This recipe is an adaptation of a four generation family favorite. Small things make it extra special: oven roasted pumpkin puree, fresh grated nutmeg, browned butter, and cottage cheese that has a robust tangy flavor like Nancy’s Organic Cottage Cheese, and cooking them in Stonybrook Pumpkin Seed Oil.  Willing to guild the lily? Dot the pancakes with Vermont Creamery Sea Salt and Maple Butter before drizzling on the warm maple syrup. These little “cakes” are so delicious you can serve them with a side of cinnamon whipped cream for dessert, an unexpected treat for guests.

You won’t make a mistake by using organic canned pumpkin puree, a teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice, regular cottage cheese, and cooking them in (bacon fat). These are still going to float your fall-Sunday-morning boat. GF pancakes are easy to digest, an added bonus whether or not one eats a gluten-free diet!

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancakes (Serves 2-3, but double and double again for big ol’ family breakfasts.)

Click Here For Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup (2 oz.) gluten free flour mix (yours, ours, or Trader Joe’s)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 tablespoons browned butter

scant 1/2 cup cottage cheese (if you’re quadrupling this recipe it’d be 1 pint minus 1 tablespoon)

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup milk

Pumpkin Seed Oil for cooking the pancakes (or use clarified butter, organic grape seed, canola, or light olive oil)

Serve with melted salted butter and warm maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

2.  Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.

3.  Separate the egg(s) into two bowls, a larger mixing bowl for the white(s) and small one for the yolk.

4.  Combine the milk and cottage cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl.

5.  Whisk the egg yolk(s) until light in color. Add the butter, stirring constantly so the butter doesn’t cook the yolk. Add this mixture to the milk and cottage cheese, stirring to blend.

6.  Add the dry ingredients to the cheese, milk, egg mixture.

7.  In the larger bowl, whisk the egg white(s) until stiff, but not “dry”. Gently fold the batter into the egg white(s).

8.  Heat a large skillet over a medium heat. Using a spatula, spread a teaspoon of vegetable oil over the hot surface.  If the oil smokes, remove the pan from the heat for a minute to let it cool a bit.

9.  Drop small spoonfuls of batter onto the hot skillet.  Remember pancakes are like children the first batch can be slightly burned or undercooked), until the pan is tempered; then they’re just right!  The batter will puff slightly, like a souffle, and small bubbles will appear at the edges. Use a small metal spatula when they’re ready to flip.  Even misshapen experiments will be delicious!  Add more oil to the pan as necessary, possibly only once.  The melted cheese might stick to your spatula. If so, take the time to clean it to insure easy flipping.

Get to use a variety of small bowls

Browning the butter

Stop just before you think it’s done, since it will continue to brown in the hot pan

Fresh pumpkin puree

Whisking the yolk before incorporating the browned butter

Whipped egg white, stiff, but not dry

Mixing the pumpkin with the milk and cheese

Adding the dry ingredients to the wet

… to this. And happy about every minute!

First batch, always a little tricky

Plated Pumpkin Pancakes

Seconds!