Description
These fluffy pumpkin pancakes are a cozy fall breakfast favorite, packed with pumpkin purée and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. They offer a comforting flavor and tender texture, with options to adapt the recipe for vegan and gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or sub white whole wheat flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (see notes for vegan option)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (or freshly grated ginger)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or both!)
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt (or plant-based yogurt)
- 3/4 cup milk (or plant-based milk)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin purée (or sweet potato purée)
- 2 eggs (see notes for vegan)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or melted vegan butter (plus more for cooking)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly drizzle in melted butter or oil while whisking to fully incorporate.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined without overmixing.
- Preheat Skillet or Griddle: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Grease lightly with your choice of butter, oil, or a combination (butter and olive oil recommended).
- Cook Pancakes: Spoon 1/4 cup portions of batter onto the skillet, leaving room for spreading. Cook one test pancake first to gauge temperature. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until bubbles form and edges set, then gently flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until cooked through and puffed.
- Adjust Temperature if Needed: If pancakes brown too quickly before cooking through, reduce heat or remove early and finish cooking on a 300°F oven sheet pan to prevent burning.
- Serve Warm: Serve pancakes immediately or keep warm in a 300°F oven until ready to serve. Enjoy with butter, maple syrup, or preferred toppings.
Notes
- Optional additions: chopped pecans or walnuts, chocolate chips, and orange zest (orange zest adds fabulous flavor but is not essential).
- Serving suggestions: butter and maple syrup, sautéed and maple-glazed pecans, maple-glazed pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, sautéed apples or bananas, fresh grated nutmeg, or fresh orange zest.
- Vegan adaptation: Increase baking powder to 1 tablespoon, omit eggs, use vegan milk and yogurt or all plant-based milk.
- Gluten-free adaptation: Substitute with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend such as Arrow Mills organic GF flour blend.