Even after I’ve fed a crowd of twenty or so (like most Thanksgiving meals) and packed up goodie bags for all my guests, I still seem to have an abundance of food, including those wayward bits and pieces that don’t quite amount to an entire meal. I’ve found everything from leftover pumpkin purée and a quarter cup of sour cream to some bread cubes, a stray roll or two, a whacked off end of butter, and more.

As much as I prefer a good buttermilk pancake, I love this sour cream version for a morning-after holiday brunch. The result is a moist and tender cake, with the added oomph of pumpkin, which you could leave out altogether, if you prefer. I used vanilla extract but try adding in cinnamon or nutmeg or even some nuts. 

ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk (or buttermilk)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (canned or fresh)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus more, as needed, for cooking the pancakes
• For serving: maple syrup, fruit jam, leftover cranberry sauce

directions

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk, pumpkin purée, egg, vanilla, and melted butter together and stir until just blended. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir a few times but just until blended; it’s OK if the batter is a little bit lumpy. Over mixing the batter can result in a tough pancake.
   
   
2. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. If your griddle is truly non-stick you won’t need to grease it; otherwise, lightly grease with an oiled paper towel or brush with a light layer of melted butter. Wipe away any excess. Spoon batter (I use a 1/3 cup measure) onto the griddle or skillet without crowding the pan; you don’t want the pancakes to touch and leave enough room to flip them. Let cook until bubbles start to form around the edges; gently lift and flip to the other side. Let cook another 1 minute or so until golden and cooked through. NOTE: If pancakes start to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh fruit jam, or leftover cranberry sauce.