Pampoenkoekies (Pumpkin Fritters) with Peanut Caramel
Crispy pumpkin fritters, inspired by South African pampoenkoekies and paired with a rich peanut caramel.
Pampoenkoekies are popular South African pumpkin fritters, typically made with cooked pumpkin, flour, egg and warm spices. This version draws on a few different flavors and food memories, while keeping the spirit of the classic.
I grew up eating fat cakes in Zimbabwe, simple fried dough that can be made into round balls or flatter discs. I was also familiar with banana fritters, which I remember being served for dessert at school. After moving to the United States, I encountered a similar idea in the form of donut holes, small pieces of fried dough often tossed in sugar and warm spices. Those influences inspired the small, round shape of these fritters, which are almost like little pumpkin doughnuts.
Pumpkin and peanut butter are also a natural pairing in Zimbabwean cooking, from pumpkin leaves cooked with peanut butter to hearty dishes featuring pumpkin and peanuts. There is also nhopi, a beloved dish made with pumpkin and peanut butter that can be enjoyed as either a sweet or savory preparation. That familiar combination inspired the peanut caramel served alongside the fritters.
The result is a crisp, warmly spiced pumpkin fritter with a silky peanut caramel finished with a little fresh lemon juice to balance the richness. It stays true to the spirit of pampoenkoekies while bringing together flavors and influences from different parts of my food journey.
Updated September 2026: I’ve updated this recipe with revised ingredients and instructions, including a new peanut caramel, to improve the flavor and texture of the original recipe.
Pampoenkoekies (Pumpkin Fritters) with Peanut Caramel
Crispy on the outside and soft and warmly spiced inside, these pumpkin fritters are inspired by South African pampoenkoekies and served with a rich peanut caramel brightened with fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of salt
- 4 cups peanut oil, for deep frying
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of inch ground cloves
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Pumpkin seeds
- Peanut caramel (see recipe)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, a tiny pinch of cloves, and a pinch of salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. The batter should be thick enough to scoop and not have pockets of flour. Don't overmix and let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour 4 cups peanut oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 340–345°F. Keep it on medium-low heat.
- Using a small cookie scoop, portion approximately 1 tablespoon of batter for each fritter. Hold the scoop close to the surface of the oil and gently release the batter. Fry in small batches, leaving enough space for the fritters to float freely without touching one another for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, turning gently, until evenly golden brown and cooked through.
- Test the first fritter by cutting it open. The center should be tender and cooked, not wet or gummy. If the exterior is browning too quickly, reduce the oil temperature slightly and cook the fritters for longer.
- Transfer the fritters to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Serve warm with the peanut caramel.
Notes
- Use the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves listed in the recipe, or substitute 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice for all four spices.
- The batter should be thick enough to scoop and hold its shape. If it is too loose, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Keep the fritters small, using about 1 tablespoon of batter per fritter, to help the centers cook through.
- Fry the fritters in a deep pot so they can float freely in the oil. Avoid using a shallow skillet.
- Fry in small batches and keep the oil between 340°F and 345°F.
- Test the first fritter by cutting it open to make sure the center is soft and cooked through, not wet or gummy.
- The peanut caramel thickens as it cools. If it becomes too thick, gently reheat it and whisk in a small splash of heavy cream.
Storage
- Fritters: Store cooled fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer until warmed through and crisp.
- Peanut caramel: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Gently reheat in a saucepan over low heat or in short intervals in the microwave, stirring until smooth. If needed, whisk in a small splash of heavy cream to loosen.
- For best texture, store the fritters and caramel separately. Don't refrigerate the fritters with the caramel already drizzled over them, because they'll lose their crisp exterior.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
181Fat (grams)
7.5 gCarbs (grams)
26.6 gProtein (grams)
3 g
Pumpkin Peanut Wheat Porridge (Nhopi)
Inspired by Zimbabwean Nhopi and Kenyan Uji wa Ngano
There is something deeply comforting about warm porridge cultures across Africa. Whether it is maize-based, millet-based, sorghum-based, or wheat-based, many of us grew up with some version of a hot, nourishing bowl that anchored mornings, cold days, illness recovery, or simple moments of comfort.
During my recent trip to Kenya, I tried uji wa ngano, a creamy wheat porridge often served with plenty of hot milk. It immediately reminded me of the porridges I grew up eating in Zimbabwe. One of the most popular versions, alongside maize meal porridge served with butter or peanut butter, is nhopi — a pumpkin and peanut butter porridge, sometimes thickened with maize meal. Rich, lightly spiced, earthy, and deeply nostalgic, it remains a beloved comfort food across generations.
That experience made me curious about how these traditions could speak to each other.
This recipe became a fusion of both ideas. Instead of using pumpkin as the main base like traditional nhopi, I used creamy wheat as the foundation and allowed roasted butternut and peanut butter to layer warmth, sweetness, richness, and familiarity into the porridge.
The bulgur wheat adds texture and grain bite similar to Kenyan wheat porridge, while the cream of wheat and powdered milk helps create a smoother, creamier consistency. Cardamom, brown sugar and cinnamon bring warmth that ties the dish together beautifully.
The final result sits somewhere between the two traditions: creamy, comforting, lightly spiced, and deeply filling. It is the kind of breakfast that feels both grounding and exploratory at the same time.
Pumpkin Peanut Wheat Porridge
A creamy wheat porridge with roasted butternut, peanut butter, and warm spices inspired by Zimbabwean and Kenyan breakfast traditions (nhopi and uji wa Ngano).
Ingredients
- ½ cup bulgur wheat
- ⅓ cup cream of wheat
- 2½ cups water
- 3–5 cups milk (adjust as needed)
- 2 to 2½ cups roasted butternut, mashed
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the water in a medium or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bulgur wheat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the Cream of Wheat and whisk continuously for about 3 minutes. If the mixture thickens too quickly, gradually add water, 1/4 cup at a time, until smooth.
- Add the cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and roasted butternut squash. Whisk well, adding a little milk as needed to create a smoother texture.
- Next, stir in the powdered milk for extra richness and creaminess. Add the brown sugar and peanut butter, then continue adding milk until the porridge reaches your desired consistency, simmering gently over low heat. Adjust seasoning to taste if needed.
- Serve warm with optional toppings such as crushed peanuts, honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
For the butternut squash, you can roast it beforehand for deeper flavor. Brush the squash with olive oil, then season with cinnamon, salt, and optionally a little brown sugar.
Place it cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a 400°F / 200°C oven for about 40 minutes, or until the flesh is soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.
Once all the ingredients are combined, adjust the consistency toward the end of the cooking process using milk as needed.
For a thicker, more nhopi-style texture:
- Use more butternut squash
- Use less milk
- Simmer longer for a denser consistency
For a looser Kenyan-style wheat porridge:
- Add more milk
- Use slightly less butternut squash
- Keep the texture smooth and pourable
Nutrition Facts
Calories
320Fat (grams)
13 gCarbs (grams)
42 gFiber (grams)
6 gSugar (grams)
9 gProtein (grams)
9 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Pumpkin Alfredo and Roasted Mushrooms with Sage Butter
Who doesn’t want a bowl of flavorful pasta swimming in a homemade sauce?
Depending on the season and the star ingredient, you can get quite experimental to make a rich alfredo to coat your pasta. The only thing you need to add is seasoning and parmesan cheese and adjust to your liking! This recipe uses pureed pumpkin, which lends itself well to the sauce, but you could also use sweet potato, squash, etc.
To enhance the flavour, lightly fry the sage leaves to extract the earthy, peppery taste in butter before combining with the cream, pumpkin and parmesan.
Ingredients
14-ounces pumpkin puree
3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 stick butter
9-ounces tagliatelle pasta
Bunch of fresh sage leaves
Sundried tomatoes (optional)
4-ounces shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon onion powder
Instructions
Place the mushrooms on a baking tray with parchment paper after coating and seasoning with fresh garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and onion powder. Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes until crispy; observe to ensure they don't burn, remove from heat.
Prepare the pasta as directed by the package instructions, drain and set aside.
Add the butter to a large nonstick and melt, then add several sage leaves.
Cook on medium heat until leaves are lightly fried, and the butter has turned a goldish colour, but don't burn, or else it will have a bitter taste!
Remove the leaves, add the cream and pumpkin, and reduce heat to simmer for about 1-2 minutes, mixing the sauce is combined. Add the parmesan and seasoning and stir until smooth, adjusting as needed, adding a bit more cream if desired.
Pour the alfredo sauce in with the drained pasta, followed by the roasted mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and crispy sage leaves as garnish. Dust with extra parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Serves 2.
Fried Pumpkin Flowers
In Zimbabwean cuisine, the pumpkin leaves (nhanga) known as muboora are commonly consumed as a relish or dried first, often stewed with peanut butter. They can be bitter similar to mustard greens, and a little tough - but nothing a little bicarbonate soda can't fix. Neighbouring countries like Mozambique like to add shrimp and coconut milk to the mix.
This recipe is super easy and makes for a light and fluffy batter, thanks to carbonated tonic water and egg white.
You'll need to be gentle with them, not overly dredge in batter and shake the excess off, not wash them roughly, and try to keep them as dry as possible before frying. Inspect the flowers for pollen and anything else.
How do they taste? Next time you see the flowers at the farmer's market, give them a try! In this case, sweet and subtle, a floral taste, not like a pumpkin, but delicious and melts in your mouth. Not only can you fry them in a light batter, but you can also stuff the flowers with a filling of your choice and bake or fold them into tortillas.
Fried Pumpkin Flowers
Ingredients
- 12 clean pumpkin flowers
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 egg white
- 3/4 cups tonic water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- Sea salt crystals
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, add the flour, table salt and sugar, set aside.
- Heat your oil in a pan; it should be about 300F+ at the time of frying - you can use a thermometer to check. Make sure the panhandle is turned away from you/not easy to knock over.
- Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
- Whisk the tonic water into the bowl into large lumps are gone, and flour is mostly dissolved - don't over mix to keep the batter airy and light from the carbonation. Gently fold in the egg whites.
- Dip each flower carefully into the batter, shaking off excess before placing it in the hot oil )(away from you to avoid the splatters). Keep a close eye; they fry quickly! Flip over after about 20 seconds (30 seconds if you want the batter a bit brown more, though it lightens up a bit after cooling).
- Remove from the pan with a draining spoon and place on paper towels to absorb extra fat. Sprinkle with sea salt crystals and enjoy hot.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
72Fat (grams)
3.5Carbs (grams)
8.7Sugar (grams)
5.1Protein (grams)
1.4
Spicy Pumpkin Mushroom Skillet Pot Pie
Yes, fall is coming. That means pumpkins will start to show their colours brightly, and it's worth embracing for sure! Sweet potato is an alternative if you can’t find or are not big on eating pumpkin, but the spice blend associated with the season lends itself to both and helps create some great depth of flavour and the warmth we love in autumn. I’m talking cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
One of my favourite's Camella’s Kitchen - a family-owned business that celebrates Caribbean flavours - just released a seasonal product that incorporates these flavours. The pumpkin spice pepper sauce is a fiery chilli sauce that includes the pumpkin spice flavour and subtle sweetness characteristic of anything pumpkin-related. This inspired me to make a pot pie, sans the chicken.
Sounds unconventional, but the addition of the pumpkin and shitake mushrooms along with the pepper sauce heat adds so much flavour. Not only does it compliment the buttery pie crust, but you still get that umami people associate with a hot, steaming pot pie perfect for the cooling weather.
This vegetarian pot pie puts others to shame. The flavours make it intensely rich and delicious.
Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin, cubed
1/4 cup Camellas’s Pumpkin Spice Pepper Sauce
2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsely
1 tablespoon ground fenugreek
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons cooking wine
2 tablespoons Worchester sauce
1/3 cup shitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons sweet corn
2 tablespoons peas, frozen
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup chopped leeks and green peppers
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pie crust, thawed to room temperature
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup plant milk
1/4 cup non-dairy heavy cream
1/4 cup water
2 broth bouillons, crushed
Instructions
Toss the pumpkin in the pepper sauce and the spices. Sauté in the olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add in the chopped leek and onion, cook for another 2 minutes. Follow this with the carrots, frozen vegetables, cooking wine and Worchester sauce, cook for another 3 minutes.
Mix in the mushroom, basil, thyme, milk and bouillon cubes, and water. Add the flour and butter, stir consistently until everything begins to thicken for another 5 minutes.
Top the skillet mixture with the pie crust, poke a few holes and make some slits in the middle to allow the crust to breathe as it makes. Brush with the egg wash.
Bake at 400F for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
Serve hot with fresh thyme.
Pumpkin Waffles
The other day I made some no-bake pumpkin energy bites using a lone can of pumpkin in the pantry, and it still left me with some unused pumpkin. If you have some leftover for whatever reason, consider whipping together some breakfast waffles! The smell will scent your kitchen and should fill you up until lunchtime.
Ingredients
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk (I used soy)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (or 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg each)
3/4 cup (whole wheat) flour
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Mix the flour, spices, salt, and baking powder until well combined, make a well in the center.
Whisk the milk, egg, pumpkin, vanilla and sugar, and combine with the dry ingredients until just combined, do not overmix! If too thick, thin slightly with extra milk.
Prepare your waffle maker and pour half the batter for the first waffle.
Serve hot with butter and syrup!
Serves 2, double the recipe if you need to.
No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Bites
Do you have a lone can of unexpired pumpkin in the pantry? Here is a healthy, customizable way to make use of it - energy bites! These are typically made by combining rolled oats, nut butter, and other ingredients to pack a little punch of fiber and protein. You can add everything from dried nuts to shaved coconut, but the pumpkin and spices will give the bites a taste reminiscent of the fall season and smells.
What you need 🛒🛒🛒:
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips or nuts*
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
What you do 🍳🍳🍳:
Step 1
Mix the wet ingredients and spices together, fold in the oats and chocolate chips.
Step 2
Cool the mix in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Roll 1 teaspoon at a time with both hands. If you need to firm the balls up again before serving cool for another 10 minutes.
*Tip: for moister energy bites as demonstrated in the video , use 1 teaspoon coconut oil and 1 teaspoon chocolate hazelnut and melt together. The chocolate chips or nuts will keep them on the drier side and give you a sturdy bite.