I know, I know. Pumpkin is everywhere and it’s so basic, blah blah blah. You know what? Pumpkin is everywhere because it’s freakin’ delicious! Not only is pumpkin super versatile, it’s also great for your body! High in fiber but low in calorie, meaning it’s a great add in to dishes like oats, toasts, sauces, and *cough *cough pancakes. It is also high in beta-carotene and specific antioxidants that promote eye health and overall immunity? No enough to convince you? Well the pumpkin craze usually coincides with the yearly flu, and a serving of this squash happens to pack in almost 20% of your daily vitamin C needs, helping you stay healthy and happy.
These Pumpkin Pancakes are all the benefits of pumpkin and more. The batter is simple to make and store ahead of time for those busy morning rushes. Even better, the cakes themselves store well in the fridge for up to 5 days! They’re a great start to a fall day.
Tell me down in the comments, did you know about the health benefits of pumpkin?
Ingredients
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Egg white
- Seasonings
- Pumpkin
- Maple syrup
- Oil
- Yogurt
. A good tip for using baking powder is to measure out the right amount, then dump it into your clean palm and use the rounded side of the measuring device to crush any lumps that have formed in the powder.
. I like to use egg whites to boost the protein levels and I find the white provides firmer textures, but you can use whole eggs too. The texture and nutritional information will differ slightly.
. If you don’t have pumpkin pie seasoning in your cupboard, don’t fret. It may be convenient, but all it is is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. If you’ve made a pumpkin pie in the past few years, you’ve probably got these spices. Blends do vary some, but generally I would mix together 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg.
. This recipe requires pumpkin puree. Something I’ve heard from novice cooks is a lack of knowledge with how to get through a whole can of puree (this recipe uses roughly 1/3 a can). Although doubling or tripling this recipe would work, pumpkin is a great addition to smoothies, stews, or even pasta sauces. It’s also a fan favorite among household pets, and a spoonful would likely make their day.
. Yogurt is an optional addition to the batter. Without it, the dish has less protein, but the texture also changes. With yogurt, the cakes are thinner and a little denser. Without it, they tend to be fluffy and tall. Up to you and your tastebuds.
How to Make these Cakes
You can make this the baker’s way or the laymen’s way. Both work. If you make them the baker’s way, start by mixing your dry ingredients in one bowl and your wet in another, then add them together and stir. If you’re making them the laymen’s way, throw all the ingredients together in one bowl and then mix.
Either way, once your batter is made, heat a pan or skillet on medium heat and spray or pour in a little oil to grease it up. Pour 1/3 cup into the heated pan, making sure you leave room for flipping them. Keep them cooking on medium heat until they start to bubble on top, then flip them carefully and cook another minute or two. The should be a golden, orangey brown. Continue until you’ve got all the pancakes you need, then store the remaining batter (if there is any) in the fridge. Top with figs, apple, pepitas, and/or maple syrup and enjoy!
What to Pair this With
I think this is sort of a standalone breakfast. It’s best topped with some of your favorite fall fruit, but they’re decently filling. If you aren’t a coffee purist, adding a cup of maple pecan coffee is delightful! I get my grounds from any store that carries Starbucks, and I don’t know how, but that flavorful blend smells like maple candy.
This recipe also has little fat, so to make this meal more balanced, you could use whole fat yogurt in the batter, or try my Maple Butter, coming to the blog next week!
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup egg whites, can sub whole eggs with slight textural and nutritional difference
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- canola oil or nonstick spray, to grease the pan
- maple syrup, as topping
Optional Ingredient
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt, about the amount that comes in a single serve container
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a larger bowl, stir together the wet ingredients. If you wanted to incorporate yogurt, this would be the time to do so.
- Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones until well combined.
- Heat a skillet or pan on medium heat and grease the pan with oil. Once heated, add 1/3 cup dollops or batter to the pan and heat until bubbling on the top side. Flip and cook another minute, then plate it.
- Continue making pancakes until you have enough, then store any leftover batter in an airtight container and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, sliced apple, and pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- The yogurt makes a big textural difference here. Batter without yogurt is thicker and a little less spreadable in the pan, producing taller, fluffier cakes. Batter with yogurt was easily spreadable and produced moister, slightly denser cakes that cooked a bit faster as then spread thinner.
- To make this breakfast truly satiating, I suggest adding a tbsp of peanut butter on the cakes or subbing whole fat yogurt into the batter.