Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

These light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes taste like pumpkin bread! The recipe uses canned pumpkin, a generous blend of spices, and is cooked over medium heat for perfect results. Plus, it’s an easy, one-bowl recipe. To make a batch, stir everything together and cook on a prepared griddle. Serve with butter and maple syrup!

Pumpkin pancakes disappointed me for a long time. Every time I made them, they’d come out dense and heavy. But the flavor was so good that I was determined to create a recipe that I loved. 

The secret ended up being simple: don’t use too much canned pumpkin. Since canned pumpkin contains a lot of water it can weigh the pancakes down. 

This recipe calls for just a half cup of pumpkin puree and a generous mix of spices. This combination gives them a rich flavor and keeps the pancakes light and fluffy.

Another key to success is cooking the pancakes over medium heat. This allows the outside to brown while ensuring the center cooks through completely.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make these pancakes. If you don’t want to use cinnamon and ginger, you can replace them with a pumpkin spice blend.

• Pumpkin Puree. The main ingredient. Use canned pumpkin puree. Homemade is too watery for these pancakes. 
• Flour. All-purpose flour works perfectly.
• Spices. Cinnamon and ginger bring a deep spicy flavor–think pumpkin bread.
• Sugar. Granulated (white) sugar adds sweetness. For this recipe,I don’t recommend brown sugar. It can make the pancakes heavy. 
• Eggs. Adds flavor and structor－plus it gives the pancakes a little lift. 
• Milk. Use any milk you love. Both dairy and dairy-free milk work. 
• Oil. Makes the pancakes nice and tender. Use oil or melted butter.
• Vanilla Extract. Enhances the cinnamon and ginger flavors while adding a nice vanilla note.
• Baking Powder. Gives the pancakes rise－making them light and fluffy. 
• Salt. Enhances all the other flavors.

How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes

This is a one-bowl recipe. Let’s take a look at the steps.

1. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and the other wet ingredients. 
2. Mix until the batter is smooth. If you see a few lumps, that’s no big deal. 

3. Heat your nonstick or cast iron griddle over medium heat. The griddle shouldn’t start to smoke. Cooking these over medium heat helps them to cook all the way through.
4. Spoon the batter onto hot griddle. I like to use about a ¼ cup of batter per pancake.

5. Cook until the edges look set and bubbles appear in the center. Flip and cook until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pancakes

• Thick batter? Add a little more milk. This is a thick batter but you should be able to spoon it onto the griddle from a ladle.
• Change up the flavor. Use whole wheat flour. Or add chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
• Flip once. For the lightest pancakes, try to only flip them once. Wait until you see bubbles in the center of the batter before flipping them.
• Keep the pancakes warm in the oven. Heat it to 250℉ before you start cooking the pancakes. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place the hot pancakes onto the pan and keep them warm until you’re ready to eat.

Storing Leftovers

This recipe makes about 12 pancakes. If you have some left over, let them cool completely. Then wrap them and store the pancakes in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Reheat them in the microwave or toaster on low heat until warm. 

Freezing Pancakes

If you want to make these pancakes in advance for a quick future breakfast, this is what to do.

Make a batch as directed. Let them cool. This is important because if you freeze warm pancakes, they get soggy. Place a piece of waxed or parchment paper between each pancake. This keeps them from sticking together. 

Store the pancakes in a freezer bag or container for about two months. 

When you’re ready for pancakes, heat them from frozen in a microwave or toaster until they are warm all the way through. Use low heat to keep them from drying out. 

Print

Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

These light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes taste like pumpkin bread! This is an easy, one-bowl recipe. To make a batch, stir everything together and cook on a prepared griddle. Serve with butter and maple syrup!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups flour (6 ½ ounces; 185 grams)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 ½ ounces; 37 grams)
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ cup milk, plus more as needed (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• ½ cup pumpkin puree (4 ¼ ounces; 120 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons oil (1 ¾ ounces; 50 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oil for griddle
• Butter and maple syrup for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. This is a thick batter. It’s fine if a few lumps remain.

2. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes. After the batter rests, check the consistency. If the batter is too thick to drop from a spoon, add an additional tablespoon of milk.
3. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease the griddle with oil or butter. Remember to use medium heat. If the griddle is too hot, the outside will cook before the center.
4. Spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook until the edges look set and bubbles appear all over the surface of the pancake, about two minutes. To check for doneness, lift the edge of the pancake with a spatula. It should be golden brown.
5. Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown, about two additional minutes.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with butter and syrup.
7. Wrap the cooled leftovers in foil or place in a container. Store the leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to three days. Or freeze for up to two months.

Recipe Notes

Spice Note: You can replace the cinnamon and ginger with 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.