Pumpkin Pancakes

I know it's a little early to be talking about pumpkin, but as Eliot was going to bed he asked for pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, which is why we made these. I don't know how I found this recipe because it isn't a blog I frequent. However, it was in my white binder (the binder in which I keep printed recipes from other blogs and the internet) and Eliot wanted pumpkin pancakes, so we gave it a go. All I can say is, Eliot had a great idea, and these pancakes were delicious (I adapted the recipe a bit).
See the little bitty cinnamon chips on there? Gygi's has decided to stop carrying them. Bad decision. I've been told that Kitchen Kneads has them so I'll have to check that out soon (update-yes! They do have them!). Who knows, maybe it is a good thing Gygi's isn't going to carry them as it's so hard to shop there without spending $100. What? You don't have that problem? Sheesh.

Suddenly, I had a little more inspiration and brought out the Reddi-Whip (on another day I might be tempted to whip up some fresh cream and pipe it on the cakes, but for today, this worked great.

Oh my, oh my, oh my. I'm telling you, it was like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast, except it was even better than pumpkin pie.

Laura and I decided we preferred the pancakes without the chocolate chips, using only the cinnamon chips instead. However, the chocolate chip ones were pretty good too.

Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
3 T sugar, divided
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
4 eggs--separated
1/2 to 3/4 cup cinnamon chips (I didn't measure)
mini chocolate chips, if desired. 
Whipped cream or pressurized whipped cream
Sift together dry ingredients, using 2 T of the sugar. Combine milk, vanilla, melted butter and pumpkin puree, then add the egg yolks. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended. Beat egg whites with 1 T sugar until stiff and fold into batter. Add chips and stir gently. Pour onto hot griddle sprayed with non-stick spray, using about 1/4 cup batter at a time. Cook until tops bubble and turn and cook other side. You can top the pancakes with a few more chips at this point if you wish them to melt a little bit. Otherwise you can add more once they are plated, or if you want fewer calories, you can eliminate the extra chips!
Drizzle some buttermilk syrup over your stack and then top it with a dollop of whipped cream. Be ready for angels to start singing because you'll be in heaven after your first bite.