Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

When the morning air crisps, bringing fall frost to the ground and changing the colors of the trees, beach grass and mountain sides, we start craving everything warm and pumpkin and spiced. It is Halloween weekend, and we have pumpkins large and small crowding our doorsteps and beaming toothy grins from the porch railing. We woke up with a timely craving for Pumpkin Spice Pancakes, and they really hit the spot hot off the griddle this morning. We though we’d share the recipe with you so you can make them your kids (or yourself) while eating breakfast in your Halloween costumes!

Canned food has always been an important part of our diet, especially as fishermen. We bring a lot of canned vegetables and fruits on the boat with us, since we’re often far from a port or a grocery store for weeks or months. Canned pumpkin puree is an ingredient that can be baked into a tasty loaf or stirred right into store-bought pancake mix for a special breakfast anytime. Keep a few cans in your pantry as your secret ingredient this fall season. This recipe is for pancakes from scratch – the kind that are light and fluffy with crispy, buttery edges and delicious with maple syrup and creamy maple yogurt toppings. Chocolate chips are never a bad idea.

Makes 12 (4-inch) pancakes

From The Salmon Sisters: Harvest & Heritage, page 139

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, butter, and vanilla until well combined.

Gently fold the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Drop 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan at a time, making sure to leave plenty of room betwenn the pancakes.

Cook until the batter bubbles at the edges and browns on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully flip. Cook until the batter is completely cooked through and the pancakes are puffy and deep golden brown, another 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serve immediately.

A few other notes:

• If you open a can of pumpkin puree to make pancakes and have leftovers sitting in the fridge, try this recipe for Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake - it’s so good!

• If you’re getting into the holiday spirit, check out the 2025 Salmon Sisters Alaska Small Business Gift Guide - a collection of artists and makers who have been inspiring us lately. There are so many talented people in this state dedicated to their craft, and supporting them really makes a big impact.

• We are proud that Salmon Sisters has donated over $1500 to the Alaska Community Foundation this week to support our neighbors from Western Alaska impacted by recent storms. Thank you for helping us support during this time of need. You can also donate directly here.