Sweet Potato Pancakes

 

Thanksgiving was pretty uneventful this year. I made my usual line-up of sides and threw in a vegetarian gravy for good measure – it was, indeed, good, but I was the only one eating it, and I still prefer my cranberry sauce, so I won’t make it again. I also made a sweet potato and marshmallow pie, but it didn’t work out. While the filling was fantastic, the crust sucked and the marshmallow topping was a burnt, gooey disaster. Luckily, I had leftover sweet potato purée with which to make these sweet potato pancakes the following weekend. 

This makes 14 pancakes. I’m leaving the instructions to make sweet potato purée below because some of you might appreciate the faster microwave method, but I just did this ahead of time my usual way (1 hour in the oven at 425 °F, then peeled and puréed in the food processor). 

¾ cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (from one 9-oz. sweet potato) 

2 large eggs 

2 cups lactose-free buttermilk substitute 

2 Tbsp. maple syrup 

2 Tbsp. lactose-free butter, melted 

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat) 

1 ½ tsp. baking powder 

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt 

1 tsp. baking soda 

½ tsp. ground cinnamon 

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg 

Preheat oven to 200 °F. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. 

Prick potato all over with a fork. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon water and cover. Microwave on high until tender when pierced with a fork, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool. Discard water. Split potato and scoop flesh into bowl; discard skin. Mash to make ¾ cup. 

Beat eggs and buttermilk in a large bowl. Add potato, syrup, and butter; whisk until well combined. 

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add to buttermilk mixture. Gently stir until few dry spots remain; do not overmix. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high. Brush with oil; reduce heat to medium. Cooking in batches, add ⅓-cupfuls of batter to skillet, flattening tops slightly. Cook until bubbles rise to surface and underside is golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until puffed and golden brown on other side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; keep warm in oven. Repeat with oil and remaining batter. Serve with chopped pecans and more syrup, if desired.