Pumpkin Pancakes

Think cozy pumpkin spice vibes for these insanely good, fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes. Sweet pumpkin and aromatic spices will have your kitchen instantly feeling like fall!

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!

Pumpkin season is here and let’s just say I’m not mad about it 😎 I’m a very “all things pumpkin on repeat” type of person from mid September, through October until mid November 🎃

I’m a big fan of cooking with pumpkin for both sweet and savoury recipes. Last year I made this 15/10 Vegan Pumpkin Bread (it’s even better than banana bread!) but I really wanted to try something different this year.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Pancakes

So Simple, So Easy, SO Yummy! – All you need in addition to your regular pancakes is to whisk in some pumpkin puree and a few spices and you’ll have a batch of these delicious, golden, perfect pumpkin pancakes!

Wholesome Family Tradition – Something about me… I want my kids to remember me as the mom who created family traditions. And what better for this time of year than homemade pumpkin pancakes? 🥹

Easy Substitution – Want to make this recipe gluten-free? Easy! Keep reading below to find some simple substitutions you can make!

What You’ll Need

• Flour (spelt)
• Oats
• Baking powder
• Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves (or pumpkin pie spice mix)
• Salt
• Eggs
• Pumpkin puree (homemade or store bought)
• Almond milk (or any non-dairy milk / whole milk if preferred)
• Maple syrup or honey (to sweeten)
• Ghee or coconut oil (for cooking)

How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes – Step by Step

Step 1: Prepare the pancake batter by mixing the wet ingredients, then mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, combine the two and stir thoroughly to combine (see below for full recipe instructions).

Step 2: Heat oil (or melted butter) in a pan on medium heat and pour in batter (depending on the size of your pan, I recommend cooking 2-3 smaller ones at a time), flipping when you start to see small bubbles appear (and the side that was cooking turns golden brown).

Step 3: Repeat until you’ve used all the batter and serve with your favourite toppings (walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips – you choose!).

Tips for Cooking Pumpkin Pancakes

The consistency of the pancake batter should be thick but still easy to pour from the ladle or spoon 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! The leftover pancakes can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days and are perfect for kids lunchboxes.

Making Your Own Pumpkin Puree vs Store Bought

You can either use store bought, tinned pumpkin puree or make your own homemade fresh pumpkin puree 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 affect the texture of the pumpkin pancakes. If you want to make the fluffiest pancakes (American style), plain all purpose 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 some gluten-free pancakes (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.

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!

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