Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Last weekend, one of my very best friends came to visit overnight.  We were roommates for several years, and we always have a lot of catching up to do after weeks without seeing each other. It has become tradition for me to make a good Sunday Breakfast while we catch up on girl talk. {J calls this chatter, “yenta-ing it up.”}

These Sunday Yenta-it-Up Breakfasts?  Let’s just say they aren’t typically the healthiest meal of the week.  But really, Greek yogurt with blueberries and a few almonds is SO Monday through Friday.  Plus, I’ve got to make something fairly time-consuming.  More time to chat!

There have been some memorable Sunday breakfasts…Nutella & strawberry crepes, apple walnut French toast, and of course the 3-hour Pumpkin Waffle Fiasco of 2010.  {Fortunately, there was MUCH to talk about that morning.}  But on this beautiful Sunday morning, the Best Breakfast Ever was crowned.  We might as well have been eating dessert, for goodness sake.  Enter the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancake.  Let me say it again, as it rolls so sweetly off the tongue: Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancake.  

Triple. Threat.

After making myself a quick pumpkin latte, {Please, folks, find $20 in your budget and get yourself an aerolatte.  This little gadget has revolutionized my Sunday mornings.}  I got started on what turned out to be a very simple recipe. 

To save time at breakfast, you could definitely make the filling and glaze the night before.  The more it thickens, the easier it is to use. {If you do this, refrigerate the glaze, but not the filling.}  You are going to have extra of both...but for the love of sugar, don’t waste it!  I drizzled some of the leftover filling over an apple cake I baked later that day {I added it about 5 minutes before the cake was done.}  I also transferred the filling to a pastry bag with tip and found it MUCH easier to get a nice, neat swirl.  Oh, and you may want to take a bite before adding syrup…chances are you won’t think you need it.

If you cook and bake often and keep a well-stocked pantry, you likely have everything you need to make these already.  {Dinner tonight?}   And, hey…if you like to keep it simple, I won’t tell anyone if you make pancakes using a boxed mix, and just add in the cinnamon filling and glaze.

Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients
Cinnamon Filling:½ c butter, melted
¾ c brown sugar
1 Tbs ground cinnamon

Icing:4 Tbs. butter
2 oz. cream cheese
¾ c powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pancakes:1 ½ c whole milk
1 c canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 Tbs canola or vegetable oil
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 c all purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt
1 Tbs light brown sugar

Directions
Filling: In a small nonstick saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar and cinnamon over low-medium heat until butter is just melted.  {You can do this in the micro if you prefer.}  Whisk ingredients together and pour into a zip-top sandwich bag.  Set the sandwich bag aside, laying down, on the counter.

Icing:
In small nonstick saucepan, {I gave the one used for the filling a quick rinse and used it again} heat butter and cream cheese over low-medium heat until butter is just melted and cream cheese has softened.  Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla and combine until smooth.  Set aside.

Pancake Batter:
In a large bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vinegar.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just moistened.

Before cooking the pancakes, check on your cinnamon filling to make sure it has thickened and isn’t too runny.  If it is, make another cup of coffee and sit tight for 15 minutes or so..or try sticking it in the fridge for just a few minutes.  When it’s ready, snip a small corner off the baggie, or transfer to a pastry bag with tip.

Cook the Pancakes: Preheat a large skillet or griddle and Pam it, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Use a ladle to get the batter in the pan and spread it to an even circle.  Squeeze your cinnamon filling to make a swirl on the pancake, just like a cinnamon roll.  When the top of the pancake starts to bubble {about 3-4 minutes} give it a gentle flip.  Cook another 2-3 minutes until the other side is golden.  Flip it onto the plate, cinnamon side up.  If cinnamon filling remains, give the pan a quick wipe with a paper towel {the sugar will burn} then repeat.  Place pancakes on a cookie sheet in the oven, on warm, if you want to keep them toasty til you serve them all at once.  Drizzle with cream cheese icing, serve, and enjoy!  {You WILL enjoy.}