Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes

November rolled in with somewhat of a vengeance last weekend.  The undeniable beauty of the Fall season was accented with a drop in temps--and a blustery wind chill.  The sudden change in weather staged the perfect scene for comforting and homey fare--the food that dreams are made of.

Homemade pancakes seemed like just the thing to satisfy my hankering for an indulgent, warm and cozy bite.  But the addition of pumpkin and spices made them all the warmer, cozier and more scrumptious.  I was already dreaming of these fluffy morsels before church on Sunday, so I saved room and went all in for a late afternoon brunch.  They were so, so good--only made (slightly) yummier by a pour of maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.   Best of all, they were a breeze to whip up.  

So if you're looking to make your mornings, afternoons, or evenings, more delicious, you'll want these pancakes in your repertoire.  

Happy Eating!

Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart (My only tweak was adding a splash of vanilla extract.)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt 
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cup milk 
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree 
2 tablespoons melted butter 
Splash of vanilla extract
1 egg 

Method:
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt together in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, puree, butter, extract and egg.  Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined (don't overmix) to form the batter.  

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet or griddle.  Measure 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and cook on each side for about 1-2 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!