Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices until combined.

Start heating the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Allow at least 2 inches deep of oil to fry. Heat oil to 350℉ (test using a candy or meat thermometer).

Right as the oil comes to temperature, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Cover a plate with a paper towel to put the fritters on after they are fried.

Using a teaspoon or a small cookie dough scoop, carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, only about 5-6 at a time. Let the fritters cook for about a minute after which they should look quite dark. Give them a gentle nudge with a spoon to flip. Let cook on the other side until they are about the same color as the first. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or skimmer onto the paper towel and let the fritters sit for at least 3 minutes to allow the retained heat to finish cooking them in the middle.

Repeat the frying process with the remaining batter until all the fritters are fried. Glaze the fritters (recipe below) or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and whisk until incorporated. Dunk each warm fritter in the hot glaze, using a fork to lift out and let the excess glaze drip off. Place glazed fritters on a wire rack with a pan underneath to catch drips.