Wocka-wocka-wocka-wocka…. you know what that sound is?
It’s Pac-Man, swimming in syrupy goodness!
Actually, it’s November, which in the US means All Pumpkin, All the Time. But I’m not complaining. After years of estrangement from nearly the whole squash family, I’ve come to embrace these prolific denizens of the produce section.
I opened a can of pumpkin to make oatmeal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a preschool Thanksgiving Feast (which yes, seemed premature until I learned school is closed all next week!) and had about half a cup left over. So, this morning I made a batch of pancakes to use up the remaining orange puree, to the delight of the kids and Valerian, who really tires of the tiny containers of leftovers that periodically threaten to overtake our refrigerator.
These cooked up tender, a bit spicy, and we gobbled them up faster than the ghosts swallow poor ol’ Pac-Man.
Pumpkin pancakes
Because these are quite tender, you need to be a bit more patient with them – cook them at a little lower temperature so they don’t brown too fast and fall apart when you turn them.
Ingredients
Makes about 10 medium pancakes
- 1½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1¼ cup buttermilk
- butter, for cooking
Method
- In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the dry ingredients; in a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin, and buttermilk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, making sure no hidden pockets of flour remain (although some lumps are fine). If the batter is very thick, add a little more buttermilk.
- Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat; when a little pat of butter sizzles when you drop it in the pan, it’s hot enough.
- Ladle the batter into the pan, about a quarter-cup at a time. When bubbles start to come up through the batter and the edges look cooked, turn the pancakes.
- Serve with maple syrup.
