Pumpkin Pancakes

I’m a journalism major, so I didn’t have to take any math courses to earn my degree, but a positive, plus a positive equals  a super awesome positive right? Thus, pumpkin plus pancakes equals super awesome pumpkin pancakeness.

I love these pancakes because you should be able to throw them together without making a special trip to the store, unless of course you don’t stock pumpkin in your pantry. If you don’t, it means you don’t like pumpkin, which means you won’t be making these anyway (see, no math skills, but my logic game is on point). For example, if you don’t have vinegar, use two tablespoons of lemon juice instead. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the lemon in the final product. Or, forget the regular milk and vinegar and just use 1.5 cups buttermilk. I even used almond milk one time (with the lemon juice) and they tasted great. Also, if you don’t have all those spices hanging around, perhaps you have pumpkin pie spice? Just go with two teaspoons of that.

I’m the kind of person that tends to add MORE of what I like to a recipe. So for the pumpkin pancakes I tend to add more cinnamon and more pumpkin than the recipe calls for. I can’t say exactly how much more. It’s just one of those moments where you look inside the can of pumpkin and think ‘one more spoonful couldn’t hurt and while we’re at it, let’s do a couple more shakes of the cinnamon.’

This thick batter doesn’t pour well.

I got this recipe from AllRecipes.com, which I love because the reviews and photos are so helpful. You’ll notice some of the reviews talk about adding more milk to thin out the batter. It’s true this batter is thicker than your average and doesn’t spread much when it hits the griddle, but I wouldn’t try to thin it out too much. The trick is, you have to use the back of a scoop or ladle to spread out the batter yourself. Don’t be afraid to spread them thin, because these guys get super thick and puffy – like a pancake should be… and how I feel after I eat them.

Don’t be afraid to spread them thin, they puff up!

This recipe makes a healthy batch of pancakes – about 10 to 12. I like to set the oven to the lowest setting with a plate inside and keep the finished pancakes warm in there while I finish off the batch. If you have leftovers, these freeze very well. Let them cool, then wrap each pancake in a small piece of wax paper and put into an airtight container or Ziploc bag before popping in the freezer.

Pumpkin Pancakes

from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk*
1 cup pumpkin puree (or a little more…)
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar*
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Smooth the batter out with the back of the scoop to your desired size. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

* or buttermilk… or milk and lemon juice … or almond milk… whatev

Tags: breakfast, pancakes, pumpkin