The weather has changed, the leaves are turning colors, and the smell of fireplaces fill the air! Time for pumpkin spice anything and breakfast for dinner!! I did a search online for Pumpkin Pancakes and Once Upon A Chef delivered with a recipe that looked promising. Using Chef Jenn Segal’s recipe as a jumping off point and my favorite pumpkin pie recipe for inspiration, here’s what we came up with for dinner the other night.
Start by preheating the oven to 350º and mix a half cup of Whey Low Gold brown sugar substitute with half a teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (*full disclosure, I only use a heavy dash of cayenne because Michelle does not like a lot of spice), with about a tablespoon of water. Stir in two cups of pecan halves.
Spread the coated pecans onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (NOT wax paper) and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes.
For the pancakes, in a large bowl, combine a half cup of canned pumpkin with three tablespoons of melted butter, and two eggs. Whisk until well mixed.
Add the following spices (yes, all of them!): one and a half teaspoons cinnamon, one teaspoon each of ginger and allspice, half a teaspoon each of nutmeg, clove, and salt. Yes, this seems like a lot of spice but it is an amazing combinations of flavors that you will not regret!
Mix together with one and a half cups of Pamela’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Artisan Blend, two teaspoons of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of baking soda, one and a half cups of half and half, two eggs, and three tablespoons of REAL maple syrup (yes, you could use one of those brands that are on the shelf next to the pancake mixes but you are making breakfast for dinner, splurge). The mixture will seem like a thick cake batter.
It’s probably about time to check on the pecans. These are a little over cooked. Take them out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. If the nuts are sticky, the are not done, put them back in.
Make the pancakes in a hot skillet. For some reason, I did not take any pictures during this step. I pour about a quarter cup of batter for each pancake and use a spatula to flatten the batter out so they are not too thick. Flip once you see some bubbles form on top. As each batch of pancakes is done, place them on the cookie sheet from the pecans and pop them in the oven (which is now turned off) to stay warm.
Break apart the pecans and store the extras in an airtight contain once completely cool. Top the pancakes with pecans and serve with sausage or bacon. We also made mimosas because, well, why not?
What is your favorite breakfast for dinner side? We love maple sausage but tell us yours in the comments!
Sweet and Salty Pecans
- 1/2 C Whey Low Gold Brown Sugar Substitute (or regular brown sugar)
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t cayenne pepper (or less depending on your heat tolerance)
- 1 T water (or more if needed)
- 2 C pecans halves
Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine all ingredients except pecans in a medium bowl. The mixture should be thickish. Add the pecans and stir until well coated.
Pour the pecan mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure that the nuts are spread in a single layer and bake for about 15 minutes.
Remove the nuts from the oven to check. If the nuts are sticky, bake a little longer. They should look a little crusty on top and caramelized on the bottom. Slide the parchment onto a cooling rack to let the nuts cool.
Break apart the nuts and keep extras in an airtight container, if you can resist eating them all!
Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
- 1/2 C canned pumpkin
- 3 T butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 t cinnamon
- 1 t ginger
- 1 t allspice
- 1/2 t nutmeg
- 1/2 t clove
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 1/2 c half and half
- 3 T real maple syrup
- 1 1/2 c gluten-free flour blend (such as Pamela’s Artisan Blend)
- 2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t baking soda
In a bowl, mix together pumpkin, butter, eggs, all of the spices, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Add the milk and syrup and combine.
Add flour and other dry ingredients and mix well.
In a hot skillet, add a little cooking spray if needed, and use 1/4 c of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top and flip. The pancakes will rise quite a bit and be very fluffy. Keep in a warm oven until all of the pancakes are ready to serve.
Top pancakes with butter, pecans, maple syrup, and serve with your favorite breakfast sides.
