There are some flavor combinations that just work.
You know the classics: peanut butter & chocolate, pb & j, tomatoes & basil, etc.; and then there are those that are somewhat new but are sure to become classics: strawberries & balsamic vinegar, caramel & sea salt, pumpkin spice & coffee!
For those of you who made (and hopefully liked!) my Pumpkin Spice Latte Streusel Muffins, these pancakes are an absolute must.
I can’t believe this is the first pumpkin pancake recipe I’ve posted, given my obvious adoration of the orange squash. True, the foodie blogosphere is already overrun with recipes for pumpkin pancakes, but I just couldn’t help coming up with (and sharing with you) my own version… for one!
I thought I’d put a twist on the classic Autumn breakfast by adding espresso powder and brewed coffee right into the pumpkin pancake batter in an attempt to replicate the flavor of Starbucks’ popular beverage.
Just like the streusel muffins I made, the flavor of these pancakes dances back and forth between pumpkin pie spice and coffee – but neither flavor overpowers the other.
{*You’ll notice in the ingredient list that I used buttermilk powder rather than regular buttermilk; I did not do this to frustrate you! My standard pancakes-for-one recipe calls for 1/2 cup of buttermilk, but I knew I wanted to use brewed coffee as part of the liquid for these particular ‘cakes. I suppose you could use 1/4 cup coffee and 1/4 cup buttermilk, but then you would be sacrificing some of that tangy buttermilk flavor that I so love in pancakes.
The way buttermilk powder works is as follows: to replace 1/2 cup of buttermilk in a recipe, add 2 Tbsp buttermilk powder to the dry ingredients, and 1/2 cup water to the wet ingredients. Therefore, in this recipe, I still used the amount of buttermilk powder to equal 1/2 cup of buttermilk, but I was also able to use coffee in the liquid ingredients.}
Was that long-winded explanation just a garbled tangle of words?
Probably.
Who wants to dwell on the technicalities of the recipe when you could just pop over to a grocery store and pick up the necessary ingredients?! In fact, buttermilk powder is a pretty great ingredient to have on hand, as buttermilk in a carton tends to sit in refrigerators until it spoils.
That is, unless you make buttermilk pancakes as frequently as I do ;).
And why the heck not when they’re this easy to make and delicious to eat?!
So put down that stale bagel or push aside that bowl of soggy cereal and make yourself a breakfast worthy of this fantastic time of year!
Pumpkin Spice Latte Pancakes for One
Printer-Friendly Recipe
yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- tiny pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder
- *2 Tbsp buttermilk powder (see starred explanation, above)
- 1 egg white
- tiny splash pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee or decaf, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
Directions:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cane sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, espresso powder, and buttermilk powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white, vanilla extract, coffee, water, and pumpkin puree.
- Stir dry ingredients into the wet just until moistened. Set aside to rest.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.
- When hot, spoon the batter into the skillet by the 1/4 cupful.
- When bubbles appear on the surface of the batter, (about 1-2 minutes), the pancakes are ready to be flipped.
- Flip pancakes and let cook for another minute or so, or until golden brown.
Nutritional Information (might just be my lightest pancakes-for-one recipe yet!):
330.5 calories, 1.3 grams fat, 0.0 grams saturated fat, 10.5 grams fiber, 18.1 grams sugar, 13.5 grams protein
