Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

These pumpkin pancakes are the ultimate fall breakfast: fluffy, warmly spiced, and packed with pumpkin flavor. They’re easy to mix up in one bowl and cook in minutes, which means you can go from craving to stack on the table in about half an hour. Canned pumpkin does the heavy lifting here—it keeps the crumb tender and moist without any extra work—while a homemade pumpkin spice blend and a hit of buttermilk give you pancakes that taste like a proper bakery order. Whether you’re feeding a crowd on a lazy Sunday or meal-prepping breakfasts for the week ahead, this is the reliable from-scratch recipe you’ll come back to every October through February.

Why This Recipe Works

Pumpkin puree brings moisture and a soft, tender crumb, while the buttermilk and baking soda team up for serious lift—that acid-base reaction starts bubbling the moment the wet meets the dry, which is what gives you tall, airy pancakes instead of flat discs. The spice blend is the classic pumpkin pie quartet: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, measured so they warm the batter without turning it bitter or soapy. Everything comes together in one bowl with pantry staples, and there’s no need to rest the batter for an hour—five minutes is plenty. And because they freeze beautifully, a double batch on Saturday means weekday breakfasts handled for weeks.

The Recipe Card

Servings: 4 (about 12 pancakes) · Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and all the spices—1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed and no clumps of baking soda remain, about 30 seconds.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons melted butter or oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until completely smooth. If your pumpkin puree is cold from the fridge, that’s fine—just whisk a little longer so the eggs break down fully.
3. Combine the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula just until no streaks of dry flour remain. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy—that’s exactly what you want. Do not overmix, or the gluten will develop and the pancakes will turn out tough and rubbery. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while the griddle heats.

4. Preheat the griddle. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat, aiming for about 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease with butter or oil. To test the temperature, sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface—they should sizzle and evaporate almost immediately. If they just sit there, give it another minute; if they vanish instantly, turn the heat down slightly.
5. Cook the pancakes. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the hot griddle, spreading slightly with the back of the measuring cup if the batter mounds up. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set and matte rather than wet. Flip carefully with a thin spatula and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until golden brown and cooked through. The second side browns faster than the first, so keep an eye on it.
6. Keep warm and serve. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and hold them in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batter—this keeps the whole stack hot for serving. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and optional toasted pecans or a dollop of whipped cream.

Tips & Variations

• Don’t overmix. A few lumps in the batter are your friend. Overmixing develops gluten, which is the number one reason pancakes come out dense instead of fluffy.
• No buttermilk? No problem. Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk and let sit for 5 minutes until it looks slightly thickened and curdled. It works just as well in this recipe.
• Make it dairy-free. Use almond or oat milk with lemon juice in place of the buttermilk, and swap the butter for coconut oil.
• Add texture. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or dried cranberries right at the end of mixing for a heartier pancake.
• Gluten-free version. Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Expect a slightly softer, more delicate pancake.
• Watch your heat. Medium is the sweet spot. Too high and the outside burns before the center cooks; too low and the pancakes turn pale, dry, and flat.
• Freeze a double batch. Cool the pancakes completely, stack them with parchment paper between each one, and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30–45 seconds, or in a toaster or 350°F oven until warm and steamy in the middle. To freeze, place cooled pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag so they don’t stick together. Reheat frozen pancakes straight in the toaster or microwave—no thawing needed. For make-ahead batter, whisk the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before and combine them in the morning, or make the full batter and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours; just give it a stir before cooking.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (3 pancakes), estimated:

• Calories: 320
• Carbohydrates: 45 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Sugar: 9 g
• Sodium: 420 mg

These values are an estimate and will vary depending on your exact ingredients, brands, and portion size.

FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

No—pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced, which will make the pancakes too sweet and throw off the texture. Use 100% pure pumpkin puree (sometimes labeled canned pumpkin) for the best results.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

Yes. You can mix the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before and combine them in the morning, or make the full batter and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Just give it a stir before cooking, since the batter will thicken as it sits.

Why are my pancakes dense?

Overmixing is the usual culprit—it develops gluten, which makes pancakes tough. Also check that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh; expired leaveners won’t give you the lift you need. Mix just until the flour is incorporated, and leave the lumps alone.

Can I make these pancakes without eggs?

Yes. Substitute each egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious.

How do I know when to flip the pancakes?

Flip when bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set and matte, about 2–3 minutes in. The underside should be golden brown. If you flip too early, the pancake may tear or stick.