Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Syrup (gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free)

I’m almost done with pumpkin recipes for the year.  Almost.

Not quite.

Oh, okay, not at all.

I eat pumpkin year round, hoarding the inexpensive cans of organic pumpkin puree from Trader Joe’s deep in my pantry, as though someone might take them and use them for some less-than-delicious purpose.  We eat pumpkin in overnight oats almost every week.  It’s an injustice that a superfood such as pumpkin gets only seasonal love. 😉

Today I’m sharing a recipe that will ease me out of my preoccupation with pumpkin and into my next obsession, cranberries.  These pumpkin pancakes are fluffy yet moist, the cranberry syrup thick enough to almost be a compote.  Both the pancakes and the syrup have a hint of maple syrup, perfect for autumn.  Or any other time of the year if you eat at my house!

Couple of ingredient tidbits:  I used cashew meal/flour in the pancakes.  Trader Joe’s is carrying it now for about half the price I can buy almond meal at my local market.  That said, almond meal works just as well in these pancakes with a less sweet result.  Second, I use Eden Organics dried cranberries.  They are sweetened with apple juice, not sugar.  I also think they rehydrate better than the sugared counterpart.

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Cranberry Syrup

This makes a small quantity of syrup, just about enough to go with pancakes for two. If you have leftovers, refrigerate.

Author Johnna

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depends how thick/thin you want the syrup)

Instructions

1. Soak the dried cranberries in hot water until the water has cooled, 30 minutes or so.
2. Using an immersion blender in the bowl the cranberries soaked in OR transferring to a blender, puree cranberries and water until there are no large chunks of cranberry.
3. Transfer 1/2 of the cranberry mixture to a small saucepan. Over medium heat, stir in cornstarch or arrowroot powder, incorporating well to make sure no clumping occurs. Once incorporated, stir in remaining cranberry mixture.
4. Add coconut sugar and lemon juice, stirring often. Once coconut sugar crystals are no longer noticeable, stir in maple syrup. If you like a thinner syrup, you may choose to use the entire 1/2 cup. I like thicker syrup and add only 1/4 cup.

Print

Cranberry Syrup

This makes a small quantity of syrup, just about enough to go with pancakes for two. If you have leftovers, refrigerate.

Author Johnna

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depends how thick/thin you want the syrup)

Instructions

1. Soak the dried cranberries in hot water until the water has cooled, 30 minutes or so.
2. Using an immersion blender in the bowl the cranberries soaked in OR transferring to a blender, puree cranberries and water until there are no large chunks of cranberry.
3. Transfer 1/2 of the cranberry mixture to a small saucepan. Over medium heat, stir in cornstarch or arrowroot powder, incorporating well to make sure no clumping occurs. Once incorporated, stir in remaining cranberry mixture.
4. Add coconut sugar and lemon juice, stirring often. Once coconut sugar crystals are no longer noticeable, stir in maple syrup. If you like a thinner syrup, you may choose to use the entire 1/2 cup. I like thicker syrup and add only 1/4 cup.