It’s that time of year again! It’s a #VirtualPumpkinParty out here. An event that gives you all the pumpkin inspiration you could ever need. Or want. Sweet, savory, cocktails, lattes. We’ve got you. If you weren’t ready for fall yet, you better be ready now. Because it’s hitting you like a pumpkin to the face.
This year, I’m going back to basics. I used to love pancakes as a kid on weekends. It was the most decadent way I could picture spending a morning. I spoke about this a bit in a previous post about waffle appreciation and science. And my OG decadent breakfast food will remain pancakes. These pancakes are the ultimate. Because aren’t autumn weekends the best decadent weekends? They feel the most special to me. The light and the cooler, breezier air encourages you to slow down and savor the season. So yes, these pancakes are perfect.
Rich and pumpkin-y, warmly spiced, and oh-so fluffy. But not overwhelmingly so. Just right.
Side note: these pancakes are from Ruth Reichl’s book The Kitchen Year. The book is all about using the kitchen and recipes to track her recovery after Gourmet’s closing and getting back to food. I’ve written about the beautiful way she links actions in the kitchen to meditation and reconnecting with the soothing nature of preparing food, and I think that message especially connects to breakfast and these fall pancakes. Seriously, slow down and enjoy.
Now I did mention fluffy when describing these pancakes…
The fluffiness of these babies is from a two-prong approach of baking powder and egg whites. Whipping egg whites and folding them into the batter adds air to the product just by nature of the supportive air bubbles being present in the first place. As we’ve chatted about before, whipping egg whites causes the proteins to denature and make new connections with nearby proteins, trapping air as they go. The strong structural quality of the proteins creates a network of air and egg white. Bingo, aeration.
The baking powder, on the other hand, causes a ton of aeration from a chemical reaction standpoint to push it over the top. Baking powder is a combination of sodium bicarbonate and an acid. When the sodium bicarbonate reacts with the acid, it gives off carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Think elementary school science fair project with the volcano. That carbon dioxide gives you aeration! Most baking powders are double-acting meaning that they have slow and fast-acting acids in the mix. That keeps the production of carbon dioxide going so that you’ve got air bubbles popping up throughout the critical moments. E.g. when you mix everything together (fast) and when you expose it to heat (slow).
Egg whites + baking powder = fluffy pancakes.
Be sure to head on over to the full list of Virtual Pumpkin Party recipes on Sara’s site. This is still, by the way, her brain child. Thanks for another wonderful recipe collaboration year Sara! Now go buy a case of pumpkin puree and get to cooking, baking, and sipping. But start with these pancakes.
My previous contributions are below.
Cheese Fondue Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin
Yeasted Pumpkin Rolls + Slow-Cooker Apple Butter
Pumpkin Pancakes
Serves 2
Adapted from My Kitchen Year
140 g pumpkin puree
75 g flour
20 g brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Generous pinch cloves
Generous pinch kosher salt
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup milk
Splash vanilla
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and baking powder. Stir in the spices and salt.
- Separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a small bowl with the whites in another bowl large enough to whip them in. Beat the whites with clean beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer until they’re just beginning to hold stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Melt the butter and stir it into the yolks. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, and just a dash of vanilla. Stir the blended liquids into the flour mixture from step one carefully.
- Put a third of the whites into the batter mixture and stir well to combine. Add the remaining egg whites and fold gently to combine without deflating.
- Heat a skillet on medium with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking. Cook the pancakes as you normally do. I like to make these mini—they fluff up better.
- Store any leftovers in a sealed bag in the fridge. If you can toast them instead of microwaving them, they’ll be better!
The pumpkin pancakes look amazing! Making pumpkin pancakes is definitely favorite fall past time. Also, I LOVE your mixing bowl. Do you know where it’s from? Happy to join you for the #virtualpumpkinparty!
Thanks Madison! And it’s a Le Creuset! A stellar find in a New England Thrift Shop 😉 xo
Beautiful. Your technique is to be admired. For years I made pumpkin pancakes when my daughters were growing up. I just did it because the pumpkin made the pancakes so more nutritious! But they loved them!
Thanks Mimi! xo
These look so good.
I love pumpkin everything and these pancakes look very moreish.
Cheers,
Lia x
Thanks Lia 🙂 they are good! xo
Very cute spatula! Pumpkin pancakes are perfect for a fall weekend. That, and proper reading material + coffee. Happy pumpkin party!
I completely agree! Thanks Shauna xo
Looks delish! Love pumpkin pancakes! Glad to meet you at the #virtualpumpkinparty as well!
Pumpkin parties are the best–thanks Pooja! xo
I love how fluffy these are! definitely have to try them out this weekend xo
Thanks Fatimah! Perfect for weekend breakfast…or any meal 😉
I love pumpkin pancakes! The added nutrition of pumpkin gives you an excuse to eat more of them too! Great idea on the added whipped egg whites to keep things fluffy – can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Emily! Glad we’re on the same page here 🙂
Wait until my 2 year old hears that we’re putting pumpkin into pancakes! She’s going to loooove it. Thanks for the inspiration. I love your style. 🙂
Thanks Kris! And yes, perfect fall 2-year-old weekend plan right here. xo
These pancakes look delicious! I love the science behind the aeration, too. Definitely going to make these very soon.
Thanks Laura! xo
These do look INSANELY fluffy. I’m always a fan of pancakes, so I’m extremely happy to have this contribution to the party. Thanks for a gorgeous job, as always! xoxo
Thanks Sara! Great party this year! xo
Beautiful scenes here, Kelsey!! And I will now be craving pumpkin pancakes until I can make them this weekend. I so love your science tips and facts. So much fun! xoxo
Thanks Tessa! xo
these look great! i usually get too lazy to do whipped egg whites in pancakes but i love how fluffy they when you do have whipped whites.
You’re right–so fluffy! Thanks Heather xo