Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes: Edited

Fine young gent requested pumpkin pancakes for his birthday breakfast and even helped make them. He's decided that he wants to be a cook when he grows up. These buttermilk pumpkin pancakes are a lovely rich orangey color, with a mellow pumpkin flavor and they're not too sweet, perfect with just a little maple syrup on top.

Note (12/30/09): I'm changing the recipe. Want pumpkin pancakes that are even better? Add 1/3 c. sour cream for pancakes that are even fluffier and more flavorful.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

Heat your griddle to about 350 degrees.

Mix in a large bowl:
3 cups flour
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt

Mix in a smaller bowl:
2+ cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (directions for making fresh pumpkin puree here)
1/3 c. sour cream
2 eggs (For fluffier pancakes separate the eggs, mix in the yolks now and set aside the whites in a small dish)
3 Tablespoons melted butter

If you've set aside the egg whites to make fluffier pancakes, beat the whites until they're nice and fluffy but not stiff. You can use a stand or hand mixer, but with two egg whites it's almost as easy to beat them by hand in a small bowl with a whisk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Particularly if you're using fresh pumpkin, the thickness of your pancake batter will vary. Add more buttermilk or milk until your batter is of the desired consistency. If you've set aside and beaten the egg whites, fold them gently into the batter. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before pouring your pancakes.

Pour the batter onto the griddle, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per pancake, depending on how large you'd like your pancakes. Brown on both sides. Serve with maple syrup. This recipe makes about 2 dozen pancakes, giving my family of seven enough for breakfast with a few pancakes left over for lunch or the freezer.

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Still have pumpkin to use? I'll post my pumpkin oatmeal scone recipe soon, and fine young gent and I are are planning on trying out a pumpkin gingerbread recipe this week so we'll let you know if it's delicious.

Or try this pumpkin bread/muffin recipe from The Fresh Loaf. It is to die for. We made nearly two dozen muffins, some with mini chocolate chips and some without, and they were all gone by the end of the afternoon.