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Fluffy Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes with Warm Fall Spices

Pumpkin Pancakes

These are the pumpkin pancakes that actually cook through: tall, tender, and cleanly spiced instead of dense and gummy. The trick is restraint, a modest half cup of purée balanced by cut-back buttermilk, a ten-minute rest, and a griddle kept at a patient medium-low. You get a custardy crumb, crisp lacy edges, and real cinnamon-ginger-clove warmth in every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 395
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar packed
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
  • 0.125 tsp ground cloves or allspice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk well shaken; this is a reduced amount to offset the pumpkin
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree solid-pack unsweetened, not pie filling
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled, plus more for the griddle
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowls one large, one medium
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 griddle or large nonstick skillet cast iron works well
  • 1 1/4 cup measure or ladle for portioning batter
  • 1 thin spatula
  • 1 wire rack for holding pancakes warm

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly blended and no lumps of brown sugar remain.
  2. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until completely smooth and uniformly orange with no streaks of pumpkin.
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the flour disappears, about 10 to 12 strokes. The batter should be thick and lumpy. Stop mixing while lumps are still visible.
  4. Let the batter rest on the counter for 10 minutes. It will thicken noticeably as the flour hydrates and the leavening begins to work. Do not stir it again.
  5. While the batter rests, heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat, about 350 F. Lower heat than usual is essential here because the pumpkin's moisture means the centers need extra time to set. Lightly grease with butter and wipe away any excess with a paper towel.
  6. Ladle a scant 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle, leaving 2 inches between them. Nudge each one into a round with the back of the ladle; the batter is too thick to spread on its own.
  7. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look dry and matte, bubbles break the surface, and the underside is deep golden. Slide a thin spatula fully under each pancake and flip in one confident motion.
  8. Cook 2 minutes more, until the second side is golden and the center springs back when pressed lightly. If the pancakes are browning before 2 minutes, lower the heat.
  9. Transfer to a wire rack in a 200 F oven while you cook the remaining batter, regreasing the griddle lightly between batches. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Use solid-pack unsweetened pumpkin purée, never pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened and spiced and will wreck the batter's balance.
  • Serve hot with maple syrup and a pat of butter melting on top. Toasted pecans, whipped cream, apple butter, or a dusting of cinnamon sugar are all excellent. Bacon or breakfast sausage and strong coffee alongside make it a proper autumn breakfast.
  • No buttermilk? Use whole milk and skip the baking soda, bumping the baking powder to 2 teaspoons.
  • Do not overmix. Lumps are fine. A smooth batter means tough pancakes.
  • Keep cooked pancakes on a wire rack in a 200 F oven rather than stacked on a plate, which steams them soggy.
  • Leftovers refrigerate 3 days or freeze 2 months between sheets of parchment. Reheat in a toaster.