These pumpkin pancakes are soft, fluffy, and full of warm fall flavor without turning heavy or dense. They’re the kind of pancakes that make you want to linger at the breakfast table just a little longer.
The Best Pumpkin Pancakes
Living in New Orleans means the first cool weekend of fall comes right around October, aka “pumpkin season.” This recipe has been a winner with my family and readers since I first published it in 2014 because they’re fluffy, delicious, and have the perfect balance between enough pumpkin for great flavor and moisture but not so much that they’re dense or wet in the middle.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour forms the base of the batter, while brown sugar adds a little sweetness (regular sugar works too). Baking powder makes the pancakes light and fluffy, and a pinch of salt brings all the flavors together. Pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon) adds flavor, and milk (dairy or non-dairy) helps thin the batter to the right consistency. Canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling, is the star ingredient; an egg binds everything, and a little melted butter keeps the pancakes soft and tender.
How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
- Make the batter.
Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and mix the pumpkin with the liquid ingredients in another. Then pour the liquid into the dry, and mix gently until combined. The batter is thick but airy and still scoopable. Watch the video in the recipe card for a visual.
- Cook the pancakes.
Use the back of the scoop to shape and spread the batter on a greased non-stick pan. Cook them over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side.
- Serve.
Build a stack and top them with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pancake syrup or cinnamon syrup.
Laura’s Tips and Pumpkin Pancakes FAQs
Follow the directions on the box for 2 cups of pancake mix, keeping the sugar, pumpkin spice, and canned pumpkin amounts shown in the recipe below. Or use my tested recipes for pumpkin pancakes with a mix or with Bisquick.
Most recipes call for canned pumpkin because it gives the most consistent results. If your homemade puree is thinner, it can work; if it has some water, drain off the excess before adding it to the batter.
Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, so it will change the recipe.
Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture to the batter, so these pancakes need to cook over medium heat for longer. If the outsides brown before the centers finish cooking, lower the heat slightly and give them another minute before flipping. Between batches, rinse your pan under water to cool it down and re-grease.
I don’t recommend making the batter ahead. Instead, cook the pancakes and let them cool down. They keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Here is how to freeze pancakes.
More Pumpkin Pancakes
Try these and then come back for banana pumpkin pancakes, ricotta pumpkin pancakes, my high-protein pumpkin pancakes (with cottage cheese), or everyone’s favorite chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes.
Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk, any
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Make the pancake batter:
- In a large batter bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg. Then add the milk, pumpkin puree, and melted butter. Mix until the liquid mixture is smooth.
- Add the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix gently to create the pumpkin pancake batter. I like to mix from the outside in and stop when there's no visible flour left.
Cook the pancakes:
- Heat a griddle or a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, grease the griddle or pan with butter or oil. Pour or scoop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Cook them for about 2 minutes, making sure to wait until bubbles form and edges are defined before flipping them over. Cook them for one more minute on the other side. Remove them from the hot surface onto a plate and repeat the process with the remaining pancake batter.
Serve & storage:
- Serve these pumpkin pancakes warm, topped with syrup.
- Let the pancakes cool completely before storing to prevent them from getting soggy from the moisture. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, lay them flat on parchment and freeze for about an hour, then transfer them into a zip bag where they'll keep frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm pancakes in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or in a toaster.
Notes
- I recommend using canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling has sugar and spices added.
- If using homemade puree, drain any excess liquid first. The batter will be thinner.
- These pancakes have a high baking powder ratio. If yours aren’t as fluffy, make sure the baking powder hasn’t been opened for more than 6 months, which is when most begin to decline.
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Lindsey says
My family LOVED these pumpkin pancakes!