Think cosy pumpkin spice vibes for these insanely good, fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes. Easy to make and the whole family will love them for a lazy Sunday morning when it’s too cold and wet to venture outside! Sweet pumpkin and aromatic spices will have your kitchen instantly feeling like fall!
Pumpkin season is here and let’s just say I’m not mad about it 🎃😎 I love this time of year when the days are cool and crisp but you can still get out for long walks with blue skies overhead. It’s time to take your coat out of storage, have blankets at the ready for cosy nights in and, of course, start making pumpkin pancakes!
I’m a big fan of cooking with pumpkin for both sweet and savoury recipes. Last year I made this 10/10 Vegan Pumpkin Bread (it’s even better than banana bread!) but I really wanted to try something different this year. All you need in addition to your regular pancakes is some pumpkin puree and spices and you can whip up a batch of these delicious, golden pancakes!
Making Your Own Pumpkin Puree vs Store Bought
You can either use store bought, tinned pumpkin puree or make your own homemade version for this recipe. To make your own pumpkin puree, simply cut a whole pumpkin in half, scrape out all the seeds and roast with the cut-side down on 200C for about 50-60 minutes or until completely soft. Then, scrape out the cooked pumpkin, discard the skin and blend the flesh to form a puree. Find my full post on making pumpkin puree here.
Homemade pumpkin puree tends to be a little more watery than the store bought version. If you think yours is too wet, add an extra tbsp or two of flour to the recipe.
What Flour & Should I Use for Pumpkin Pancakes?
The flour you use will effect the texture of the pumpkin pancakes. If you want super fluffy, American style pancakes, plain flour is the way to go. However, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative, I recommend going with spelt flour! You can also make this recipe with 100% oats – just blend 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats to make a fine flour. This is a great option to make ‘oatmeal’ pancakes for kids and to make this recipe gluten free (provided you use certified GF oats).
Ayurveda Perspective on Pumpkin Pancakes
Both pumpkin and flour can be heavy and difficult to digest, but the blend of spices in this recipe are traditionally used in Ayurveda to support strong digestion (agni). They are also the perfect combination for balancing Vata dosha in fall! Not only that, the spices give a warming kick to the pancakes and make them taste like pumpkin spice! If you have a pre-made pumpkin spice mix, you can also use 1 1/2 tsp of that instead. Kapha types should add extra dried ginger.
As for the sweetener, Vata and Pitta types should favour maple syrup, while Kaphas do better with honey. Honey is considered a ‘heating’ sweetener in Ayurveda so it’s the best choice for sluggish Kapha type digestion (mandagni). You can use either ghee or coconut oil for cooking. If want to make own ghee, see my step by step guide here.
What You’ll Need
- Flour (spelt)
- Oats
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves (or pumpkin spice mix)
- Salt
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree (homemade or store bought)
- Almond milk
- Maple syrup or honey (to sweeten)
- Ghee or coconut oil (for cooking)
Tips for Cooking Pumpkin Pancakes
The consistency of the pancake batter should be thick but still easy to pour from the ladle into your pan. Homemade pumpkin puree tends to hold a little more liquid, so if you use store bought, you may want to add an extra splash of almond milk.
I found the pumpkin pancakes cooked much better in smaller sizes. I suggest making two or three smaller pancakes at a time instead of one larger one. The pumpkin makes the batter a little denser, so cooking in smaller batches ensures the pancakes are cooked the whole way through without risking burning the outside.
If you’re short on time, you can also make the batter by putting everything in the blender!
If You Love This Pumpkin Pancake Recipe, Try These Too!
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- How to Make Pumpkin Puree
- Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
- Healthy Ginger Latte with Cinnamon Swirl
- The Best Vegan Banana Bread
Are You Going to Make These Pumpkin Pancakes?
If you make one of my recipes, I would love to know how it turns out! Make sure to leave a review in the comments section below. It means so much to me and helps others find my recipes too!
Also, make sure to follow @ayurvedawithrebecca on Instagram & Pinterest for more healthy, Ayurveda inspired recipes! You can also save this recipe for later by adding it to your recipe board on Pinterest!
Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup almond milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour (spelt)
- 1/2 cup oat flour (blended oats)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil (for cooking)
- maple syrup or honey (for topping)
- handful pecans (for topping – optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients ( pumpkin puree, almond milk, eggs) by whisking thoroughly
- In a separate smaller bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, oat flour, spices, baking powder, salt)
- Then, pour the dry mixture into the wet and fold together, stirring until its a smooth batter with no lumps
- Heat pan and melt a little ghee or coconut oil before pouring the batter (I suggest making 2-3 smaller pancakes at a time)
- When the pancakes start to get air bubbles (about 3-4 minutes) flip and cook for another few minutes on the other side
- Repeat until all the batter is used, and serve with sweetener and toppings of choice (I suggest pecans if you like them!)
Notes
- You can either use store bought, tinned pumpkin puree or make your own homemade version for this recipe
- Homemade pumpkin puree tends to be a little more watery than the store bought version. If you think yours is too wet, add an extra tbsp or two of flour to the recipe
- You can use your own blend of spices, or 1 1/2 tsp of a pre-made Pumpkin Spice Mix if you prefer
- If you’re short on time, you can also make the batter by putting everything in the blender!
- These pumpkin pancakes cook much better in smaller sizes. I suggest making two or three smaller pancakes at a time in the pan instead of one larger one. The pumpkin adds more moisture so this helps the pancakes to cook the whole way through without risking burning the outside
