel? This recipe for candied lemon peel from Anja at Our Gabled Home tastes great with orange peels and can be adapted to work with the peels from this picarones recipe.

    You can also add peels to your compost.

    For savory use of cinnamon and oranges, try braised oxtails.

    miel de chancaca in a weck jar

    12. Strain the Miel de Chancaca and Keep Warm

    Turn off the stove. Once the miel de chancaca is warm, you can strain it into a reusable container. There will be plenty of this delicious syrup to save for your leftover picarones.

    a bowl of picarones dough

    Once your dough is done resting, it will look similar to this.

    a red digital kitchen thermometer inserted into oil in a dutch oven,  The thermometer reads 375.4 degrees Fahrenheit

    13. Add the Oil to a Dutch Oven or Large Pot

    Make sure the pot is no more than two-thirds full. Heat the pot over high heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius.

    You can use the kitchen thermometer to show kids how the temperature increases with time and model how to avoid touching or splashing the oil while deep-frying the picarones.

    picarones frying in oil

    14. Form Rings with the Dough and Place Them in the Pot

    Fry the picarones in batches for 5 minutes. Spoon oil on top of them while they are cooking to ensure that they cook evenly.

    You can add a bit of extra flour if needed to assist with the shaping of the dough.

    Three picarones on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

    15. Remove them from the Oil With a Fine Mesh Strainer or Tongs

    Place the picarones on a towel to absorb the excess oil.

    The kids say the first batch came out looking like an alphabet. We had a good time talking about the letters, symbols, and secret messages we could make with the dough.

    A second batch of picarones, butternut squash and sweet potato donuts, frying in a dutch oven with oil

    As you can see, our shaping skills are improving with each batch.

    These picarones are staying together nicely while they cook. There aren't any clumps of dough in the oil that need to be removed between batches, which is nice.

    a butternut squash and sweet potato donut on a towel to remove excess oil

    Warm and chewy on the inside with some nice texture on the outside.

    Picarones with miel de chancaca drizzled on top.  The Picarones are on a Made In Baking Slab.

    16. Serve Picarones Hot with Miel de Chancaca Drizzled on Top

    Don't forget to turn off the stove. We ended up with 12 large picarones.

    These are large enough to cut in half and share or eat as leftovers with the extra miel de chancaca.

    a butternut squash and sweet potato donut on a plate.  The recipe is from The Latin American Cookbook.

    Summary for Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts

    These picarones are the perfect dessert to enjoy in autumn as you learn about fall harvest activities and explore Latin American cuisine.

    I am so delighted that our first experience making donuts together includes these Peruvian butternut squash and sweet potato donuts. We've been eyeing this recipe for awhile.

    The texture and taste of the squash and sweet potato donut along with the sweet flavor of the miel de chancaca made for such a satisfying ending to our Latin American cooking experience.

    If you're looking for a Peruvian snack or dessert recipe that taps into the joy of a fall harvest, then picarones are for you.

    ingredients list and recipe instruction cards snippet for making Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Donuts

    Free Picarones Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up

    Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

    The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for South America.

    Treasures From Jennifer Montessori continent boxes with Schleich animals on top of boxes for continents South America, Europe, and the supercontinent Pangea box

    Montessori Continent Boxes

    Explore every continent with these solid maple hardwood boxes.

    Shop Now
    Picarones, Peruvian Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Donuts on a Made In Baking Slab

    Picarones: Peruvian Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Donuts

    Kristin
    These picarones, Peruvian butternut squash and sweet potato donuts topped with miel de chancaca, will make you want to grow your own ingredients and get a real knife.
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 25 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Resting Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 4 hours hrs
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine South American
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 297 kcal

    Equipment

    • Apron
    • Prep Bowls
    • Cutting Board
    • Sharp Knife
    • Child-Friendly Knife
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cup
    • Kitchen Scale
    • Colander
    • Towel or Paper Towel
    • Large Spoon
    • Fine Mesh Strainer or Tongs
    • Kitchen Thermometer
    • Blender or Potato Masher
    • Dutch Oven or Large Pot
    • Sauce Pan
    • Learning Tower as needed
    • The Latin American Cookbook

    Ingredients  

    Picarones

    • 24 oz sweet potatoes
    • 24 oz butternut squash
    • 1 tablespoon anise seeds
    • ⅓ oz dry active yeast
    • 1 tablespoon stevia
    • 1 cup water room temp or warm
    • 16 oz all-purpose einkorn flour
    • avocado oil for deep frying

    Miel de Chancaca

    • 14 oz Swerve Brown or panela sugar or light muscovado
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 orange
    • 1 plantain ripe
    • 6 cloves
    • 1 fig leaf

    Instructions 

    • Wash your hands with soap and water. Depending on the child, you may want to assist with peeling and cutting the butternut squash and sweet potato. Afterward, I removed the seeds from the squash, weighed the squash and sweet potato, and then each child took some of the pieces over to their cutting boards.
    • Kids can cut the butternut squash and sweet potato into cubes. They can explore the cookbook as they finish.
    • Add water to the dutch oven or large pot. Transfer the squash and sweet potato cubes to the dutch oven. Add the anise seeds to the pot using a measuring spoon.
    • Turn the stove on medium heat. Cover the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash and sweet potato are tender. While the squash and potato are cooking you can move on to the next step.
    • Weigh the yeast using a kitchen scale and a clean bowl. Kids can practice using the tare button to zero the scale and then weigh the yeast needed for the picarones.
    • Add stevia to the bowl with yeast. Add water to the bowl and mix with a spoon. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
    • Make butternut squash and sweet potato purée: Turn off the stove. Pour the contents of the large pot into a colander in the sink. You may need to assist with this step. You can save the water for your garden or compost and if you are using a blender for this recipe you will save some water for making the purée. Use your blender or a potato masher to create a purée out of the cooked butternut squash and sweet potato cubes and transfer to a bowl.
    • Add the yeast mixture to the purée. Mix everything together.
    • Slowly add the flour to the bowl while kneading by hand. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes or until it is soft and uniform.
    • Cover the dough with a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen. Let it rest for 2 hours.
    • Make the miel de chancaca: Peel the plantain. Cut the orange in half and slice the plantain as desired. Place the brown sugar or panela sugar along with the cinnamon, orange halves, plantain, and cloves in a pan. If you have a fig leaf, add that as well. Add water until the ingredients are submerged and cook uncovered over medium heat for around 35 minutes, or until it is thick.
    • Turn off the stove. Once the miel de chancaca is warm, you can strain it into a reusable container using a fine mesh strainer. There will be plenty of this delicious syrup to save for your leftover picarones.
    • Add the oil to a dutch oven or large pot. Make sure the pot is no more than two-thirds full. Heat the pot over high heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius. You can use the kitchen thermometer to show kids how the temperature increases with time and model how to avoid touching or splashing the oil while deep-frying the picarones.
    • Form rings with the dough and place them in the pot. Fry the picarones in batches for 5 minutes. Spoon oil on top of them while they are cooking to ensure that they cook evenly. You can add a bit of extra flour if needed to assist with the shaping of the dough.
    • Remove them from the oil with a fine mesh strainer or tongs. Place the picarones on a towel to absorb the excess oil.
    • Don't forget to turn off the stove. Serve picarones hot with miel de chancaca drizzled on top.

    Notes

    • Wash produce under running water
    • Use a vegetable brush to scrub firm produce
    • The same amount of sugar or other sweeteners can be substituted for stevia
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
    • See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
    • Full Recipe Info and Pictures at:  https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/picarones

    Nutrition

    Calories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 499mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 14266IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg

    Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Kristin

    Hello! I'm a Montessori homeschooler of 4 living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We're nature lovers and environmental minimalists sharing our experience in guiding our little ones from the back of the boat.

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