Butternut Squash Pancakes

There’s not much time left for this month’s create a gluten-free pancake or waffle challenge.  Of course, I hope you keep working on creating great gluten-free food even after each challenge ends.  My goal for the month was to make one new waffle recipe (multigrain waffles) and one new pancake recipe.  I have been wanting to make a pancake with some type of fruit or vegetable added, and since I had lots of butternut squash from my CSA box, I decided on that.

Now I fully expected these pancakes to be good, but I didn’t expect to take my first bite and think, “This tastes like pumpkin bread!”  It really does.  So if you like pumpkin bread, you will like these pancakes.  If you like other spices in addition to cinnamon in your pumpkin bread, I’m sure they would be tasty in this recipe too.  I can’t handle much nutmeg, but I think next time I will try a little ginger.

I have added brown sugar to this pancake batter making it sweet enough to eat on it’s own.  If you really want to add syrup to your cakes, omit or cut back the amount of sugar.  We liked them like this, and the leftovers stayed moist for a couple of days.  Since they don’t need any sticky stuff on them, these would be great for an on-the-go breakfast or packed lunch.

Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Pancakes

• 2 c. cubed butternut squash
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. millet flour
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• oil for skillet

To prepare the squash, peel it and cut off the ends.  Slice it in half lengthwise and then scoop out the seeds with a spoon, scraping it to get all the strings off.  Then cut the squash into chunks.  I used a small squash which yielded two cups or slightly more of chunks.  Steam the squash by using a steamer basket in a pot with water.  If you don’t have a basket, just add some water to the bottom of a pot and cook until the squash is tender. 

Remove the squash to a medium size bowl.  Mash with a hand masher.  Add the brown sugar to the squash and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the eggs and beat them into the squash with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine the millet flour, potato starch, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, whisking them together.   Add this to the squash mixture and stir with a large spoon or spatula until all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Let sit while you preheat your skillet.

Use a little oil (about 1 Tb.) to coat the bottom of your skillet.  Heat it until a drop of pancake batter sizzles on it.  Spoon or ladle the batter onto the skillet.  Cook until bubbles form on the tops of the pancakes, then turn them over and cook for a minute or two more, watching to make sure they don’t burn.

Makes about 10 pancakes.

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This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.