Picarones, sweet or dessert from Peru: what it is and how it is eaten

Picarones are Peruvian doughnuts shaped from a dough of squash and sweet potato, fried and served with a syrup made from chancaca, a type of solidified molasses. Originating in Lima during the colonial era, they are a popular dessert and often appear alongside anticuchos, another traditional dish.

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Made from squash and sweet potato
Served with chancaca, a molasses syrup
Originated in Lima during colonial times
Often eaten with anticuchos
Mentioned in classic Peruvian literature

What is Picarones?

Picarones are ring-shaped doughnuts from Peru, made by mixing squash and sweet potato into a soft dough. The dough is shaped into rings and deep-fried until golden. Once cooked, they are coated in a syrup made from chancaca, which is a solid form of molasses, sometimes flavored with fig. The result is a dessert with a crisp outside, tender inside, and a sweet, sticky glaze. Their color is usually a warm golden brown, and the taste combines earthy sweetness from the vegetables with the rich flavor of the syrup.

Where does Picarones come from?

Picarones trace their roots to Lima during the colonial period, when cooks sought a less expensive alternative to buñuelos, a Spanish-style doughnut. By using local ingredients like squash and sweet potato, they created a new dessert that became popular in Peru. The dish is mentioned in classic Peruvian literature and has appeared in Chilean memoirs describing its presence in Santiago before 1810. Over time, picarones have become a staple of Peruvian sweets and are recognized in traditional music and poetry.

How is Picarones made?

To make picarones, squash and sweet potato are cooked and mashed, then mixed with wheat flour to form a dough. The dough is shaped into rings, which are then deep-fried until crisp and golden. After frying, the hot doughnuts are dipped or drizzled with chancaca syrup. Chancaca is made by melting panela (unrefined cane sugar) with water and sometimes fig, creating a thick, dark syrup that soaks into the doughnuts.

En esta imagen se muestra unos picarones, los cuales son uno de los principales platos de Perú, su origen comienza en la época del virreinato, teniendo una gran acogida en las procesiones religiosas. Sin embargo, actualm — En esta imagen se muestra unos picarones, los cuales son uno de los principales platos de Perú, su origen comienza en la. Photo: Erubileon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How and when is Picarones eaten?

Picarones are usually enjoyed as a snack or with afternoon tea. They are often served at gatherings where anticuchos, a grilled meat skewer, are also prepared. The doughnuts are eaten warm, freshly coated in syrup, and are commonly found at street stalls or markets in Peru. They are a popular treat for both everyday enjoyment and special occasions, often shared with friends or family.

Kinds of Picarones

While the classic picarón uses squash and sweet potato, some versions may include other local ingredients or slight changes in the syrup, such as adding fig for extra flavor. In Chile, historical accounts mention picarones being eaten in Santiago, suggesting some regional adaptation. However, the basic method and ingredients remain consistent, keeping the dessert closely tied to its Peruvian roots.

What Picarones means

Picarones hold a special place in Peruvian culture, often associated with gatherings and traditional foods like anticuchos. They are referenced in literature and music, highlighting their role in everyday life and celebrations. The dessert is a symbol of local ingenuity, using native produce to create a sweet that is now a beloved part of Peru’s culinary heritage.

Questions people ask about Picarones

What are picarones made of?

Picarones are made from a dough combining squash, sweet potato, and wheat flour, then fried and coated with a syrup made from chancaca, which is solidified molasses.

Where do picarones come from?

Picarones originated in Lima, Peru, during the colonial era, and have since become a traditional dessert in Peruvian cuisine.

How are picarones served?

They are served as ring-shaped doughnuts, fried until golden and then covered in a sweet chancaca syrup, often eaten warm.

Are picarones vegetarian?

Yes, picarones are vegetarian, as they are made from squash, sweet potato, flour, and a syrup from unrefined cane sugar.

When are picarones usually eaten?

They are commonly enjoyed as a snack or with afternoon tea, and are often served alongside anticuchos at gatherings.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Picarones", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Picarones