Sunday Brunch: Pumpkin Pancakes

Kick off the new year with a batch of pumpkin pancakes. 

Even though the holidays are over, we still can’t get enough of pumpkin. Sweet or savory, the squash does culinary wonders. Which is why we’re ringing in the new year with this recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes from our friends at Big Girls Small Kitchen.

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I had the idea to make pumpkin pancakes a while back, and eventually I got around to actually making them. In pancakes, pumpkin works like ricotta or yogurt, making the pancakes slightly denser, almost more egg-y tasting.

Though I was recently inspired by this recipe to combine the flavors of pumpkin and butterscotch – or caramel – for the moment, I’ve stuck with the go-to pumpkin flavors, nutmeg and cinnamon here. Those spices get a second moment in the sun, since they also get mixed into a sweet-salty honey butter, which is fantastic atop a stack of pumpkin pancakes. If you’re in an indulgent mood, that is. Which of course you are.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Serves 2
These are easily made dairy-free. Just sub almond milk for the milk and a neutral oil for the butter. And, of course, skip the butter.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar in a medium bowl.
In a separate small bowl, combine the pumpkin and the egg and whisk to combine. Add the milk, vanilla, and cooled melted butter, and whisk again to make a smooth mixture. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold until they are only just combined – a few lumps remaining are fine.
Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Using about 1/4 cup of batter for each, cook the pancakes until golden brown, flipping once, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove to a plate and serve immediately with Honey-Nutmeg Butter and maple syrup.
Honey-Nutmeg Butter
Makes 1/2 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Cream the butter with the honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon until slightly fluffy and even. Scrape into a small bowl and refrigerate until about 30 minutes before you’re ready to use. Then, let it soften slightly.
Sunday Brunch is an ongoing series featuring brunch recipes from some of our favorite food blogs around the web. New recipes every Sunday, so that you’re ensured a gourmet weekend. Bon appetit!
Anna Brones

Anna Brones is a food + travel writer with a love for coffee and bikes. She is the author of The Culinary Cyclist and Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Catch her weekly column, Foodie Underground.