Meet Your New Favorite Fall Breakfast: The *Savory* Pumpkin Spice Pancake

Just because "cake" is a part of it's name doesn't mean you shouldn't take a pancake savory. In fact, you should definitely take a pancake savory. And to be clear, I'm not really talking about a short stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes. (I mean, I will support you should you decide to pour gravy over yours, but I prefer to use mine as an excuse to eat dessert before 10 AM.)

I'm really talking more along the lines of the airy and delightful communal pancake, the Dutch baby. I argue for giving this pancake take a savory spin after having eaten this Savory Pumpkin Spice Dutch Baby.

That's right, pumpkin spice done savory--with chunks of bacon, peppery arugula, and a pile of Thyme-Roasted Onions. We went there, and let me tell you why:

1. Because if a savory breakfast waffle is awesome, and a bowl of savory breakfast oatmeal is awesome, reason suggests that a savory breakfast pancake should likewise be awesome.
2. Pumpkin spice needed a new directive anyway, it's starting to get on people's nerves. I feel like giving it a savory reinvention might help on that front.
3. Plus, all of the toasty, comforting spices contained in the pumpkin spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves) really shine when applied to savory scenarios. We ought not overlook that.
4. Let us not forget, September is THE month to get on top of your breakfast for dinner game, and putting some vegetables on this thing makes it feel like a more viable dinner candidate.
5.  Adding savory toppings makes for a stunning presentation, with lots of bright color and texture, and makes this pancake feel like a slightly more substantial dish since you have protein and greenery on it.

The Dutch baby is an excellent choice for a family or small group brunch because you can pour all your batter in a single skillet that you can just toss in the oven (no flipping skills necessary here), then have a big ol' bubbly pancake to cut up and share. Now, if you're not on my team about the savory thing--no worries, you can easily convert the Dutch babe above into a sweet pumpkin spice pancake. Simply substitute sugar for the black pepper in the pancake batter, ditch those savory toppings, and replace them with something sweet like a Maple-Apple Compote and some toasted pecans.