Oh, boy! Fried foods are right up there with bread and cheese combinations for me. In fact, I’m sure they are for many people, which is what inspired my “How the World Eats Fried Foods” episode. And when I saw a recipe for sweet potato donuts called picarones, I couldn’t resist.

This picarones recipe comes from Andrea, who lives in Ontario but is originally from Peru. Made from pumpkin, yeast, beer, flour, sugar, lemon, brown sugar, and anise seed, these donuts immediately seemed different from all the rest. Andrea grew up in Canada while most of her family remained in Peru, so their infrequent visits were always special. She has fond memories of bonding with her relatives over picarones during trips to Peru.

The fried dough used to make picarones is made from squash or sweet potato, and the final product is served with a spiced syrup made from chancaca (a solid brick of brown sugar) cooked down with orange peel, cinnamon, and cloves. The complexity of flavors—anise seed in the batter, the squash with the sweet potato, the molasses flavor with chancaca—make a unique combination that is distinctly Peruvian. The idea of this fall-inspired donut with a brown sugar citrus syrup sounded irresistible, and I was right!

My picarones were a beautiful golden brown color with a crispy exterior and a soft, moist interior. On their own, the donuts were not very sweet due to the use of beer and yeast, but the brown sugar syrup perfectly complemented this delicious base. I could eat an entire plate of these on my own!

When you make this, be sure to watch the dough as it fries; I recommend using a spoon to keep the holes intact. Once you’re done, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy this classic fried food with a tall glass of milk. It’s the perfect evening snack!