Saturday, October 23, 2010

I gave him fair warning...of Bourbon Pumpkin Pancakes


These busy days, my husband and I have to make extra efforts to spend good time with each other.  So, in addition to a stroll around our neighborhood that we try to fit in once a week, we generally try to have date nights every other week.  But recently our date nights have turned into date lunches and yesterday, a date breakfast. 

It was his idea to have breakfast at one of our neighborhood restaurants, but since I've really been wanting to make pancakes recently and since they're more of a treat breakfast for us, I suggested breakfast at home instead. 


What I really wanted to do was breakfast in bed.  I love the idea of surprising my husband with a beautiful, bountiful tray of goodness, but it rarely happens because his feet hit the ground as soon as things start smelling good in the kitchen.  I can almost always surprise him anywhere else, but this one had alluded me.  So this time I gave him fair warning.  Although I didn't tell him what kinds of goodness I would be whisking together, I told him he had better not get out of bed! 

His wait was worth it; these silver-dollar sized (slightly boozy) pancakes were oh so good, and we had a sweet early morning date discussing our favorite things about the season. 


Bourbon Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the next eight ingredients (through nutmeg).  In a small bowl, beat the egg.  Add the buttermilk, pumpkin, bourbon and oil and whisk until well combined.  Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. 

In a small oven-proof bowl, measuring cup, or pitcher, combine the maple syrup and bourbon. 

Set the oven to "warm."  Place a heat-proof plate in the oven to keep cooked pancakes warm.  Carefully place the bourbon maple syrup in the oven to warm, making sure that it is on a stable surface (put a plate under it, if you are worried). 

Grease a griddle and heat to medium-low.  Using a large cookie scoop or a 1/4 cup measure, scoop the batter onto the hot griddle.  Use the back of the scoop to spread the batter a bit.  Cook the pancakes for 1-2 minutes, until the edges begin to dull.  Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more, and stack the cooked pancakes in the oven to keep warm until serving.  Top the pancakes with the warm bourbon maple syrup. 

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11 comments :

Bo said...

Super nice treat for your husband...I've never gotten breakfast in bed...I like the addition of the bourbon.

Mary Ann said...

What a great idea to have breakfast in bed! I love this cute pumpkin pancakes. Definitely will have to give them a try.

Wendy (The Local Cook) said...

that sounds awesome! What kind of bourbon? Probably a dumb question but I really don't know my liquors other than Jack Daniel. DH and I are into beers and wines.

DessertForTwo said...

I'm so glad you're back to posting regularly again! Especially delicious recipes like this :)

Dorothy at Belle of the Kitchen said...

Hi Wendy, it's not a dumb question! You'll definitely taste the bourbon (in the syrup), so you want something relatively drinkable (but that varies from person to person). We are definitely not bourbon connoisseurs, so we can get away with using cheaper bourbon (Evan Williams). Someone with a pickier palate would be able to tell the difference.
Probably a longer answer than you wanted, but just use something you would drink. Jack Daniels is technically not a bourbon, but it would definitely work!

grace said...

i've thought about adding pumpkin to my pancakes recipe--it'd certainly make them nice and dense and perfect for soaking up syrup. well done!

Lisa said...

Those pancakes look so fluffy and the silver dollar shape is so cute. By the way, I'm holding a CSN giveaway on my blog and you're welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/11/45-csn-giveaway.html

Tina @ MOMS CRAZY COOKING said...

Thanks so much for linking-up to our This Week's Cravings.

Kristen said...

How wonderful! Hopefully I can try this recipe this weekend.

Thanks for linking to This Week's Cravings!

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

These look great! Are they kid friendly or not? Just curious!

Dorothy at Belle of the Kitchen said...

Hi Debbi! The pancakes themselves are definitely kid-friendly, but I would use regular maple syrup for the kids.

The bourbon gives a slight flavoring to the pancakes (but the alcohol is cooked out), but it is definitely pronounced in the syrup. There's not enough bourbon in the syrup to do damage, but I would save it for the adults.