Sunday Brunch: Gingerbread Pancakes

Happy New Year, everyone.
After a night of staying up late in celebration, something easy but just a little special is in order for breakfast. It should be simple enough to whip up while you’re still groggy, but satisfying and delicious. Maybe a little unusual.
These pancakes are easy and spiced up just enough to be perfect for a winter morning. The gingerbread spice combination here seems very warming to me.
I know that sometimes I am turned off by recipe that seem to have a huge ingredient list, as so many other people are. After years of avoiding such recipes, I finally learned to read them before dismissing them out of hand. Some recipes just seem unnecessarily complicated, but a lot of them are simply lists of spices. And I love spices.
Pancakes are inherently simple things and adding spices doesn't really have to make them any more complicated. Just toss them in with the dry ingredients and you’ll have a delicious breakfast unique enough to be served on a special occasion and fast enough for a weekday, if you’re so inclined.

Gingerbread Pancakes

1 cup ap flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch nutmeg
pinch black pepper
1 1/8 cup buttermilk
1 egg

1 tbsp melted butter (or vegetable oil)

2 tbsp dark molasses

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and black pepper in a medium bowl.
In another medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, melted butter and molasses. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Heat a nonstick or lightly greased pan over medium high heat, until a drop of water sizzles on it. Drop dollops of batter to make 3-inch pancakes. Turn when the edges of the pancakes begin to look dry and the bottom is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Cook second side until it is golden, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 2-3 people with lots of maple syrup.