(Serves 4-6)

• 2 cups pancake mix (a basic bisquick mix or multigrain mix will work. I have not tested any grain free/keto/paleo type mixes)
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups milk (the amount required depends on type of mix – whole grain mixes use more milk because of the higher fiber content)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• Ghee or vegetable oil for non-stick pan (*See note below on why I use ghee)

In a large bowl, stir together pancake mix, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a separate bowl (I actually use a 4 cup liquid measuring cup), whisk together pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, grapeseed oil, and 1 cup milk. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. It’s ok to see a few streaks of flour. Batter will be thick. Add remaining milk, a few tbsp at a time, and stir to achieve a consistency that is thick but still pourable. 

Over medium-high heat, heat appx 1 tsp ghee or vegetable oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet. Ladle 1/4 cupfuls into the pan and cook until the edges of pancakes set and small bubbles appear, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for another 2 minutes. Remove from pan and serve immediately or place in a 275 degree oven to keep warm. Carefully wipe out non-stick pan with a paper towel. Heat another 1 tsp ghee or oil and repeat cooking process until all the batter is gone. Make sure to wipe out pan between batches. Serve pancakes with butter and maple syrup.

*If you’re not familiar, ghee is clarified butter, slow cooked to remove all traces of water and milk solids (after toasting them to a beautiful amber color). It has long been a staple of Indian/Ayurvedic cuisine, but has become popular in the US due to the Paleo craze. It has a very high smoking point, which means you can use it for high heat cooking without it turning acrid.
If you use butter to prepare pancakes, the milk solids in the butter will burn before pancake sets. But with ghee, you still get buttery flavor, but there are no milk solids to burn and make your pancakes get dark and taste acrid. Because it’s shelf stable, ghee is sold near the oil in your supermarket. It’s a little bit more expensive than butter, but worth it. Ghee is quite easy to make at home too, but I’d rather spend a few extra bucks to not have to clean a greasy pot, strainer, and bowl.