These fluffy pumpkin pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast! Loaded with pumpkin puree and warm fall spices, they are healthy, easy, and oh-so comforting. Vegan-adaptable and gluten-free adaptable!
Happy fall weekend! Embrace the fall season with this nurturing pumpkin breakfast. Warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are added for just the right amount of spice! Serve with maple-glazed pecans or pumpkin seeds for even more fall flavor.
This is my favorite fall breakfast. Or dinner. Haha! These pumpkin pancakes are so cozy and warm that I can eat them any time of day. Plus, I really enjoy making them because the kitchen smells so good with their lovely spices! The nice thing is you can make a batch, store them in the fridge, and reheat them whenever you want them.
Why You’ll Love Them!
- Chef’s Perfected Recipe! We’ve tested and perfected this recipe to deliver the most fluffy, airy, melt-in-your-mouth pancakes. Be sure to read through all of our expert tips to learn everything there is to know about making perfectly fluffy pancakes every time.
- Vegan and gluten-free adaptable! To make this recipe vegan, increase the baking powder to 1 tablespoon and leave out the eggs. Use vegan milk and vegan yogurt or just all plant-based milk. To make this recipe gluten-free, feel free to use a gluten-free flour blend, 1 to 1.
- Freezer-friendly for quick weekday breakfasts. You can make these pancakes in advance and freeze them to enjoy in a pinch on busy weekday mornings. See the freezing and reheating instructions below.
- Made with simple ingredients from your pantry. If you like to bake or make pancakes regularly, chances are most of these ingredients are already in your pantry. You’ll need yogurt, milk, eggs, and pumpkin purée in addition to commonly used baking ingredients.
Pumpkin Pancakes Ingredients
- Pumpkin purée: For the easiest fastest method, use store-bought canned pumpkin puree, or if so inclined, make your own pumpkin puree. You can also substitute other winter squash purees – butternut squash, acorn, Hubbard, delicata- or even sweet potato purée!
- All-purpose flour: You can also substitute white whole wheat flour. We only use just enough flour to form a batter. Too much flour, and your pancakes will be stodgy! Feel free to substitute a gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both are chemical leavening agents that are essential for making pancakes rise and become fluffy. If making vegan pancakes, increase the baking powder to 1 tablespoon and leave out the eggs.
- Salt: Salt is added to enhance the overall flavor of the pancakes.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg (or cardamom—or both!) are added to give that cozy pumpkin spice flavor. These warming spices add a subtle bite and sweetness.
- Yogurt: Yogurt thickens the batter without making it too solid or heavy. The yogurt creates fluffy pancakes! You can use plant-based yogurt here if desired, or in a pinch, leave it out and use all milk or buttermilk.
- Milk: Milk is used to create the batter- for vegan pancakes use non-dairy milk- soy milk, oak milk, almond milk, etc.
- Eggs: Eggs give the pancake batter structure to hold light bubbles when formed into pancakes on the griddle. The fat in eggs provides a rich flavor too. These pancakes can be made vegan without the eggs—be sure to read the recipe notes for vegan instructions.
- Maple syrup: We mix maple syrup into the batter for an extra indulgent and sweet addition! You can sub brown sugar fi need be.
- Vanilla extract: This extract is added to weave in vanilla, which helps create the perfect dessert-like flavor.
- Melted butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or melted vegan butter: This is added to the batter for rich flavor, but is also used to cook the pancakes. A combination or butter and oil works well for frying the pancakes.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pancakes
Step one: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together until well combined.
Step two: Gather a medium bowl, and whisk the yogurt with the milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Step three: Slowly drizzle in the melted butter (or alternative), whisking until smooth.
Step four: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate well.
Tip: Be careful not to over-mix the batter here.
Step five: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Grease with the oil or butter of your choice. I find that a combination of butter and olive oil works well here, or use straight coconut oil or ghee.
Step six: Spoon ¼ cup portions of pancake batter onto the skillet or griddle, with plenty of space for spreading. I recommend doing one tester pancake to get the temperature right.
Step seven: Cook for roughly 2-3 minutes or until golden, gently flip each pancake, then cook for 2-3 minutes more. The pancakes are done when they are puffed in the middle.
Tip: If they are getting too dark before cooking all the way through, lower the heat or pull them a little early and finish cooking them through on a sheet pan in a 300F oven.
Serving Suggestions
Either serve as you make them or keep them warm in a 300F oven until serving. Serve with butter and real maple syrup, whipped cream, maple glazed pecans, maple glazed pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, sautéed apples or bananas, freshly grated nutmeg, or fresh orange zest.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t over-mix the batter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, whisk until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Some lumps are okay!
- Use the right pan. Avoid using a thin frying pan. A sturdy cast iron skillet or griddle works great for perfectly fluffy pancakes. The pancakes are more likely to burn if your pan is too thin.
- Wait until the skillet or griddle is hot and ready. Warm up a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Before adding pancake batter, toss a little water on the pan to see if it sizzles. If so, it’s ready.
- Do a tester! Test with one pancake first before proceeding with the others, keeping the heat at medium-low.
- Fry the pancakes at medium-low heat. Avoid the urge to turn the heat up in order to cook the pancakes faster! Keep the heat at medium-low, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. If the pancakes are turning too dark, reduce the heat to low. Or, you can keep the heat at medium-low and simply remove the pancakes early, letting them finish cooking in the oven at 300F on a baking sheet.
- Know when to flip the pancakes. Wait until the bubbles forming on the surface or edges of the pancakes pop and turn into holes, then flip the pancakes. It should take about 2-3 minutes for this to happen.
- Keep your pancakes warm while cooking the rest. Preheat the oven to 300F and place a baking sheet in the oven. Once a pancake is ready, place it on the baking sheet to keep warm until ready to serve.
Pumpkin Pancake Variations
Nuts and Seeds! When it comes to pancakes, it’s always an easy and fun idea to sprinkle some extra mix-ins on top of the pancakes! If you like the crunchy addition of nuts and seeds, toasted coconut, pumpkin seeds, toasted pecans , hazelnuts, and walnuts pair well with the cozy fall flavor of pumpkin.
Chocolate chips are a great way to make these fluffy pancakes even sweeter and more indulgent. Simply sprinkle a few chocolate chips onto the pancakes once they are on the skillet. TIP: If you don’t plan on adding chocolate chips to all of the pancakes, wait until the last several pancakes to add them. This will prevent the griddle from being coated with melted chocolate.
You can also add a little orange zest to your pancakes. This is one of our favorite additions!
Storage & Freezing
Place any leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the pancakes if you wish. Let them cool completely before wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap. Store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, put the pancakes in the toaster or use a microwave to warm for 30-60 seconds.
What to Serve with Pancakes
These fluffy pancakes are perfectly satisfying with a pat of butter and real maple syrup. But if you want to dress them up even more, sautéed and maple glazed pecans, maple glazed pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, sautéed apples or bananas, freshly grated nutmeg, or fresh orange zest are all great options!
More Fall Breakfast Ideas!
FAQs
Use a balloon whisk when combining the wet and dry ingredients together and be careful not to over-mix! Once the batter is ready, let it sit for a few minutes undisturbed while the pan heats up. If adding mix-ins, sprinkle them on the pancakes versus mixing them into the batter. Use a thick griddle and be gentle when flipping the pancakes. Avoid pressing the pancakes down with a spatula.
You don’t want runny pancake batter. In this recipe we add yogurt to help thicken the batter without drying it out with excess flour. If you add flour to thicken the batter, it will result in a thick, heavy pancake. Yogurt creates a fluffy, crêpe-like pancake.
Make sure you are using fresh ingredients, particularly when it comes to baking powder and baking soda. These should not be more than six months old. Read our expert tips above for more secrets regarding the batter, what type of skillet to use, and how to know when to flip the pancakes.
Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that are essential for making the pancakes rise and become fluffy.
Over-mixing pancake batter will over-develop gluten, resulting in tough, solid pancakes. Gently mix the batter until just blended together. A few lumps are okay!
Yes! This allows the flour to hydrate, creating a nice, thick consistency that’s perfect for fluffy pancakes.
Have a beautiful fall weekend! I hope you give these pumpkin pancakes a try this weekend. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo
Print
Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 pancakes
- Category: breakfast, brunch
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These fluffy pumpkin pancakes are perfect for cozy fall weekend mornings. Loaded with pumpkin and warming spices, they are flavorful and comforting. Vegan-adaptable and GF-adaptable!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour (or sub-white whole wheat flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (see notes for vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (or use freshly grated ginger for the best flavor)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or both!)
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt ( or use plant-based yogurt)
- 3/4 cup milk (or use plant-based milk)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin purée ( or sub-sweet potato puree!)
- 2 eggs (see notes for vegan)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, ghee, melted coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil or melted vegan butter, more for cooking.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt with the milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter (or alternative), whisking until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, folding to incorporate well.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Grease with the oil or butter of your choice. ( I find a combo of butter and olive oil works well ( or use straight coconut oil, or ghee).
- Spoon ¼ cup portions with space for spreading. I recommend doing one tester pancake to get the temperature right. Cook for roughly 2-3 minutes, gently flip, then cook for 2-3 minutes more, until puffed and cooked through. If they are getting too dark before cooking all the way through, lower the heat or pull them a little early and finish cooking them through on a sheet pan in the 300F oven. Either serve as you make them or keep them warm in a 300F oven until serving.
Notes
Optional additions: chopped pecans or walnuts, chocolate chips, *orange zest. The orange zest is fabulous here but not essential.
Serving suggestions: serve with butter and real maple syrup, sauteed and maple glazed pecans, maple glazed pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, sauteed apples or bananas, fresh grated nutmeg, or fresh orange zest.
Vegan: If making this vegan, increase the baking powder to 1 tablespoon and leave out the eggs. Use vegan milk and vegan yogurt or just all plant-based milk.
Gluten Free: Feel free to use a gluten-free flour blend, 1 to 1. (I like Arrow Mills organic GF flour blend.)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pancakes
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 325.1 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.3 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 6.1 g
- Cholesterol: 25.6 mg
WOW! I don’t know how I can go back to regular pancakes! I used fresh grated ginger. FABULOUS SYLVIA THANK YOU!
Glad you enjoyed these Faye! Fresh ginger sounds lovely!
Delicious! I used spelt flour, as I do in all my baked goods and both cardamom and nutmeg (although I thin the nutmeg overpowers the cardamom). So good with some toasted pecans and pure maple syrup!
Appreciate the feed back Josie. Glad you enjoyed overall!
I made these delicious pancakes this morning as we set the clocks back and I had a bit more time and energy early in the day. As usual, it’s a Sylvia recipe so it does not disappoint! Lightly crisp on the outside, fluffy and soft on the inside. I used the cardamom instead of nutmeg and did the olive oil/butter in the pan. I also used avocado oil, oat milk and Fage 2% Greek yogurt in the batter. My family raved about how well the pure maple syrup compliments the flavors of the pancakes and makes the spices stand out. Next time, I’ll use the orange zest. Thank you Sylvia for your wonderful recipes that cook up and taste exactly as you describe. #sundayfunday
Love it Benita, and YES to the cardamom! Thanks for the helpful details. 🙂
Could I substitute almond flour for AP flour?
Almond flour does not always swap out with the same results. You would have to play around with this one.
I made the vegan version, my only slight tweak was making crepe style pancakes as I’m more familiar with these and was having a bit of a situation with cooking through the middle in the pan (that could have been my extremely minimalistic oil use in the earlier attempts though…). Anyway, they were delicious and appreciated by all. Thank you!!
Glad you made them work Bel. Could be the heat was too high?
Delicious as usual! I’m so thankful I found your website, you are the only person I use at this point. I can trust that it will always turn out delicious ❤️
Thanks Rayanne, so happy you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for circling back and leaving a review, very appreciated!
Wonderful recipe, thank you. Family loved it. Will definitely make again.
Nice! Thanks so much for letting us know!
These are SO, SO good!
Thanks so much Rain!
I made these again for my sister-in-law who is recently gluten free. I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free pancake mix in place of the prescribed flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt amounts. Still used 1.5 cups. It works and was really delicious! She was really grateful, because she loves pancakes!!
Great to hear Angeli!
I made these delicious and fluffy pancakes for a family brunch today, served with roasted pecans and honey on the side, huge hit with everyone, thank you.
Great to hear Carole!
The best pancakes I’ve ever had! My 8 month old daughter is equally as obsessed!
Nice to hear Mackenzie!
I was wondering if I could make them in advance and freeze them?
I haven’t tried this but my guess is yes? I freeze waffles.. and they seem fine!?
I am going to try these this week. They look and sound so tasty.
Awesome- I am not a huge pumpkin fan, but really really liked these!
I love these pancakes! They are fluffy, light, and perfectly spiced. I used whole wheat flour bc I didn’t have AP, I loved it! I just told my best friend about these, and she says we gotta make them next time she visits 😉 thank you so much for another amazing recipe!! Sending lots of love xoxo
Whole wheat sounds yummy! So glad you loved them and yay for sharing.❤️
These pancakes turned out beautifully. Very fluffy and the spice level is just right. I served these with ripe pears and maple syrup. I just wish I had time to make candied pecans, they would have gone perfectly with this!
Sounds perfect! The pecans would definitely take it to another level!
Fabulous pumpkin pancakes! Perfect flavor, just added a bit more milk to thin them but oh so good! 5 star! Wouldn’t let me select stars!
Thanks so much Shirley Glad you enjoyed!