GINGERBREAD PANCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE AND RUM SAUCE

Gingerbread Pancakes with Cream Cheese and Rum Sauce image

Warming spices add a measure of holiday cheer to these silver dollar pancakes. The warm cream cheese sauce can be made without rum if you're serving the pancakes to children.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories main-dish

Time 55m

Yield 6 servings (about 8 pancakes per plate; 56 pancakes total)

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups milk
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons dark rum (optional)
Confectioners' sugar for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two kitchen towels stacked on top of each other and place in the oven. This will keep your cooked pancakes warm.
For the pancakes: Whisk the flour, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the cornstarch, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt together in a large bowl. Whisk 1 1/4 cups of the milk, the molasses, melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and the eggs together in a medium bowl. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until batter is thick and ingredients are just incorporated (it's okay if there are some lumps). Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese sauce: Combine the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with the cream cheese and rum in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until the cream cheese melts completely and mixture just begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and keep warm.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Use 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter per pancake, making enough to just fill the skillet without crowding. Cook until pancakes are golden on the bottom and bubbly on top, about 30 seconds. Flip the pancakes and cook until lightly golden on the bottom, about 30 seconds more. Transfer the pancakes to the baking sheet in the oven, tucking them between the kitchen towels. Repeat with the remaining batter.
When ready to serve, divide the pancakes between four serving plates, dust with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with the cream cheese sauce. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.