Since pumpkin season has almost come to an end Munchkin and I decided we better try out some recipes! Saturday morning pancakes seemed like the best idea...
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| *small pumpkin is just a prop and was not used in the baking of these goodies |
Here is the pancake recipe we based ours off of..
Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Super-fluffy, tall, yet moist pumpkin pancakes. Yes, you can have it all in a pumpkin pancake!
yield: ABOUT 12 5-INCH PANCAKES
prep time: 10 MINUTES
cook time: 10 MINUTES
total time: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups buttermilk (or 2 tablespoons vinegar + enough whole milk or 2% milk to equal 2 cups)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (here's a handy dandy tutorial on making your own)
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly + more for cooking, if desired
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Butter and maple syrup for serving
DIRECTIONS:
- To a large bowl, add the buttermilk. If using the vinegar plus milk option, let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the milk to turn to buttermilk.
- Add the pumpkin, eggs, butter, and vanilla and stir with a whisk to combine.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Let batter rest for about 5 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick griddle to 325 degrees or set large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a little butter on the cooking surface, spreading it evenly, if desired (if the surface is non-stick, you may not need to do this). Using a 1/3 cup measure (or, my pancake scooping weapon of choice, a trigger-handled ice cream scoop), pour the batter onto the griddle or into the frying pan. The pancakes are ready to flip when they look a little dry around the edges and start to form little bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and completely cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes.
- Serve topped with butter and maple syrup, if desired.
* Or you can substitute the following if you don't have pumpkin pie spice blend on hand:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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| She loved adding the spices, and they were just for us so we weren't real good about measuring |
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| Sometimes its hard to find ways for a toddler to help when your cooking with heat. I am always right there with her, and sometimes I will give her a pan, spatula, and put it on a cold burner so she thinks shes cooking too (hey it's just like a make believe kitchen set). |
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| They were pretty tasty I have to say, and Munchie enjoyed taking them for her breakfast all week. |
The next day was a beautiful fall weather so we decided to go for a hike at the nature preserve. It was a blast since Alex is finally old enough to walk most of it (she road on Dad's shoulder for the really steep hills). She had a blast climbing on logs, seeing the animals, reading the maps, and of course trying to pick up all the sticks and leaves she possibly could.
