DIY Mother’s Day Brunch With Gluten-Free Pumpkin Quinoa Pancakes

If you’re reading this, it’s too late.

Don’t even bother trying to make a reservation for one of those fancy Mother’s Day breakfast buffets—trust me, I tried. We’re a little over a week away from the big day, and everything is either totally booked or so expensive that you might have to order off the kid’s menu in order to afford Mom’s bottomless mimosas.

For those of us who want to retain their position as favorite child, there’s good news: You can still totally win Mother’s Day brunch this year. Instead of going out, offer to host your whole fam and whip up these sweet gluten-free pumpkin quinoa pancake stacks! They’re both impressive and so easy to make that you’ll have them on the table in no time.

Blogger and natural food chef Cassandra Bodzak is back in the Thrive Market kitchen with this healthy recipe that can be made vegan, too. Just swap the regular egg for her basic flax egg (check out this video to see how to make it) and you’re good to go! Because they’re made with antioxidant-rich pumpkin purée and quinoa flour, which is loaded with vegan protein, you won’t even feel guilty going back for seconds.

And can we just say, we’re obsessed with Bodzak’s vegan cream cheese filling, which she slathers between two mini pancakes to make “pancake sandwiches”? But if you prefer a more classic take, just add a drizzle of pure maple syrup or coconut nectar.

Pumpkin Quinoa Pancakes

Yield: 12 mini pancakes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup quinoa flour
½ cup pumpkin purée
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 egg or a flaxseed “egg” substitute

For the filling
8 ounces tofu cream cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Sprinkle of cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For garnish
Crushed pecans

Instructions

In a small bowl, whip cream of tartar into almond milk. Seperately, combine quinoa flour, pumpkin purée, coconut oil, and pumpkin pie spice.

Stir together to lightly blend, then add in the egg and almond milk–cream of tartar mixture. Use a spatula to mix batter until fully combined.

Heat a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour ¼ cupfuls into the skillet and cook until the bottom has turned golden brown, 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on other side. Continue cooking until all batter has been used, adding more coconut oil to the skillet as needed.

As pancakes cool, make the filling. Add tofu cream cheese, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla to a small bowl and mix thoroughly.

Make little sandwiches or triple decker stacks by layering the filling between pancakes. Sprinkle with crushed pecans and serve!