Makes about 6 medium or 12 small pancakes
MY GRANDFATHER lived in Florida and, when I visited as a child, he would take us for the early bird special at his local diner: two eggs, two pancakes, two sausages, and two pieces of bacon, all for $2.99, if you arrived before 8:00 a.m. We always made it on time, I always ordered chocolate chips in my pancakes, and I always ate every bite. I never forget those pancakes. And then, well… you know the next part. It was good-bye to pancakes for me.
Until now. Honestly, I think that these pancakes are even better than the ones I remember—the pumpkin adds fiber and the chocolate chips add that extra yumminess that I will always crave.
½ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup hazelnut flour
½ cup potato starch
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 cup rice milk, coconut milk, or any other additive-free, unsweetened nondairy milk
⅓ cup organic pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1½ tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract)
About ½ cup filtered water
Nondairy butter (such as Earth Balance) or additional grape seed oil, for the pan
Dairy-free, naturally sweetened chocolate chips (as many or few as you like)
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (through salt) using a whisk to get out any lumps.
In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the water, a little bit at a time, and mix as you go.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and coat with butter. Spoon or pour 3 or 4 portions of the batter onto the hot skillet or griddle and sprinkle each with a few chocolate chips. Or, make one large pancake at a time. Cook until there are bubbles on the surface of the pancakes (and a few have burst), 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed. Serve and enjoy warm.