Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes with Apple Cinnamon Syrup
One morning recently I woke up wanting to make something special for breakfast, and also got an email with a recipe for pumpkin pancakes. It was from a blog I love, but this recipe in particular was a flop. It had a lot of pumpkin in it, and the pancakes kept burning on the outside and were raw on the inside.
After a little research, I found this is a common mistake–trying to fit in lots of nutritious pumpkin (is that such a crime?!). My husband and daughter and even my parents have been good sports of testing lots of pumpkin pancakes lately as I’ve tried to create a fluffy, flavorful pumpkin pancake recipe. Cooked all the way through, without sacrificing the warmth and sweetness of pumpkin spice. Here it is!
The apple cinnamon syrup is so simple and is a perfect pairing. Pancake toppings are tricky in a whole-food plant-based lifestyle. Most of us grew up on corn syrup pancake syrup, and are used to really super sweet pancake syrup. Pure maple syrup is also delicious, but it’s very expensive and gives some people an undesirable morning sugar rush.
This apple cinnamon syrup is not 100% whole-food, as it’s not the whole apple. However, it’s a lower-sugar syrup option that we feel good about. We also often use homeemade applesauce or pear sauce on pancakes, or thaw out some frozen berries and stir in a touch of pure maple syrup. Divine. And so much better than Mrs. Butterworth’s.
This recipe makes a large batch, since we like to have leftovers the next day or snacks throughout the day.
Whole-food, plant-based pancakes with a super quick and simple apple cider syrup.
- 2 cups apple cider or apple juice (I used the cold-pressed variety that is a cloudy brown color but any will work)
- 2 TBSP corn starch
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup oat flour (blend 1 cup oats in your blender or food processor)
- 1 cup whole wheat, spelt, or gluten-free flour
- 2 ts cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 TBSP baking powder
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 2 TBSP vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 3 TBSP maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
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Mix viengar with milk and let sit to curdle like buttermilk. Start to heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, or about 350 degrees.
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Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add pumpkin and maple syrup to milk mixture, then stir into dry ingredients. Do not overmix, as that creates tougher pancakes.
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Use a 1/4 cup measure to pour pancake batter onto the skillet (greased if necessary). Sprinkle chopped pecans on the top of each pancake before flipping. Flip when bubbles have appeared and edges appear firm.
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Whisk cornstarch and cinnamon together in the bottom of a small saucepan. Stir in apple juice, and heat until bubbly. Continue to cook and stir until desired thickness is reached, about 3 to 6 minutes.
We are pumpkin lovers, so couldn’t wait to try this. Delicious! We made a double batch and put some in the freezer. They thaw and warm up beautifully. We really loved the syrup and were grateful for an option to sugary types.