Step into Lima’s vibrant streets, where the aroma of sizzling dough and caramelized chancaca syrup fills the air. A “picaronera” twirls golden rings, fries them crisp, and drenches them in spiced, glossy syrup shimmering under Peru’s sun.
These are picarones, Peru’s beloved dessert—not just a “Peruvian doughnut” but a cultural treasure rooted in Andean traditions and colonial flair.
Therefore, in 2025, Chilean media, led by journalist José Antonio Neme, reignited a fiery debate by claiming picarones as Chilean.
Peruvians clapped back, defending their culinary icon. Join us on a fact-packed journey to prove picarones are undeniably Peruvian, from ancient fields to Lima’s festivals. Ready for a sweet adventure? So, let’s settle the score!
The Origins of Picarones: A Peruvian Classic
Firstly, picarones are a love letter to Peru’s heritage, blending indigenous ingenuity with colonial creativity. Their story starts in the pre-Hispanic Andes, where camote (sweet potato) and zapallo (squash)—native to Peru—were dietary staples.
Archaeological sites like Huaca Prieta and Caral, dating back over 4,000 years, show these crops mashed into early fried treats, laying the groundwork for picarones.
Later, when Spanish colonizers arrived in the 16th century, they brought buñuelos—fried dough balls made with costly wheat flour.
In Peru, where wheat was scarce, locals swapped it for abundant camote and zapallo, mixing them with yeast, flour, and anise for a light, earthy dough.
Shaped like onion rings, fried to a golden crunch, and topped with chancaca—unrefined cane sugar syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel—this fusion birthed picarones, a dessert that’s pure Peru.
Nonetheless, Chile’s claim cites 19th-century mentions, like José Zapiola’s 1872 memoir, noting picarones in Santiago’s Plaza de Armas around the 1810s.
However, Peru’s timeline runs deeper. The 1867 Recetario Peruano, Peru’s first cookbook, lists picarones as a Lima staple, and Pancho Fierro’s 1840s watercolors depict picaroneras being them in colonial streets.
A tale credits Rosalía, an Afro-Peruvian vendor, with bringing picarones to Chile in the 1820s after marrying a Chilean soldier during Peru’s Liberation (1820–1824). This migration explains Chile’s picarones, but their origin is unmistakably Peruvian.
The 2025 Chile-Peru Showdown: A Spicy Saga
The debate flared in 2025 when Chilean journalist José Antonio Neme declared on Mega’s Mucho Gusto (May 9, 2025), “The picarón is Chilean, and I don’t care what Peru says!”
This isn’t Chile’s first attempt. For example, a 2024 Chile Travel blog listed picarones as a “traditional Chilean dessert,” sparking social network debates with Peruvian users citing Ricardo Palma’s Tradiciones Peruanas.
In 2022, Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos called picarones Chilean in a Pepsi ad. However, a social media user claimed, “Picarones are Peruvian, Ibai. Check history!”
Later, the streamer apologized, noting, “Google says picarones are from Peru’s pre-Hispanic roots.” In 2016, Chile’s Marca Chile campaign labeled picarones Chilean, drawing attention from Peruvian historian Rosario Olivas Weston, who wrote, “Picarones are Peruvian, blending Andean crops with colonial genius.”
Chile’s picarones—often squash-only with thicker, orange-heavy syrup—are a regional twist, not an origin story. Peru’s evidence is solid.
Pre-Hispanic camote and zapallo use, colonial records like the Recetario Peruano, and cultural icons like Fierro’s art and Rosa Mercedes Ayarza’s 1940s song “La Picaronera.”
For example, the Rosalía story, backed by Curious Cuisiniere, shows Afro-Peruvian cooks spreading picarones to Chile. This 2025 clash, like disputes over pisco, is a friendly rivalry, but Peru’s historical depth wins.
Crafting Picarones: A Peruvian Art
Making picarones is a culinary dance. The dough starts with mashed camote and zapallo for earthy sweetness, mixed with flour, yeast, sugar, and anise seeds for a licorice zing.
Fermented for hours, the sticky dough is shaped into rings with wet hands—a Lima street trick—then fried to a golden crunch in hot oil.
Additionally, the chancaca syrup is the soul of picarones. Boiled from unrefined cane sugar (panela) with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel.
Similarly, sometimes Peruvian fruits like figs or aguaymanto, soak into the warm rings, balancing crunch with fragrant sweetness.
In Lima, especially, vendors showcase variations like pisco-infused or purple corn syrups, vying for “Best Picarone.”
Authentic Recipe
Dough: Boil 1 cup each peeled camote and zapallo until soft. Mash smooth, mix with 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp anise seeds, and ½ cup water. Ferment 2–3 hours.
Fry: Heat oil to 350°F. Wet hands, shape dough into rings, and fry 2–3 minutes per side. Flip with a wooden stick, picaronera-style.
Syrup: Boil 1 lb chancaca (or molasses) with 2 cups water, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, orange peel, and a fig for 20 minutes until thick. Strain and cool slightly.
Serve: Drizzle hot picarones with warm syrup made from golden or brown sugar that Peruvians call “miel de chancaca”.
Pro tip: Keep your hands wet to shape the sticky dough like a Lima picaronera.
Picarones in Peruvian Culture: A Sweet Heartbeat
Picarones are Peru’s cultural glue, uniting communities from Lima’s plazas to Cusco’s highlands. Since colonial times, “picaroneras” have been street-food queens.
Especially during the Lord of the Miracles in October, where purple-clad crowds enjoy picarones amid processions. Pancho Fierro’s 1840s watercolors capture these women frying rings for eager eaters.
Rosa Mercedes Ayarza’s 1940s song “La Picaronera” sings, “Hot picarones, round and toasted, with honey flowing!”
Picarones are communal joy, tying Peru’s culinary heritage to its social spirit. Also, Afro-Peruvian cooks shaped picarones, adapting buñuelos with camote and perfecting chancaca in Lima’s markets, making them a cultural mosaic that Chile’s version can’t match.
Why Chile’s Claim Falls Flat
Pre-Hispanic Roots: Camote and zapallo, native to Peru, were used in ancient fried doughs, according to Huaca Prieta findings.
Colonial Evidence: The 1867 Recetario Peruano and Fierro’s art confirm picarones as a Lima staple, predating Chile’s 1810s mentions.
Cultural Icons: Ricardo Palma’s Tradiciones Peruanas and Ayarza’s “La Picaronera” embed picarones in Peru’s identity.
Migration Proof: Rosalía’s 1820s journey to Chile shows Afro-Peruvian cooks spreading picarones, not inventing them there.
Chile’s squash-heavy picarones are a regional riff. The 2025 Neme controversy, like 2022’s Llanos gaffe, reflects adoption, not invention. Picarones are Peru’s, from our Andes to our hearts. Chile, give credit!
Where to Savor Picarones
For authentic picarones, visit Lima’s Parque Kennedy or Barranco’s Puente de los Suspiros, where vendors fry fresh rings nightly.
In Cusco, San Pedro Market pairs them with chicha morada. Try La Picaronera (155 Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre Ave., San Miguel) for pisco or lucuma syrups.
In conclusion, picarones are Peru’s culinary crown, born from Andean crops, Afro-Peruvian skill, and colonial fusion. Pre-Hispanic roots, colonial records, and icons like Fierro’s art crush Chile’s 2025 claim.
From Lima’s picaroneras to Mistura’s stalls, picarones are Peru’s soul. Grab a plate, drizzle with chancaca, and sip a pisco sour—you’re tasting Peru’s history. Chile, enjoy your picarones, but they’re MarcaPerú, and that’s sweeter than chancaca!
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