Pumpkin Pancakes (Souffle Pancakes) w/ Cinnamon Honey Butter
If you've ever dreamed of warm soufflé-style pumpkin pancakes that are as soft and fluffy as a cloud, this recipe is all you need. These pumpkin pancakes are not only incredibly fluffy but also infused with the rich, earthy flavors of pumpkin puree. To make them even tastier, we'll top them with a homemade Cinnamon Honey Butter, which takes you less than 5 minutes to make, and you'll want to spread it on everything.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- hand mixer
- large nonstick frying pan with lid
- Mixing bowls
- piping bag (optional)
Ingredients
For pumpkin pancakes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsps pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsps milk (Can also use plant-based milk or water.)
- 4 tbsps cake flour (Can also use all purpose flour)
- ¼ tsp baking powder (Optional; by adding baking powder, the pancakes will be less likely to shrink as they cool.)
- 2 tbsps granulated sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice (Optional; lemon juice can enhance the stability and increase the volume of the meringue.)
For cinnamon honey butter
- ¼ cup softened butter (½ stick of butter)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1½ tbsps powdered sugar (Optional. If you plan to drizzle maple syrup over the pumpkin pancakes, you might want to omit the powdered sugar in the cinnamon honey butter, as it could make the overall dish overly sweet.)
Instructions
To Make Cinnamon Honey Butter
- In a mixing bowl, add softened butter, honey, and cinnamon powder. Optionally also add powdered sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter.
- Use an electric mixer or a whisk to mix all the ingredients on low speed until they are well incorporated.
- Taste the cinnamon honey butter, add more cinnamon powder or honey to your taste.
To Make Pumpkin Pancakes
- Carefully separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two dry and clean bowls. (Be careful not to break the egg yolks during the separation process, as any water, oil, or yolk residue could prevent the egg whites from achieving the desired consistency when beaten. But a small amount of egg white in the yolk bowl is fine.)
- Add pumpkin puree, milk (or water), and vegetable oil to the egg yolks. Mix with a whisk.
- Sift the cake flour and baking powder (optional) into the bowl. Use a small spatula to mix gently until there's so dry flour. Set aside. (The consistency of this mixture should be similar to Greek yogurt. If it appears too dry, you can mix in an extra ½ tsp of milk to achieve a smoother texture.) Set aside.
- Lightly grease a large nonstick pan with vegetable oil. Preheat it over medium-low to low heat.
- Add granulated sugar and lemon juice (optional) to the egg whites. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. (*Important Reminder: In case you've previously used the electric mixer to whip the cinnamon honey butter, it's essential to ensure the beaters are carefully washed and dried before using them to whip the egg whites. Any remaining butter on the beaters could hinder the egg whites from achieving their desired level of stiffness. )
- Fold ⅓ of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites; fold until just incorporated.
- Pour the egg yolk & white mixture into the egg white bowl. Gently fold until the color of the batter turns evenly light yellow. Quickly transfer the batter into a piping bag.
- Pipe the batter into 3 mounds into the preheated nonstick pan. (You can also use a spoon to place 3 scoops of batter into the pan. Then stack one scoop of batter onto each batter that's already in the pan. If you have more batter left, you can keep piling up the batter on the top of each pancake. Try to pile the batter as tall as possible, so that the pancakes will be fluffier.)
- Add 1½ teaspoons of cold water in each of the three empty corners in the pan, distributing ½ teaspoon of water into each corner. Quickly cover with a lid. (The water can create a steaming environment, ensuring thorough cooking of the central part of the pancakes.) Keep the lid on for 5 minutes.
- Open the lid, carefully flip each pancake using a spatula. Add 1½ teaspoons of cold water in empty spaces inside the pan. Cover with a lid. Keep the lid on for 3 more minutes.
- Serve the pumpkin pancakes immediately while they are still fluffy and hot. Top them with your homemade cinnamon honey butter, maple syrup, or any other toppings of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Stiff peaks are reached when the whipped egg whites maintain their shape in the bowl even when the bowl is turned upside down, without falling out.