These pumpkin pancakes are amazingly easy to make, and are a crowd-pleaser any time of year! Use fresh pumpkin if you have it during the Fall or canned pumpkin year-round!
Okay, okay. Prepare yourself because I'm about to share a pumpkin recipe...in March.
I just can't help it.
While I'm pretty sure this is the only blog sharing pumpkin posts this time of the year, hear me out on this.
During times of crisis when we need to resort to using our pantries more from the shelter-in-place orders, what do many of us have readily on hand from last year? CANNED PUMPKIN PUREE!
Speaking of, you could also use your canned pumpkin puree in any of these recipes, too: Pumpkin Raisin Bread, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Spice Latte. Oh, and if you happen to have fresh pumpkins nearby, I also recently redid the photos on my How To Roast a Pumpkin For Pumpkin Puree and you should check that post out.
Can you say, "Yum"?
And, now, to add to that awesome list of pumpkiny goodness, I am sharing these tasty fresh pumpkin pancakes. Because pumpkin and pancakes need to be together...and not just during the fall. These pumpkin pancakes are super duper yummy. They go wonderfully with just some pecans and pure maple syrup. They're also very moist, probably due to the pumpkin puree.
A word on canned pumpkin puree... Just make sure you use the canned pumpkin puree, not the canned pumpkin pie mix. The pie mix already has added spices so adding your own would be overkill. And, while I do love pumpkin, double pumpkin spice is probably a bit much.
Probably.
Using fresh pumpkin puree does create a different flavor and texture. The actual "pumpkin" is a little more mellow in flavor and color which I like. Canned pumpkin tends to be more dense and not as fluffy and velvety as the fresh stuff. I think that helps to make these fresh pumpkin pancakes even fluffier. But, in times like these, they'll certainly do the trick!
So, there you have it. I hope you enjoy these guys and they bring you comfort as only pumpkin pancakes can!
HOW DO I MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN PANCAKES GLUTEN-FREE?
To make the healthy pumpkin pancakes gluten-free, switch the whole wheat flour for a gluten-free product. Almond flour can be used with the ratio of 1:1, although the pancakes may not be quite as fluffy.
HOW DO I MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN PANCAKES VEGAN AND DAIRY-FREE?
To make the recipe vegan and dairy-free, replace the egg with chia egg or add more fresh pumpkin puree. Instead of milk, use a plant-based milk like almond or cashew. Finally, replace the buttermilk with a combination of ¼ cup coconut milk and ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice.
CAN I USE ANY KIND OF SKILLET TO COOK HEALTHY PUMPKIN PANCAKES?
Healthy pumpkin pancakes can be cooked using a stove top cast iron skillet or a non-stick griddle on medium-high heat. You may need to lower the temperature to medium-low as you begin. When a drop of water sizzles on the surface at impact, you’ll know it’s hot enough to cook the pancakes. If using an electric skillet, the ideal temperature is 350 degrees F.
HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVER HEALTHY PUMPKIN PANCAKES?
If you have any leftovers (and that’s a toss-up!), you can store the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They’ll last a couple of months in the freezer if they are stored in a suitable container with a tight-fitting lid. To warm up thawed fresh pumpkin puree pancakes, heat them in the microwave. Be sure to wrap the stack in paper towel and heat in small increments of time, checking often so they do not become hard or dried out.
IS PUMPKIN PUREE GOOD FOR YOU?
There are so many nutrients packed into pumpkin! To start, fresh pumpkin puree is full of fiber and that's definitely a high point. Then, the list of vitamins just tells you that this is a nutritional food that you've got to include in your diet - not to mention, it's just plain delish! Vitamins A, B2, C, and E are ready to fill your health quotient, and minerals like iron and potassium round out the goodness. Need I say more?
MORE HEALTHY PANCAKE RECIPES
In my family, pancakes can be for any meal - not just breakfast. They make a perfect weekend dinner and it’s fun to create all kinds of yummy toppings to go on them. As a weeknight supper before a sports event, pancakes are many a parent’s go-to choice. Check out these perfect pancakes:
- Quick Diner Pancakes
- Protein Pancakes
- Apple Cinnamon Oat Bran Pancakes
- Banana Oat Blender Pancakes
- Lemon Blueberry High Protein Pancakes
Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
Equipment
- Griddle
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour or buckwheat flour
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder I use this one
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, protein powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger, sea salt, and ground cloves) in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (milk, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract) and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together. Mix until just incorporated - try not to over-stir. It's okay if the batter is lumpy. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour approximately ½ cup of the batter in the middle of the griddle and twirl pan in a circular motion to get the batter to spread out evenly to approximately a 5 inch circle. No need to add any additional oil to the pan since the batter already has coconut oil.
- Cook until bubbles begin to emerge from the center of the pancake and the sides of the pancake change from shiny to dull, approximately 3-6 minutes. Quickly slide a spatula underneath the pancake and flip over. Cook on this side for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- To keep the pancakes warm while finishing up all the batter, you can place the pancakes on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil in the oven at 200 degrees.
- Serve hot, with some pure maple syrup.
Video
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Carolyn S Cheeseman
My kids love pumpkin pancakes, and I use pumpkin year round so when I saw this, I knew we had to make it. I usually save homemade pancakes for the weekend, but seeing as very day is Saturday (and also Monday somehow??) I made them today. Huge hit, simplento follow instructions and my kids loved them. I didn't have whole wheat flour or coconut sugar so I just used white flour and raw sugar. When I get a chance I'll be sure to grab some whole wheat pastry flour and coconut sugar for next time.
Thank you!
Meta
I actually made these. While the flavor was excellent, the pancakes were extremely hard to handle. I did use whole-wheat pastry flour but I frequently use that in quick breads with no problem. I also had my own pumpkin puree. If I made them again I would probably reduce the milk by half a cup and add another egg. I would also cut down the size of the pancake.
Lacey Baier
Interesting - I'm sorry they didn't handle well. I wonder if the puree you had was just a different consistency?
Kathleen | HapaNom
I always buy pumpkin pancake mix around this time of year, but I never thought to make my own from scratch! This looks fantastic and I'm sure is WAY better than the powdered stuff! Can't wait to try this!
Lacey Baier
Yay! I hope you love it, Kathleen! 🙂