Pumpkin Pancakes
This easy Pumpkin Pancakes recipe features moist yet fluffy pancakes that are rich and flavorful with buttermilk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and a touch of brown sugar. Top your stacks with lightly sweetened maple cinnamon whipped cream for an extra special fall breakfast!
The Best Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe
Switch up your pancakes game this fall with this delightful Pumpkin Pancakes recipe!
This super easy recipe comes together quickly, perfect for both busy weekday breakfasts and lazy weekend mornings. The pancakes are moist yet fluffy, plus rich and flavorful with buttermilk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and a touch of brown sugar.
And if you’re up for an extra special pancake meal, top your stacks with dollops of maple cinnamon whipped cream. It’s lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup, fluffy and fun and fabulously delicious! (You may want to make this for Thanksgiving as well – top your pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie cream puffs, or apple crisp!)
Pancakes are always a hit around here, whether we’re making our favorite buttermilk pancakes or going a bit indulgent with double chocolate pancakes. If you’re in the mood for more even more fall-flavored pancakes, be sure to also check out my apple oat pancakes – we’re headed to the apple orchard this weekend, this recipe is definitely on our list!
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
A tall stack of pancakes on a Saturday morning gets the day off right. Here’s why you’ll love these pumpkin pancakes:
- Simple ingredients. A quick scan of the ingredients list will tell you that this pumpkin pancakes recipe calls for common ingredients that are easy to find.
- So dang easy. It’s usually our daughters who are making these pumpkin spice pancakes, and they have the pancake batter on the hot griddle in just a few minutes!
- Lightly sweet, perfectly spiced. I love all of the flavors going on in these pancakes! You have earthy, mellow pumpkin that plays so nicely with the warmth of brown sugar and pumpkin spice. Buttermilk adds some tang and a little butter adds richness.
- Moist yet fluffy. I adore homemade buttermilk pancakes, where buttermilk plays a part in delivering pancakes that are light and fluffy and perfectly moist. Same goes for these pumpkin pancakes.
- That whipped cream topping! We usually make homemade whipped cream when we make pancakes. But I just have to say, this maple cinnamon whipped cream is EXTRA AMAZING.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the ingredients list, everything you’ll need to make this pumpkin pancake recipe.
Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
For the Pumpkin Pancakes
- Flour – Flour helps create the batter for our pancakes and gives them structure. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method as adding too much flour can result in thick, dry pancakes.
- Brown sugar – This not only sweetens the pancakes a bit, but also adds more warm flavor – so good with pumpkin and spices!
- Baking powder and baking soda – For fluffy pancakes, use both baking powder and baking soda.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This popular blend adds a bit of warmth and spice, giving the pancakes that classic pumpkin pie spiced flavor.
- Salt – Salt helps balance out the sweetness of the pancakes.
- Buttermilk – This adds richness and moisture, plus a slight tanginess – and helps activate the baking soda, for fluffy pancake texture.
- Pumpkin puree – This adds moisture to the pancakes, as well as earthy pumpkin flavor and natural orange color. Choose pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs – Eggs help bind the pancake batter together and add rich flavor and texture.
- Butter – A little bit of butter adds a touch of richness and delicious flavor.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness and earthy flavor of the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.
For the Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- Heavy whipping cream – To make whipped cream, you’ll need heavy whipping cream. Make sure it’s very cold, so it whips quickly into fluffy whipped cream.
- Maple syrup – Use pure maple syrup for the best natural maple flavor. If desired, use powdered sugar or honey.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds warmly spiced flavor to the whipped cream and pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin and maple flavors.
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
If you can make pancakes, you can make pumpkin pancakes! Note the step about resting the batter for a few minutes while the griddle heats – this will help the pancakes become even lighter and fluffier.
For the Pumpkin Pancakes
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Rest the batter and heat the pan. Set the pancake batter aside and allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the pancakes. Use a ¼ cup measure to add a few mounds of batter to the heated pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Then flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through, another 1-2 minutes or so. Repeat with remaining batter.
For the Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- Whip the ingredients together. Place the heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
To serve: Serve hot pancakes with a dollop of maple cinnamon whipped cream, plus a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Tips for Success + Variations
Pancakes are so good and so easy to make. Here are a few tips that will help you make perfect pumpkin pancakes:
- Don’t overmix the batter. Even if your batter looks a tad lumpy that’s fine. Pancakes don’t need to be mixed until smooth, just enough to combine the ingredients.
- Use butter on the griddle for more flavor. Butter adds so much rich flavor to pancakes and gives them a lovely melt-in-your-mouth interior. It also helps the pancakes have a lightly crisp exterior, from the heat of the skillet/griddle.
- Use a non-stick skillet. If you’re cooking the pancakes on the stovetop, I highly recommend using a non-stick skillet. It’s so frustrating when your pancakes stick to the pan, and a non-stick skillet will definitely help with this.
- Watch carefully. Before flipping, your pancakes should be bubbling a bit on the top. Gently check under the pancake to see if the bottom is a light golden brown before you flip it. If the bottom looks like it’s getting dark too quickly, reduce the temperature a bit. Likewise, if the pancakes are taking a long time to cook, you may want to increase the temperature.
- Spice it up! If you’re big on cinnamon (like me!), sprinkle in some additional cinnamon (there’s already some in the pumpkin pie spice blend). YUM.
- Throw in some add-ins. Keep things simple and make the recipe as written or add some extras. My family likes to stir in some mini chocolate chips. If you like nuts, try toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans for a little salty crunch.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Pancakes
These pumpkin pancakes need nothing more than the maple whipped cream topping! But if you’d like to add a bit more, I have some suggestions:
- Add protein. Everyone loves this overnight egg bake, loaded with prosciutto, provolone, and goat cheese – its savory flavors go great with the sweetness of these pancakes. Or add my family’s favorite brunch dish, cheesy hashbrown casserole, or go minimal with easy air fryer hard boiled eggs.
- Top with nut butter. We oftentimes top our pancakes with a little peanut butter or almond butter, another delicious protein option that makes a great mid-morning snack!
- Go all in on pumpkin. Come fall, our youngest daughters is bonkers for all things pumpkin. There’s no shortage of pumpkin cold-brew coffee in our house! If you enjoy the pumpkin cream cold brew drink from Starbucks, you’ll love this easy drink you can make at home.
- Drizzle with homemade syrup. My caramel buttermilk syrup was made for these pancakes. :)
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
To store: Store any leftover pumpkin spice pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Place the pancakes on a warm skillet and heat them gently until hot. Or reheat them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
To freeze: You can also freeze pancakes. Once they’ve cooled, transfer them to a ziploc bag and place a piece of parchment paper in between each pancake to prevent sticking. Defrost the pancakes in the fridge before reheating or you can pop them in the microwave and heat them from frozen!
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (plus more for greasing your pan)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- For the Pumpkin Pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix – a few small lumps are okay. Set the pancake batter aside and allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- While the batter rests, preheat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- When the pan is hot, use a ¼ cup measure to add a few mounds of batter to the pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- For the Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream: Place the heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form – about 3 minutes.
- Serve the pancakes topped with a dollop of whipped cream and some maple syrup.
Nutrition Information:
More Fall Breakfast Ideas
- Apple Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Overnight Baked Apple Oatmeal
- Apple Muffins with cinnamon sugar crumble topping
- Butternut Squash Tart
- Homemade Applesauce
- Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
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