First 5 Nevada County’s Blog

posted by Wendy Van Wagner

This recipe just appeared in the New York Times. I think it would be a really fun one to make with kids during or the morning after Thanksgiving. It shows how pumpkin can be incorporated into everyday foods, like pancakes! You could even save a few steps by using the filling of a leftover Pumpkin Pie for this one……….but let’s be honest……leftover pumpkin pie?!!??

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 3 cups pancake batter
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, or more as needed
• A big pinch pumpkin-pie spice
• Peanut oil, for the griddle
• Butter, for the griddle and serving
• Warm Grade B maple syrup, for serving.

1. Stir the batter, pumpkin purée, 1 tablespoon cream and pumpkin-pie spice in a bowl. Add more cream as needed to loosen the batter.

2. Clean the griddle by running an oily cloth over it. If the cloth snags, use a paint scraper or something similar to remove, then wipe down the griddle with peanut oil.

3. Set the griddle over moderate heat. (It’s hot enough when a drop of water bounces off the surface.) Pour a thin layer of peanut oil over the griddle. Just before you drop the batter, run cold butter across the area where you are going to cook. When the butter bubbles, drop the batter in 4-inch circles and immediately raise the heat to medium high. Cook, adjusting the heat so as not to burn the pancakes, until bubbles appear all over, 1 to 3 minutes. Using a thin, clean metal spatula, quickly turn the pancakes and gently tap to make them uniform in thickness. Lower the heat and cook until the second side is golden, about 2 minutes more.

Serve with warm maple syrup. Makes about 12 4-inch pancakes. Adapted from “Eat Me,” by Kenny Shopsin and Carolynn Carreño.