Pumpkin Pancakes

From the garden

• 1 cup pumpkin purée, roasted and puréed smooth · canned works in the off-season

From the pantry

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon · or pumpkin-pie spice
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1¼ cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp butter, melted · plus more for the griddle and for serving
• ½ tsp salt
• honey or maple syrup (optional) · for serving

1. Whisk the flour with the baking powder, spice, and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée, milk, eggs, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth.
2. Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula just until combined: the batter should be thick and a little lumpy. Overmixing is what makes pancakes rubbery. If it won't pour off the spoon, loosen with a splash of milk.
3. Heat a griddle or wide skillet over medium heat until a drop of water skitters, then film it with butter. Pour ¼-cup rounds, leaving room to flip.
4. Cook 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form at the edges and the undersides are deep golden: pumpkin batter browns slower than plain, so trust the color, not the clock. Flip and cook 2 minutes more, until the centers spring back when pressed.
5. Hold finished pancakes in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest. Serve in stacks with butter and honey or maple syrup.