Name: Pumpkin Pancakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups buttermilk; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons butter (melted); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; cooking spray; maple syrup and whipped cream for serving (optional)

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These pumpkin pancakes are light and fluffy buttermilk hotcakes flavored with pumpkin puree and spices. The perfect easy breakfast for the colder weather months!

When it’s pumpkin season, I’m constantly preparing our fall favorites such as pumpkin pie cheesecake, pumpkin bars and these delicious pumpkin pancakes.

My kids request more elaborate breakfasts on the weekends such as french toast, waffles, and other items that we typically don’t have time to make on busy school mornings. These pumpkin pancakes are a family favorite, filled with plenty of pumpkin spice flavor.

How do you make pumpkin pancakes?

This recipe is a typical buttermilk pancake batter with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. The batter is poured onto a hot griddle to make light and fluffy pancakes. Serve up a stack of pancakes with maple syrup on top. If it’s a special occasion, you can even add a little whipped cream!

Tips for the perfect pancakes

The batter can be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it in the morning.
These pancakes can be made as big or as small as you like. Sometimes I make restaurant style giant pancakes, other times I spoon out 1-2 tablespoons of batter to make silver dollar sized pancakes.
Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling contains added ingredients and won’t work in this recipe.
No buttermilk on hand? You can make your own by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 2 cups of milk, then let the mixture stand for 10 minutes before use.
For pancakes that are perfectly round, try using a pancake ring. A pancake ring is a metal ring with a handle. The batter is poured into the ring, then the ring is removed when the batter is partially cooked for picture perfect pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancake variations

I happen to love these pancakes as-is, but sometimes I add other ingredients into the mix for a different take on this classic recipe.

Chocolate Chips: Add 1/2 cup mini or regular sized semisweet chocolate chips to the batter.
Cinnamon Roll: Mix together 4 tablespoons of melted butter with 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Place the cinnamon filling in a piping bag or resealable freezer bag with the tip snipped off. Pour the pancake batter onto your griddle, then pipe a swirl of the cinnamon filling onto each pancake. Cook as directed in the recipe.
Streusel: Make a cinnamon streusel by combining 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle a tablespoon of streusel over each pancake before you flip it over.

Can you freeze pancakes?

I like to make a double batch of these pancakes to freeze some for later use. I typically put individual servings of pancakes into resealable freezer bags, then freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost the pancakes in the microwave. If you prefer a crispier pancake, you can toast it in the toaster oven.

These pumpkin pancakes are a must-have for breakfast, they always get rave reviews from kids and adults alike!

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