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Pampoenkoekies with Salted Caramel

Sweet, golden South African pumpkin fritters, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, drizzled with warm salted caramel sauce.

Sweet, golden pampoenkoekies (traditional pumpkin fritters) get a modern salted caramel twist in this absolutely irresistible recipe. Soft, spiced pumpkin fritters fried until golden and served drenched in a warm, silky salted caramel sauce.

By Ivana Sanshia · Updated Sep 2026

Pampoenkoekies with Salted Caramel, a South African recipe
Prep20 min
Cook20 min
Total40 min
Serves4–6
LevelMedium
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Before you start

Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.

Method

  1. 1

    Make the Fritter Batter & Fry

    In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup steamed and mashed pumpkin with 1 large egg until smooth.

  2. 2

    Add 1 cup plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp optional spice (cinnamon, cardamom, or mild curry powder), folding until a thick, smooth batter forms.

  3. 3

    Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan or pot over medium-high heat. Test the heat with a small drop of batter—it should float and brown within 8–10 seconds.

The rest of this recipe

There’s 6 more ingredients and 5 more steps to go.

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Ivana Sanshia’s note

Draining your steamed pumpkin thoroughly before mashing is the secret to getting a light, pillowy fritter rather than a dense or doughy one!

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DessertVegetarianAutumnWinter

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