Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes With Maple Cream Cheese Sauce

It’s time for Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes With Maple Cream Cheese Sauce. Light the pumpkin candles. Cue the Christmas song list (Yes, Christmas. Because, well, one cannot get enough Christmas music.) Download the free “Turkey For Twelve” eBook. But, most importantly, print this recipe for tomorrow is officially fall.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes With Maple Cream Cheese Sauce

Makes about twelve 4-inch pancakes.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup pecans (optional)

Place pumpkin, buttermilk, lemon juice, eggs, canola oil, sugar, spices, baking powder, sea salt, and pecans in a medium bowl. Whisk until eggs are well beaten and combined with other ingredients.

Gently stir in flour just until mixed in. Do not stir too much or pancakes will become rubbery.

Heat non-stick pan over low heat if using a gas stove. If you have an electric stovetop, I recommend testing a small pancake first over about level 5 heat. Some can range (no pun intended) as high as level 7 for pancakes.  Just get to know your stovetop and preheat to the same setting every time you cook pancakes.

Pour about 1/3 cup pancake batter into the pan. Quickly spread into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until bubbles form around the edges and the ones in the middle begin popping.

Flip pancake and cook until it becomes somewhat puffy in middle – showing you the center is fully cooked.

Maple Cream Cheese Sauce

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 cup maple extract (Can use less for lighter maple flavor or none if you’d like plain cream cheese syrup.)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together in a blender at medium-low speed. Pour into saucepan and heat until syrup reaches a boil. Whisk for about 1 minute while syrup thickens then remove from heat.

And with a collective sigh, the people fell for fall and everything pumpkin spice all over again. Glory be. Glory be.