Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes with Einkorn

These sourdough pumpkin pancakes use fresh-milled einkorn flour, pumpkin puree, warm fall spices, and sourdough starter. Mix the batter the night before for an overnight fermentation, then finish in the morning with whipped egg whites for light, fluffy pancakes.

There is something so cozy about a slow fall morning with a stack of warm pancakes. These sourdough pumpkin pancakes start the night before with a simple batter that ferments overnight, then come together quickly in the morning with whipped egg whites folded in for extra fluff.

A Birthday Breakfast Tradition

I first made these for my daughter’s birthday breakfast, and they were such a hit that they have become a fall tradition. I made extra large pancakes and stacked them into a pancake cake, finishing it with a maple icing drizzle and sprinkles. She loved it, and honestly, so did the rest of us.

The overnight ferment does two things: it gives the sourdough starter time to work its magic, and it means most of the work is done before you even wake up. In the morning you just finish the batter, whip the egg whites, and cook. The batter is thick and the einkorn mixture starts as one stiff mass, but trust the process. Resting the batter makes it lighter and easier to work with.

Main Ingredients & Swaps

• Sourdough starter: 250 g of active, bubbly starter. Feed it 4 to 6 hours before mixing the batter so it is lively.
• Pumpkin puree: 100 g. I used homemade puree from roasted pumpkin cooked down with fall spices, but canned puree works just as well. If using homemade, make sure it is not excessively watery.
• Fresh-milled einkorn flour: 200 g. Einkorn gives these pancakes a wonderful nutty flavor. You can substitute all-purpose flour if you do not have a mill.
• Milk: 100 g, plus more as needed. In the morning, you can add a little extra milk until the batter loosens. It should be thick but scoopable, with a little give, not thin or runny.
• Brown sugar and cinnamon: For warmth and sweetness, with optional nutmeg and cloves.
• Eggs: 2 large eggs, separated. The yolks go into the batter; the whites get whipped fluffy and folded in gently last for light, airy pancakes.
• Butter: 1/2 cup melted for the batter, plus 2 tablespoons for the icing.
• Maple icing: Melted butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, almond extract, and a little whipped cream cheese whisked into a thick but pourable drizzle.

How I Make It

1. The night before, stir together the sourdough starter, pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, einkorn flour, cinnamon, and optional spices until just combined. Cover and rest at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
2. In the morning, separate the eggs. Stir the yolks, melted butter, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla into the batter, adding milk as needed until scoopable.
3. Whisk the egg whites to soft, fluffy peaks and fold them gently into the batter last.
4. Cook over low heat on a griddle, about 1/3 cup batter per pancake, until bubbles form and edges set, then flip until golden. I use a carbon steel griddle; the middle heats slower than the sides, so check for uneven cooking.
5. Whisk the icing ingredients until smooth and drizzle over warm pancakes just before serving.

Tips for the Best Pancakes

• Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
• Use a non-stick pan or griddle, with a little butter.
• Keep the heat relatively low so the centers cook through before the outsides burn.
• Do not overmix after folding in the egg whites; gentle folds keep them airy.
• Keep finished pancakes warm on a platter in a 200°F (93°C) oven until ready to serve.

More Fresh Milled Recipes

If you are enjoying baking with fresh-milled flour, here are a few more recipes you might like:

• English Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour
• Maple Glazed Donuts with Fresh Milled Flour
• Blueberry Lemon Spelt Muffins with Greek Yogurt
• Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal

Watch Me Make Them

Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes with Einkorn

Overnight sourdough pumpkin pancakes made with fresh-milled einkorn flour, pumpkin puree, and warm fall spices, finished with whipped egg whites for light, fluffy pancakes and a maple icing drizzle.

Servings 10

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Fermentation Time 10 hours hrs

Ingredients

  

For the Overnight Batter:

• 250 g sourdough starter
• 100 g pumpkin puree
• 100 g milk plus more as needed
• 55 g brown sugar
• 200 g freshly milled einkorn flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional: 1/4 tsp nutmeg and ground cloves

To Finish the Pancakes:

• 2 large eggs separated
• 1/2 cup 113 g butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional milk as needed to loosen the batter

For the Maple Icing Drizzle:

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese softened or whipped

Instructions

 

1. Mix the overnight batter. In a large bowl, stir together the sourdough starter, pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, freshly milled einkorn flour, cinnamon, and optional nutmeg and cloves until just combined. The batter will be thick and stiff. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
2. Finish the batter. In the morning, separate the eggs. Stir the yolks, melted butter, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla into the batter. Add additional milk as needed to loosen the batter until it is scoopable.
3. Whip the egg whites. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft, fluffy peaks. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter, being careful not to deflate them.
4. Cook the pancakes. Heat a griddle or large skillet over low heat. Lightly grease if needed. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, then flip and cook until golden on the other side. Keep the heat relatively low so the centers cook through before the outsides burn. Keep finished pancakes warm on a platter in a 200°F (93°C) oven.
5. Make the maple icing drizzle. Whisk together the melted butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, almond extract, and cream cheese until smooth. Add more maple syrup or powdered sugar as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over the warm pancakes just before serving.

Notes

• Pumpkin puree: Homemade or canned pumpkin puree works well. If using homemade puree, make sure it isn’t excessively watery.
• Sourdough starter: This recipe is designed for an overnight fermentation. Feed your starter 4-6 hours in advance so it is active and bubbly when you use it.
• Fresh-milled einkorn: The batter may be thick and hard to mix at first. Add milk gradually in the morning until you can fold in the egg whites.
• All-purpose flour: You can substitute the einkorn flour with all-purpose flour if you don’t have a mill.
• Cooking temperature: Keep the heat relatively low so the centers cook through before the outsides burn.
• Keeping pancakes warm: Place cooked pancakes on a platter in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American