Perfectly Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes from Scratch
This is the best breakfast to start a crisp fall morning: enjoying a big stack of perfectly fluffy pumpkin pancakes. They are so quick and easy to make and taste like clouds of pillowy soft pumpkin pie! They have the perfect amount of pumpkin spice and just enough sweetness. You’ll love this recipe!
This time of year I feel especially lucky living in New England. I get the full fall experience. Yep, I’m talking pumpkin picking, leaf peeping—the whole shebang. Now I’m not sure this comes with the territory, but either way this New England upbringing has made me a huge fan of pumpkin spice flavored food and drinks. Enter pumpkin spice pancakes, the perfect fall breakfast.
Why this recipe works
These are the best pumpkin pancakes because they always turn out flavorful and fluffy. The recipe uses common ingredients found in your kitchen. Simply whisk the wet and dry ingredients together and your batter is ready to hit the griddle. This will be an instant family favorite (they might just ask for the pancakes all year round!)
Ingredient notes
- Pumpkin purée: 100% pure pumpkin purée in a can is best (I prefer Libby’s). It helps make the pancakes moist and fluffy. I do not recommend homemade pumpkin purée because it has more moisture and will make them mushy.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own pumpkin pie spice or use store-bought. I also included measurements for individual spices in the recipe card.
- Baking powder: This helps your pancakes rise. Make sure it is fresh and not expired!
- Milk: Whole milk will provide the best flavor, but low-fat or dairy-free will also work in this recipe.
- Brown sugar: This adds a touch of sweetness while complementing the spices. If you like your pancakes on the sweeter side, I recommend adding an extra tablespoon.
Recipe variations
This recipe lends itself well to mix-ins. Try adding in 1/2 cup chocolate chips or fruit such as blueberries or apples to the batter. To make these pancakes dairy-free, use dairy-free milk and butter as an easy substitution. If you’re serving a crowd, this recipe can be double or even tripled!
If you’re wondering what to top your pumpkin pancakes with, maple syrup is the obvious choice, but I also suggest a dollop of whipped cream and chopped nuts such as pecans. You can’t go wrong with a smear of apple butter or almond butter either. For a healthier option, a spoonful of Greek yogurt and sprinkle of granola or fresh fruit works.
How to make fluffy pumpkin pancakes
- Whisk together dry ingredients— flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves). Set aside.
- Mix together wet ingredients—milk, pumpkin pureé, butter and egg until combined.
- Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated.
- Cook the pancakes. Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and bring to a medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side.
Expert tips
Here are a few tips to make fluffy pancakes. Just like most baking recipes, avoid over mixing the batter. When batter is mixed too much, pancakes will become tough and contain less air. Let pancake batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes. The wet ingredients will soak into the dry ingredients for better texture.
Always make sure your griddle is hot—this is pancake 101. A hot griddle or pan gives that golden brown color that helps the pancakes rise right from the start. However, if the griddle is too hot, the outside will burn and the inside will be uncooked. Medium heat is usually the sweet spot, but give the griddle time to get there.
Keep a close eye on the pancakes and wait until you see tiny bubbles in the center of the pancake before flipping. You’ll notice the edges starting to dry too. It’s best if you can only flip the pancakes once to keep them fluffy. I use these tricks when I make lemon blueberry pancakes too!
Frequently asked questions
Place the pancakes in the toaster oven or microwave for a quick reheat. To keep pancakes warm when cooking in batches, place them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 300 F. Cover them with aluminum foil to keep them fluffy.
After they have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Most likely the griddle was too hot and the outside cooked too quickly causing the inside to remain uncooked. The other culprit could be incorrect measurements. I always use a kitchen scale for accurate measuring while baking.
Yes, they freeze very well. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a ziplock freezer bag with the air removed. Reheat from frozen in the oven or toaster oven.
What to serve with pumpkin pancakes
You can serve these pancakes as is with maple syrup and your morning coffee, or with some sides. A fruit salad or scrambled eggs are easy enough to whip up. You could also try my sausage breakfast casserole (it’s easy to make the night before).
For more seasonal options, I think baked apples would make a delicious side. As a savory dish, try this kale butternut squash frittata, which uses produce that is in season during the fall.
Related recipes
Do you love pumpkin so much you want to have it for breakfast all the time? Here are some more recipes for you!
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons (35 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (250 mL) whole milk, (low-fat or non-dairy works too)
- ⅓ cup (75 g) canned pumpkin purée, (I used Libby's)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together milk, pumpkin purée, butter and egg until combined.
- Fold pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. Avoid over-mixing. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes while griddle heats up.
- Spray a pancake griddle with nonstick spray and bring to a medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side. The pancakes are ready to flip when the edges start to set and some air bubbles may rise to the surface. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.
21 Comments on “Perfectly Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes from Scratch”
Oh, I love a good stack of fluffy pancakes…especially on a weekend morning! Autumn has been a bit stubborn in arriving this year, but I think a good stack of these pumpkin pancakes might be enough to coax Autumn out of hiding! These look delicious…and great use of the International Delight creamer for a boost of flavor! #client
Love the idea of adding pumpkin spice creamer! I adore all things pumpkin 🙂
We love a stack of fluffy pancakes in this house! These pumpkins ones look fab, I’ve never made pumpkin flavoured ones before but I am definitely going to now!
Oh yum! This looks so tasty and I absolutely love how you photographed them, just stunning!
These sound scrumptious! We don’t have the creamer here in Australia, but I do have the spices and some conveniently roasted and mashed Pumpkin, so I think I’m all over this! Thankyou.
Mimi, they are so good! You’ve got to try them. You can substitute the milk for creamer without a problem!
I’ve tried many pumpkin spice pancakes and never found one that wasn’t off, somehow! This is a genius idea!
Mollie
Mile high fluffy pumpkin pancakes! Awesome!
This is a great reminder! Pumpkin everything sounds delicious! Personally I do not stock creamer but will substitute as previously mentioned!
I made these and they were fantastic! I will be making these many, many more times :). I love the addition of the coffee creamer!
That makes me so happy, Eileen! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Absolutely perfect way to start the day!
Oooh, those look absolutely perfect and I’ll bet that coffee creamer really takes it over the top, yum!
I know for sure this Fluffy pumpkin pancakes would be a huge hit in my house!
LOVE pumpkin pancakes! The flavored coffee creamer makes all the difference!
This is such a great day starter!! Loved it!
Love how fluffy are these pancakes! Deliciousness!
This is such a delicious breakfast idea!! Really delicious!
So Haley:
My pancake batter was thicker than I thought it should be, I’ve never used a scale before, but I did the tare and the usual ml, g etc and not sure 🤔 if it’s supposed to be thick or not. They tasted ok, just not light.
These turned out pretty gummy and borderline inedible. I make homemade pancakes fairly often, so I don’t know what happened.
Hi Steph – If the pancakes were gummy, it’s possible they were under-baked. If you try the recipe again, make sure your pan is hot, but not too hot. If the outside cooks too quickly, then the center won’t have time to cook.