Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

 Hi Y'all! 

So I have been perusing Pinterest a lot lately.. I mean A LOT! Its my new addiction.. There are so many recipes out there I want to try! We had been talking about pumpkin pancakes for awhile now and when I found this recipe I just had to try it! I have had 3 or 4 cans of pumpkin just hanging around since November waiting for me to do something with them.. (Remember my, I'm only going to post pumpkin related items for the month of November?) Yeah, those cans are the product of that statement and obviously I never got around to doing my pumpkin month.. So here it is, a use for one of my many cans of pumpkin!

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Pancakes

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pancakes:

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (see Tips below)
1/2/ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

Prepare the cinnamon filling in a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk the filling ingredients together and then pour it into a sandwich-sized zip baggie( I only had the big freezer bags..). Zip up the baggie and lay it on the counter while you prepare the pancake batter.

Prepare the Icing in a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and cream cheese 30 to 60 seconds, just until butter has melted and cream cheese has softened. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla and combine until smooth. Set the aside.

 Prepare the pancake batter in a large bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vinegar. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar. Mix the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all is moistened.

 Check on your cinnamon filling open up the baggie again and give it a good stir to re-incorporate any butter that may have separated. You want the mixture to thicken a bit. Don't try to use the filling for the pancake swirl unless it has thickened or it will be too runny! Snip off a small piece of the corner of the baggie. 

 Cook the pancakes preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium, and spray it with nonstick spray. Use ladle to add the batter to the pan. Use the bottom of the ladle to spread out the batter into a nice, even circle. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pick up your cinnamon filling baggie and squeeze the filling into the corner. Starting at the center of the pancake, squeeze the cinnamon filling on top of the batter in a swirl. Just as you would see in a cinnamon roll. Cook the pancakes 3 to 4 minutes, or until bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it is golden brown on the bottom. Slide a thin spatula underneath the pancake and quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, (there will be cinnamon mixture left on the pan..) and repeat with the remaining pancake batter and cinnamon filling. Serve pancakes topped with a drizzle of cream cheese icing.

 Eat and Enjoy!!