We love these homemade pumpkin pancakes! Our recipe calls for a whole cup of pumpkin puree and a hint of pumpkin spice to make them extra delicious. Super fluffy and delicious!
Among the many pumpkin recipes on Inspired Taste, these easy pumpkin pancakes are a reader favorite for a reason! Thanks to a generous amount of pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) and pumpkin pie spices, they turn out incredibly flavorful, making them a delicious fall breakfast.
Enjoy them warm with classic toppings like butter and maple syrup. Or make them extra special with honey butter, pumpkin butter, or homemade whipped cream.
Key Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: Canned or homemade puree work. Look for “pure pumpkin” like Libby’s if you use canned. If you want to make your own, here’s my homemade pumpkin puree recipe.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can buy it or make it yourself. Here’s my pumpkin pie spice recipe. It combines cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and if you want even more spice, you can add nutmeg, allspice, and pepper.
- Flour: I’ve used all-purpose (plain) flour to make the pancakes in my photos. For more whole grains, you can use whole wheat flour. When I use whole wheat, I go for a 50:50 blend of whole wheat to all-purpose, so they stay nice and fluffy (I explain why in my recipe for whole wheat pancakes). For gluten-free pancakes, swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
- Sugar: I use brown sugar for a bit of extra flavor. You can use granulated sugar, but consider adding a bit of vanilla extract to the batter.
- Milk: I usually have whole milk in my fridge, so I use it for these pumpkin pancakes. Non-dairy milk (like homemade oat milk) and even buttermilk work, too.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: I use both for the fluffiest pancakes with the best texture.
- Oil: I usually use oil for my pancake recipes, but stick with a neutral oil (like vegetable oil) for these since it keeps them lighter in the middle and lets the pumpkin flavor shine. Feel free to use melted butter or coconut oil if you’d prefer it.
- Egg: The egg adds structure and helps to make my pancakes light and fluffy. If you do not cook with eggs and want to make vegan blueberry pancakes, you can substitute a flax egg or leave it out.
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
There are some recipes that you always come back to. These pumpkin pancakes are that kind of recipe. They are simple to make and use ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
I make them using a whisk and two bowls. Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in the other. Then, combine the two until your pancake batter comes together. The pumpkin puree makes this batter a little thicker, but it’s so delicious!
Cook the pancakes on a flat griddle or in a wide, non-stick pan, then serve them warm with your favorite pancake toppings. More pancake recipes to look at are these buttermilk pancakes and our cinnamon pancakes inspired by warm, gooey cinnamon rolls!
Easy Pumpkin Pancakes
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love these homemade pumpkin pancakes! They are not too sweet and have a hint of pumpkin spice to make them extra delicious. You can buy pumpkin pie spice or make it yourself. Here is our pumpkin pie spice recipe (I bet you have most if not all, of the spices already in your spice cabinet). For even more pumpkin flavor, serve these pancakes with homemade pumpkin butter.
You Will Need
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (38g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, see homemade pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) pure pumpkin puree, see homemade pumpkin puree
1 3/4 cups (414ml) whole milk, can substitute non-dairy milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
Directions
1In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice mix, and salt.
2In another medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, milk, egg, and oil until blended.
3While stirring, slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until blended; try not to overmix the batter. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.
4Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle in a few drops of water to test if it’s ready. You want them to dance around a bit and evaporate.
5Lightly brush the skillet with oil or melted butter. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to spoon batter onto the skillet. Gently spread the batter into a 4-inch circle.
6When the edges look dry and bubbles start to appear and pop on the top surfaces of the pancake, turn it over. This takes about 2 minutes. Once flipped, cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.
7Serve immediately with warm syrup and butter.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Measuring flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. For even more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- Gluten-free blueberry pancakes: Use your favorite store-bought gluten-free flour blend. We are partial to Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vegan/egg-free pancakes: Replace the egg with a homemade flax egg.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I had some homegrown pumpkin puree to use up so gave this recipe a try. The only thing different I did was add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice as I was concerned the baking soda did not have enough acid to activate. The pancakes turned out light, fluffy and delicious with just a faint baking soda flavor. I think buttermilk would do well to replace the milk too. Thanks.