The BEST Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

Preheat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat until a few drops of water dance and sizzle, then turn the heat down slightly so it stays at a steady medium; preheat the oven to 200 F if you want to keep pancakes warm while you finish the batch.

In a large bowl whisk together the dry stuff: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves so it's evenly mixed.

In another bowl beat the wet: 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, trust me), 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth; the pumpkin might be a little thick but thats ok.

Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet in, then fold gently with a spatula until just combined; do NOT over mix, little lumps are fine, overworking will make tough pancakes.

Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while the griddle finishes heating, this gives the baking powder and soda time to start working and helps the pancakes get thicker and fluffier.

Butter the griddle lightly (use extra butter for flavor), then wipe with a paper towel so you have a thin, even film; scoop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter for each pancake onto the hot surface.

Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip gently and cook the other side 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through and nicely browned, dont press down on them or they'll deflate.

Keep finished pancakes in the warm oven while you finish the rest, or serve right away with butter, maple syrup, or whipped cream and toasted nuts; if the batter seems too thick add a splash of buttermilk, if too thin add a tablespoon of flour.