“These pancakes are better than normal pancakes” -my husband. For those of you who don’t know him, this is high praise, especially considering it was unprompted. The verdict was that he likes them more because they are “heartier” than a standard pancake, and I agree. The flavor is festive, the texture is soft, with a golden exterior, and they will hold you over until lunchtime.

The best part? They are sweetener free! This means our whole family can have them (including baby). They are perfect for baby led weaning. The texture is soft enough to break into small pieces for her. This morning, she was trying to eat the crumbs from the pancake container after we had finished them all. Big hit! The preschooler loves hers with a little maple syrup, and my husband slathers on some butter for an extra savory factor. I am an enthusiastic topping lover, and I add both.

If you aren’t making them for a kiddo under two, and you want them a little sweeter, you can add 2 Tablespoons maple syrup to the batter. I really enjoyed both. Especially considering I like a little maple syrup on mine anyway. Didn’t even notice the lack there of in the batter.

We recently took these with us on our morning family bike adventure (along with a thermos of hot coffee), and they were a hit! I made them fresh while the kids were getting ready, but you could easily make them the day before. We brought a small container of butter and maple syrup for dipping, and it was the most magical fall morning. The crisp air and yellow leaves around the pond really put me in a festive mood. The pumpkin spice pancakes and coffee just put it over the top.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup old fashioned gluten free oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup full fat oat milk (or milk of choice)

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or fat of choice)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 Tablespoon non-dairy butter, for cooking

Instructions

1. Add oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blender or food processor. Blend until oats become powder.
2. Add milk, pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil, vinegar, vanilla, and spice to blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat and add non-dairy butter.
4. Scoop by 1/4 cups (or 1/8 cup for smaller, faster cooking pancakes) onto heated skillet and cook until bottom is slightly browned. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes, until top is also slightly browned and the side looks cooked through.
5. Serve immediately or freeze for a quick breakfast option in the future.