Pumpkin Pancakes are the ultimate fall breakfast! These thick & fluffy pancakes are made with real pumpkin and pumpkin spice for plenty of cozy fall flavor. Top ’em off with quick candied pecans & pepitas to elevate this recipe for a family brunch. These pancakes freeze beautifully, too!
Published: October 2018. Updated: September 2023.
I mean, how can you NOT love these perfect pumpkin pancakes? They’re fluffy, flavorful, and look at all that melty butter and drippy syrup. I want to make and eat these every day for the rest of pumpkin season.
Why you’ll love these Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes:
- Packed with Pumpkin Flavor – These pancakes taste like pumpkin bread in pancake form! Real pumpkin puree and cozy fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring the flavor to this party.
- Fluffy Pancakes – My recipe is so simple, but it produces incredibly fluffy, moist pancakes.
- Easy Recipe – These delicious pumpkin pancakes are sure to be a hit for brunch, or breakfast for dinner!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Pumpkin Puree – These pancakes use pumpkin puree, which you can buy canned at almost any grocery store. Don’t use canned pumpkin pie mix – that’s got other ingredients mixed in, like sugar and spice. If you live somewhere where it’s not available, canned and mashed sweet potato or squash would work as well. Or, you can make your own pumpkin puree from a pie pumpkin.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. I sometimes swap 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour for white whole wheat flour.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk makes these pancakes extra fluffy! See substitution below.
- Spices – A triple threat of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves brings out the pumpkin flavor beautifully. You can also use pumpkin pie spice.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds extra lift to these pancakes, but you can use regular 2% milk in a pinch, or make a homemade sub using 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and milk. Full details in the recipe card notes. (I’m not sure if whole milk would work but I *think* it would be ok.)
- Dairy-free – Try using your favorite trusted dairy-free products in this recipe. I think a dairy-free butter or melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil would all work fine. Any milk would work as well – I used 2% but almond milk, oat, etc. should also be fine.
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe.
How to Make this Pumpkin Pancake Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, melt the butter, then whisk the buttermilk and egg into the melted butter. Whisk in the canned pumpkin well, until no lumps remain.
Step 2: Add Dry Ingredients. Gently stir in the dry ingredients – flour, salt, baking powder, maple syrup, and the spices. A lumpy batter is what we want here, so don’t over mix. The batter will be fairly thick.
Step 3: Cook pancakes. Heat a griddle to 350 degrees F, or use a large skillet over medium heat. (A griddle can cook more pancakes at once, so it’s my preference!) Spray with nonstick cooking spray, then add about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake to the hot griddle. Flip after 1-2 minutes, once the pancakes are puffy with some bubbles and golden underneath (lift the corner with your flipper to check). Cook 1-2 minutes on the other side until golden, and no wet batter patches are visible around the edges.
Step 4: Make Candied Pecans & Pepitas (Optional).
Add brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt to a saucepan and cook for 1-2 minutes until you have a bubbly sauce. Stir in the pecans and pepitas, then transfer to a baking sheet to cool.
Tip: Make extra, and include them in your thanksgiving table decor as an edible treat, or to include on holiday cookie plates & tins! Fill cupcake liners with them to keep them in place.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Serve pancakes piping hot. Slather on salted butter, and pour pure maple syrup over the top of the pancakes. Sprinkle on the candied nuts, if using.
Store leftover cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1-2 months. See freezing tips below.
Expert Success Tips:
- Don’t Over Mix – Lumpy pancake batter is a good thing – it helps keep the pancakes fluffy and tall. So, mix the dry ingredients in until just combined, leaving the lumps in tact.
- Keep Pancakes Warm – Keep cooked pancakes warm on a baking sheet in an oven set to “warm” or covered with foil on the counter while you cook the rest.
- Flipping Pancakes – I find it much easier to flip pancakes when I use a spatula to nudge the pancake onto my flipper.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes, you can absolutely double or halve this recipe. I’ve even tripled it before!
Yes you can! Cook them as directed, then let them cool completely at room temperature. Freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag or freezer container. This will help prevent them from freezing together. I don’t recommend thawing in the fridge or on the counter once frozen as they could become soggy. Instead, microwave your serving to defrost & warm them. Or, place desired amount on a sheet pan and warm in a 350 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes, until thawed & heated through. I’ve even warmed/defrosted mine in the toaster!
Recipe Variations:
- Pecans – Feel free to add 3/4 to 1 cup of chopped pecans to the batter if you like a little somethin’ in your pancakes.
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes – Add 1 cup or so of chocolate chips to the batter to make pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.
Special Tools:
- Griddle – I highly recommend using a griddle to cook your pancakes. It cooks more evenly and you can make more at once than in a large frying pan, reducing the time between making the batter and eating the pancakes. Heh. This is the griddle we use and love (affiliate links)!
Recipes to Love with All Things Pumpkin:
- Pumpkin Streusel Muffins with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Rum Caramel
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Mom’s Best Ever Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Pasties with Maple Glaze
- Search “pumpkin” in the search box for more pumpkin recipes!
More Pancake Recipes to Love:
- Zucchini Bread Pancakes
- Double Strawberry Pancakes
- Favorite Blueberry Pancakes
- Flourless Protein Pancakes
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Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Pancakes:
- 2 tbsp melted butter 28 grams
- 1 and 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree Not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp real maple syrup
- 1 and 1/2 cups milk
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 293 grams
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar 40 grams
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Candied Pecans & Pepitas
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecan halves This is usually how they come from the store – you don't have to cut them in half
- 1 cup pepitas Or pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Make the Candied Pecans & Pepitas: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, until bubbling. Stir in the pecans and pepitas to coat, then continue stirring and cooking for 2-3 minutes. Place on prepared pan to cool and set up.
- Make the pancakes: In a medium mixing bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the pumpkin, milk, egg, and maple syrup. Add the dry ingredients and gently stir just until the last bits of flour disappear – the batter will have some lumps and it will be slightly thick. Once your griddle or pan is heated, grease it well using butter or nonstick spray. Pour batter onto the griddle using a 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup measure. Once little bubbles start to form and pop, flip the pancakes! (This will only take a few minutes, so don't walk away!)Tips: Spraying your flipper with nonstick spray makes flipping pancakes easier. Another way to check doneness is to lift the edge with your flipper – if the bottom is a nice golden brown, flip it! If your pancakes are getting darker than you'd like, turn down the heat a bit. Pancakes are done when both sides are golden brown.
- Store: Store leftover pecans in airtight container at room temp for up to 3 weeks. Store leftover pancakes in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat pancakes from the freezer in the toaster – it's the best!
Nutrition
Kristina says
Loved the addition of the candied nuts on these delicious pancakes!
Jessica says
These pancakes are absolutely perfect. I’m so impressed with the height and fluffyness!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks Jessica! ❤️
Taya says
Really great recipe! Especially I loved cinnamon sugar pecans on top of a pile of pancakes, it was such an amazing combination!!! Pancakes themselves were also really toothsome! Now I am gonna try to experiment and substitute pumpkin with beetroot, I hope it will work and my pancakes will be bright and tasty;)
Taya says
Really easy to make and toothsome pancakes! Thank you so much for recipe(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧
Stephanie Simmons says
Glad you liked these, Taya!
Sara says
These were absolutely delicious. My family loved them!
Amanda Y says
Pumpkins and cinnamon sugar pecans!! Delicious! Thanks for this recipe!
Marge says
These pancakes were out of this world, and easy too!
Ariel says
These were so delicious!! Adding to my go-to breakfasts.