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These light and fluffy pumpkin fritters are great for breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert! Fry up a batch for a fun fall treat.

pumpkin fritters, white plate, powdered sugar, cinnamon sticks

We love pumpkin season! I always keep a couple cans of pumpkin puree in the pantry so I’m ready to make all the yummy pumpkin recipes. In addition to these fritters, I love making Baked Pumpkin Donuts or Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast. You can also use pumpkin in savory recipes like this Pumpkin Alfredo or Pumpkin Mac & Cheese.  

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Pumpkin Fritters Ingredients

Grab a can of pumpkin puree and some other simple ingredients to mix up these easy pumpkin fritters.

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Pumpkin Puree – not pumpkin pie filling
  • Baking Powder and Salt
  • Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar, but you could use dark brown sugar
  • Spices – Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Ground Nutmeg
  • Egg
  • Milk
  • Unsalted Butter – melted
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Vegetable Oil – for frying
  • Powdered Sugar – for dusting

How to Make Pumpkin Fritters

It is surprisingly easy to make homemade fritters from scratch! Just mix up the batter, heat up some oil, and fry. 

Make Fritter Batter – Start by whisking together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and spices) in a bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet and mix until the batter is just combined with no lumps.

pumpkin fritter batter in clear glass bowl, whisk

Prepare Oil for Frying – Fill a large dutch oven with at least 2 inches of the vegetable oil and heat on medium-high until the oil is 320-350°F. A candy or deep fry thermometer is really handy for these types of recipes.

Fry Fritters – Dollop the fritter batter into the hot oil. You can do this using a regular tablespoon or a cookie scoop. Fry the fritters in batches – about 4-5 at a time and fry until they are a deep golden brown.

fritters deep frying in oil

Finish Fritters – Use a metal strainer to remove the fritters from the oil and place on a paper towel lined tray or plate. Dust the fritters with cinnamon powdered sugar and enjoy!

fritters on a paper towel and wire rack
powdered sugar shaker over the fritters

Storage

Storing leftovers: These are best eaten soon after frying them. This gives you the best texture. But you can store leftover fritters for a day or two in an airtight container. Fritters will lose their texture when frozen, so freezing is not recommended.

Make Ahead – If you want to prep the fritters in advance, you can make the batter ahead of time. Mix up the batter and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours until ready to fry. I recommend bringing the batter back to room temperature before frying in the oil.

Expert Tips

  • Fry in batches – You want to avoid overcrowding the fritters when frying. This ensures better cooking and helps the oil temperature stay hotter.
  • Use a thermometer to measure the oil temp – For frying, it’s important that your oil is the right temp. Too low and the fritters will be greasy but too hot and they may burn. I like to use the thermometer throughout cooking so I can adjust as needed since adding the fritters will lower the temp.
  • Use a deep, dutch oven – Although you only need 2 inches of oil, it’s best to use a larger, deeper pot so that the oil splatter stays in the pot.
  • Drizzle with a vanilla glaze – Try topping with an easy vanilla glaze. Just mix together about 2 cups of powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Mix until smooth and combined – you can add more or less powdered sugar and milk to get your preferred consistency.
  • Dust with powdered sugar – Dusting with powdered sugar gives the best presentation! For the pumpkin pairing, I like to use the cinnamon powdered sugar but you can use plain powdered sugar as well. It’s easiest to use a fine mesh sieve to dust and sprinkle the fritters.
fritters made from pumpkin on a white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

What are fritters?

Fritters are a variety of fried foods. They can be made from a batter or even savory ingredients. A popular American choice is the Apple Fritter but there are also savory fritters such as corn or veggie fritters.

What is the difference between a donut and a fritter?

Fritters and donuts are very similar in that they are both fried. The difference is that fritter batter has all the filling and ingredients in the batter, while donuts can have the filling ingredients piped into or on them after frying.

Can fritters be baked?

No, this recipe cannot be baked. The fritters puff up a little as they are fried, creating the fluffy texture. The batter is too thin to be baked.

fried pumpkin fritters with a bite taken out of one of them.

More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love

Recipe

Pumpkin Fritters

5 from 3 votes
These light and fluffy pumpkin fritters are great for breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert! Fry up a batch for a fun fall treat.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 fritters

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • vegetable oil for frying

Cinnamon Powdered Sugar

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
  • In a separate large bowl, add the pumpkin puree, milk, egg, melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until smooth and combined.
  • Add in the flour mixture. Mix just until combined and no lumps remaining.
  • Fill a Dutch oven/cast iron pot with at least 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat on medium-high until it reaches 320-350°F.
  • Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, dollop the batter into the oil, cooking 4-5 at a time until deep golden brown.
  • Remove fritters from the oil with the spider tool and place on a tray lined with paper towels.
  • Dust the fritters with cinnamon powdered sugar.

Notes

Storing leftovers: Pumpkin fritters are best eaten soon after frying them. This gives you the best texture. But you can store leftover fritters for a day or two in an airtight container. Fritters will lose their texture when frozen, so freezing is not recommended.
Make Ahead – If you want to prep the fritters in advance, you can make the batter ahead of time. Mix up the batter and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours until ready to fry. I recommend bringing the batter back to room temperature before frying in the oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 28mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1615IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Keyword pumpkin fritters

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. I bet they taste as good as they look and makes the whole house smell nice.
    Great Fall recipe.
    Thank you